Pitching a Fit at the poker game

[huge1s]

I play poker with a group of guys every so often... maybe once a month at most. We always play a no-limit holdem tournament for $20. Basically a friendly game where we can have a beer and some fun. This one guy that always plays takes the games very seriously and it seems like he plays quite often (stories from casinos, other home games etc). He is pretty knowledgable about poker and is always talking about the pot odds, statsts ect. However, he basically acts like a jerk half the time and yells at people for playing hands he thinks they shouldn't play. Well, last weekend I nearly took him out of the game early on because I called his pre-flop raise with :Js:10s. Flop came :9s:Qs:Kh. I slow played him and he got PISSED. "How could you call my raise pre-flop with :Js:10s !!!!" Next hand he went all in and yelled at me to call him, then just stared me down. Dude was on tilt, but I just said "relax.... this is a fun game for $20". He kept staring me down, so I decided to rib him a bit by saying.... "You want me to call you with YOUR money or mine?". I thought he was going to jump across the table. This isn't the first time that him and I have tangled.... I think bottom line is that he gets frustrated that he can't read me. He is always saying stuff like.... "yeah, I put you on cardx and cardy" after he sees their cards (magically...he is almost always right...after he sees their cards) Any of you guys have a "fun" game where you have to deal with this stuff? Maybe I was out of line....

[MsprinM]

Been there done that, Next time he says he cant believe you called with XX just say that if he doesn't understand how you could do it then maybe he should read another book.

[ACE'S FULL]

This isnt the guy is it??? Sounds just like the shenanigans that he pulls at the tables...

http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTrrjvGjV81c2E6OgXeuQizYPz1Z1EaL VBiEpdIeNOvGt7dpBPZeg

[Weasel]

Sounds like someone who hasn't been playing very long and is quite noviced.

Those are the only people I know who talk and act like that. Tell him you clean up at the $3/6 and $4/8 tables against people like him all the time, that should really piss him off.

[j p frog]

sounds like a guy in our old home game that was a cancer to the game and ultimately caused the game to die. Kick him out and replace with someone who wants to have fun.

[Quads]

sounds like a guy in our old home game that was a cancer to the game and ultimately caused the game to die. Kick him out and replace with someone who wants to have fun.

this

[IFLOPPEDITSUCKER]

Yeah we have a "professor" or 2.
A) It's a fucking $20 tournament.
B) I would call with JT in position for a smallish raise almost all the time. Not an AI, but maybe even a 3x or 4x raise. OOP I might raise with it. Depends on the blind levels and my M. It's a perfect hand to crack AA-QQ with imo. Even if you didn't flop the straight I'd still goto war with the oesfd
C) It's a fucking $20 tournament.
D) All I ever say is "You WANT me making those calls, what with the -EV and everything, right?" If he's killing the vibe of the game, I'd take him off my list, his $20 isn't worth the couple hours of bullshit.

[Weasel]

What did he have BTW? AK?

[Wedge Rock]

Sounds like someone who hasn't been playing very long and is quite noviced.

Those are the only people I know who talk and act like that.

This. The guy who has to tell you how good he is playing usually isn't very good at playing.

If he's killing the vibe of the game, I'd take him off my list, his $20 isn't worth the couple hours of bullshit.

And this.

[Richard Cranium]

On the serious level sounds like me, but I bottle it all up and don't usually say a thing. I don't think I'm bad for a game but what the hell do I know.

I really really enjoy playing, but even a $20 game I take very seriously. Its more the competition to me than the cost of the buy in.

Oh, and I call that guy with :Js :10s every single time looking to put him on tilt. That's even more of an incentive to call. You've got pot odds, implied odds, and tilt odds.

[huge1s]

sounds like a guy in our old home game that was a cancer to the game and ultimately caused the game to die. Kick him out and replace with someone who wants to have fun.

Unfortunately, it isn't my game.... I just laugh it off, so i think I will keep playing. This time kinda rubbed me the wrong way for some reason though (not enough to quit playing). I just find it humorous that he knows all the odds, EV etc and I don't think I have ever seen him win a tournament (5-8 guys usually) in the 4 or 5 years I have been playing. I also find it funny that I can usually tell when he is trying to buy the pot. And for the record... I usually try to play suited J 10, for some reason I seem to do well with that hand.

I did bust his trip kings though... lol.

[Redneck Rebel]

That guy would really hate me. I don't really know how to play so I just do shit all random like and the couple times I've played I've won. Of course since I am well aware of the fact that I am wrecking everyone else games I always put the winnings into the house jar as the house has always provided the snacks and shit.

