ITH Poker Forum

[xylenct]

I've heard people say they like to act friendly and courteous to everyone at the table so that a) people will assume they are chumps and try to take advantage of them and b) people will be less inclined to try to bust them from the table.
I've also heard people take the "poker brat" approach and try to antagonize other players at the table so that they WILL try to take shots at them. What's your approach?

[nsidestrate]

I try to be a nice guy, although I also try to be fairly quiet. I've had a lot of players check the nuts on the river or say "I'm going to save you a bet" with a strong hand, explaining that they like me as a reason from time to time. If you are a good looking woman, it is probably worth two or three bets per 100 hands. I don't do that well, but I think being nice helps.

I also think being a jerk helps, but I would find that less enjoyable. I do sometimes try to get the table bully to pick on me if he (and it is always a guy) is annoying the fish. Then I will sometimes get a bit obnoxious.

[Piemaster]

I tend to prefer to be the nice guy too.

I remember once in a cash game at the Mirage, I was agonising over whether to call down a turn raise and the woman next to me who had raised me flashed me her nut straight so I could fold. That was two big bets right there and was almost certainly because I was being nice and chatting in a friendly way to her and others.

Also it's amazing what people will tell you if you're nice to them. Sometimes I have had players literally giving me a complete handbook on how they play once I have got chatting to them. I just acted like a naive newbie and let them 'teach me how to play'.

Like Nside though, I do have a habit of heel-turning on table bullies (which aren't always men) for the purposes of diverting their attention away from the fish.

[taz115]

Interesting question…

I know that niin is pretty chatty in tournaments as welll as cash games and he likes to be seen as the nice guy. In a serious tournament, I keep to myself, unless the player next to me wants to explain why he played a hand the way he did. I’m always willing to listen then.

In cash games I’m a bit more relaxed and I don’t mind chatting a little bit, although I rarely start up the conversation (unless intoxicated).

I think that if you can play the nice guy well… it is a good approach… but I’m wary of carrying on conversations when the stakes are significant because I am not sure I could keep it nice and light if I suddenly find myself in a stressful situation. I don’t want to end up giving up information so I tend to not chat much or at all.

I think it is tougher to be the table coach or the bully without giving up info on yourself. I’ve seen table bully’s giving up info in 6/12 and 10/20 games in the Mirage. If your really good this tactic might earn you bets on your big hands but I think it’s tough to pull off.

taz115

[nsidestrate]

When confronted with a tough spot at a cash game table, Nutjob likes to leap up and put the other player in a headlock and punch them on the side of the head. I think this is more of the "poker brat" approach.

[Fast Eddy]

When confronted with a tough spot at a cash game table, Nutjob likes to leap up and put the other player in a headlock and punch them on the side of the head. I think this is more of the "poker brat" approach.

I don't know that I agree. I think Phil Hellmuth talks big but isn't willing to back it up with an actual ass kicking. Nutjob is willing to lay down the smack when necessary.

On a serious note, I think it depends on your playing style and personality. I've seen people use both approaches effectively. Personally I start out nice (because of my personality) but sometimes change during the coarse of a session for a variety of reasons (alcohol consumption combined with getting sick of some donkey's comments being a big one).

I think the important point is to be aware of what your table image is and how it's affecting other players. If I'm really hot, I find the more flamboyant approach tends to work better because they view me as a good/intimidating player and to downplay that is to let them off the hook.