Vegas Trip Post #1: Why Not to Get Mad When Bad Players Win

[DrewOnTilt]

Hi all! I just got back from a weeklong trip to Vegas where my pals and I did nothing but play poker and blackjack for 8 straight days. I played 73 hours of poker – wow! My net gain was $320 – I had a crappy last day, but a great trip overall. I had lots of fun and even had the pleasure of railbirding a bit while our very own David Sklansky played in a high-limit game [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

Needless to say, I have a good number of questions and comments about my trip. Rather than post one long trip report, I will break down my trip by incident and hand question, and I will post in the General rather than the Small Stakes forum since most of my questions are in regards to general poker concepts rather than small-stakes play.

My first post is about why not to get mad when bad players win. There have been numerous posts on this site about this very subject, but I would like to provide a personal example as to why this is good advice.

I sat down in a low-limit game at about the same time as Mr. Fish. We both bought in for $100. Two hours later, I was into my second Benjamin, while Mr. Fish had about $700 in chips rimming the table. He played every hand and hit time and time again. Other players marveled at his good luck, and he just smiled, laughed, and sucked it all up.

Mr. Fish put a number of beats on me. At first I took it all in stride, fully knowing that his good luck streak could not last forever. But when he beat my pocket aces with 6 3 offsuit, I absolutely lost it [img]/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img] When he turned over a rivered 2-pair at showdown, my options were:

a. nicely say, “Wow, you are on FIRE! I’m no match for you!”
b. sigh, say “Nice hand – it beats mine”
c. say nothing, quietly fold my hand, and wait for the next opportunity

Instead, I chose:

d. fling my cards face-up on the table, snarl “You are un-f$#&ing real!” at Mr. Fish, ball up a dirty napkin and throw it hard at the floor, and stomp out of the poker room like a spoiled brat.

During my mandatory 15-minute anti-tilt walk (or, in my case, 15-minute stomp) around the parking lot, I thought back to all of the posts here on 2+2 that advise against such behavior. I WANT people to go up against my aces with 6 3 offsuit, and getting angry at them might cause them to leave. Furthermore, I had really been a jerk to Mr. Fish. He was a nice guy who was out to have fun. He just happened to be a terrible poker player, and I had no right to act the way that I did.

I returned to the cardroom and apologized to Mr. Fish for being such a jerk. He accepted my apology, and it became a table-wide joke that one should raise with the powerful hand of 6 3 offsuit.

Shortly afterwards, Mr. Fish’s luck began to change. Over the next three hours or so, he slowly bled away his huge stack, and I gradually recuperated what I had lost. When the game finally broke, I was about $23 ahead. Mr. Fish was still ahead, but only by $80-$100.

The funny thing is, Mr. Fish never seemed to care whether he won or lost. He was there to play cards, drink beer, and have fun. That’s all!

If it’s been said once on these boards, it’s been said a million times, and it should be said a million times more: do not act like I did when a bad player beats you! Don’t tap the glass, or you might scare the fish! I not only tapped the glass, but I damn near broke the aquarium. If Mr. Fish had been offended by my impression of a 2-year old, he would have left the game with his winnings, and I might not have recuperated my losses.

Learn a lesson from me, my friends. When your aces lose to 6 3 offsuit, fold and wait for the next time. The fish won’t have his money for long.

[dogmeat]

Nice post Drew!

Truer words have never been spoker.

Thanks for the reminder.

Dogmeat [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

[The Dude]

Good story, good post.

[therockofgibraltar]

Great post, thanks!
I am looking forward to read some more!

Curiosity got the best of me... so, in what limit was mr. Sklansky playing? [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

EDIT: just fooling around and trying to learn how to use this board

[Dangergirl]

I just got back from Vegas myself. What casino were you at, Bellagio?

[garyc8]

I used to suffer from that kind of frustration too. More than once early in my poker career I foolishly (and angrily) explained to a fish just how lucky he'd just gotten. Just remember that the fish is the guy that you want to have the mountain of chips in front of him. Sooner or later, he'll likely lose them all.

[Amid Cent]

Congradulations on your winning trip. I am new to this country and have not yet been to Las Vegas. But someone tell me I should go to a place Glitter Gulch that has big sights to see?

You are to be commanded for apologizing to fishy. It is better to take his money back, yes? You show much wisdom Mr. Drew. Hopefully, we will play at the final table and I will not beat you with 63 (unless it is sooted).

Amid

[Cashcow]

I have found myself in the same situation, and it is difficult to appoligize to a moron, for acting like a moron (i have had to do so as well). You are correct though, most of the people that play at casinos and card rooms are simply there to have fun and maybe get lucky. Unfortunately, for those of us who play to win, it is difficult to not say anything to them when they suck out on us.

Congrats on your winning trip, and cudos for showing sportsmanship to your less skilled opponent.

[DrewOnTilt]

Mr. Sklansky was at the Bellagio, although I can't remember what limit he was playing. I seem to remember that going in the high limit room were $1000-$2000 limit, $1500-$3000 No Limit (saw Gus Hansen playing this game several times), and a couple of other white- and purple-chip games.

Just suffice it to say that a rack of chips to buy into that game is probably equal to my yearly salary [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

[DrewOnTilt]

Affirmative. I was there Sept 24- Oct 3 (last week). What days were you there?