To Chat or Not To Chat?

I have started playing online again in the past few weeks. I used to always play with my chat off because I just get annoyed with online chat (live chatter never bugs me).

Last night I was waiting for an MTT to start so I was playing $0.02/$0.04 limit (yeah, penny poker ftw!). I posted the big blind when I sat as I didn't want to wait and was dealt 9/2 o. I checked and no one raised so I got to see a flop.

Flop comes 10, 8, J (rainbow). Player in front of me bets, I call and the two behind me call. A seven comes on the turn, player in front of me bets, I raise (it is only $0.04 after all), player behind me calls and the other player folds. River comes a nothing card and there are bets and calls. Player in front of me has a 9 so we split. Player behind me gets upset because I played 9/2 o and complains about it.

I reminded said player that I posted the blind so I had a free flop. I just get annoyed at the arrogance of the chatter in online poker. You get this in live poker as well, just not as much because some people are only gutsy in text not with words. =P

So my question is - do you keep your chat on or not? What are the chances that I'll be missing important information if I turn it off? People talking smack in live games won't send me on tilt but sometimes idiotic comments in chat will.

OFF - until maybe playing short handed.

And I don't worry about important information I'm missing because I'm missing it and therefore have no way of knowing it's important - and I get by.

i keep my chat on. i'm not sure why because i rarely ever chat. i just find it funny when the other players get all bent out of shape and start spewing off. i don't even reply when they are complaining about me. i guess i just don't care what they are saying. internet tough guys don't scare me.

LOL okay then I think I'm going to go chat off until I can control my urge to respond.

Joe Slick, I like the way you worded it - you have no way of knowing if it is important - perfect.

I leave it on but rarelly chat. If I see something that annoys me then I will turn it off to not be distracted.

on mainly to see the aggresive donks try and wind me up

I usually don't chat, but have it on. If a player is making remarks like you suggested, sometimes while multi-tabling this spots my eye and I may notice that this player is tilting. Sometimes you can use their chat for information.

I alway have chat on and monitor it, and use it to gain info or have fun, or push people on tilt over the edge... I use all the tools available.

I usually leave my chat on because I love to see how angry people get. They have to expect people to play differently. If everyone played the same then it would be just a luck shot because everyone would play the same game.

Yeah I always have it on but don't usually say anything. Unless someone is getting upset over nothing then I'll chime in and try to get them on tilt a little more It's hard to chat when you are multi tabling though.

I leave my chat on.
It's extra information. Why wouldn't I want that?

I'll chat in tournaments... because they're boring, and I do those more for fun.

In rings, I'll occasionally chat if I'm only playing a one or two tables. Otherwise I'm pretty quiet.

Hi,

Playing at .net's their is always a lot of chatter. Most of the chat is friendly and the odd time their is negativity. I usually have the hockey game on so I ignore the chat unless someone says nh to me or I'll say it to them when I'm beat. A couple of times their's been vulgar conversation directed back and forth in a game and I just stay out of it and don't chat at all. Sometimes, I do get distracted from my cards and read the chat when it's really interesting. Have a good one.

On.

It improves the fun level for me. Its also fun when guys start trash-talking cause ill just come over the top of them to try and annoy them more and put them on tilt.

I have it on, but i don't speak. If they are gonna give me info, i'll take it! .

On. Water off a duck's back if they want to try to insult me... that just means they're not keeping calm, and you watch for the chance to make them tilt further... why on earth would you want to miss out on a sign that suggests someone may be liable to start playing badly and chasing too many hands? That's gold!

Pefect, thank you. Last night I kept chat on and ended up using it to my advantage. This makes complete sense.

hi...

i leave my chat off....

for the past three months i have concentrated on racking up freeroll money, so am on multiple sites playing them...i found that having my chat off allows me to occassionally talk in them and not have to read any replies, which is a form of pyschological buffering, it likes am ignoring them while knowing they can hear me...weird right ?

Two of the main reasons people chat.

1. Be annoying to others and complain about how their life sucks

2. Have a good time

The perfect answer in my opinion, yes why would you want to miss taking advantage of someone going on tilt.

I usually have chat off, but always keep an eye on it for a small while after a big pot or a bad beat to pick up any signs of tilt.

I used to use it to try and get people to tilt, but while that can be fun I found it lessened my concentration on what was happening on the table, making notes and checking hand histories etc.

I start with chat ON. While chat is courteous, I leave it on. Then when one player gets rude, I block that player's chat. If it appears to be a forum of rudeness, I turn it off 'til the final table. If at FINAL, it continues, then off again 'til I'm at headsup.