About railing

Hello all,

I've been thinking about writing something like this for a while. The trouble is that I risk

a) sounding a bit stuck up about the whole thing

and

b) upsetting some people.

However for reasons I'll explain I'm going to write it anyway

First of all let me say it's great to have railers. On-line poker is an isolated business and it's wonderful to have people rooting for you. It's also a huge stroke to the ego and I'd be lying if I said it didn't feel good.

It would also be rather hypocritical of me to make rail request posts and then moan about people turning up

I've also had a fair few people search me out when I'm early in tournies (long before the money) and again very, very welcome.

So hopefully this doesn't come across as ungrateful or offend anyone.


Anyway. I tend to get deep in tournaments reasonably frequently and it's something which people like to watch and get involved in. I also like to rail people from here and the shared sense of success we have when a ccer takes one down is great.

However, I'm a great believer that in MTTs it's incredibly important to manage your table image to your advantage, in fact I think it is at the heart of succesful MTT play. Sometimes you might want to tip your opponent into tilt, or to let them know you've won a tourney before, but sometimes you might want to say nothing or to let them carry on calling you a fish and thinking you suck.

What is always the case is that it never, ever, ever, ever, ever pays to point out someone's bad play or to comment on their good fortune if they suck out. In part this because the most likely reaction is for them to tighten up against you, but also because good poker players really don't care about bad beats and complaining about them portrays you as a bad player and this affects your image with everyone else at the table.

Now of course railers aren't the player, but there is an association there which can colour opinion and cause an unexpected behaviour right when you don't want it.

So if you are railing me, please, please, please don't bait, complain about or comment on my opponent's play, just let them get on with it. And please don't talk me up either, I don't want them thnking I'm a big shot, I just want to be the nice guy who they will happily fold to when required, not the arse they would love to bust.

I write this because of late I've moved up a notch in the levels I play (I'm at 200NL atm in the cash and buying into $100-$200 tournies as a matter of course) and it means that in the tournies there is significant cash at stake as we get near the end. I'm a pretty well-off chap fortunately but when there's a few thousand at stake it's still a reasonable deal and if I ever hit a big "Sunday" final table it'll mean a lot more.

On the other hand I know that some people are a bit afraid to say anything in case they cause offense. Despite the probably harsh sounding stuff above, don't worry about that, it's genuinely great to see you and say hello I just don't need "help" from the rail if that's ok.



Anyway I've probably alienated about half a dozen people and of course it's a free internet and you can say whatever you like in the chat window. Really just posting this now rather than wishing I'd posted it when I'm at a final table of something really big and "Helpfulrailer" says to my opponent in a big pot, "u suck, Rex has you beat" or "lols" when they fold a big hand on the river.

Thanks for reading, you may now proceed to call me an ungrateful b*stard

You ungrateful bastard. I completely understand, I already avoid using chat in higher stakes rails. I know when Zachvac was playing the SM recently there were alot of comments about how long until the next pay levels and I didn't think that was good for his image. Anything past the basics should probably stay in the rail request thread, unless the player invites it...

Your not an ungrateful b*astard at all

I totally know what your speaking of. I have been in the same situation as well and sometimes I sit at a FT and the railers are like killing my image, (not that i really have one at the tables other than I'm a nit)

In some cases some players don't even like to be railed, it makes them nervous if they are being watched. The railers can also be distracting to some, which in return will throw off your game completely. I don't mind railers myself but bottom line is we should respect the person playing in the event, its not just a game to some of us. Its a living

I think that's a very good example D'wil, I'm can't speak for Zach but I wouldn't want people thinking I was playing for the next payout and therefore pressuring my blinds and respecting my raises a bit too much. I know that I would be basing marginal decisions against a player on comments like that.

Fine! You are ignored! You...you...98% OPR snob you!

Why not keep the railing chat on the forum?

Nice post you ungrateful bastid.
Seriously Rex I appreciate this, I also just recently moved up, from free rolls to $0.10 Mtt's & am likewise concerned about having my carefully cultivated table image unwittingly unmasked by stalker er railers. Hesitated to say anything though as I didn't want to piss Mischman off. Thanks again for so ably saying what I was thinkin.

Or on an MSN conference?

99.56% snob iirc

Yup, all the smacktalk and stuff in the world on here

Yup this works too, though I worry about ignoring people while concentrating.

