A satisfying moment

Hello everyone,

I just wanted to share a moment of bliss with you.

I was playing in the 1c/2c cash micro's on PS last night. I wasn't playing too well, I bought in for 10% of my bankroll and it was one of thise 6 chair tables.

Anyway, in the beginning there were a couple of strong players there, the other two were kinda loose players and then there was me.

Now as play goes on naturally there will be new people coming and going. This one person came in and he was being pretty snotty from the start.

I get so upset with people when they start criticizing someone else's cards, now I agree that some people can make some very bonehead plays with cards that are just unbelievable, but in a 1c/2c game my standard of hand expectations aren't that high. I know some people are just learning, I know some are just playing for fun, and then others play recklessly on purpose, after all, it is just pennies.

Anyway, back to the story, so this one guy comes in and right away starts criticizing hands. He and the chip leader end up going head to head and he wins the pot. Now his verbal attacks are unstoppable.

Up to this point, my play had been semi-tight, semi-careless. Meaning, I was just waiting for the best cards and playing those until it hurt. And it hurt a lot a couple of times.

When this person came in, I refocused and concentrated more his playing style and the playing style of others in the room.

No matter what, he would always raise the BB. Then when everyone else had folded, he would show some junk hand. So I finally decided it was time for an experiment. By this time, I had doubled up and became the chip leader. I was the BB and he was 3 seats to my left. Everyone before him calls the big blind, he raises to 14 cents, everyone folds between me and him. I re-raise another 20 cents, the next two players fold, he folds. I show an 8 2 os.

Now fast-forward a few hands. Similar situation, except thsi time I'm UTG. I get dealt 8 8. I'm thinking to myself, I can raise and in any other situation, I probably should, but I don't want to give anything away. If the pattern continues, the next two players will call and he'll raise. So I call the BB, the next two players call, he raises 14 cents, the next two players fold, I raise another 20 cents (same as I had before), the next two players fold, he goes all-in.
The next two players fold, I call (I have the chip lead by now). The next two players fold.

The flop, the turn, the river don't help him and he mucks, I win, he's busted.

Now this is satisfying for a couple of reasons
1. He was being a jerk and I was happy to be the one to take him out.
2. I caught the pattern. I think for the first time I was in-tune with the table.

Now in retrospect, an 8 8 is not the most ideal hand in this time of situation, but he was playing reckless and I knew that I had a pretty good chance that my hand was good.

Anyway, thanks for reading.

Jim

It's always satisfying when you personally take out a very annoying player. There are certain situations when you need to adjust your playing style or when you pick up on someone's betting pattern. All you need is one good hand and then push him/her around with a reraise. Patience truly is a virtue.

Well played, sir.

Yep, well done. That's a dollar he'll never see again!

Players like that are annoying because they prompt the players you want at the table to leave - I'm always tempted to say something like 'Stop tapping the tank'.
Still, when you spot they have a major flaw in their game, then it's good when you can prove that they're not as good as they think they are, especially when they're complaining about the hands people play, and they can be tricked into playing complete junk themselves.

Nice job Ch4nc3!
This is a perfect example of setting up a play several hands before it happens.
By reraising his steal with a junk hand and showing him, you rattled him a little, and more importantly advertised that you were sick of him doing all this and that you were rebelling! lol
As you said, you could have picked a better hand than 88, but nonetheless he must have put you on another steal when you limp-raised and pushed into you!
Great setup and play - it shows just how important getting reads on the players at your table is.

Good play mate, always satisfying when you take a 'big-mouth-know-it-all' down!