[huge1s]

On the serious level sounds like me, but I bottle it all up and don't usually say a thing. I don't think I'm bad for a game but what the hell do I know.

I really really enjoy playing, but even a $20 game I take very seriously. Its more the competition to me than the cost of the buy in.

Oh, and I call that guy with :Js :10s every single time looking to put him on tilt. That's even more of an incentive to call. You've got pot odds, implied odds, and tilt odds.


I understand that completely. Part of the fun of this game is being competitive. I am not saying he shouldn't get mad if I violate some poker odds or anything... but a stare down in a friendly game amongst neighbors is a little un-called for.

[Richard Cranium]

Yeah I never win tournaments either, but I don't pretend to know, or believe, that I'm that great at poker. I know I'm not good, but I try to learn how to play better, $20 game or $100 game.

[Wedge Rock]

"You know the pot odds, -EV of the preflop call, your fold equity, my implied odds, etc. yet you didn't consider I could be slow playing JT spades?"

[Richard Cranium]

I understand that completely. Part of the fun of this game is being competitive. I am not saying he shouldn't get mad if I violate some poker odds or anything... but a stare down in a friendly game amongst neighbors is a little un-called for.

Definitely. There's fun competition, and there's douchebag serious.

[huge1s]

That guy would really hate me. I don't really know how to play so I just do shit all random like and the couple times I've played I've won. Of course since I am well aware of the fact that I am wrecking everyone else games I always put the winnings into the house jar as the house has always provided the snacks and shit.

Everyone here knows how to play, so that isn't the issue really. I play the odds (per se) but don't bother to do all the calculations. I spend most of my time watching the other players and picking up their patters. I will even stay in to see a few flops with a bad hand just to see if I can catch someone off guard. Just the way I play I guess. I would probably be better off learning all the odds, but I am just there to have fun mostly. The funny thing is that I almost always finish in the top 3 and probably win 1 out of every 4 times.

[JCinPA]

I know it's not your game, but with an asshole like that, I guarantee you he's pissing most of the other guys off, too. I strongly suspect he doesn't have it in just for you, personally.

Talk to a couple of the other guys you think will back you up, and then 2-3 of you gently suggest to the host that the guy is a
:douche:
and maybe he should think of taking him off his list.

I host games, and I feel it is my responsibility to watch for this kind of bahavior and toss folks. I have not had to yet, but I am very willing to, and sooner or later, I know an asshole will show up. Your host might have been thinking of getting rid of the guy but was a bit nervous about how to approach it. With several folks talking to him about the guy, it might give him some cover/balls to toss the knucklehead.

[Wedge Rock]

"You know the pot odds, -EV of the preflop call, your fold equity, my implied odds, etc. yet you didn't consider I could be slow playing JT spades?"

You know, I kinda posted this as a wise ass remark, but the more I think about it, it's true.

It's not like you were playing ace high and he had air, but knew you were weak and you were too dumb to fold. You gambled PF and YOU WERE AHEAD THE WHOLE TIME POST-FLOP!

To me, he evaluated the hand once -- preflop -- and determined that you were weak. He never re-evaluated your holdings when you called him down on every street (by "I slowplayed it" I assume you meant that you called him down... maybe raised on the river...). After the flop, he never gave any consideration to the straight and flush draws out there -- the exact type of weaker holdings that might call a raise in a situation like that.

This guy played the hand horribly and was looking for someone to blame other than himself. He thought by being aggressive, he was out-playing you and he refused to re-evaluate his PF determination. He's a :douche:

[huge1s]

You know, I kinda posted this as a wise ass remark, but the more I think about it, it's true.

It's not like you were playing ace high and he had air, but knew you were weak and you were too dumb to fold. You gambled PF and YOU WERE AHEAD THE WHOLE TIME POST-FLOP!

To me, he evaluated the hand once -- preflop -- and determined that you were weak. He never re-evaluated your holdings when you called him down on every street (by "I slowplayed it" I assume you meant that you called him down... maybe raised on the river...). After the flop, he never gave any consideration to the straight and flush draws out there -- the exact type of weaker holdings that might call a raise in a situation like that.

This guy played the hand horribly and was looking for someone to blame other than himself. He thought by being aggressive, he was out-playing you and he refused to re-evaluate his PF determination. He's a :douche:

Yeah, I called him all the way down and made a real good act of it. I think he put me on a pair of Queens (just a guess). His raise pre-flop was big, but not huge. It also helps that I won a couple decent hands already, so wasn't too afraid to call. Honestly, I thought he was trying to buy the pot (which he does frequently when there are only a few players in the hand). He made a pretty big bet on the river and I raised him (he quickly called).... I think he still had me on Queens because he had a big "you sucker" look on his face before I turned my cards over.

