Stud (a little lengthy)

[dandy_don]

I'm new at this site (or any poker forum for that matter) so please be patient with me. This is actually my first post, although I've been reading here everyday for a couple of weeks. I heard about this place in a book I'm reading on 7-Stud by Ashley Adams (a good book in my opinion as well, for what it's worth). BTW, this place is awesome.

A native of North Mississippi (although I now live 5 hours away and return there often to see the folks) I have discovered the Tunica Poker Rooms; I have now been twice to play poker, including last night. I have played for 3 years at Poker Stars (and some place called 4-Knights although I haven’t been there in 2 years), but only twice in a casino (none are close to my current location).

Last night, I was in a $1-5 spread 7-stud game (it was the only version of stud offered) with some apparent regulars (4 or 5 of the 8 at the table) judging by the conversations. In the books I've read and in practice on the net, the game should be played aggressively when you have deduced that you have the best hand, and I did just that.

Well, my aggressive style was not taken well by these guys. I jumped out early with a couple of nice pots (thanks to a couple of the “calling stations” there). It appeared that these guys were there to "gamble" and I was there to "win" and that wasn't the apparent "tradition" of this group of guys. For example, one guy said something very derogatory to me when a hand I was involved in a heads-up situation with him was checked from 4th street all the way until 7th street, when I then bet $3 after his check when I hit a Q to give me 2-pair (Q’s and 6’s) and what I believed was the best hand. He obviously had something he didn't want to fold (I figured a smaller 2-pair) and told me I had a lot to learn about "poker room etiquette" as he folded instead of paying the $3 bet. Perhaps the $3 bet for a small pot was his issue, but I knew I had him beat and wanted him to pay to prove me wrong. Several of the locals seemed to agree with his statement.

Was I wrong here by "poker room etiquette" standards or do I forget the rumblings of the locals and play aggressive?

Also, several times, these guys would announce their hand or would even turn over their cards before the final betting was complete to save some of the others money if they knew they had them beat. I was offended because I didn't think that was in the best interest of the game (and certainly didn't receive the same treatment), although I kept my mouth shut.

Is this common and accepted in card rooms? How should I have handled this?

[SheridanCat]

Don,

In my opinion, you did nothing wrong. You're not there trying to make your Social Security check last the week at the poker table. You're there to play the game and play it right. When I sit down, I'm there to take everyone else's money, not pass the chips around and pay the rake.

For some reason these very low limit stud games seem to attract this type of player in my experience. That's one reason I play holdem usually.

Just play your game, and don't get thrown off by these types of players. They're playing incorrectly, so you have the advantage; just let them do their thing and you do yours.

Regards,

T

[dandy_don]

Thanks for the vote of confidence.

What about my last point of the others showing or telling their hands before the betting was complete? How should this have been handled? Do I keep my mouth shut? Should the dealer have allowed this?

[Stagemusic]

I know what the purists are going to say and they are probably right. They should not allow that kind of activity on the table during a hand. However, my question would be does it really affect MY game. Unless they are showing each other during a hand that I am in, IMO it does nothing. If they want to play that way and not maximize their own wins there really is little that I can (or maybe even want) to do about it. Now, if they are showing each other when two of them plus me are in the hand and I have just made a bet then I am screaming loud and long for the dealer to put a stop to it.