What do you do at the tables?
 

So I have been playing live games fairly regularly, and my poker buddy is always amazed that I don't listen to music (IPOD/MP3 player), while I am playing. I also don't wear sunglasses and will use a standard table chip as my card protector. My chips are evenly stacked in 20. I will try to constantly drink water, and take frequent bathroom breaks once I am pass the CO. (once an hour)
What are your habits at the table?
Any good advice on what you should do during a long session?
Sunglasses?
Ipod?
Eating?
Drinking?
Card Protector?
Chop every time, or sometimes play for bad-beat?
Chit-chat?

Re: Poll: What do you do at the tables?
 

Try the beginner forum.

lots of water. I bring some snacks to eat. I chop. I wear sunglasses. No ipod, no stupid card protector. Chatting helps the time go by, but the most important thing to do is pay attention

Re: Poll: What do you do at the tables?
 

My habits are much the same except I try to get in a cigarette with each bathroom break.

I also try to chat it up at the table as much as possible, though I have to admit, this is hard to do when I'm stuck.

Re: Poll: What do you do at the tables?
 

I have to smile, someone else who also plays position not only with his cards, but with bathroom breaks. I tend to play my breaks from middle position...but I don't drink at the table and can get back relatively quickly. Also: no iPod, no glasses, use chip as card protector, chop to be friendly, and I do chit-chat. Oh yes, stacks of 20, standard.

Re: Poll: What do you do at the tables?
 

We're not allowed to have i-pods in Detroit so that's out. I do chat a fair amount, although I'm trying to cut that down. I'm not superstitious, but I think my chip from the Aviation Club in Paris looks cool and is a good conversation piece so I bring that. Never eat at the table, unless you wash your hands first and play with one hand while eating with the others. Those chips are so germ infested. I also bring two protein bars, so in a ten hour session I can have one meal and 2 protein bars and not be hungry. I don't wear sunglasses, but I wear a hat so I can just stare at my chips when I'm in a big pot. Chopping is fine, and although it's not really in your immediate best interest if you're better than the other blind, people will treat you better and you may get a free showdown, etc if you are a friendly guy that chops. As for not chopping with a jackpot hand, I would mention it before you play, and maybe say that each person will get their money back after you check it down. If you have this agreement, simply say 'do you want to play or chop?' if you have a jackpot hand, and if they also have one, they will play.

Re: Poll: What do you do at the tables?
 

Any hand that's not 32o is a jackpot hand. Chop every time, unless you're playing short handed in a time collection game (many make the cutoff at 5 or 6).

Re: Poll: What do you do at the tables?
 

I pay attention and try to guess the hands the others are playing, keep my eye out for tells such as betting patterns, and if I order food I try and order something that can be picked (like a hot dog or potato skins) so I can face the table.

I should add that I also watch the dealers and make a mental note of things to be careful of such as a dealer who doesn't announce someone's call or raise, or who fiddles with the pot and is not paying attention or one who makes change for the SB before their turn to act.

Re: Poll: What do you do at the tables?
 

The sandwich was invented to permit food consumption simultaneous with gambling.

Re: Poll: What do you do at the tables?
 

[ QUOTE ]
The sandwich was invented to permit food consumption simultaneous with gambling.

[/ QUOTE ]

It was actually called a "gamblewich" in the early days.

Re: Poll: What do you do at the tables?
 

I guess I am too damn regular...

Get to table toss down the "coin" I use as a cap, go buy my own chips, as I also get an extra stack or two of the predominate chip to put in my pocket. Sit down, unrack, press the service light and order two cokes, one OJ and one bottled water.

Breaks, I always go after I fold UTG. If I play UTG I wait another orbit. No timetable, just go when I want, I generally come back in time to post the BB or post behind the button. I make sure I get out of the room on my breaks, get the noise, smell, etc away from me for a few minutes. Really makes a difference for me.

Just picked up a iPod touch this week, going to give it a go this weekend. I run hot and cold on chatting, and lately I think I am playing better when I just STFU and play. So I am going to try the iPod.

Chopping, I generally prefer to play than chop. Most of the people I end up with, would prefer to chop but dont get bent when someone wants to play.

I played with sun glasses once, hated it. While I might considered some clear but mirrored glasses if I ever find a pair I like. Locally it doesnt matter, but when I play higher out of town, it would be nice.

I do generally eat a nice dinner when I know I am going to be in a long session. No sense if starving ones self. I play while I eat, but I dont do both at the same time.

