Please don't scare the fish away

Yesterday I sat down at a table, waiting for the blinds to come around to be dealt in, and a big hand took place.

Player A limped, B made a 3XBB raise, one of the blinds called and player A called. Flop came A3Q or something like that (I don't have HH because it was before I was playing). Blind and A checked to the preflop raiser B, who made a pot sized bet, obviously trying to chase drawing hands out. Blind was short stacked and called all-in, player A didn't have much money either but thought about it, and pushed as well, so B called A's small raise.

Turn was a 4, then a blank on the river. Preflop raiser did have TPTK or some decent hand, but player A, the limp/call/pusher had hit a gutshot baby straight with at 25o on the turn after pushing.

The preflop raiser proceeded to abuse the winner, saying how can you call with at 25, and on and on. The winner finally apologized saying he had just learned to play last week and left the table.


I searched for him but couldn't find him after that.


If you are a better player, how can you expect to win if you chase the bad players away? You're definitely not going to get your money back from that player if you abuse him and chase him off the table.

Apparently the abuser was on tilt because later they won a hand and said, I'm so happy, I haven't won a hand in ages. Well, no wonder, if you chase the weaker players off your table.


Please, for the sake of the rest of us at your table, don't chase the fish away.

I can't believe this thread hasn't gotten any replies. I completely agree with you, Niner.

As a reformed "tank tapper", I have come to realize the importance of weak/bad players to my bankroll. I used to call names after bad beats, but now I've learned my lesson. Think about it. It just makes sense to keep your hands away from the keyboard after an obvious bad play.

I concur.
tapglass.jpg

I totally agree. I haven't seen this thread until now. One of my biggest pet peeves is when someone starts berating another player at the table for their bad play! I want to tell them "STFU!!!!" Seriously. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of times when I suffer a bad beat and would love to tell the donk who chased K3 soooooted all the way to the river exactly what I think of him...but I refrain. Patience will get my chips back.

Now I have learned that if Mr Fish starts running his mouth about being a better player then it is usually good to challenge him. He is feeling overconfident now and may play more hands that you are in.

That's what the "Player Notes" section is for .....

"OMG WHAT A DONK!! Sooooted K3 chaser"...a 'buddy' 4 the list 4 sure"

That's the good thing about playing on-line; you can yell and call them all the names you want after a bad beat; just don't say it online. And don't wake the kids up if they're sleeping.

Best thing to say, if you can bring yourself to do it, is "nh"

i agree with you 100%

Very true. It's mostly the same people who think "I hate these idiot-chasers, I'd do better against people who know how to play!" when of course we all know that you make money off your opponents mistakes and want them to chase with horrible odds. In my younger days I have lightly berated players in similar frustrating situations, when I didn't have as good a grasp of the game. Now I know it's just potentially costing me money, and it's not worth it

I almost always respond to suckouts with nh because,
Fish don't know I'm being sarcastic & generally stay around.
Other players might think from that response that I am a fish myself & view me as less a threat than I am, not sure if this is actually possible but what the hey.
Being polite at the table adds to the ambiance & may encourage less skilled players to hang around & lose money just because of the friendly atmosphere.
I am by nature just one hell of a nice guy.

Ah, so all those times you said "nh", now I know what you really meant!

Yes, especially in a situation like happened to me above; someone wins a big hand with an obvious bad play, then admits they just learned to play. I wanted a chance to relieve him of some of that money.

Fish taste good, especially breaded. Smoked are pretty good too.

wise words, thanks for saying it so eloquently. I was just playing at a tight aggressive table and none of us were really going anywhere. Up or down. I kept thinking, 'where are the fish?' Are they all asleep?! I guess that is where I'm going and hopefully I'll have my pole handy tomorrow.

Don't forget bait!