\"In the dark\" and bad form
 

Home game low low stakes. But let's take this situation:

- I limp in early position with J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] knowing this guy accross has been raising a few hands in a row, and is getting relatively shortstacked.
- Surely enough he raises about 3bb, claiming to do so "in the dark"
- folds round to me and I re-raise.

- Still in the dark he calls. Flop comes:
10[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] I bet around half the pot, he calls.

- Turn:
10[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] again big bet, he calls

- River:
2 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] I check, he goes all in (about 1/3 my stack) Still without having seen his cards so he says.

If I call and he turns over AA, KK or a K10 with a "i got you" grin on his face, does it warrant a "well played", or a punch in the face? I.e. is it a nice bluff/angleshot or is it simply not cool?

[img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Re: \"In the dark\" and bad form
 

i don't see anything wrong with saying you didn't look when you did. part of the game, imo.

Re: \"In the dark\" and bad form
 

I do not think there was anything wrong with his play/statement either. At my home game there are one or two of us who occasionally say this, and sometimes it is actually the truth.

Re: \"In the dark\" and bad form
 

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i don't see anything wrong with saying you didn't look when you did. part of the game, imo.

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Deception is part of the game.

QFT

Re: \"In the dark\" and bad form
 

The whole "in the dark" ruse is retarded will only ever work once. It's not cheating or punch-in-face worthy (unlike, say, slowrolling) but it's really annoying and imo against the spirit of a friendly home game.

Re: \"In the dark\" and bad form
 

This really happened last week by the way, except that I called and he showed rags (96o)saying he was trying to make me fold.

I was pretty sure he hadnt seen his cards making it an easy call, although another mate at the table later told me he had peeked at them (doubtful)... got me thinking.

I'll be keeping a closer eye on this guy next time.

Re: \"In the dark\" and bad form
 

I always figure that if I wasn't paying attention and didn't see if he looked or not then I assume he has and is just bullshitting me.

Re: \"In the dark\" and bad form
 

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i don't see anything wrong with saying you didn't look when you did. part of the game, imo.

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This is true. But I consider pretending to act in the dark pretty disrespectful to the spirit of the homegame. Others will probably disagree with me.

Re: \"In the dark\" and bad form
 

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[ QUOTE ]
i don't see anything wrong with saying you didn't look when you did. part of the game, imo.

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This is true. But I consider pretending to act in the dark pretty disrespectful to the spirit of the homegame. Others will probably disagree with me.

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As far as being disrespectful to the homegame, I think it may depend on the game. When it happens at my regular game it adds to the fun and banter back and forth and folks seem to find it funny. I do not think anyone puts too much faith in the statement. Of course any joke told too often is not that funny.

As Rot said, if I can't verify it with my eyes I will assume he is full of BS, and potentially count it as a read.

Re: \"In the dark\" and bad form
 

This is totally home game dependent. We use to do all sorts of things that would be horrible form in a casino or in some games. Slowrolling was especially common (like making the other guy turn over your cards to see if he was good or not). Surprisingly though we never lied about when we were acting in the dark, and I think if someone had it wouldn't have gone over that well. Nothing serious but it would have gotten some comments I think.

Re: \"In the dark\" and bad form
 

[ QUOTE ]
This is totally home game dependent. We use to do all sorts of things that would be horrible form in a casino or in some games. Slowrolling was especially common (like making the other guy turn over your cards to see if he was good or not). Surprisingly though we never lied about when we were acting in the dark, and I think if someone had it wouldn't have gone over that well. Nothing serious but it would have gotten some comments I think.

[/ QUOTE ]Ditto. I guess it depends on the type of home game you have. I play in 2 fairly regularly and both games are full of guys who have been good friends for a long time.

Harassment, playing "in the dark", etc is part of the fun. Hell, it's not been a good night unless everyone at the table has been called a donkey at least once.

I see nothing wrong with the play described in the OP if it happened in my home game but I could see it causing problems in a home game where everyone was so comfortable with each other.

Re: \"In the dark\" and bad form
 

Well, I seem to be running counter to the general sentiment. I thnk if somebody claims to be playing in the dark and is lying, then that person is an asshat.

It's not against the rules, and it may not be unethical, but its just shady in my view, and if not an actual angleshot, is closer to an angleshot than to acceptable poker game deception. In my view at any rate.

--Zetack

Re: \"In the dark\" and bad form
 

Add me to the list of people who always assumes it's a lie unless I know the person well enough to know it's the truth, or if I've watched the cards the entire time. It may be a stupid move, but that's all it is.

Re: \"In the dark\" and bad form
 

I think this is player dependent.

If I say "In the Dark" I mean it. Seriously. But I'm the only one I know who does it.

Everybody else IMO is lying. If you catch somebody pulling that 'ITD' crap who looked before you can safely assume he ALWAYS is looking.

Maybe I should start looking in my home game. Hey, OP, thanks!

Re: \"In the dark\" and bad form
 

When I play in the dark, I don't say anything about it. I find that works better.

Re: \"In the dark\" and bad form
 

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When I play in the dark, I don't say anything about it. I find that works better.

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But thats no fun! I want people to know I'm a donkey.