Why does everyone talk so bad about sunglasses?
 

I am a new poster but I have been reading these forums for about a month now. I play in the NL games in Tunica, mostly at the Gold Strike. And for those of you who dont know it, that game is a 1/2 game, but there is usually between 5-10K on the table at any given time. I wear sunglasses at the table for my reasons. There are several other regulars that do the same thing. Why do some people berate the people that wear sunglasses at the table in a game like this. I would understand if it was some 2/4 limit game or something like that, but the at the NL game the pots can get up to as much as 2-3K.

So why do people berate others that wear sunglasses at a table?

Re: Why does everyone talk so bad about sunglasses?
 

because the people that wear them don't know WHY they are wearing them... i only wear them in games where i know my opponents are giving off physical tells they are unaware of, i just feel more comfortable staring someone down if they can't tell i'm doing it

Re: Why does everyone talk so bad about sunglasses?
 

Thanks for the reply. I see what you are saying about people wearing them and they dont know why and they dont have a reason to wear them. I do have my reasons for wearing them.

Re: Why does everyone talk so bad about sunglasses?
 

Is that really a staredown, when the target is unaware of the attention? More like scrutiny and intelligence gathering. I frankly find it easier to endure a staredown from a shades-wearing aggressor because to me, there's no eye contact.

Sunglasses have picked up a bad rep because, in the case of some players, they are a symptom of WPT-itis. They wear them because they've seen it on TV. Players who wear shades at 2-4 limit tables, AND take forever to make a decision, AND who pull Hellmuth or Unabomber antics, build an image in the mind of an observer, who, in turn, may have this prejudice when they see ANYONE with shades at a table.

I would say folks who give off physical tells with such ignorance of their behavior are also not likely to detect when such tells are noticed by more circumspect and observant players.

Personally, if the player is paying me, let them wear the damn shades. If they're otherwise slowing down or disrupting the game, that's what the floor's for. If they help you study other players, by all means do it.

Because most people who wear them look like tools (n/t)
 

x

Re: Why does everyone talk so bad about sunglasses?
 

It's not the sunglasses its the person...the sunglasses are just a sympton the person being a douche bag. So in summary it's the majority of douche bags wearing sunglasses that give sunglasses a bad name. If you wear sun glasses and your cool it doesn't matter one bit.

Re: Why does everyone talk so bad about sunglasses?
 

Although there I do not wear sunglasses, there are times that I wish I was. For example, I sometimes find myself counting the pot in the middle of the hand. Anybody with half a brain should be able to tell that I am on a draw and calculating pot odds. The only limits that are available in FL casinos are $1/2, so it isn't really a big deal, but an observant player may be able to get some good information from me because of my not wearing sunglasses.

The cigarette smoke also hurts my eyes after a an hour or two, maybe sunglasses will keep me from blinking like a retard?

Re: Why does everyone talk so bad about sunglasses?
 

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I would understand if it was some 2/4 limit game or something like that, but the at the NL game the pots can get up to as much as 2-3K.

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Well, if you'd understand that, then you'd understand your own question, wouldn't you?

I could care less if they wear shades or not. I don't care what limit it is. It doesn't change how they play.

I think many who berate them are the same type of player (skillwise) but somehow berating them makes them feel elevated above them. Gives them something to look down on the guy with. Even though they likely suck just as bad.

b

Re: Why does everyone talk so bad about sunglasses?
 

WPT-itis...thats what it is... I would say that 1 out of every 3 or 4 are wearing the sunglasses for legitimate reasons...the rest are doing it because they think they're on tv. I've asked from time to time on tables where nobody was wearing the sunglasses "what the deal is". Ive gotten some interesting responses. 1 player told me that if someone is doing a terrible job protecting their cards on either side, that the sunglasses won't give it away that you're looking at your opponants hole cards, and the dealer won't see your eyes starting at someone else's cards. Seemed like a reasonable response. Another poster above mentioned something that another player mentioned: it doesn't make it obvious that you're calculating pot odds/starring at the pot.

Re: Why does everyone talk so bad about sunglasses?
 

i don't personally berate anyone for wearing sunglasses in a cardroom, but imho i think it's really stupid. i agree with what dicelumpy said, the only reason most people wear them is because they saw it on tv. so when i see someone wearing sunglasses and an ipod they seem to be weak players and/or posers. also, people who wear sunglasses usually sit back and don't have a damn thing to contribute to the table except talk about the latest episode of the world poker tour. the main reason i stopped playing at the casino is because it's not even friendly anymore. people want to act like they are at a final table or something and don't even have conversations anymore.