The other thing I didn't mention is that last year I had offered to get his recently graduated from high school son a job at my company (kid wasn't going to college right away).... would have given him a chance to get paid well and use his math skills (kid is a wizz at math). He is a good kid, but never called me back and decided to take a job at the fast food joint in the gas station making 1/3 of what he would have made working for us....

[km630]

Does he wear sunglasses at the table too? In a $20 game? What are the blinds? Obviously, he thinks you should have more respect for his preflop raises. But, like others have said, he does not re-evaluate his hand after the flop or turn. And, while you may not know "the strict odds", sounds like you have at least an inherent understanding of implied odds.

Honestly, even the guys that I play with regularly, I probably don't say anything in response. Just stack my chips with an "aw shucks, I got lucky" attitude. You saying anything to get under his skin is not necessary. He is going to tilt regardless. But, by jawing at him, you might only be escalating the situation.

[huge1s]

Does he wear sunglasses at the table too? In a $20 game? What are the blinds? Obviously, he thinks you should have more respect for his preflop raises. But, like others have said, he does not re-evaluate his hand after the flop or turn. And, while you may not know "the strict odds", sounds like you have at least an inherent understanding of implied odds.

Honestly, even the guys that I play with regularly, I probably don't say anything in response. Just stack my chips with an "aw shucks, I got lucky" attitude. You saying anything to get under his skin is not necessary. He is going to tilt regardless. But, by jawing at him, you might only be escalating the situation.


Ha Ha...no sunglasses fortunately. He does occassionaly bring his iPod and tune the rest of us out.

That is pretty much how I handled it at first until he carried it into the next hand and raised his voice and stared me down. Even then, my comment I made about calling him with his money was done while smiling with a "really... you are still mad?" look on my face. Probably should not have made any comment....

[IFLOPPEDITSUCKER]

F that. Good natured needling is part of the metagame. Throw that one at him, and they say "You just got leveled" All the 2+ :douche: punks say it.

[detroitdad]

It's not like you were playing ace high and he had air, but knew you were weak and you were too dumb to fold. You gambled PF

Haven't you said this to me 15-20 times?

I can sometimes have a temper. I mostly try to hold it in. When it does escape, I'm always apologetic afterwards.


I think I'm getting better over the years.

[timsta007]

Whenever I get the standard "how could you call with JT?!?!?" from someone, my response is always the same:

"I was hoping to flop a straight and bust someone who couldn't lay down a worse hand."



:shipit:

[Richard Cranium]

He does occassionaly bring his iPod and tune the rest of us out.


I've never understood this in a neighborhood game. Are you here to have fun with some pals and have some beers on a saturday night, or are you here to work? I get competitive in any game, but I don't put on headphones. That's just antisocial, passive aggressive dickwad.

Whenever I get the standard "how could you call with JT?!?!?" from someone, my response is always the same:

"I was hoping to flop a straight and bust someone who couldn't lay down a worse hand."



:shipit:

That's awesome

[ACE'S FULL]

Whenever I get the standard "how could you call with JT?!?!?" from someone, my response is always the same:

"I was hoping to flop a straight and bust someone who couldn't lay down a worse hand."



:shipit:

:win: love this!!!

I've never understood this in a neighborhood game. Are you here to have fun with some pals and have some beers on a saturday night, or are you here to work? I get competitive in any game, but I don't put on headphones. That's just antisocial, passive aggressive dickwad.



That's awesome

That just seems douchy to me. Just like sunglasses in a home game. Really??

[Debacle]

Plain and simple, and it boils down to this:

When you begin to bankroll me, then you can tell me what hands to play. Until then, EABOD

Plain and simple, nutin fancy.

[Slev]

Plain and simple, and it boils down to this:

When you begin to bankroll me, then you can tell me what hands to play. Until then, EABOD

Plain and simple, nutin fancy.

Exactly what I say to the fawksticks at the blackjack table: "ummm, is this your money stacked in front of me? No? EABOD!"

[Quads]

I love that term "EABOD" So fucking awesome....
That would rock a license plate like it was '99.

[2_hotty]

He's obviously an amateur player. When he says shit like "I can't believe you called with that garbage" tell him "You should never expect the other players to play as good as you do".

Then collect your pot, and leave it at that.

[bigslickwood]

I would have called on the next hand, too if you had ANY thing playable, King Rag, etc. In my experience the big staredown just screams, "I have nothing."

