I hate playing against regulars that I respect.

[waffle]

Just what the title says. Well, I respect all my opponents as people. I mean I respect their play. We're both here for the same purpose, why battle it out? I just want to check down hands if we're in a HU pot after the flop. Of course I never succumb to these urges, I play hard against them, I just don't want to. And I feel a little guilty if I win a big pot against one. How can I get over this uncomfortableness? This doesn't come up too often, there are a lot of winning regulars whose play I don't respect... but there are a still a few that I do.

[lehighguy]

Because you don't know if ur +EV in a hand against them, and your uncomfortable.

I even get mad if I'm not in the hand, if they take a fishes money there is less for me.

[Dan BRIGHT]

If people respect me too much at the local b&m sometimes I overplay my hands a bit or bet / raise on scary boards, thus having them fold better hands. Plus for whatever reason, I start having jts and 9ts utg at a full game start going upstairs, both in an effort to generate more action and to mix up the play.

[raze]

Hey waffle, its cool that you respect opponents as people, but at the table your job is to play in the way that gets the most money off people. You should be looking to bust everybody, including your 'worthy' opponents.

[StellarWind]

[ QUOTE ]
Just what the title says. Well, I respect all my opponents as people. I mean I respect their play. We're both here for the same purpose, why battle it out? I just want to check down hands if we're in a HU pot after the flop. Of course I never succumb to these urges, I play hard against them, I just don't want to. And I feel a little guilty if I win a big pot against one. How can I get over this uncomfortableness? This doesn't come up too often, there are a lot of winning regulars whose play I don't respect... but there are a still a few that I do.

[/ QUOTE ]
Winning poker is a very lonely game. It is very natural to identify with your peers and begin thinking of them as comrades instead of adversaries. It gives you the illusion of being less isolated. Naturally one does not attack one's comrades and hence your problematic feelings.

1. Recognizing the cause of your feelings is half the battle because it should allow you to better manage them.

2. You need to treat the root cause of the problem. Get more human interaction outside of poker so you are better equipped to handle the inevitable isolation that occurs at the table.

I think I see posters in the strategy forums who manifest the same problem in a different way. They have elaborate struggles with their good-player friends that often result in terrible FPS. This may be glorious fun but it isn't a +EV approach to playing these hands. Not a problem if you understand and accept that it isn't about the money anymore.

[Nut4Dawgs]

I don't think you're respecting me if you're not giving everything you've got. My best, true friends have always known whether it's sticks, golf or cards, once the game's on, we're looking for blood. Always. And we've always had laughs while doing it.

What we can/have/will do to each other, makes us better. That's why we do it. After the game's done, we can talk about it and maybe learn something. BS and trash talk from somebody I know is fun. From somebody else, it's easy to ignore because I've probably already heard it.

You want respect? Show me your best. You win, I'll acknowledge your talent. I like all the chips I get. I like the tough wins most of all.

[waffle]

you're right on the mark stellar. in the hand that prompted me to make this post, i flopped a set versus a very solid villian's overpair. i remember playing with this villian at a lower limit 8-12 months ago. no wonder i think of him as a comrade.

[_TKO_]

Stellar I think you make an excellent point. I definately notice this feeling in myself sometimes, but only live. In those times, I draw on my online experience and pay attention to the bets.

[MRBAA]

Another conflict that arises is that playing against equals is fun. In sports, you'd never want to play against inferior players -- wouldn't be fun. But in poker, that's where the money is, and where most of us want to spend our time. A "good" game in poker is not usually about battling equals, it's about optimizing results against weaker players. Of course, the continuum is fluid, and today's equal can become tomorrow's inferior (or better) as you and he learn.

Sometimes, of course, it's fun to play with strong players, just for the challenge. I sometimes play heads up stud online against players who are as good or better than me, even though I know it's -EV, because I enjoy it. I have to say, though, I never have a problem taking money from strong players (other than the obvious problem of beating them at all).

[MadTiger]

Right. It actually disrespects the person and the game to not give your best, or to cheat.

[andyexpat]

You have to respect all your opponents, regardless of their level of play, otherwise you will get a nasty shock one day. /images/graemlins/wink.gif