Too much hustle?

Very aggressive, big-stacked player in $1-5 game. Following Doc's advice, I've moved to his immediate left, which also puts me in prime position to hear his often hostile comments about the other players and dealer. Sample (when the dealer did not change quarters fast enough for him): "Your kid washes my kid's clothes".


Anyhoo, I make a flush against him, he calls on sixth but has got me pegged as pretty tight, not likely to bluff the river. He has an annoying habit of reviewing his cards at great length when it's obvious he's going to fold. As he does this here, I say (more or less politely) "call or fold", with the objective of provoking a call. He reads this as nervousness (or maybe it just annoys him) and calls with two pair. My flush takes it down.


This was a fun table except this guy and I definitely would not have said this to any other player. My rationale is that players who indulge in negative comments and rude table talk are fair game for a little hustling. But I'd be interested to know if others think this was out of line, especially given the low limit. Or if it simply has no place in the "arsenal" of any serious player.

Hi MBR,


Good move, getting on the jammers left.


About obnoxious players.


GOD they use to drive me crazy. Now that I play at higher levels, the players are socialy significantly better.


They know not to chatter away during the active part of the hand, while you are trying to count the cards.


And since there are usually a couple of Pro or Semi pro players at the table. They just don’t put up with the Bull from obnoxious players.


As my friend Mugsie once said, to a player that liked to string out displaying his river cards.


“Pal this isn’t a high school play so from now on just show your hand, We are here to play poker“


And as good a player as you are, it won’t be long until you will be moving up.


The interesting thing is that better players talk a lot, often more than the lower limit players. It’s just that they know WHEN to talk. And when to keep quiet.


But at the lower limits obnoxious and talkative players can be particularly annoying. And for some reason the low limit games seem to draw hostile and inconsiderate players.


These guys are long term losers in life. And they don’t last long against better players.


I would very rarely would comment to them. They were so out of realy playing the game that it didn’t seem to do much good.


Unless they were insulting to the other players in the game.


I sincerely believe that in poker the “Good guys” make the MOST MONEY. For one thing the good guys are enjoying the game, and that is one of the keys to success.


“If you are not enjoying your self, go home” Roy West.


Years ago when I was starting to play stud, I use to keep a pair of skin colored earplugs in my pocket ( Their name was Heroes. They cost around $3 and are still available at most drug stores)


And when there was too much chattering during the hands, I would just put them in.


This might be helpful.


When I was learning how to count discarded cards and the sequence of dealt cards in stud, my plugs seemed to be a significant help.


Which would be logical, since even when I was in medical school, I could always learn a lot easier when I studied in a quiet environment.


.

One time I was playing in a low limit stud game. And this guy next to me starts talking.


YA Da YA DA YA DA he went on and on. I swear he didn’t stop talking for 15 minutes.


This guy even had foam building up at the corners of his mouth from talking so much.


So finally I excused myself and went to the bathroom and put in my earplugs.


When I got back it was hard for me to hear him. Which was just what I wanted.


He spoke up and asked me why I wasn’t answering his questions.


I explained that “I had a hard time hearing”, which with those new 30-decibel reduction earplugs in, was quite true.


So then the guy leaned over next to me and started YELLING into my ear. Yada Yada Yada he yelled.


Finally the floor man walked by, and he asked him “Why are you yelling at the Doc? “


“Oh he is hard of hearing” Ya Da Ya Da yelled back..


The floor man just shook his head and left. 10 minutes later the floor man returned and said


‘’Doc your new table is ready for you”


As I left YaDa screamed “Nice talking with you Doc”


I said to the floor-man “Larson how did you know to get me out of there”


“I read your mind” He said.


“From Clara-bell to Clairvoyant I said”


Topic 2.


A technique for stimulating your opponent to call your river bets.


I am always reading, and some years ago I came across a technique to stimulate your opponent to call your river bet or raise.


I can’t remember where I read it.(If a forum member knows who originally wrote this I would appreciate knowing)


What you do is: With out looking at your opponent, you place your bet or raise in the middle of the table, and then you look straight ahead (not at your opponent) and slowly nod your head back and forth.


Some how the motion of your head stimulates you’re opponent (supposedly on a primitive forebrain level) to call your bet.


Well it sounded bizarre to me. But I have tried it and it seems to work.


I don’t know why it works. For some reason it just seems to trigger their calling reflex.


I suspect that 4 million years ago, when man first appeared (and poker was in it's infancy) that motion was some kind of a challenge to other proto-humans. Which is why it should be particularly effective when you are raising one of those obnoxious players.


Most sincerely,

Doc AZ