Its important to have a killer instinct

[SNOWBALL138]

Today, I was multitabling 3/6 shorthanded on UB and doing very well. One of the players said he had a note on me from before saying that I play g00t. Strangely enough, he chose to sit to my right, but thats besides the point. Thats now 2 sessions in a row where I get a compliment from another player. I usually have the chat off, so maybe people compliment me more often than that.

Because I almost always have the chat off, I'm not used to this sort of thing. My initial reaction was to feel flattered. However, this started to effect my play. I was feeling self-conscious and didn't want to play hard against the guy that complimented me.

I got over it a little, and ended up having a good session, and taking a lot of pots off the guy that complimented me, but it makes me wonder if I should just go back to leaving the chat off. This is just one of many things that can cause me to lose my killer instinct. When I'm playing in the zone, I focus on destroying my opponents. Maybe its better I just go back to having the chat off.

So, my question is:
How do you guys deal with getting complimented? Do you try to coffeehouse the guy and feel out/influence his play? Do you ignore it?

[Quaalude]

I just say, "That's funny, your mom was saying something similar the other night."
Or substitute girlfriend/wife/whatever.

Just kidding. I just ignore it.

When I get complimented, I put a stop to it immediately. I don't care if this guy wants to blow me, I'm not going to have the fish at the table thinking that I/we are great players and take the game seriously. I especially hate the ones who talk about how my PT stats look good.

I always respond to compliments with harsh and sarcastic comments.

An actual example:

Other guy: Congradulations! You're an eagle on my PT autorate thing.

Me: And you're a jackass on mine.


You're problem has nothing to do with a "killer instinct" it has to do with the reasons why you play poker. If you play to impress other people and prove that you're good at something, then any comments good or bad will affect you emotionally. If you play for profit, you won't care what anyone else thinks.

[SNOWBALL138]

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If you play to impress other people and prove that you're good at something, then any comments good or bad will affect you emotionally. If you play for profit, you won't care what anyone else thinks.

[/ QUOTE ]

Great Odin's raven! Someone has been reading Dr. Al's book.

I usually play with the chat off, so poker isn't really a social thing for me. Thankfully, I have a social life. Anyway, I guess I'm just not used to this sort of thing b/c I play with the chat off. And, yeah, I play for money b/c it pays better than my old retail job, and I don't have to listen to some idiot manager tell me what to do. Poker is the ideal student job IMO.

[ QUOTE ]
Great Odin's raven! Someone has been reading Dr. Al's book.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yup, Dr. Al's a smart dude.

[Poldi]

I always have the chat off. I dont want to talk to them and I have no desire to read their whining.
I just want to beat them.

[Budget Boy]

I play mostly live and am always really nice to everyone I play with for this exact reason. People will play softer and more straightforward against me because they think I am their buddy. Actually, I do like a lot of the players and I enjoy playing with many of them, but I am always going to try to win as much as possible from all of them.
These are people that I see face to face everyday and I have no problem trying to crush them. It seems strange to me that you would be affected by comments in the chatbox from someone you don't even know.
Personally, I have more respect for someone that tries to outplay me than someone who will check down a big hand against me, but I would never let either party know that. I want to discourage that behavior from the first player, and encourge that behavior from the soft-player.

[SNOWBALL138]

Thanks, that's the best response so far.

Maybe I should play a little bit more often live. It might help me to focus on destroying my opponents.

I also play mostly live games and follow the same routine. Try to buddy up with the people right near you. This isn't based on extensive experience, but when I have done it, its helped.

Particularly, I sat down at the same time as one other player and starting chatting. He eventually started muttering under his breath to me things like when he was going to raise, when he had a good hand...

No one wants to take money from their friend so it can't hurt to at least try chatting a little.

[Bluffoon]

Im not sure I understand this but I do see it alot. I don't have to (or want to) hate everybody I am playing against. They are not my enemies. I have no problem being friendly with them while I try to relieve them of their money and they try to relieve me of mine. Its fun.