Re: Poll: What do you do at the tables?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The sandwich was invented to permit food consumption simultaneous with gambling.

[/ QUOTE ]

It was actually called a "gamblewich" in the early days.

[/ QUOTE ]

Is this a level? [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

Re: Poll: What do you do at the tables?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The sandwich was invented to permit food consumption simultaneous with gambling.

[/ QUOTE ]

It was actually called a "gamblewich" in the early days.

[/ QUOTE ]

Is this a level? [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

ahahahaha... [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

Re: Poll: What do you do at the tables?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The sandwich was invented to permit food consumption simultaneous with gambling.

[/ QUOTE ]

It was actually called a "gamblewich" in the early days.

[/ QUOTE ]

Is this a level? [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

ahahahaha... [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

from http://www.wordsources.info/words-mod-sandwich.html



The word sandwich that we use today was born in London during the very late hours one night in 1762 when an English nobleman, John Montagu, the Fourth Earl of Sandwich (1718-1792), was too busy gambling to stop for a meal even though he was hungry for some food. The legend goes that he ordered a waiter to bring him roast-beef between two slices of bread. The Earl was able to continue his gambling while eating his snack; and from that incident, we have inherited that quick-food product that we now know as the sandwich. He apparently had the meat put on slices of bread so he wouldn’t get his fingers greasy while he was playing cards.

Re: Poll: What do you do at the tables?
 

I drink as much free alcohol as possible. Sometimes I use the IPOD if I don't fee like being social, but mostly not. Stacks of 20, pyramid tower. Constantly shuffling or doing other chip tricks simply out of habit. I don't use a card protector of any sort, and I've never had my hand accidentally mucked. Never wear sunglasses.

Re: Poll: What do you do at the tables?
 

Wow. I'm a clone of the OP. except the music. And I might see the Hijack before heading for a bathroom/smoke break.

iPod earphone in one ear only so I can hear what's going on/participate in relevant conversation.

People behind headphones who don't know what's going on is a peeve. "What?" Takes off a cup. "What?" "Is it on me?" etc.

The noise of all the chip shufflers bugs me. A little. Why don't I just bang a chip on my stacks of twenty all the time? How would people like that?

I'll rotate my chips in their stack so that the side markings are aligned if the game is going really slowly. I can probably calculate some hands/per down number based on the percentage of my stacks that are aligned.

OJ, Coke with Lemon, Beer, Water depending on my mood and depending on whether I need to energize, caffeinate, relax, or hydrate.

I've tried prop betting, but apparently I haven't been able to make it fun enough yet.

Re: What do you do at the tables?
 

I do not wear sunglasses, but I also play 4/8 LHE so I find it to be a little ridiculous. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Definately no IPOD. Pet peeve is when someone with one constantly asks about action, what was said etc.

I bring some breakfast bars (I start playing early AM) and a bag of trail mix. I get up between noon and 2pm for lunch depending on how I am running.

Drink only water and lots of it. Which causes frequent bathroom breaks that I time according to my position. Getting back in time for the button/blinds.

I bring my own card protector and yes I change it for the seasons. I am breaking out the pumpkin next visit.

Always chop low limit (4/8 LHE) no need to give Foxwoods more money.

Always chit-chat otherwise I might as well stay at home. This is part of the reason I enjoy the game.

My $.02

Re: What do you do at the tables?
 

I play @ Foxwoods so no food at the table.

I play long sessions 10-18 hrs. I drink tea rather than coffee so that the caffeine can be more evenly spaced. I am awful when I play tired (too passive)

I have been skipping lunch lately. And it seems to make no difference.

Bathroom breaks I try to take either UTG+2 or UTG+1 immediately after I fold. I don't mind buying the button. Also when there is a "fill" I can usually not miss a hand.

No iPod, sunglasses, I enjoy the people. Usually there are 2 or 3 who will engage.

Dinner break when the excellent players are all back from their breaks.

I tend to stretch my legs when there is a gorgeous woman behind me who I can't see. I can tell she is there because the entire table cranes their necks and goes on tilt. There is an occasional "All-in" that tips me off too. I play LHE.

Re: What do you do at the tables?
 

Sunglasses only because I've found that I don't get headaches as bad when I wear them. Used to have trouble playing more than about three hours before having to leave because of the pain. I will take them off happily anytime someone asks, which is great for screwing with their heads.
Ipod - its with me, I rarely use it though.
I don't drink booze while playing, usually just water.
I eat when I'm hungry.

Card protector - the smallest chip in front of me.

