Mind Games

I go back and forth on this subject. How do you feel about talking crap during games? Pulling somebody's stats up and ragging them if they comment even slightly on a move you made. I know it works, I have seen players absolutely meltdown with a quote of their negative roi put to the chat screen. The thing is, it's not in my personality to be mean.....but I feel i should use every tool in the arsenal to win....and this does work. I just feel like a jerkoff when I do it, and I hate players who do it themselves. But I'll say it again...it works.

Well I personally don't use this 'tactic'. Most of the time, I'm completely silent during a game - if not for me being a generally quiet guy, then for the fact that I'm multitabling or doing something else on the side.

You can get a table to do things you want in other ways too - for example, Mike Caro has always encouraged having a very friendly personality when sitting at a table. Basically it's the opposite of what you're explaining. Instead of rattling a player until he's shoving his chips in with trash, we're trying to make a player respect us and realize that we're all here 'for fun'. That way, players aren't quite at each other's throats, and you can take advantage of it.

I mean for example in the late stages of a tourney, strike up a bad joke or just be friendly. Last night I got respect from players sitting to my right because I was having a conversation with them, and I could tell that they didn't quite feel the same urge to steal my blinds had I been an ass all night.

Anything can be used as a tactic, really, but generally I let my actual play speak for itself. Good or bad

I do notice if you befriend a few players they will be less likely to call you raise, and give you more respect for it. My usual thing on people that talk on the table is if they start it, I'm sure as hell going to finish it. Usually the ones who talk trash about the whole table are the ones you want to target anyways.

It can also work against you if you have someone who takes notice and starts playing sherrif (and thus gains the respect fo teh other players who will get soft on him, especially if he is the big stack). I'd be careful using such a method all the time. I prefer to shut up and play. This also works because people will think you only focus on the game and are a serious player (if you do play like one).

talking crap at the table can take my head out of the game if i let it . i try to seperate my personal feelings from the game & just play