Re: Why does everyone talk so bad about sunglasses?
 

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the main reason i stopped playing at the casino is because it's not even friendly anymore. people want to act like they are at a final table or something and don't even have conversations anymore.

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My gosh, ain't that the truth!

Part of the reason I dislike online play is that there's little, if any, interaction with the other players. It's getting to be the same way in the cardrooms now. I don't understand that, especially in lower limit games.

Re: Why does everyone talk so bad about sunglasses?
 

Where I play the games are always friendly, and there is always interesting conversation, and half the time it isnt even about poker.

The main reason I wear the sunglasses is because I have a tell in my eyes when I get into a big hand. I dont know about the rest of you, but when the pot is 1 or 2k I dont want my opponents to be able to get an easy read on me.

Re: Why does everyone talk so bad about sunglasses?
 

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Why does everyone talk so bad about sunglasses?

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"Everyone" doesn't.

And no, you can not go to Jimmy's party if his parents will not be there. I don't care that "everyone" is going.

Re: Why does everyone talk so bad about sunglasses?
 

Empirically, the sorts of people who wear sunglasses in a poker game tend to be jackasses. Thus, people tend to talk negatively about them. The same is generally true about people who think they are badasses because they play no limit in games which they consider to be high stakes (but are usually equivalent to or smaller than the mid-stakes limit games that many of us play in casinos).

Re: Why does everyone talk so bad about sunglasses?
 

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Although there I do not wear sunglasses, there are times that I wish I was. For example, I sometimes find myself counting the pot in the middle of the hand. Anybody with half a brain should be able to tell that I am on a draw and calculating pot odds.

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You shouldn't have to count how much money is in the pot in the middle of your hand. You should know how much is in the pot at all times.

Re: Why does everyone talk so bad about sunglasses?
 

A guy was staring me down once in our 25cent/50cent NL game debating whether or not to call my 7$ all in bet. He asked me whether or not I had a strong hand. You know what I did? I haucked a giant loogy right in his eye and said " That clear things up for you?" So that's why everyone at my game wears sunglasses!

Re: Why does everyone talk so bad about sunglasses?
 

I'm uncomfortable starting at people when playing live, especially if I get caught. I'm considering starting to wear sunglasses, but I'd feel like such a tool.

Re: Why does everyone talk so bad about sunglasses?
 

[ QUOTE ]
It's not the sunglasses its the person...the sunglasses are just a sympton the person being a douche bag. So in summary it's the majority of douche bags wearing sunglasses that give sunglasses a bad name. If you wear sun glasses and your cool it doesn't matter one bit.

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Re: Why does everyone talk so bad about sunglasses?
 

WPT-itis, the douchebag thing...et al

Most of your profit in low limit games will come from the bad play of others, not your great play. Read Roy Cookes articles over the past several years. Volume * edge = profit. Since it is much more difficult to increase your edge in low limit games, mostly due to the house rake and just the nature of low limit poker, increasing volume(ie encouraging bad play) is going to be the way to increase your profit. Players at happy , lively tables are more likely to want to gamble on lesser holdings. Sunglasses kill a happy, lively mood. Sunglasses make you look serious and sterile.

You notice that no one in this thread is ripping on those that wear sunglasses at higher levels. Most of the time you are not going to get that lively, happy tone the same you would at a $4-8 table. You expect that players will be more serious due to the large amounts of money that are in play. Furthermore, the high limits have relatively low house drop as a percentage of the money in play. You do not need the huge volume to overcome the house advantage that you do at lower limit games. In fact, except under only occasional situations, you can pull out all the tricks in the bag and you will still often have 4-5 rocks who will not play much. So in the higher limit games, your "skill" comes far more into play.

Bottom line - In low limit games, sunglasses ruin the mood. Since most of your profit in these games comes from the bad play of others, you both decrease volume and "hide" tells from players that can't read the tells or just don't care. Since these things ought to be abundantly obvious to any serious player(and if you aren't a serious player, wtf are you doing wearing sunglasses), you can only be classified as a douche-ey WPT wannabe if you do wear sunglasses in low limit games.

Re: Why does everyone talk so bad about sunglasses?
 

I played in a 150 person MMT a couple of weeks ago.Low stakes, $50 buy in. At one point I got moved to a table where one guy was wearing sunglasses, the hat, WPT t-[censored]...the whole costume. Everyone at the table was chatting, very friendly and everything except for the sunglass guy.

