"Oh I love poker! But I feel bad playing against new people, it's too easy." (1 Viewer)

[NotRealNameNoSir]

Has anyone ever heard a similar statement from a player, and then they turned out not to be complete dogwater? I'm starting up a new microstakes game and am shocked at how bad two of these players are. Its totally fine to be bad at poker, most people suck! But these people are deep in denial walking like Egyptians, and have been telling me how good they are for a while.

I've known them for over a year but havent gotten to play and the whole time they'd talk about how poker is too easy against new people...now I see them losing min buyin after min buyin trying to bluff brand new players who happily call cause the Queen of hearts is pretty.

Just venting; I thought I had some solid players to join me and they end up being rude to new people like Hellmuth. Maybe they just watched too much YouTube and are enamored with how people are 'supposed' to play? Maybe better in tournaments?

 

[Beakertwang]

I thought we agreed you wouldn't talk about me to the forum. Rude!

 

[JMC9389]

Don't tap the glass.

....can I come?

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

I thought we agreed you wouldn't talk about me to the forum. Rude!

With the way you check-raised with J-5 I figured you had trouble working the keyboard!

 

[philhut]

Has anyone ever heard a similar statement from a player, and then they turned out not to be complete dogwater? I'm starting up a new microstakes game and am shocked at how bad two of these players are. Its totally fine to be bad at poker, most people suck! But these people are deep in denial walking like Egyptians, and have been telling me how good they are for a while.

I've known them for over a year but havent gotten to play and the whole time they'd talk about how poker is too easy against new people...now I see them losing min buyin after min buyin trying to bluff brand new players who happily call cause the Queen of hearts is pretty.

Just venting; I thought I had some solid players to join me and they end up being rude to new people like Hellmuth. Maybe they just watched too much YouTube and are enamored with how people are 'supposed' to play? Maybe better in tournaments?

Go for a guitar lesson and pay $40 or much more per hour, consider yourself a game of chance instructor that works on a potential commission.

Never feel guilty take from those participating willingly

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

Don't tap the glass.

....can I come?

I know, I know, I just want it to be sustainable for the game lol. Im fine with losing, but when the newly graduated lawyer says "its just $5" while calling my bet, he scolds her for thinking of it that way and we should play strategically. Speaking of tapping the goddamned glass!

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

Go for a guitar lesson and pay $40 or much more per hour, consider yourself a game of chance instructor that works on a potential commission.

Never feel guilty take from those participating willingly

Not sure if there was a miscommunication lol, Im not feeling guilty, I'm feeling frustrated because my players have said this and yet suck. I wanted a few good players so its not just like me hosting to bring fish.

Its probably even better for the game because now my usual casuals feel like Gods!

 

[Beakertwang]

I know, I know, I just want it to be sustainable for the game lol. Im fine with losing, but when the newly graduated lawyer says "its just $5" while calling my bet, he scolds her for thinking of it that way and we should play strategically. Speaking of tapping the goddamned glass!

Honestly, if you're playing microstakes with lawyers (even a new lawyer), and it's fun, sustainability shouldn't be much of an issue. A bad night might be $50-60, which can easily be spent in an evening out for drinks. Let them get their gambol on!

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

Honestly, if you're playing microstakes with lawyers (even a new lawyer), and it's fun, sustainability shouldn't be much of an issue. A bad night might be $50-60, which can easily be spent in an evening out for drinks. Let them get their gambol on!

You're exactly right but most of the others are grad students, not all in lucrative fields either; some hate bomb pots and want strict strategy, others want to play 2s wild lol. I'm still feeling out where to go but we've got a great balance for now. I want to enable the gambling fun, as well as the nits who think they know more about poker.


We're still at that point where, if you bet preflop often enough the whole table considers you a bully. Its pretty hilarious.

 

[Beakertwang]

You're exactly right but most of the others are grad students, not all in luctative fields either; some hate bomb pots and want strict strategy, others want to play 2s wild lol. I'm still feeling out where to go but we've got a great balance for now. I want to enable the gambling fun, as well as the nits who think they know more about poker.


