BerniceC: they will not be able to bid, therefore they will receive a bid of zero which in the first round will drop out along with the lowest bid higher than zero, then the pond rill run like normal from that point.
As far as people who are now pawns who have set up ponds, they will run like normal as long as 16 people or minimum required by that particular pond remain for it to start.
Why not let the rest of the people in the pond play it out?