He had the face of stone. Funny thing was, he was absolutely murdering the fish with that table image. If he was UTG and threw (literally) 5 times the BB into the pot the whole table folded. If he came in on the button with a big raise all but AA were folding. I watched this go on for a while waiting for a playable hand. They were terrified of this guy, and the guy was the clear chip leader by a wide margin.

He was playing almost every hand and yet no one gave it a second thought. Once I got in I started talking to him. He was a solid enough player and a pretty nice guy. I'll be damned if he didn't figure a way to intimidate the noobs. He knew exactly what he was doing and I give him credit for it.

That act never works on better players, but he stole enough pots in the first few levels to gain a great lead.

Go figure.

Re: Why does everyone talk so bad about sunglasses?
 

Noone should get on your case for wearing shades in any game where there is that much money on the table.

I wear them whenever I'm playing 15-30 or higher, and sometimes at 8-16 too depending on the game. This idea that they kill the social aspect of the game is bunk. I played 15-30 last night where half the table including me was wearing sunglasses (I was wearing these, they're great because they're not dark at all) and the table was chatty, lively, and friendly.

Frankly I think people whine about sunglasses because they don't like playing against people when they can't see what the other player is looking at.

Re: Why does everyone talk so bad about sunglasses?
 

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Noone should get on your case for wearing shades in any game where there is that much money on the table.

I wear them whenever I'm playing 15-30 or higher, and sometimes at 8-16 too depending on the game. This idea that they kill the social aspect of the game is bunk. I played 15-30 last night where half the table including me was wearing sunglasses (I was wearing these, they're great because they're not dark at all) and the table was chatty, lively, and friendly.

Frankly I think people whine about sunglasses because they don't like playing against people when they can't see what the other player is looking at.

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For the great sale price of $69.95, that's right folks, $69.95 you can look and feel like a pro!

Re: Why does everyone talk so bad about sunglasses?
 

Sunglasses help cut the glare off the cards, etc. under certain lighting conditions, esp. polarized ones. Useful if you are sensitive to light.

Re: Why does everyone talk so bad about sunglasses?
 

I wore sunglasses at the Borg last Sat...

of course, they were red lenses and you could see right thru them...I was just trying to look cool for all the clubbing girls at the Borg. who were walking thru with the tramp stamp on their back...LOL

RB

Re: Why does everyone talk so bad about sunglasses?
 

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but the at the NL game the pots can get up to as much as 2-3K.


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for 1-2 NL? wow

Re: Why does everyone talk so bad about sunglasses?
 

I kind of like it when players wear sunglasses in a 1/2 NL cash game. It makes me feel like I'm at a high stakes table. I often get to chuckle to myself when I play a hand against one of these guys cause they will sometimes give me a staredown when I bet. I then pretend I'm at the WPT final table against some big name pro. I wouldn't wear the glasses myself because I'd probably misread my hand at some point. I'm actually not sure what they are supposed to help do, but it's funny and I kind of like it when others are taking it so seriously.

If I was in a limit poker game, I wouldn't chuckle as much, because in those games, hand reading and tells and all that stuff isn't as important. If I was playing a limit game with some sunglass wearing people, I would most likely hate them for being so lame.

Re: Why does everyone talk so bad about sunglasses?
 

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For the great sale price of $69.95, that's right folks, $69.95 you can look and feel like a pro!

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You can pay alot more than that for a good pair of sunglasses. If they win you a single pot at 15-30 they're paid for, and then some.

Re: Why does everyone talk so bad about sunglasses?
 

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If they win you a single pot at 15-30 they're paid for, and then some.

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You betcha! It's like deodorant...gives you that extra confidence needed to win that pot! Me personally, I dont wear sunglasses inside. I dont wear my swimsuit on the ski slopes either. Call me crazy.

Re: Why does everyone talk so bad about sunglasses?
 

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but the at the NL game the pots can get up to as much as 2-3K.


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for 1-2 NL? wow

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yeah, i know its hard to believe but anyone here who has played at the 1/2 nl game at the gold strike in tunica will tell you, the pots do get that big, and it happens often.

Re: Why does everyone talk so bad about sunglasses?
 

[ QUOTE ]
I am a new poster but I have been reading these forums for about a month now. I play in the NL games in Tunica, mostly at the Gold Strike. And for those of you who dont know it, that game is a 1/2 game, but there is usually between 5-10K on the table at any given time. I wear sunglasses at the table for my reasons. There are several other regulars that do the same thing. Why do some people berate the people that wear sunglasses at the table in a game like this. I would understand if it was some 2/4 limit game or something like that, but the at the NL game the pots can get up to as much as 2-3K.

So why do people berate others that wear sunglasses at a table?

