Anyone notice this \"teaming phenomena\"?
 

I only play BM 3 or 4 times a year, but each time it seems like the 1 2 3 4 seats and the 10 9 8 7 naturally "team" up, and you get an "us" vs "them" vibe going against the other side of the table. It seems like the "teams" will play each other softer, and help each other when one of them is against a player on the other "team".

Is this a well recognized phenomena that the regular BM players see? Or is this all in my head?

Since I don't play enough to know, I'm curious to hear from regular BM players...

Thanks!

Re: Anyone notice this \"teaming phenomena\"?
 

It happens a lot, it's not in your head at all.

I'm not sure about the softplaying -- but people will often cheer on people on "their side" of the table when they're not in the hand, so it'll be a win for "our side," etc. etc. I think it's most standard at the higher low limit games ($5-10 and $10-20) vs. the smaller / higher limit OR no-limit games.

Re: Anyone notice this \"teaming phenomena\"?
 

Yet another reason why my favorite seats are the 5 and 6....

Re: Anyone notice this \"teaming phenomena\"?
 

This is a common social phenomenon called social categorization. It is very much an 'us vs them' mentality. Its also define by sets of in-groups and out-groups. In this case, your in-group is your side of the table. Naturally your side will describe the other as the lucky side, where your side is all skill or something like this. That is called the ultimate attribution error, also very common in 'us vs them' situations. Your side of the table will feel a self serving bias to discount the talents and skills of the other side. In short, the sociology graduate in me says this is a standard social situation. The poker player in me says, standard poker table situation, enjoy. Also, be sure and take advantage of your kind neighbors, they wont suspect it.

Re: Anyone notice this \"teaming phenomena\"?
 

Yep. It's hard to chat with people at the other end of the world, your table, and the better conversations center at your end of the table.

Just last week at Commerce I sat next to an older pleasant Korean guy I like to see at a table because he is a semi-fish and plays nearly all hands. Before 2 orbits, he rakes a few hands and tosses me a couple of chips out of the blue because he has been lucky since I sat down. We start tossing each other a lucky chip on our wins. Then a bigger pot comes up he gives me the knee nudge under the table! I was folding anyway, but WOW! You can't get the knee nudge from the other side of the table! LOL. It also re-inforced the lesson about being kind to fish, they are our friends.

Re: Anyone notice this \"teaming phenomena\"?
 

Its the way the shufflemasters are designed! DUH!

It shuffles so that on one day the 5-9/10 seats get better cards, and vice-versa on the off-days.

...now where did I put my aluminium foil hat....

Re: Anyone notice this \"teaming phenomena\"?
 

fishyak : Great play giving him chips when you win too. This is exactly what you need to be doing; helping the fish enjoy the game. As a BM player it is your duty to make fishes time more pleasent.

I was playing a 5/5 game, open raised with JJ and fishy to my left that I'd been real friendly with calls. Flop is 984 and I bet 3/4s pot... he raises me $100 on top (it is 3 way) and says to me "If you don't have aces or kings brother, get out, I've got pocket queens". Other guy folded, I folded, and he flashed me the ladies before mucking.

Be kind to the fishies and they will be kind to you.

Re: Anyone notice this \"teaming phenomena\"?
 

Shoot, not only do I notice the phenomenon, I try to encourage it as much as possible. Hey, as long as we can keep an "us vs them" pseudo-war going, not only do we have a fun table dynamic, but people might not be paying attention to my play.

Yeah, I don't mind when the pood sitting next to me decides to soft-play me because I'm on "his side," but that doesn't mean I return the favor.

And heck, by the end of a few-hour session, I often have the guy next to me showing me his hands when I'm not playing, which of course tells me a lot about what I need to do to beat him.

Re: Anyone notice this \"teaming phenomena\"?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Yep. It's hard to chat with people at the other end of the world, your table, and the better conversations center at your end of the table.

Just last week at Commerce I sat next to an older pleasant Korean guy I like to see at a table because he is a semi-fish and plays nearly all hands. Before 2 orbits, he rakes a few hands and tosses me a couple of chips out of the blue because he has been lucky since I sat down. We start tossing each other a lucky chip on our wins. Then a bigger pot comes up he gives me the knee nudge under the table! I was folding anyway, but WOW! You can't get the knee nudge from the other side of the table! LOL. It also re-inforced the lesson about being kind to fish, they are our friends.

[/ QUOTE ]

you sure that was his knee?

I guess im weird...
 

Cuz I sure as hell dont talk to anyone, softplay anyone, care less if you lose your rent money to me.... The bottom line if filling my pocket with YOUR chips. Seriously, forget this teams stuff, give me you money... I will say it again, give me your money. Am I the only one who feels this way? Mods if this is going to get me banned, please delete it. I dont want to cause trouble. Thanks

Re: Anyone notice this \"teaming phenomena\"?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Its the way the shufflemasters are designed! DUH!

It shuffles so that on one day the 5-9/10 seats get better cards, and vice-versa on the off-days.

...now where did I put my aluminium foil hat....

