Tiger123 at the Borgata 6/12

[AviD]

I've sat with him several times and my honest opinion, I think he's a cocky, self-proclaimed poker "expert" that tends to kill a game's action with even the loosest/weakest of opponents.

His game is getting under people's skin, and while he's a solid player he does some very ridiculous things for an experienced poker player. He seems to enter pots with this expectation to win every one, and seems to go on this quasi attitude tilt if he gets busted up. On the other hand, he loves to needle his opponents and uses his famous "Bluff chip" to induce a call. He actually throws this chip at the player when they are contemplating a river call to get them to call...and most of the time they do. I call it cheesey, apparently he needs that chip for a playing edge?

An example experience of mine with him as we are sitting 6/12 at the Borgata...

UTG loose, weak college kid raises QJo and tiger123 3-bets from MP. The whole hand is pointless, except the kid calls down all the way to the river and spikes a Q to beat out tiger's middle pair in a very average pot.

Tiger goes on to say "NICE HAND (real loud), keep playing that way and you won't have any chips left"

He then goes on to tutor the table saying and this is a VERY close approximation..."If the hand isn't worth raising, you should be folding. Poker is won by aggressive play with good starting hands. I've been playing poker my whole life, I've won enough money to buy a beachhouse here in Atlantic City, so I know what I'm talking about"

etc,etc,etc...it goes on and on...

Needless to say, the previously loose/weak college kid and just about everyone else at the table tightened up and started actually playing BETTER and stopped spewing chips, I got up shortly after that.

Interestingly when someone at the table randomly asked him "If you won that much money to buy a beachhouse down here, why in the world are you sitting 6/12? Shouldn't you be sitting 10/20 or something higher like that"

His response was "I can't handle the swings of 10/20 on these holiday weekends, so I sit 6/12. People on these holiday weekends play anything"

Now perhaps this was all some grand schemed strategy, which IMO killed an awesomely profitable 6/12 game. I'm sure he can handle the 10/20 game, even on holidays, and the money considering he's essentially bragging about his winnings shouldn't have much of an impact at all.

I did try to think through his line, but couldn't find an angle that gave him a more profitable advantage by tightening up the entire table and cutting pots down to HU battles for blinds. Its insane to even see a 6/12 table at the Borgata turn into that, they are usually super loose limp fests and great games.

So, since that day, I've avoided him...quite simply because my limited experience with him tells me I need to select a better table because if he's there...he's going to start babbling about himself and shut down the action (at least somewhat).

Interestingly, he is well known by the casino floor people...for whatever that is worth. He seems well liked by them, but they are caterers to the games, not exactly friends of the players.

Perhaps he's a celebrity, perhaps he's considered an expert, whatever...IMO you don't want him at your table and it isn't for either of the previous reasons.

My .02

[slickpoppa]

If he has been playing for a long time and is still playing 6-12, he can't be that good.

[Mike Gallo]

You know Tiger well.

[Mike Gallo]

Matt,

Whats up dude?

We have talked about this guy before, I told you he was a local legend. [img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]

[bunky9590]

The last 2 times Ive been to the Borgata and sat 6-12 or 10-20, Tiger has left the table within 10 Minutes of me sitting down at it. Coincidence? Maybe, he knows better than to try to push me around though. I'll slap the four bizzle right back at him quick when the three bets the check raise. And then lead into him on the turn.

He usually beats up on the fish though.

I think he was a much better stud player than a HE player for what thats worth.

I wasn't that impressed the times I sat with him. He's not bad, but he's definitly not someone I stay away from at the table.

[Triple C]

Just to make sure I'm thinking of the right guy, this is a short, round man with a thick moustache, glasses and a baseball cap, right?

If so, I agree with the above...Just because you play every day doesn't make you a poker celebrity or a good player. He's got a major attitude and basically isn't fun to play with. Whatever you think of him, don't go asking him to sign your copy of Cardplayer. It will only inflate his ego.

[MercTec]

Wow I didn't think I'd get such a response to my post.

Thats the one thing I didn't understand about him was his need to point out bad play. I also never saw him spend more than an hour or two at a table. Probably because his criticisms led to overall tighter play and the action dried up.

I remember one hand where the calling station to my right limped in with pocket kings from middle position (he had been raising with big pairs all night) and after he took down that pot I said to him..."changing it up by not raising this time?" His response...."no I just wanted .com over there to get in so I could beat him." So he does tend to get under people's skin.

It took me a few orbits to learn his playing style, but he doesn't really change it up much. Plays a ABC game against the fish and tries to be overaggressive against the aggressive players. He doesnt flinch against a check-raise, but continuing to show stregth has him backing down.

Here's a hand for you guys (he mumbled to himself after this one, he wasnt involved in the hand though)

I'm in MP with AQo and raise after 1 limper. 2 cold calls and the blinds both call and the limper folds. 5 to the flop for 11.5SB.

Flop is J 10 rag (suits unimportant)
The BB leads out and I raise.
All fold to the BB who 3-bets me. I call (9BB)
Turn is an 8 giving me a double belly buster straight draw.
BB bets and I call. (11BB)
River is a King giving me the nut.
BB checks and I bet, he calls.

Anything wrong with my line?

[AviD]

Yooooo what's up man, long time! I'll drop you line today, I'm off this week hunting, but this rain is sucking big time...so I'm inside today...about to play some! [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Same number?

[wuwei]

[ QUOTE ]
Anything wrong with my line?

[/ QUOTE ]

Your line was just exactly perfect.

[MaxPower]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Yeah, I've played with him a few times.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah the one niht your game selection in the 10 game was bad. You had Tiger and me on your left. [img]/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

I finally left and got in the game with the drunk asian woman who dropped 1300 in 2.5 hours.

[/ QUOTE ]

That actually was a very good game. I remember because I lost a ton of money. You were only there briefly.

You guys are right, Tiger is a jerk. I didn't mention it because about 95% of poker players are jerks. So next time just assume someone is a jerk until I mention otherwise.

I used to think Bunky was a jerk until I met him [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]