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I think Ivey put it best... "If you have to cover your eyes with sunglasses to not give off tells... you shouldn't be playing poker"

How ever i have person realized that my staring at them preflop and when they check there hands out of turn... behind me before i act, usually bothers them.

Re: Why does everyone talk so bad about sunglasses?
 

Basically because it's hilarious when some dude shows up in sunglasses, acting all serious and whatnot in low stakes games.

If there was a lot of glare and bright light in a poker room I could understand the "reasons", otherwise it's amusing.

Re: Why does everyone talk so bad about sunglasses?
 

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Basically because it's hilarious when some dude shows up in sunglasses, acting all serious and whatnot in low stakes games.

If there was a lot of glare and bright light in a poker room I could understand the "reasons", otherwise it's amusing.

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so you call a game that produces pots that climb into the 2-3k range a "small stakes game"???
for 99% of all the players on here, that is not a low stakes game.

Re: Why does everyone talk so bad about sunglasses?
 

Well, I guess he meant small stakes as in the blinds 1/2. I used to wear sunglasses when I first started because I was afraid I was going to give off a tell. I am mainly a limit player now, so glasses are not needed at the levels I play at.

If I was ever playing with pros or a big final table or something then I might invest in a nice pair. I don't see the big deal, if people want to wear them let them wear them. Glasses are minor compared to the people that wear the hoods and glasses and hat and whatever else.

Re: Why does everyone talk so bad about sunglasses?
 

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[ QUOTE ]
Although there I do not wear sunglasses, there are times that I wish I was. For example, I sometimes find myself counting the pot in the middle of the hand. Anybody with half a brain should be able to tell that I am on a draw and calculating pot odds.

[/ QUOTE ]

You shouldn't have to count how much money is in the pot in the middle of your hand. You should know how much is in the pot at all times.

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I was gonna say this also. With just a bit of practice you can keep track of the bets as they are happening.

Occasionally I see people get stuck and it seems obvious they are on a draw so they raise to disguise it. I can't be wearing sunglasses because I feel I miss too much. Just my preference.

Also I do seem to notice (at least where I play) that most of the guys wearing shades are awful. Probably just a trend do to tv poker.

Does anyone really \"talk bad\" about sunglasses ? Really ?
 

I have never once heard anyone critique someone for wearing sunglasses in any live brick and mortar game. Does it really occur ? Did anyone ever complain about it on television, which is the de facto Miss Manners of Poker etiquiette.


Does it put the wearer on tilt or something ??

Re: Why does everyone talk so bad about sunglasses?
 

Is there not a 100 max buyin? How the hell can you get 2-3k pots in 1/2 NL?? Or perhaps you are exaggerating a tad huh.

Re: Why does everyone talk so bad about sunglasses?
 

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Is there not a 100 max buyin? How the hell can you get 2-3k pots in 1/2 NL?? Or perhaps you are exaggerating a tad huh.

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No, man, there is not a max buy-in. Please do some research before you open your mouth and insert your foot next time. You can buyin for whatever you want at the Gold Strike. The minimum buyin is 100. I usually buyin for at least 500, but if someone at the table has more, I will buyin for whatever they have in front of them.

Someone else please post in this thread that has actually played in the 1/2nl at the Gold Strike to verify that the pots can get as big as I have already stated in this thread.

Re: Why does everyone talk so bad about sunglasses?
 

There's a pot limit 2/4 omaha game in dublin, I've seen 5k pots, i $hit you not. I usually pay in the weekly tournys, Sometimes I have play in the $50 min buy-in PL holdem, there's no max buy in.

http://www.fitzwilliamcardclub.com/ -> this place rocks.

Always a great atmosphere, most of the dealers are of college age, all obsessed with poker (they play on their nights off).

The players are a great mix, lots of manics (and I mean MANIACS ), some great players (last week i seen a lady fold to a pot size bet, the board was A K 8 rainbow, she flashed AK, the better showed pocket 8s, and this lady ain't week/tight).

I've never sat at a table that wasn't friendly. And of course there's no smoking allowed.

Brian Power

Re: Why does everyone talk so bad about sunglasses?
 

Ahhhh.....Ireland. My heart jumped for a second because Dublin, Ca is down the highway a few minutes and I thought I might be missing something. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

FWIW, since this thread is already severely hijacked, 1-2NL games can and do get pots in the thousands of dollars. Anyone who states anything to the contrary simply hasn't been to a B&M larger than the neighbor's garage.

Onaflag..........

Re: Why does everyone talk so bad about sunglasses?
 

a 2+2er "missing something" ? as if!