Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Talking trash and poker

One thing I am finding increasingly annoying in my old age is the proliferation of duochebags on the internet, especially in poker rooms. I know this subject has been beaten to death, and I don't want to come across as some "holier than thou" Bible thumper, but what ever happened to both common sense and some civility. Couple key points:

1. From a strictly financial point, it is rarely good (<1%) to berate the bad play of someone. With poker being a less than zero sum game, the only way we make money is to make it regularly from bad players. So, even if money is not your overriding goal, you obviously still like to play poker, and without these people, poker doesn't exist. So STFU.
2. Am I just too old to appreciate good trash talking? I know I did some growing up, but it was ALWAYS against someone I knew already...a buddy or at least acquaintance. Not some random stranger that just played J4o UTG. Seriously, who's your mama?
3. And finally, this is to all of those really defensive people out there. Just because I make a comment about my bad luck at the table, this does NOT mean I think you are a donkey. Perfect example from last night: I flopped second pair, decent kicker (KT) after betting pre flop on a board of JTx 2 suited. Pretty good hand and the guy behind me reraises me all in. Having played with him before, this is almost 100% a flush draw. So, now I am looking at him likely having 9 outs to the flush and maybe an overcard. So, I called with the stacks being what they were. He ended up having KQs which amounted to WAY more outs that I thought he would have. Now, he plays Axs or Kxs here exactly the same way, so, in the end it was unlucky. But, even still, he turned a brick and then hit his flush on the river. So, I typed "God...I run bad for you to have that hand". Now, this guy and I have played a ton and he didn't say anything, but someone else starts railing on him for being a donkey, drawing fish. No no no. That isn't what I was saying. I was saying that I can't seem to win any meaningful races lately and just that "I run bad" for a couple of reasons. First, he happened to have the hand he did; second, I flopped something decent; third, I had played with him enough to have a VERY good read that I was ahead here and he was drawing; fourth, I get teased by him bricking out the turn; fifth, he hits his card on the river (of which, he had a TON of outs). If any of those things weren't true, I likely don't lose a stack. Therefore, I run bad.

End of rant.

Ok...made the finals of my fantasy basketball league...so here is a little trash talk. FU Frank...I am gonna kick your ass.

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