Why does "straddling" upset some players?

[judgesmails]

Sometimes I play in low-limit live games with friends in local casinos. We are just there to have a couple drinks and try to beat each other out of a pot once in a while. I always straddle and then blind raise the straddle when it gets to me. I do this to build a nice pot and to liven the game up a little - I realize it is not optimal play.

This just drives some of the other players crazy - mostly really old men - and I can never understand why it would bother someone. What do you think?

[Quercus]

It annoys me when the player to my immediate left does this. It means I never get to play my BB without have to cough up more cash.

I want a straddling doofus to my right anyway.

[shermn27]

It probably upsets them b/c they are more traditional (possibly weak/tight) players. They want to limp in and see if they hit their hand inexpensively. I think lots of home games are like this. My recommendation is that if it is pissing people off that you like to play with, stop doing it! They won't want to play with you anymore if it is really bothering them.

[tdarko]

i like donks that straddle, just puts more money in the pot for me...straddlers never win the pot anyway so i have never understood why they do it, to try and act cool or to look like they know what they are doing?

[A_C_Slater]

Because they're horrified that you might crack their aces with some random garbage.

Old rocks would rather lose a thousand dollars than have their aces get cracked just one time.

[Roy Munson]

One of the biggest reasons straddling upsets people is because they are pussies. They would be much better off learning the adjustments needed against a straddle and just shut up and play the damn game.

[AZnuts]

Straddling is just one of those things, players either hate it or love it. So the "hate it" tends to win out.

The other effect you may see is those who hate it will often say so; those that love it will keep quiet because they are getting a nice advantage.

Personally, I love a straddler, especially just to my right. More and more of my starting hands become raising hands, an he is playing a random hand for 2 or more bets voluntarily. It doesn't get much better than that.

[beset7]

[ QUOTE ]
One of the biggest reasons straddling upsets people is because they are pussies. They would be much better off learning the adjustments needed against a straddle and just shut up and play the damn game.

[/ QUOTE ]

Agreed.

Also I've notice some weak/tight sorts who are new to poker haven't come to terms with the fact that they are gambling and are going to encounter gamblers. They act like they are at a chess tournament and show a complete lack of understanding of what makes a good game (i.e. gambling atmosphere).

[Dov]

[ QUOTE ]
Also I've notice some weak/tight sorts who are new to poker haven't come to terms with the fact that they are gambling

[/ QUOTE ]

I admit it. I went through this phase.

It took me a while to come out of it too.

[dozer]

I never understood why players get upset at stradlers.
One time this semi loose weak player player on my left decided to straddle, but he first asked me if I would mind. I thought that was odd, why would I care, and even if I did, he has the right to straddle, it isn't against the rules. I folded my BB, I had some offsuit junk and he apologized to me after when I folded my blind.

I guess because people get angry at straddlers often, so he thought I would get pissed or something. [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]