I'm friendly at the table up until the point when I have about 20 big blinds in a pot, by then all my attention is going to be on the hand. I don't get mad at people - players or dealers.

I always chop, in part because the marginal equity isn't worth the negative attention. A friendly table is a good gambling table usually.

Re: What do you do at the tables?
 

[ QUOTE ]
So I have been playing live games fairly regularly, and my poker buddy is always amazed that I don't listen to music (IPOD/MP3 player), while I am playing. I also don't wear sunglasses and will use a standard table chip as my card protector. My chips are evenly stacked in 20. I will try to constantly drink water, and take frequent bathroom breaks once I am pass the CO. (once an hour)
What are your habits at the table?
Any good advice on what you should do during a long session?
Sunglasses?
Ipod?
Eating?
Drinking?
Card Protector?
Chop every time, or sometimes play for bad-beat?
Chit-chat?

[/ QUOTE ]

1. I never talk about how hands are played at the table, ever.

2.During long sessions, I get up and go back to my apartment on the boardwalk and take a nap, which I bought with the money I won by following rule number 1, above.

3. I never wear sunglasses, that would be rude and tighten up the bad players.

4. Ditto for the i-pod, however, I am technologically challenged since I am old and going to die soon.

5. I eat if I am allowed, only if I am very very hungry, since that slows up the number of hands played per hour, especially from the french fry grease and mayonnaise, which I love on my fries. No wonder I can never lose a pound.

6. I drink whatever.I start off with coffee, cream and eight splenda, since I am watching my weight. I progress to bloody mary's, since I figure that is lowest in calories of all the alcoholic drinks, have two or three of those at the Borgata (they make great bloody Mary's). Then I progress to diet cokes (shaken, not stirred, with maraschino cherries). Then Fiji water if they stocked it that day. When I am about to rack up, I go for a double shot of Jack Daniels, straight up, followed by a Bud chaser (its draft, yum!!!).
When I on my way out the door, to my car, I stop in the horse betting parlor, bet a horse for 2 bucks, get the free drink coupons, have a knob creek shot straight up, wtih a Stella Artois draft. There is no place better for free booze than the Borgata.

If I play at the Taj, then all bets are off. I just stick to the diet cokes, bottled beer, and the bottled water (Trump Ice, how tacky).

I take my bathroom breaks after I play my middle position hands, since I want to play as many hands as possible, in those loosey loose games. I am usually able to make it back for my big blinds, even leaving enough time for me to wash my hands after taking a whiz, or a dump.

7. My card protector is my left hand, leaving my right hand free so I can touch myself if there is a hot chick passing by. This let's me know I am still alive.

8. I chop every time, I don't like it, but I do it, especially if the recreational loose players are around. That extra dough I make from their loose calls is well worth forgoing blind play, even with real bad players to my immediate left and right. Besides, we get right to the next hand, where perhaps we can get a nice multi way pot going.

9. I chit chat or I am quiet, it depends upon whatever will keep the bad players around. If I talk, I make a lot of jokes about how, fat, old, how much I suck at poker, how stupid I am, what bad luck I get, how much I drink and eat, porno, girls, anything but the game in progress or the quality of the play of the other players.

If I am asked by another player how well he played the hand or if he played the hand correctly, I always retort, "You played that hand really well." As bad a player most of them are, they appreciate that type of dishonesty from me.



The above routine is a consistent winning strategy for me.

Re: Poll: What do you do at the tables?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The sandwich was invented to permit food consumption simultaneous with gambling.

[/ QUOTE ]

It was actually called a "gamblewich" in the early days.

[/ QUOTE ]

Is this a level? [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

For all of your edification, due to your collective lack of education:

It was called a sandwich because the Earl of Sandwich invented it and loved to gamble in card games. This left one hand his hands free to gamble.

Then he was surpassed in his intellegence only when the theory of relativity was conceived and formulated by Albert Einstein.

Re: What do you do at the tables?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Sunglasses only because I've found that I don't get headaches as bad when I wear them. Used to have trouble playing more than about three hours before having to leave because of the pain. I will take them off happily anytime someone asks, which is great for screwing with their heads.


[/ QUOTE ]

ppl really ask you to take them off?

Re: What do you do at the tables?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Sunglasses only because I've found that I don't get headaches as bad when I wear them. Used to have trouble playing more than about three hours before having to leave because of the pain. I will take them off happily anytime someone asks, which is great for screwing with their heads.


[/ QUOTE ]

ppl really ask you to take them off?