D-bag stares me down, I absolutely love to call with a K9 or something and he has to turn over the 47o he was trying to act tough with. I can think of at least 4 times it paid off huge, and only one time where the guy actually had a monster hand (and knew enough about the game that the staredown usually means weak).

[Blake]

Back when my game was pretty big (average 20 players) I had a guy at my game like this. he was always spouting off like that and talking about sitting next to htis pro or that pro at a tournament, crap like that. Thing is he was a HORRIBLE player, in the 2 years he played my game he made it into the money 2 times I think. I heard it was the same at other games he played in too, no one ever saw him win or ever saw him at the local poker rooms playing. yet he was a god of poker, in his minds eye. The last time he played in my game he was in complete douche mode. I took a pretty big pot from him after I flopped quads and just let him do all the betting. He went on total life tilt after that hand and just got worse and the badgering, and worse yet he was directing it at me. I'd finally had enough and said "You're right John I'm a complete donkey. I have no clue what I'm doing at all. Just to prove it, tell you what, I'll play the next 4 hands completely in the dark. Then it's strictly the cards doing all the work."

I won the next for hands and knocked him out of the tournmament on the 4th one. He never came to another of my games and apparently stopped showing up at other games too. I'm not sure, but I think I saw him starting to cry as he got up to leave.

[huge1s]

I would have called on the next hand, too if you had ANY thing playable, King Rag, etc. In my experience the big staredown just screams, "I have nothing."

D-bag stares me down, I absolutely love to call with a K9 or something and he has to turn over the 47o he was trying to act tough with. I can think of at least 4 times it paid off huge, and only one time where the guy actually had a monster hand (and knew enough about the game that the staredown usually means weak).

I was dying to call him, but my hand was horrible. I almost did it anyway, knowing he most likely had nothing either, or a moderately good hand. I guess that is further evidence that I am a horrible poker player because I didn't let my emotions get the best of me and call his challenge with nothing.

[Quads]

I fucking raise with :Js :10s
Against a mouth like that? I'd beat him in the pot and repop it.

[IFLOPPEDITSUCKER]

Call him now and wish him luck getting his mawney out of the online sites. THen cackle wildly and hang up

[IgotDANUTZ]

FUCK THAT TAKE HIS FACE AND OPEN THE door with it. If anyone acts like that they get a warning and if it happens again they are bounced......period, goodbye, dont come back,fuckface!!!

[Richard Cranium]

FUCK THAT TAKE HIS FACE AND OPEN THE door with it. If anyone acts like that they get a warning and if it happens again they are bounced......period, goodbye, dont come back,fuckface!!!

Remind me to avoid your game.

[comp56]

some times ya have to play the people not the cards, and this guy sounds like he would be an easy one to read. As far as I'm concerned he is obviously not a good player over all.

I call these guy emotional players, easy to read easy to rattle.....

we have a group of about 12-16 players that play once or twice a week and there was a couple guys that were like that long ago but have since grown up and have a better presents at the table.

[The Rope]

some times ya have to play the people not the cards, and this guy sounds like he would be an easy one to read. As far as I'm concerned he is obviously not a good player over all.

I call these guy emotional players, easy to read easy to rattle.....

we have a group of about 12-16 players that play once or twice a week and there was a couple guys that were like that long ago but have since grown up and have a better presents at the table.

I like it when they bring presents to the table.;)

[sunsetpizza]

It's all been said at this point, but what the hell. Here's my take.

First - I documented here or the previous place a tought time with a player we had being a douche. A few players didn't wnat to come anymore because of him. For a $20-40 tourney too.

I banned him in one of the most uncomfortable conversations ever.

We let him back into the game a few weeks later and has done a complete 180. He's fun to have at the game and we can still pick at him when he's been felted. But he's a fun guy and a good player and just doesn't take it as seriously as he did.

#B. Headphones? Not allowed at my game or any other home games I play. I made that rule clear when a douche played several years ago and pulled out the IPOD. It's a fun game, for fun stakes. No antisocial players permitted. See the first example. Same with sunglasses.

I suggest you talk to the host - tell him your thoughts. If a few of my friends hadn't done that, my game may have died from this one guy.

And as far as needling him, I say go for it.... Give him the roughest treatment you can muster.... he deserves it. He's a cocksucker. And his son sounds like an idiot :) (and that's not being sarcastic in any way)

[Rob]

Say:
"Thats why they call it gambling"

[lnlver]

I always use these words to handle schmucks at the table:

"The kiddie game is down the street." - Mike Matusow