[/ QUOTE ]

LMAO Remember paranoia is just "heightened awareness". [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

I play at Foxwoods at least once a month and it is like that us/we thing. I may root for my neighbor, but I don't softp play, warn or otherwise collude with them. I have a friend or two at my table and I will play them like everyone else.

I was at the Luxor 10th - 15th and one guy soft played his grandfather everytime he was in the hand with him. I wouldn't, I may buy him lunch, but I would never softplay anyone. Then again I am part Scilian.

Peace,
Mygtar

Re: I guess im weird...
 

I agree with Pokerdude as far as 'give me your money' with the added piece that I want people to have fun doing it. That way they come back another day and hand me some more money. I don't believe in softplay of any kind myself, but if someone wants to share info with me because we're having a 'friendly game' I won't turn it down. You can shear a sheep (or fish) many times, you can skin him only once.

Re: I guess im weird...
 

Remember the joke about the old bull and the young bull...Let's WALK down there and take them ALL! I'd like to make sure that squeezing out one more "value bet" doesn't mean that he never sits at my table again. I want LOTS or people WHO DON'T MIND losing to me, OFTEN, because I am a pleasant guy who wins. But I don't send them home broke or embarassed!

Re: Anyone notice this \"teaming phenomena\"?
 

It's usually because the guys across the table are LAG jerks, whereas the guy sitting next to me, although he plays a little unorthodox, is the only one who really understands the game and my plays.

Re: I guess im weird...
 

[ QUOTE ]
I agree with Pokerdude as far as 'give me your money' with the added piece that I want people to have fun doing it. That way they come back another day and hand me some more money. I don't believe in softplay of any kind myself, but if someone wants to share info with me because we're having a 'friendly game' I won't turn it down. You can shear a sheep (or fish) many times, you can skin him only once.

[/ QUOTE ]

Werd.

Re: Anyone notice this \"teaming phenomena\"?
 

It does happen in that neighbors tend to chat with each other more than with players farther away from them at the table. So a certain comraderie develops, especially if a neighbor is taking a beating at the table.

Re: Anyone notice this \"teaming phenomena\"?
 

[ QUOTE ]
It does happen in that neighbors tend to chat with each other more than with players farther away from them at the table. So a certain comraderie develops, especially if a neighbor is taking a beating at the table.

[/ QUOTE ]

Exactly. When you play live, there is no reason not to develop a friendly, fun attitude at the table -- not only is it polite, it's certainly +EV. Many of the online shenanigans and attitudes some folks have are best left at the door when you walk into your local cardroom.

There are many people who have been playing live and been "friends" with people in the poker room for 10, 20, or more years. Those of us coming in only playing for a few years would oftentimes do well to make ourselves as welcome an addition to the table -- it helps minimize the annoyance with us taking up a seat playing a hand every orbit or two.

Re: Anyone notice this \"teaming phenomena\"?
 

Ever play with two guys at the table who are constantly at war with marginal hands?

-j

Re: Anyone notice this \"teaming phenomena\"?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Ever play with two guys at the table who are constantly at war with marginal hands?

-j

[/ QUOTE ]

It's fun being one of those 2 guys.

As for the OP: yes, I'll lament with players on my side and yap with them and stuff. If we're both getting our asshanders award I'll make it like it's a race to the felt. I'm also in their corner when they win a pot. Again, you want to make people comfortable at your table.

It's also natural for many to do this just as they do in a pit game. In BJ it's everyone against the dealer. In craps no one is buds with the guy playing the Dont Pass lines.

However, I don't so this to the idiots that are running bad and berating players. I could care less about interacting with them.

But in doing it, this doesn't change the way I play against them. I still play everyone hard. But since not everyone is there to make money, you will see some softplay their side of the table when HU sometimes.

b

Re: Anyone notice this \"teaming phenomena\"?
 

[ QUOTE ]
I only play BM 3 or 4 times a year, but each time it seems like the 1 2 3 4 seats and the 10 9 8 7 naturally "team" up, and you get an "us" vs "them" vibe going against the other side of the table.

[/ QUOTE ]

You do realize this happened as soon as poker became a "sport" right? [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Re: Anyone notice this \"teaming phenomena\"?
 

[ QUOTE ]
This is a common social phenomenon called social categorization. It is very much an 'us vs them' mentality. Its also define by sets of in-groups and out-groups. In this case, your in-group is your side of the table. Naturally your side will describe the other as the lucky side, where your side is all skill or something like this. That is called the ultimate attribution error, also very common in 'us vs them' situations. Your side of the table will feel a self serving bias to discount the talents and skills of the other side. In short, the sociology graduate in me says this is a standard social situation. The poker player in me says, standard poker table situation, enjoy. Also, be sure and take advantage of your kind neighbors, they wont suspect it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Given the first six sentences of your post, the bolded sentence was entirely redundant [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Re: Anyone notice this \"teaming phenomena\"?
 

Anyone ive ever sat with is always willing to take money from anyone else at the table. Verbally its different. Its always a joke when all the money from one side goes to the other. then for example 1, 2, 3, 4 start making jokes that they need to weigh the other side down with something so the table doesnt topple over. Just coincidence when it happens though.