Anyone notice this "teaming phenomena"?

salloch · #1 07-24-2006, 09:49 AM

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!

BarronVangorToth · #2 07-24-2006, 09:54 AM

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.

ungarop · #3 07-24-2006, 09:56 AM

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

foureightsuited · #4 07-24-2006, 10:28 AM

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.

fishyak · #5 07-24-2006, 11:30 AM

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.

ragecg · #6 07-24-2006, 11:42 AM

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....

StupidAcesSigh · #7 07-24-2006, 11:42 AM

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.

toots · #8 07-24-2006, 03:24 PM

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.

mayday4379 · #9 07-24-2006, 04:00 PM

[ 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?

pokerdude82 · #10 07-24-2006, 04:04 PM

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