[/ QUOTE ]

I always ask players with sunglasses to take them off. I tell them its because I can't read them when they wear them.

Nobody has ever responded to me. I think sunglasses impair hearing indoors.

Re: What do you do at the tables?
 

[ QUOTE ]
So I have been playing live games fairly regularly, and my poker buddy is always amazed that I don't listen to music (IPOD/MP3 player), while I am playing. I also don't wear sunglasses and will use a standard table chip as my card protector. My chips are evenly stacked in 20. I will try to constantly drink water, and take frequent bathroom breaks once I am pass the CO. (once an hour)
What are your habits at the table?
Any good advice on what you should do during a long session?
Sunglasses?
Ipod?
Eating?
Drinking?
Card Protector?
Chop every time, or sometimes play for bad-beat?
Chit-chat?

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm the "poker buddy" in question here, and personally I think I'd die of boredom during the long sessions if it weren't for my trusty iPod. I always keep it low enough so I can hear all the action and table chat. (I hate people who constantly have to ask what's going on cuz they are listening to music.) The iPod is also a life saver when you get that idiot next to you who is constantly telling you bad beat stories in broken English so you can't even understand them. (Don't laugh too much Sammy....serious I would have hung myself that night if I didn't have my tunes.) I also use a cheesy black snake card protector that often gets mistaken for a turd. Its a great conversation piece. "What the heck is that?!?" I never talk about hands unless I'm probing for information, or I'm intentionally misleading someone. When I eat at the table I eat light. I never want that food coma feeling. I find precut fresh fruit is the best, and you can use a fork to not get the cards or chips nasty. I usually take my bathroom breaks after my button. That's about it.

Re: What do you do at the tables?
 

[ QUOTE ]
1. I never talk about how hands are played at the table, ever.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't know what its like at your cardroom, but at the one I usually play at everyone is a pro in their own mind. Every hand is analyzed at the table after it ends. I participate as well to be friendly and social.

I do balance this out by completely making up whatever "advice" I give. Sometimes its OK ("no, you only had 6 outs because of the flush draw"), but far more often its completely randumb ("of course I folded queens [as an overpair to the flop, lol], I don't want to play a big pot with you." or "It was the right play for sure, there's no way you can fold the nut straight" [on a double paired flushing board, lol] or some such crap).

[ QUOTE ]
I progress to bloody mary's, since I figure that is lowest in calories of all the alcoholic drinks

[/ QUOTE ]

Consider a rum and diet coke (or vodka and diet, or jack and diet). That's about as low calorie as you can go. If you ask nicely they might even put a maraschino cherry in it for you.

Re: What do you do at the tables?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Sunglasses only because I've found that I don't get headaches as bad when I wear them. Used to have trouble playing more than about three hours before having to leave because of the pain. I will take them off happily anytime someone asks, which is great for screwing with their heads.


[/ QUOTE ]

ppl really ask you to take them off?

[/ QUOTE ]

Absolutely, generally after I move in on them. I'm not wearing them to hide tells, so I don't mind doing it.

As noted before, it confuses the hell out of them, and I'm always in favor of confusing my opponents.

Re: What do you do at the tables?
 

I'm surprised by several people who take bathroom breaks at UTG and don't mind missing blinds - doesn't buying the button mathematically reduce your win rate (all other things being equal) compared to playing the blind hands?

On a less serious note (but still truthful, more or less), I'm also surprised by the number who say they keep their chips in neat stacks of 20. I tend to build towers, with 5-7 base chips, and up to 70-80 chips high (with pyramiding) if I win enough. During the short rush stretches when I win, I build them kind of haphazardly. Then during the long stretches of foldfoldfold I straighten them up, count them, insert reds at counting locations in the white stacks, separate them into clusters, landscape the grounds, build roads and schools, elect a mayor and city council, etc, etc (those foldfoldfold periods sometimes go on for a long time).

Re: What do you do at the tables?
 

Just got an ipod and I love it.

No sunglasses.

Stacks of 20, or sometimes just keep them in the rack.

Drink lots of water. And I usually eat 2 meals while I'm there.

I try to talk the least amount as possibe because I really try to avoid making friends at the table. I do like to talk to the other 2p2ers that I play with, but those conversations are usually short because we are both trying to pay attention.

Re: What do you do at the tables?
 

[ QUOTE ]
I'm surprised by several people who take bathroom breaks at UTG and don't mind missing blinds - doesn't buying the button mathematically reduce your win rate (all other things being equal) compared to playing the blind hands?


