Do\'s and Dont\'s to make a good game
 

List some things you can do and things you shouldnt do to keep a game running smoothly and all players content and happy. Lately many of the games I've been playing in are turning sour and I'm not sure I find a table full of disgusted people on tilt all that profitable or enjoyable.

Do tell you opponent "Nice hand" with respect when he beats your hand.
Dont tell your opponent "You had only 2 outs to beat me," when he catches that miracle.

Please add to my list.

-J

Re: Do\'s and Dont\'s to make a good game
 

Do blame your cards for sucking for the reason why u fold preflop to play tight

Dont critique a fishes very poor play at the table

Re: Do\'s and Dont\'s to make a good game
 

Don't agonize over evry fold for 2 minutes like your on tv. Making your decision in 10 or 15 seconds would be nice.

Re: Do\'s and Dont\'s to make a good game
 

quicker decisions, throw in some good convo with funny talk when out of hands, say nh and dont get mad at people cuz thats bad etiquette, so yea pretty much be nice, courteous, and not just a quiet nit.

Re: Do\'s and Dont\'s to make a good game
 

I'm not sure it's possible to keep things running smoothly AND have everyone content and happy.
Well, it might be possible if you consistently lose lots of money to everyone equally, but...
I think you'd like to keep the game moving and keep folks civil. One route is be the Hitler at the table and aggressively keep the action going and tamp out any smoldering disagreements quickly. Not easy, but if you can bully the crowd along into playing, and not get people too personally mad at you, you've made progress.
Don't allow "hot button" issues to discussed at the table. This might be politics, sports, religion, whatever.

Re: Do\'s and Dont\'s to make a good game
 

Why are these games turning sour? Is it because of rules disputes or suckouts? Are there players who feel they have the right to win every %80 all-in? or even worse every %55 all-in? Are there any angle-shooters?

Re: Do\'s and Dont\'s to make a good game
 

i really don't think it make a difference if you berate a fish or not. If you berate them they'll just get angry and want to prove to you once again how good they are. likewise, i guess the same is accomplished by giving compliments, either way, im just not sure being overly nice to fish makes a difference.

Re: Do\'s and Dont\'s to make a good game
 

[ QUOTE ]
I'm not sure I find a table full of disgusted people on tilt all that profitable

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Say what?

Re: Do\'s and Dont\'s to make a good game
 

ban your own chat

Re: Do\'s and Dont\'s to make a good game
 

[ QUOTE ]

Do tell you opponent "Nice hand" with respect when he beats your hand.


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Even the fish know when they're getting lucky, they don't need some smartass to say "nice hand" after they backdoored a flush.

How to make a good game: Don't be a douche bag or a nit.

Re: Do\'s and Dont\'s to make a good game
 

Deal and shuffle quickly.

When someone else tanks, for F(*&(*& sake think yourself!

Just tonight, had a bet, and then three people went into the tank one after another. Did the third one really need that long to think about it? I think not

I think be nice to the fish. If you point out their bad plays, as mason says, you embarrass them into playing better. Or even worse, avoiding you in pots.

Until recently, i played like the devil, and was more than happy to deliberately tilt people and take full advantage of it.

Now, after reading about act like jesus and play like the devil, my behaviour has improved. I dont show cards, dont discuss any poker theory, and just agree with any load of crud that gets said.

Case in point. $11 pub poker tonight. Fckwit's hot girlfriend has AA, she raises 200 (blinds 25/50). Then, on the flop, she bets 200, turn 200, then shoves ai on river.

Atrocious play. Pf good, Flop pot was 800. SHe should have bet 500 on flop, shove the turn.

VIllain had odds to call his gutshot, and was berated by fckwit for calling the 200. But, he closed off the betting, and was guarranteed to get more of her stack. So villain starts talking about implied odds.

I would have just smiled, said nice hand, and mucked. End of story. If asked, i would have said something like didnt feel like calling, but not talk about my cards at all

Re: Do\'s and Dont\'s to make a good game
 

Do take a shower and wear deodorant when you play cards. Dress nicely. Poker is a gentleman's game.

Dont fart at the table. No one wants to smell your ass. If abdominal bloating is too painful, stand up, find a clearing and let one rip. If need be, go sit on the toilet for a while. Make sure you wash your hands, too.

Do try to be friendly and sociable at the table, or at least quiet. Dont pick fights with a bad player or a maniac by constantly 3-betting him or by making him look foolish. Dont start personal 1 on 1 revenge wars because it may make the other players uncomfortable.
Dont utter curse words under your breath aimed at the guy who just beat you. Even though you are just mumbling to yourself, some may take it personally and it is rude.
Dont swear in other languages that players dont understand. It is rude and lacking dignity.
Do find ways to make good from the bad and laugh at the insanity of the game.

-J

Re: Do\'s and Dont\'s to make a good game
 

A couple little "tricks" i have, if you will...all in the image I try to create in that I am just there to have fun.

1) I become friends with every dealer and know their names. Sometimes I'll "blame" the dealer (when I have a good rapport with them) if someone takes/gives a bad beat. It takes the tension away from the players, "aww damn Dante you really pulled that one out of your ass!" or "wow betsy I can't lose when you're dealing." Tell people when your "winning dealer" is coming to the table, and if you win while they're there - credit the dealer.

2) I'll say before the hand is dealt (usually if I'm in a blind) that I WILL win the next pot. You get tons of action if you hit, and if you don't, make up some excuse as to why you have to fold, "jeeze, apparently you made the same declaration to the poker gods as i did this hand...they must love you more than me".

3) Get to know people and their names. Become their friends (some of my friends disagree with this, but it honestly makes me have a much more enjoyable experience). If Gerry has won three hands in a row with backdoor flushes, high-five him and tell him he's sick! At the same time, warn everyone else to stay out of Gerry's way, blah blah blah.

Maybe this requires an outgoing personality, but I donno. I usually have ten times more fun this way, and it appears that my opponents (whether winning or losing) have fun too. I think it was Negreanu that said his goal was to have every losing player walk away with a smile on their face saying how much fun they had and want to come back the next day.

edit: I've found this system to work much more easily if there is another outgoing person at the table who you can play off of. Once you start getting more vocal you can get other people into the mix.

Re: Do\'s and Dont\'s to make a good game
 

Don't go crazy and call one of your best friends a "phi beta Kamaka" when the drunken Hawaiian cold calls 3 bets PF from the other room with J9o and cracks your aces(True Story).

I try to keep booze to a minimum; drunken idiots are not my cup of tea. I also try to keep everybody on the same page. What I mean by that I don't invite my more serious poker playing acquanintances to the game where the real point is to drink and BS with old friends and vice versa.

Good Luck,

Fitz

Re: Do\'s and Dont\'s to make a good game
 

wtf is a 'phi beta kamaka'?

Re: Do\'s and Dont\'s to make a good game
 

I'm going to go against the grain here.

Don't say nh or anything at all in chat whatsoever no matter what happens.