I have thought about this for a long time and I felt it was time to actually put my thoughts on paper. I have played with just about every poker player that makes the rounds in the greater Raleigh RTP area and I am embarrassed for a number of so called poker players.
Why must someone feel the need to speak poorly or critical of another player at the table? What sense of entitlement do you feel that gives you the right to talk down to another player? If the stakes are too high that having your pocket aces cracked or having someone draw out on you brings you to such anger and grief that you lash out maybe you should step down to a lower limit game that won’t put quite so much stress on you.
The poker table is where you see the true colors of another person. Forced to make decisions that can double you up or break you will make the good and bad come out. Unfortunately I see the same people acting like 9 year old jilted girls time and time again. In what other social setting is it acceptable to speak to someone the way some players feel it is ok at the poker table? Show some class and dignity people!
Once you put that bet in the middle of the table what you are saying is I don’t mind if you call as long as you call for this much. Once they put their money in the middle and call your bet then they paid your price to see the next card. Don’t be mad at them if they hit their one outer or 9 outer or whatever it is they hit. They paid your admission fee. If you are afraid they will call your bet and draw out on you then don’t bet. The point being if they pay the cost you are charging then shut up if they hit their card. The hand is not over before the flop, after the flop or after the turn. The hand ends when the river hits the board and the betting ends thereafter. Just because you have the best hand at any point before then does not mean you get the end the hand then and there. That is the beauty of poker.
We all have our moments where the cards just don’t fall our way and from time to time we let a rude comment or two out to make us feel better and let the other player know how lucky he just got. That happens, what I am talking about is the same players over and over again berating other players and acting like they are Phil Helmuth or something. It is even funnier when they do the exact same thing to someone else (suck out) they act like they did nothing wrong and that is poker but when it happens to them they throw a tantrum and really show their ass.
I did not name names for a reason. Think about the games you go to and the people you play with. I am sure you can think of a few players who fit the bill. This is just a friendly reminder to treat everyone at the table with dignity and respect and if you can’t do that maybe you should just play online.
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6 comments:
Tom,
I agree but I feel compelled to comment.
The physical actions are what is not called for. Throwing chairs, berating a single player, chucking cards at the dealer.
Regarding comments made at the tables. Poker players have thick skin, most do anyway. Every table sques (that's another story) and every table has its own player interactions (chemistry). In some games the environment is one of clever banter, insults, and some are just so silent it's not much fun in my opinion. In others such actions that would be considered rude and totally out of line are acceptable and are all in good fun, such as the slow roll or the check down. In one of our weekly games it is common practice to slow role your opponent. In this case such an action isn't taken offensively but is considered just good fun and all involved are good sports about it. These types are games are usually made up of a group of guys that just want to have some fun and gamble a bit. I attend more for the social aspects of the game which is why I play poker in the first place. This type of atmosphere makes the game a lot of fun. Leave the stats and your ego at the door.
On the other hand (no pun intended) some games are very tight. The players chemistry and general atmosphere really stinks. There is no gamble whatsoever. No risk, no reward kind of play. 8 out of the 10 players just grind it out for 8-10 hours which I think is a silly waste of time (to each his own I guess). At these particular tables it's a total bore. Within ten minutes I will call every tight ass on his lack of imagination and show them they folded the best hand. When I have Aces and get no action I tell the entire table they all suck for not playing poker. It's all in good fun and no one really takes me seriously because those that have played with me at other tables know that this behavior is only brought on by the table chemistry. Besides they all no I'm correct :). They tend to loosen up just to prove me wrong which I love, cha-ching. 22 bucks into a grand in 35 minutes. God I love this game.
What's important is that all the crap said at the tables is left at the tables. It's all in good fun. It's the social aspects of the game that has made it endure 400 years not the 5 freaking years it has been on TV.
btw, I'm all in 56 suited fold your 10s you pussy!
-Even Money
I could not agree with you more Frank. You are right on target in every point you made. It is part of what makes up the table and it is the chemistry as you put it. I love the table banter that is had at the table. It is a large part of why I play as well.
That however was not what I was referring to. The tongue in cheek & "good natured" ribbing is good for the game. What I am referring to is the mean spirited comments that are not in good fun but are done to just be mean. I guess it somehow makes those players feel better about themselves letting everyone else know how poorly the other guy played the hand and how lucky they got. I mean come on, thats poker.
The slow rolling game you are referring to makes that game more fun knowing we are all trying to see who can come up with the best slow roll. Everyone at the table knows it is coming so we are prepared. It is not a surprise so to speak.
My focus is on the individuals who insult and berate players not for the sake of the table or the game but for their inability to move on to the next hand.
Good post, I have tried to post this topic a few time but get too long winded b/c of my strong feelings on this matter. These players are not that good and they run off the dead money guys who are there to have fun. The worst, or best part, is that these "players" don't even take the worst beats every night. They may take a couple when people like me get sucked out on constantly. I just muck or roll my eyes and move on. Tell those guys to play online and play 1,000 handa a night and see how many horrible suckouts they take AND GIVE!! But it's OK for them to get lucky just don;t ever do it against them!
ftp pirate
Good post Tom, I agree!
Well said, Tom. I especially like the fourth paragraph - I couldn't have said it better myself. Being human, I have my moments of frustration like most people, but I try not to get caught up in one particular hand, night, week, or even month. Poker is a game of swings and streaks, and every player from Doyle on down has those periods where nothing goes right. Though it's obviously easier said then done, you just need to bite your lip and fight your way through them. Normally when I give someone improper odds to call and they draw out on me, I'll say "Loved the call - hated the card."
On a side note, I get a particular kick out of players who whine about getting "sucked out on" after giving the other player proper odds to draw to their hand!
I can't count how many times I've seen someone give another player 6:1 pot odds to hit his 4:1 draw, only to whine and bemoan his "bad luck" when the other guy calls and hits his draw. And of course, four out of five times he'll pay the guy off on the river as well, which means he had even better odds!
I swear, talk all you want about Penn & Teller, Blue Man Group, etc, but nothing is more entertaining than watching players like this melt down.
I love ths game...
Yeah, we all know at least a few players who constantly slow play their trips or two pair into the second best hand, then proceed to berate the guy who won the showdown who did nothing wrong other than to check in turn...lol.
I have to say, though, that having these players at a table is a blessing. You need thick skin, and I think most people do, but having those types of players at the table not only makes for an interesting evening, but also a guaranteed tilt-tap that's usually worth at least one buy-in. :-)
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