[/ QUOTE ]
All other things aren't equal. When I have to pee badly, I make terrible decisions. I don't set out to miss the BB it just sometimes happens.

Mathematically, I guess it is worse to buy the button than play both blinds because when playing the blinds you can choose to play a SB hand based on whether it is +EV or not. However, assuming you are going to miss 1 hand completely you have to factor in missing the UTG hand in order to play both blinds.

But that isn't the issue. I can't always time my bathroom breaks perfectly - so when I get back, if I'm faced with buying the button or waiting for the cutoff I buy the button.

Re: Poll: What do you do at the tables?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The sandwich was invented to permit food consumption simultaneous with gambling.

[/ QUOTE ]

It was actually called a "gamblewich" in the early days.

[/ QUOTE ]

Is this a level? [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

For all of your edification, due to your collective lack of education:

It was called a sandwich because the Earl of Sandwich invented it and loved to gamble in card games. This left one hand his hands free to gamble.

Then he was surpassed in his intellegence only when the theory of relativity was conceived and formulated by Albert Einstein.

[/ QUOTE ]

He was asking if the word "gamblewich" was the level. Everyone knows the Earl of Sandwich story.

Re: Poll: What do you do at the tables?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Any hand that's not 32o is a jackpot hand. Chop every time, unless you're playing short handed in a time collection game (many make the cutoff at 5 or 6).

[/ QUOTE ]

I played at The Grand in Tuncia for more than 12 hours a week or so ago. We chopped 2x in that whole time, both times in my BB. I always chop so I turned em over instantly. One time I had KK and the other time I had QQ. I think that was a sign of the apocalypse or something.

Re: Poll: What do you do at the tables?
 

Caveat...I play limit holdem. I would do things differently if I played NL.

Ok, so poker gear is tennis shoes or comfortable black shoes, jeans, t-shirt, and blue hoodie. I plop down at the table and set down sunglasses, cell, and one of various silver strike tokens for a card holder. I get chips(normally 2-3 racks worth) and immediately stack them into a super duper castle which everyone unnecessarily marvels at. The sunglasses are basically unnecessary as I only use them if I am really tired to hide my bloodshot eyes. Since I never play tired, I don't really need the sunglasses. Anywho, at this point I get into the game at Commerce, curse Hawaiian Gardens for having Guiness thereby forcing me to order some(Guiness is so yummy [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]), and in Vegas search for the nearest hottie cocktail waitress I can oogle and order free alcohol from.

During the course of the session I typically shuffle chips until my hands are tired. I alternate between obsessing on games on my cell phone, playing with my chip stack while imagining I'm Scrooge McDuck on a pile of gold, and getting the table happy/exited/tilted by pointing out how much I hate money and suck at poker.

Re: What do you do at the tables?
 

[ QUOTE ]
I progress to bloody mary's, since I figure that is lowest in calories of all the alcoholic drinks

[/ QUOTE ]

Consider a rum and diet coke (or vodka and diet, or jack and diet). That's about as low calorie as you can go. If you ask nicely they might even put a maraschino cherry in it for you.

[/ QUOTE ]

Why is a rum and coke fewer calories than a bloody mary? Especially with the maraschino cherry? Please reveal your sources Kurt...

Re: Poll: What do you do at the tables?
 

I eat when i'm hungry, i usually will eat before i play. I also like to play a lot of different games. So i'll play one game for a few hours, get up when hungry and eat then go play something else.

I pee when i have to but try to time so i miss UTG+2-UTG and come back for the blinds.

UTG2-UTG are the 3 toughest spots to make money in flop games. i don't like missing late position hands(the easier seats to come to play the tougher position).

Also i play a lot of mixed and stud games so in stud its easy since there is not blind to miss. usually I go potty, and smoke a cigarette and drop a $20 in a slot machine while smoke.

I do not stack my chips evenly at all, i don't like to know what i have in front of me as i don't want it to affect my play. I play limit games only so the exact number in front of me is not important. I can usually glance at my stacks and somewhat approximate where i am at pretty close anyway. Plus its also a nice surprise when i think i'm up about 150 and then i rack up and realise i am up 180 or something, or think i'm down 100 but find its only 60. I play 10/20 - 20/40 so its all read chips and its easy to be off by a few in a quick look.

No ipod, no sunglasses i like to pay attention.

I will chat and be neighborly with the people next to me, i suggest anyone who is not to change that.