Since you closed with a thanks for reading, I believe that makes you a grateful B*stard.

Actually, your request is well articulated with sound reasoning behind it.

Congratulations on the recent level increase. I'm not much for railing, but it's good advice to remind us that we can effect the play with comments.

Good points Irexes, and I totally understand where you're coming from and don't think it's out of line or unreasonable at all.

It might be good to note that many CC'ers have their instant messenger (MSN, Yahoo, etc.) accounts listed in their profile. So sending them private words of encouragement isn't too difficult.

If someone posts a rail request and wants it to make sure the railers are discrete, mentioning your instant messenger ID in the post might be a good idea.

I would figure that everyone who is lucky enough to have your MSN contact could figure out that you were a bit too busy to reply regularly. LDO. Don't worry about offending, dude. Just do what you do. Most folks have a brain.

You'd be surprised. I've had people "coaching" me via MSN during a hand which to my mind is a big no-no, "he's bluffing" type comments

I only every say 'gl' in chat but is even that too much? Would you rather me say my good wishes in the rail chat and watch the game unfold in silence?

Noooo and that's what I was worried about

gl, wp, nh, "take it down", "hello Rex" etc etc etc are great and really can't affect image in any meaningful way. Really, really not looking to offend aj or others whose support is really appreciated.

Lol dont worry about offending me Rex, id much rather sit in silence and watch you win an extra $2000 then talk in chat. But if a 'gl rex' is fine then ill stick to that

You should have posted this a long time ago imo. I have cringed at some of the comments made by railers in your games and I know at least 2 or 3 times you have had to request in your rail thread for the railers not to comment on the poor play of your opponents.

The best way to rail is with your wife lol. She is fun and we can talk about everything except your game while we both watch. We both laughed when your JJ got busted the other day. I am not sure why we thought it was funny.

^she thought that was funny as well



I'm lucky to have such support.

Next time I see a rail request I'll just ask in chat, " REX, did you "borrow" ur moms CC and make a deposit AGAIN" ? . har har. Completely understand where your comming from Rex, a table image takes a while to establish and one wrong word can ruin it.

Most excellent point you make. Its like the neigbours showing up for your BBQ and trampling on the daisies. Watching pros play at hi stakes some places, the railbird chat drowns out the game almost... certainly changes the way the table plays.
Railers should be seen but not heard (much)... say hi but leave the table alone.
Hope I get famous enough soon to have this problem....

Question: What about the friendly chatter/non-poker discussions between railers?

I do agree with you about strategy though. Everything related to poker from "I have hands on this guy and he's [x/x/x]" to "you're on the bubble" should go on CC, not in the Stars/Tilt/whatever site's chat box.

Not that it matters--I just wanted to say--I've watched you play--even got knocked out of a CC tourny by you once, ---but I personaly think that when we watch a member of our forum at whatever game they may be playing in, we should conduct ourselves with decorum and respect for not only the player we're watching, but for the game we all love. It not only shows respect for the player(s), (both our friend AND the ones he is playing against) but our forum. After all, WE are Cardschat, and it's OUR actions and behavior that dictate what Cardschat is all about. So, I prefer to just keep quiet, and watch (and learn) how the REAL pros do it!

Non-poker chat doesn't worry me. It's a bit odd sometimes and probably not the place for it, but not a worry regarding the game.

Another great post, I am a superstitous railer and wont chat usally to the player.

I have been on the other end of railers from a few forums, one instance I was on the final table of a mtt and a forum was railing their member. I remember him replying to them saying shhhh dont tap the tank and I thought it was a silly thing to say because-

a) it was a dollar mtt

b) it gave me a read on him

Alas I was short stacked and went out with good cards that I was ahead on, but just by what the railers where saying I knew he was bluffing in certain hands and knew he was a novice like myself.

Just because i have to.....You ungrateful bastard .

But point taken,all table chat will be keeped to NH,GL and hi Rex.
The make fun of stupid plays and prize money discusion in the RR thread.

Perfectly understood, Rex.

In fact, I am even more paranoid about these things than you are. As you know, I use a different screen name at most poker rooms to keep opponents from working out that I am that Toasty guy who posts at CC.

I think that support and encouragement, although very welcome, are best done in a thread here on CC, rather than in observer chat at the table.

Sound advise my friend........