"too serious" poker players

Truth, EastCoast…

Playing in the Golden Nugget Grand tournament a few summers back I played with the consummate hoodie/sunglasses/iTune player. It was like he brought his own little security blankets to the table. At the first break, he came back reeking of marijuana.

I digress. One of the guys at our table was a bracelet wearer from a major tournament and a very, very strong player. Well, if you've played in this tournament you know that many of the dealers are sub par and that the room can get COLD!

After the first few orbits, Mr. Bracelet leaves the table for about 10 minutes saying he's too cold to play … and he comes back with a hoodie, sunglasses, and toilet paper ear plugs and started acting like the other guy, but more so. The whole table broke up.

 

That would be like saying you find it hilarious that people have issues with someone wearing an eye-patch in response to pirate complaints.

The hoodie is part of the outfit. The generally anti-social, afraid of their own tells, I'd-rather-be-on-the-internet-than-in-this-poker-room attitude is what bugs people.

 

I'm with you. They can win more than twice as much at a 2/5 in the same amount of time. And with all they've won at 1/2 and internet games they can afford the bigger buyin.

 

I admit, I like to wear a hoodie at the table because most poker rooms are freakin' cold. And I actually use an iPod too because I need noise in order to concentrate. That being said, I am absolutely the opposite of the guys you describe. I love talking to others and driving the so called "table expert" crazy.

Another one I hate at the table is the crabby local who can't understand why I stayed in and hit my draw even though he underbet every time and gave me odds to stay. They will complain for hours about a so called bad beat.

 

The ironic thing is that many of the guys who actually make a living off poker advise you to try and make the game fun for everyone by at least being sociable. When you make it as painless as possible for others to lose their money to you, profits go up. Too many of the young guns in hoodies fail to recognize that.

 

No one really makes a living off poker except sponsored players. Do you make a living off poker?

 

I know a number of people who do this for a living. Not saying a great living but that is their source of income. And they aren't sponsored by anyone.

 

Not sure where you get this idea?

I could never make a living off poker, but I've met more than a couple non-sponsored people who do.

 

Yep, false assumption

There are quite a number of "grinders" in Vegas & elsewhere in the country who are not regularly sponsored who make a living playing poker.

Your high rollers/big names are your sponsored players--and they are making a VERY comfortable living playing poker.

 

I think poker grinders are like professional musicians. A lot of musicians make a living, but they aren't on TV or playing in huge bands. They play weddings and give lessons and do small club gigs because maybe that singer will get a record deal, etc.

 

I saw that first hand this weekend at a 1/2 table. This guy, an obvious grinder, was the life of the table. He tried talking to everybody, made jokes, and just seemed like he was as happy as he could be.

He ended up making bank at that table. He made it look almost too easy, but it was a pretty weak table as well.

 

The beauty of poker is you can ware what you like.

Table image is very important, as is wearing clothes which are comfortable. I often wear headphones when someone at the table is irritating. That way I can pretend I did not hear them although I do prefer the small in the ear type.

When playing some of these young wizzkids from the internet, it is crucial to watch them closely. As most will make mistakes, due to the live game being so much slower.

Tournament and Cash poker are very different styles. And only the best players can adapt to both.

 

So just to summarize. OP can understand people having rent and bills in Atlantic city, but just can't seem to understand how people could have these problems in places he's on vacation. I agree locals should not EVER berate tourists BUT it is no way our job to entertain you in a poker room, YOUR TRYING TO TAKE MY MONEY!!!! What I have on the table is not a vacation expense I'm fine with losing and I'm not there to hang out with you. Sorry but if you can't see that it isn't my problem. I've never understood people who get upset about somebody sitting and minding their own business. The poker room isn't a vegas show you paid admission to!!

 

Minding your own business is fine, but when they berate fish it makes it bad for everyone.

I'm a casual player but I'm also a winning player, and when I go to Vegas for poker I'm looking to win money I can then dump at blackjack and baccarat. When I see a tourist make a dumb move and win, and a "pro" starts telling him how awful he's playing it makes it worse for everyone. The fish leaves and now I'm stuck with a miserable table full of depressed, semi-good players.

Don't tap the tank

 

I hear ya! That's why I get up and leave. It's butt annoying when you're on vacation and someone thinks they're Phil Ivey. It's your choice to act like a wanna be poker pro, like it's my choice to get up from the table.

 

Ok you get up and go find the room where the locals slap you on the back and pretend to yuck it up with you. I'll save you some time and cab money, it doesn't exist. Casino Poker isn't a social game. Your looking for a home game or pit games.

 

Keep trying, I am sure you can make a living playing poker. I'm sure you're the next Phil Ivey!

 

You people are insane. First off, it's a GAME. Sure, it's for money... but if you have to sit still and quiet and can't interact with your table mates because you take the game so seriously, you're probably not that good. Watch the pros on Poker After Dark... all of them yuck it up when they're not in the hand.

I never leave a table because of someone berating someone else. I sit there and make fun of the guy with the rest of the table until he leaves. And, I'm 100% successful at doing so to date.

Once I was even applauded by the entire table at the Venetian as I was leaving the table... was thanked and told by almost everyone there they'd never had so much fun playing poker.

That's what poker is supposed to be about. Having fun and scratching together a little coin. And, when the table loosens up, I'm usually the one walking away with big profits.

The quiet ******bags aren't making money. And neither are the table coaches. Now, the TAG old Asian dudes... those are the ones you have to watch out for!

 

I'm not as serious a player as I used to be, (in fact I hardly play anymore, but I used to make a meager living playing online), and I agree that no one should talk shit about or to any other player, but I have no problem if someone isn't interested in socializing. Depending on my mood, I may sit down, put in my ear buds, and ignore everyone else. And if that ticks you off and makes you want to try and take my chips to "teach me a lesson", the better for me.

Poker isn't "supposed" to be about having a great time. If that's the way you like to play, that's fantastic. I play with some great players on a regular basis in home games, players who have won California state championships and WSOP circuit events, players who have lifetime tournament winnings in the 6 figures. In these home games we talk smack to each other and crack each other up. If we were to play in a game in Vegas, we would be much more subdued for a number of reasons. But to me, poker is supposed to be making the right decision every time, whether socializing or not.

 

Seems to me when you like what you're doing and having fun doing it, you excel at it. That's applies to life in general. Not just to poker.

Sitting stoic at a poker table and isolating yourself from the other players doesn't seem like "fun" to me. Look at the best players in the World and I guarantee very few of them sit stone cold at the table with their ipod on listening to tunes. Even Ivey interacts with players when he's not in a hand.

And, I don't teach lessons at the poker table. But, many lessons have been learned by my opponents while playing me. That's for sure.