Advice On How To Keep Party Tables \"Happy\"
 

I am quite new to poker and I have read some books, lurked here for awhile, and have begun to post here and there. I have played on a few of the sites (all at $.50/1 level) but have had the most financial success at Party Poker tables where there are at least a few loose and semi-loose passive players, a little bit of chat, and not a lot of intensity or bad mouthing of other players poker "skills". It can take some time to find these "good" tables.

Often when I do find a "good" table a player happens along, that perhaps suffers a "bad beat" to T5s (sometimes I don't even know what triggers one of these guys) or some such hand and begins a tirade against the offending player and sometimes anyone else who does meet his "standard" of play. This drives the fish away in droves and soon I am at a table of angry TAGs that want to take every last dime off of "big-mouth" and I end up in the cross-fire.

My question to more experienced players is what is the best thing to do when I am at a "good" table and someone starts such a tirade??

Do I:

1. Keep silent??
2. Start making jokes at my own expense? Me <----- fish
3. Flame the guy?
4. Try to become the object of his venom?
5. Just leave?
6. A strategy I haven't thought of??

A little advice here is appreciated. Thanks.

Re: Advice On How To Keep Party Tables \"Happy\"
 

Either 1 or 3. I always love egging a coach on by talking about how you've got to be in it to win it or how no one ever won a hand they folded. Really depends on how funny I'm feeling. If I'm just grinding it out, probably 1, because I can't be bothered. But if I'm just living it up, then 3. It will frequently put them on tilt, and if it's like the O/8 SNG I played in last night, it'll have them staying well after they run out of chips to watch you bust. Anything I can do to shorten a table coach's life by upping their blood pressure is always a good thing.

Re: Advice On How To Keep Party Tables \"Happy\"
 

Are you playing poker for money or the social aspects? This is one of THE best things that can happen at any table you sit down at. The fish dont leave? They fight back, suddenly your whole table dynamic is changed and you have usually 2-3 people playing emotional poker in an attempt to 'beat' the others and 'prove' themselves.

Sit tight and take down the huge pots that their LAGGy play will allow you to. And continue to provoke them but dont actually get caught up in it yourself if possible.

Re: Advice On How To Keep Party Tables \"Happy\"
 

I usually compliment the "fish" on his good hand, and brave play in staying with his draw. [img]/images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img]

I dont like to see players being abused, and I find that being pleasant to the victims sometimes seems to encourage them to ignore the flamer.

This also may have the effect of deflecting the angry player's attention to me, which I dont mind.

Re: Advice On How To Keep Party Tables \"Happy\"
 

I also compliment the fish or flame the TAG.

Re: Advice On How To Keep Party Tables \"Happy\"
 

[ QUOTE ]
I also compliment the fish or flame the TAG.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, sometimes I'll take the line of defending the fish's play, or sometimes I'll just get all over the coach, ask him for lessons, after every hand say WOW WHAT A GOOD PLAY!!!, things like that. If I'm tired I'll just be quiet or even leave.

Re: Advice On How To Keep Party Tables \"Happy\"
 

No player chat

Re: Advice On How To Keep Party Tables \"Happy\"
 

I first begin by making jokes to try to lighten the mood, when some ass insults one of the fish at my table. (The player insulting the fish is almost always a bad player himself, but slightly better than the one he's insulting)

If the attack continues, I begin attacking the obnoxious player myself, defending the fish, etc, in an attempt to get the jerk to fight with me rather than the fish.

Someone in this thread brought up a good suggestion, though. Next time I think I'll try getting the jerk to attack me by making obvious stupid silly statements, like "He was right to call to the river with pocket 2's, I always win with pocket 2's, they're the luckiest hand" and so on.

Re: Advice On How To Keep Party Tables \"Happy\"
 

[ QUOTE ]
Are you playing poker for money or the social aspects? This is one of THE best things that can happen at any table you sit down at. The fish dont leave? They fight back, suddenly your whole table dynamic is changed and you have usually 2-3 people playing emotional poker in an attempt to 'beat' the others and 'prove' themselves.

Sit tight and take down the huge pots that their LAGGy play will allow you to. And continue to provoke them but dont actually get caught up in it yourself if possible.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think you're wrong, many players will just find the atmosphere to be unpleasant when any fighting is going on and leave. Besides, I don't need a 70% VPIP player(the type the jerks usually insult) to be on tilt, he's bad enough already on his own.

Re: Advice On How To Keep Party Tables \"Happy\"
 

I usually don't chat at all. But if someone is riding hard on a target of my affection, I may say something like "Hey <insert target screenname>, don't let him put you on tilt. Just play your game" Makes him feel like more of a poker player, and sends a subtle message to the derider that he is an idiot.