Playing with friends in cash games?

greggg230 · #1 07-31-2007, 05:44 AM

Hi, I'm planning a trip to Vegas soon with a couple friends, and we plan on playing a fair bit of poker. I've never actually played cash games live for any extended period of time; I've only played tournaments live in a casino. I have a few questions.

1) When you are with friends, do you play at the same tables with them?

2) If so, do you just play with them like you would anyone else?

3) Is it considered unethical to avoid pots with them?

Arito · #2 07-31-2007, 06:12 AM

1) Yes, but I try to avoid it whenever possible.

2) No, I generally avoid trapping and/or stacking them

3) I believe so, but I'd rather be considered slightly unethical by poker players than clean out a friend. I never play differently when there are others in the pot though.

Richard Tanner · #3 07-31-2007, 06:33 AM

[ QUOTE ]
1) When you are with friends, do you play at the same tables with them?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yup

[ QUOTE ]
2) If so, do you just play with them like you would anyone else?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, although usually we'll go in saying that we'll return whatever we take off each other (or some percentage).

[ QUOTE ]
3) Is it considered unethical to avoid pots with them?

[/ QUOTE ]

Eh, there are worse infractions.

Cody

Mygtar · #4 07-31-2007, 08:15 AM

[ QUOTE ]
1) When you are with friends, do you play at the same tables with them?

[/ QUOTE ] Yes

[ QUOTE ]
2) If so, do you just play with them like you would anyone else?

[/ QUOTE ] Yes, and I expect them to do the same. If either one of us has an issue with this we need to be on separate tables.

[ QUOTE ]
3) Is it considered unethical to avoid pots with them?

[/ QUOTE ] No to avoid pots with them. Yes if I play them differently i.e. soft-play when I do enter a pot with them.

Peace,
Mygtar

ijustliketoplay · #5 07-31-2007, 08:50 AM

1) Yes, i prefer it.

2) No. I usually target my friends even more if im in a pot with them. We play for the competition, the money is by the by.

3) I'd say so but hardly the worst crime as long it doesnt affect other players directly. However it is boring! Poker is not a team game. Why play a game like poker with friends if you arent going to play it properly

TITHEAD · #6 07-31-2007, 08:55 AM

Not only do i play with them but i play the best poker i can in order to take there money

SellingtheDrama · #7 07-31-2007, 09:23 AM

When I've played with friends we usually ended up going after each other - bragging rights for who-busted-who can be a prized thing [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

WillYumTX · #8 07-31-2007, 10:31 AM

I usually try to avoid playing at the same table as my friends. We have a saying, "Win from strangers and lose to your friends."

If I do find myself at the same table as my buddies (and this does happen, usually late into the session and when we want to talk and hang out), I play as usual.

Softplaying is not very sportsmanlike. I avoid some pots when certain friends are in because I know how they play and what they probably hold.

I remember a quote from somewhere.

"I order to be a good poker player, you have to be willing to check raise your grandmother for her last chip." [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

pocketpared · #9 07-31-2007, 10:35 AM

My good friends usually like to check it down if we're heads up but it's every man for himself when there's one or more other players in the pot.
ps I'll only play with my friends if given no choice. They all play good.

GiantBuddha · #10 07-31-2007, 10:38 AM

I love playing at a table with friends, and will never, ever softplay them. If anything, it's the opposite. If they're thinking of playing a limit they can't afford, I'll say something to them ahead of time, but once they sit down they've come to play. Just play poker. The reason I prefer playing with friends is because it's more fun.