We're still at that point where, if you bet preflop often enough the whole table considers you a bully. Its pretty hilarious.

I remember when guys started saying things like "I want to call, but I know Andrew is going to raise", and proceed to fold.

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

I remember when guys started saying things like "I want to call, but I know Andrew is going to raise", and proceed to fold.

I tap the glass constantly and tell them specifically 'thats position!' after they say similar things. I want to keep working on them like pet projects. Little army that understands the bare minimun basics of ABC poker lol.

 

[springbox]

I do feel a little bad playing against people who barely know the rules in my home games, but it is $10 buy ins and I'm not saying it out loud or berating anyone's play lol. Also for whatever reason they think I'm constantly trying to bluff them and will call down with middle pair in almost any situation.

 

[Beakertwang]

I tap the glass constantly and tell them specifically 'thats position!' after they say similar things. I want to keep working on them like pet projects. Little army that understands the bare minimun basics of ABC poker lol.

I don't tap the glass in general. I reserve my pedanticism for instructing on rules, etiquette, etc. Although I will have a laugh at guys when they make a ridiculous call and suck out.

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

I don't tap the glass in general. I reserve my pedanticism for instructing on rules, etiquette, etc. Although I will have a laugh at guys when they make a ridiculous call and suck out.

Fair. Etiquette is a weird issue with new players, I explained that if you call and the raiser mucks, its good etiquette to just take your pot and let the bluffer slink away. Mixed results, one of my players demands the cards to be seen even when she's folded, warnings dont work.

 

[upNdown]

So after a few sessions you can tell they’re not playing well? Or after a few orbits you can tell they don’t know what they’re doing?
Like, when I host, I’ll splash it around and give action because it’s good for the game even if it’s bad for MY game. I’d hate for somebody to judge me based on that. Are they bad like that? Or are they bad like after a couple of orbits you know you can target them?

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

So after a few sessions you can tell they’re not playing well? Or after a few orbits you can tell they don’t know what they’re doing?
Like, when I host, I’ll splash it around and give action because it’s good for the game even if it’s bad for MY game. I’d hate for somebody to judge me based on that. Are they bad like that? Or are they bad like after a couple of orbits you know you can target them?

Super fair questions. Ive known one for a number of years, and one I met about a year ago. Both expressed the sentiments that they were good at poker, good enough that it wasn't fair for them to play against new people. I hope I dont come off as insulting people for being bad, its just the stark contrast between their egos and the game lol.

No, this isn't splashy, this is like a parody of what TAG is. I understand what you mean, I play like a lunatic occasionally just cause I enjoy that too, and I want people to have fun. This is more like telling people how they should think about poker, trying to apply pressure in weird spots(donking randomly). So, not bad as in they dont know how to play, but bad as in very exploitable. Folding lots, but once they raise preflop they will bet every street with nothing trying to scare the brand new player off her pretty Queens lol, even the brand new player picked up on the pattern. More like the latter that you mentioned.

I wouldnt be dismayed by it, people can think how they want and play how they want, but it seems to really be perturbing them and I'd love to keep them coming back. This is just my vent thread while honestly asking if anyones met a halfway decent player with that mentality.

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

I do feel a little bad playing against people who barely know the rules in my home games, but it is $10 buy ins and I'm not saying it out loud or berating anyone's play lol. Also for whatever reason they think I'm constantly trying to bluff them and will call down with middle pair in almost any situation.

Yup. Make sure to compliment them and say you're happy they're keeping you honest!

 

[upNdown]

So to answer your question, yeah, more often than not the guys who talk strategy most at the table are not very good.

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

So to answer your question, yeah, more often than not the guys who talk strategy most at the table are not very good.

I toe this line playing with new people that we're introducing, but stick to rules and etiquettes and baseline observations about the boards (obviously after showdown, not during God forbid). The teacher in me wants to jump out more often but the gambler in me shuts him up.