Stop berating the fish - HARD PROOF of why it is bad to do so
 

In my last 2 sessions I have had 2 separate experiences with 2 of my favorite contributors that show beyond reasonable doubt that it is -EV to berate the fish.

Last night, one of my favorite fish catches a lucky draw to crack a TAG's good hand. The TAG then goes on a verbal tirade, calling the fish every dirty name in the book. The fish goes to another table, and our table breaks up shortly thereafter.

I follow the fish. He comments on this. I don't have the exact chat, but it was something like this:

Fish: Hey, are we at the same table again?
Me: yeah, that other game broke up. That one guy was being a jerk and everybody left
Fish: Which guy, there were several jerks
Me: the one to your immediate left
Fish: Oh yeah, he was being a total jerk, which is why I left

And from tonight...

I raise first in with A [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]K [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]
Another of my favorite fish coldcalls with Q [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]T [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], a terrible call but that's what fish do

I catch top pair, he catches a gutshot and a backdoor flush draw. He rivers the gutshot, raises me, and wins a big pot. His postflop play was not terrible but his preflop call was atrocious; even so, I said nothing. When I have Big Slick, I want QT to call me every time.

A few minutes later I flop Aces Up in a multiway, preflop capped hand and won a huge pot. He comments exactly this:

Fish: nh
Me: thanks, needed it
Fish: pot was too big
Me: after you caught that str8 on me [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]
Fish: i had to stay
Fish: yep
Fish: thanks for not yelling at me
Me: i woulda made the same play you did
Fish: calling me names
Fish: lol
Me: you had a decent hand, i would have played it the same way

In example #1 above, the fish got irritated because the TAG berated him, and the fish then left the table. -EV for the TAG. In example #2, the fish actually THANKED me for not berating him. +EV for me.

There you have it. Berating the fish is -EV. And I know that some of you on these boards are guilty of doing so. May I say - STOP! [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

Re: Stop berating the fish - HARD PROOF of why it is bad to do so
 

Amen, I hope it wasn't me.

Re: Stop berating the fish - HARD PROOF of why it is bad to do so
 

I like berating the good players. It puts them on tilt.

Re: Stop berating the fish - HARD PROOF of why it is bad to do so
 

Worst post I have ever read.

Re: Stop berating the fish - HARD PROOF of why it is bad to do so
 

It's bad to berate calling stations. They play the game for fun and they don't want anyone ruining the party.

However, being able to tilt semi-decent LAGs into maniacs is a good thing at NL. I never resist talking to these types after I put a bad beat on them, or after I raise some suited connector and hit a straight or flush - they almost inevitably have something to say, and saying things like "I had odds" or "it's a good play" will get them even more irritated. Generally these people try to tilt everyone at the table anyway, so I don't feel bad about trying to tilt them.

Re: Stop berating the fish - HARD PROOF of why it is bad to do so
 

[ QUOTE ]
I raise first in with A K
Another of my favorite fish coldcalls with Q T , a terrible call but that's what fish do

[/ QUOTE ]

He was floating...

[img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Depending on the poster in mid stakes, his play might look like genius.

b

Re: Stop berating the fish - HARD PROOF of why it is bad to do so
 

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I like berating the good players. It puts them on tilt.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well said. Berating a fish isnt going to do anything but hurt you. They either are going to listen to your advice (unlikely but possible) and not put themselves in bad position again. Or they will leave the table, which is also unporfitable.

However, like you said, table talk with strong players is one of the best things you can do to get them on tilt. Players that are strong, know they are strong, and therefore will take your trash talk and abuse just to get a crack at your stack. This puts them on tilt and gives you the advantage....

Nice quote

Re: Stop berating the fish - HARD PROOF of why it is bad to do so
 

[ QUOTE ]
However, like you said, table talk with strong players is one of the best things you can do to get them on tilt. Players that are strong, know they are strong, and therefore will take your trash talk and abuse just to get a crack at your stack. This puts them on tilt and gives you the advantage....

[/ QUOTE ]

You can't tilt a strong player with trashy table talk. If it looks to you like you did, then you are the one being set up.

Strong players don't care what you say.

If you tell me they do, then I say that they aren't as strong as they or you think they are.

Players who are prone to tilt and can't stop it or recognize it are simply not strong enough in my book to be called strong.

You will not gain an advantage in this fashion. You either already have it, or you are the fish to the strong player. Stay out of his way...

Re: Stop berating the fish - HARD PROOF of why it is bad to do so
 

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Fish: thanks for not yelling at me


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[ QUOTE ]

Another of my favorite fish coldcalls with Q T , a terrible call but that's what fish do

[/ QUOTE ]
Hahaha
[img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Love this post.:)

Re: Stop berating the fish - HARD PROOF of why it is bad to do so
 

I notice that we don't get all the details of the aces-up hand like we do of the "bad beat" hand. What level are you playing at? The guy's play in the first hand doesn't sound so "atrocious" to me as to warrant chasing him around so much that he is aware of it.

I'm also curious to hear how he played pretty well postflop in that first hand that developed into a "big pot." And of course, in how he played postflop in that second hand that developed into a "huge pot."