A rose by any other name...

[JohnShaft]

Reading the Rita777 posted I'm reminded that I may sometimes be playing with 2+2'ers (like morgant) without realising it.
It got me wondering whether there actually is an advantage (or perhaps *dis*advantage) to having a 'pseudonym' online.

So I'm interested in peoples thoughts on the names they use on online sites, and why. Do you deliberately avoid using a name anyone knows? Do you believe this gives you an edge? How so? Have you played in situation before when you believe it *has* benefited you?

Or are you like myself and use the same name on pretty much every site you play on? Naive? Maybe.

I know davidross has experimented with a name change, and am not aware of any concrete conclusions he has come to.

I'd appreciate peoples thoughts on this. And let me chuck in a poll too.

[Fraubump]

I think you need to make more choices: because on some sites I'm Fraubump and on other I'm not.

[bunky9590]

sometimes (especially in B&M) if they are lurkers to the board and recognize the Bunky name I go under in the casinos, It actually helps my tight aggressive tricky image. They get afraid of getting involved to heavy with me

Online, the fish don't care who I am, and the good players recognize the handle and tend to be a little leary ubnless they have the goods Not all , but most.

It at least lets the other good players who are in the know that you have a clue.

[JohnShaft]

I guess I sorta do, but in a way what I was asking is do you believe in having a different name on some sites with the *aim* of disguising yourself?

If it's for other reasons, or *almost* everywhere you have your 2+2 name, then I'd say you're a no.
I think most people fall to one side, or the other.

I used to play a lot of 'serious' Quake 2. In that 'known' players sometimes used aliases. All of the reasons where somewhat dubious (to act like a d*ck / to have a relaxed game / so they could lose without it being 'them').

But in Poker, of course, a case can be made that it is just +EV.

[skaboomizzy]

I don't really play enough hours to worry about it. The only time I've recently run into 2+2ers is at the beginning of the OIC at Gaming Club and maybe during a GC freeroll.

[MrDannimal]

Or: "No, I'm not good enough (yet) to need to hide with a pseudo"

[HavanaBanana]

I get recognized quite a bit on different sites, and from most players from 2+2 I get too much respect from the start, but when they see how loose I play they take all my money :I
But what can I do? I like to play!
(Actually I don't think having a 'public' name hurts you if you are a good player, because other good players will tend to avoid you. I play different depending on the tables I play anyways, so your notes from last time might be hurting you.)

I have experimented with different names, and while TuristOnTilt is great when you want a loose image (It takes less bad plays to make them remember you) It can be hell if you are on a losing streak, and can't bluff a pot to save your life. But an important aspect of poker is to adapt to and understand how others perceive you as a player.

At other sites I have names that clearly brands me as a Rock, and it is amazing how well I do even in Rock-Gardens.
I treasure these wins a little bit more, because I have never thought highly of boring tight players, so taking their money is an extra treat.
I do not play too much at those games though, I like to see as many flops as I can get away with [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

This being said, I would probably want to be anonymous if I was playing higher limit games because those sharks would have an advantage on me when I cap it preflop and they know my Possible hands could be AA KK QQ AKs or Q5s!

[JohnShaft]

Actually I don't think having a 'public' name hurts you if you are a good player, because other good players will tend to avoid you.
I agree Havana. If I see a 2+2'er or two sat at a table I'm not exactly going to jump into a seat. And the better they post/play the *less* likely I am to sit. So posting good advice could help even more (though I guess this fits more with SS posters [img]/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]).
There's the whole "giving away your game" schtick. But I'm not sure I'm a great believer in that. If what they know is you play pretty solidly then they'll not find it easy to find holes in you anyway.

You bring up an interesting point about names I didn't reference though. That of having names like "TouristOnTilt".
I do think such names can have an impact on opponents psychologically (even if it's only subconscious).
I've come across a lot of these at UB and you do wonder the effect of "ImBluffinYou" and "YouPlayBad" on opponents psyche.
We're then getting into a whole different area of using the most effective name for your playing style. Should it be the same, or opposite. Opposite makes more sense because it misrepresents you 'til they know better. But then that becomes standard.
I'll admit that if someone sits down with a name like "BluffingYou" the first thing I think is "this guy wants people to call all his value bets". I then consider if doing the opposite isn't the most likely true.

What's in a name...

[JohnShaft]

Lol, Dan.

The thing that gets me thinking is that I VERY rarely see players I recognize from here. And my conclusion is that that could have more to do with them being incognito, than being in my games.

Of course the more serious your game is to you the more you might have reason to keep your identity secret.

I guess the obvious disadvtage is that at minimum it has you tagged as a "possible/probable solid player" which immediately removes you from the "average losing player" category, and lets your knowledgeable opponents know that they should maybe watch your game more.

[pretender2k]

I always use some variation of pretender2000. Most differences are site limitations on name. With a lot of players using programs like pokertracker I think they will eventually have an idea how I play anyway if I even end up at their table again. I use PT and even playing late hours I don't see the same players too often.