General Comment

When playing poker, you must not let your personal like or dislike of particular opponents affect your play. If it does, they are winning and you are losing.


Over the years, there have always been a couple of players around who for one reason or another I dislike and don't want to deal with at the tables. What I have noticed is that when they have disappeared (or perhaps I quit playing their games) there was always someone to replace them who I felt the same way about. Once I realized this I learned that this was just part of the game, and if I wanted to play poker, I should not let it bother me.

I agree with your sentiments entirely Mason. In fact I'd go as far saying ANY emotion concerning poker is not good for your game.


Still, I must admit I feel a great deal more satisfaction in sucking out on person I despise than I do sucking out on a friend. It's a personal weakness I'm still working on. Best of luck. Billy (LTL)

I agree. The reality is there are 8 or 9 people at the table to be concerned with. And by having a hate/anger/revenge/irritation-driven narrow focus on only just one, we are unnescessarily distorting reality to our own detriment.

In truth, though many have despised me, I can't remember ever disliking someone at a poker table (except once or twice when someone came out in favor of either taxes or Bill Clinton).


But what is clear to me, is that I start getting distracted, and burning a lot of extra processor cycles, if I suck out on someone whom I want to go on tilt, or something.


Did I want to suck out on that person, I ask myself? Did I call a slightly smaller pot than I should have, just to do it? Should I have required a slightly larger pot?


If that person's error is calling too much, and my strength is people think I'm bluffing, I don't want to discourage the calling station betting when he has it against others.


Would I be willing to treat a detestable player with kid gloves, just to keep him in the chips? Is it worth extra to suck out and destabilize an annoyingly good player?


In summary, any time a long-odds event actually happens, I am stuck wondering if I didn't improperly weigh the contingencies of that long-odds event.


eLROY

Your comment rings completly true of this situation. I couldn't believe how several otherwise good players, burned through their chips to get at this guy.

Not letting others get to you, and sticking with a solid strategy of constant adjustment is always the best approach. Nice post.

agreed elroy