I find when i am Nice to my neighbor they are more likely to give me a free showdown, or free card, or not bet a monster to be my friendly neighbor and usually don't get mad if i bet into them later. Also i have a friend that has a very short temper at the poker table and is not known for making friends at the table as a result, he gets no free cards/showdowns or any friendly courtesy.

may seem silly but saving a few extra bets in a limit game is very helpful.

7 or more players in a flop game and i chop. 6 or less no chop. When short handed if you inform the players next to you that you don't chop 6 handed nobody usually has a problem, especially if I am SB and toss the BB my SB as i fold. Also i can count on 1 hand the number of times there is a chop in a live game in Atlantic city in a single day at my table, so you can't be losing that much by chopping even if the BB/SB is terrible as if rarely presents itself.

/End Rant TL/DR

Re: What do you do at the tables?
 

Diet coke, not coke. Let's just consider the alcohol in the two drinks the same

Diet soda is zero calories. Zero carbs. Zero Sugar.

Whereas 12 oz of tomato juice has 60 calories, 15g carbs, and some natural sugars from the fruit.

Although you do get lycopine from the juice. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Googled source. You'll have to look up the cherry yourself.

Re: Poll: What do you do at the tables?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Stacks of 20, pyramid tower.

[/ QUOTE ]

Standard for me. The bigger the pyramid (actually the correct geometric term would be 'triangular prism'), the higher the stack. With $1 chips a 5-stack pyramid is $100, 10-stack is $200, 15=$300, etc.

Re: What do you do at the tables?
 

I love this post. I think nineinchal is my long lost older brother...

[ QUOTE ]
1. I never talk about how hands are played at the table, ever.

3. I never wear sunglasses, that would be rude and tighten up the bad players.

4. Ditto for the i-pod.

5. I eat if I am allowed.

6. I take my bathroom breaks after I play my middle position hands.

7. My card protector is my left hand.

8. I chop every time.

9. I chit chat or I am quiet, it depends upon whatever will keep the bad players around.

If I am asked by another player how well he played the hand or if he played the hand correctly, I always retort, "You played that hand really well."

[/ QUOTE ]

Re: What do you do at the tables?
 

[ QUOTE ]

9. I chit chat or I am quiet, it depends upon whatever will keep the bad players around. If I talk, I make a lot of jokes about how, fat, old, how much I suck at poker, how stupid I am, what bad luck I get, how much I drink and eat, porno, girls, anything but the game in progress or the quality of the play of the other players.


[/ QUOTE ]

No doubt, same with me. I love talking about sports or whatever the other players want to discuss, although I loathe discussing poker strategy at the table. It's like tapping on the fish tank--no need to wake anyone up. If someone starts talking odds or strategy, it's fun to refute their arguments and/or talk about luck and gambooling.

Re: What do you do at the tables?
 

[ QUOTE ]
I love this post. I think nineinchal is my long lost older brother...

[ QUOTE ]
1. I never talk about how hands are played at the table, ever.

3. I never wear sunglasses, that would be rude and tighten up the bad players.

4. Ditto for the i-pod.

5. I eat if I am allowed.

6. I take my bathroom breaks after I play my middle position hands.

7. My card protector is my left hand.

8. I chop every time.

9. I chit chat or I am quiet, it depends upon whatever will keep the bad players around.

If I am asked by another player how well he played the hand or if he played the hand correctly, I always retort, "You played that hand really well."

[/ QUOTE ]

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, Sklansky and Malmuth wrote many essays about this. What surprises me is that many 2+2ers I have played with choose to disregard this very valuable info and chase the fish away.

Re: What do you do at the tables?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

9. I chit chat or I am quiet, it depends upon whatever will keep the bad players around. If I talk, I make a lot of jokes about how, fat, old, how much I suck at poker, how stupid I am, what bad luck I get, how much I drink and eat, porno, girls, anything but the game in progress or the quality of the play of the other players.


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No doubt, same with me. I love talking about sports or whatever the other players want to discuss, although I loathe discussing poker strategy at the table. It's like tapping on the fish tank--no need to wake anyone up. If someone starts talking odds or strategy, it's fun to refute their arguments and/or talk about luck and gambooling.

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I don't even bother to refute it. I find it positive EV to ignore it and change the subject to some other topic.

Re: What do you do at the tables?
 

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I don't even bother to refute it. I find it positive EV to ignore it and change the subject to some other topic.


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Fair enough--I kinda argue for a living, so I tend to have fun with it and not argue in a serious way. I see why it might might be +EV to just talk about footbaw & take others minds off the cards, though.