Word of advice for wannabe live players

I thought I'd share a bit of advice for the new online players vs live action.

I just got back from a local "barn" poker fiesta.

Rural farm boys....

Narrowly escaped unscathed after taking everyone down...not once but twice.

Smallish stakes too..$25 entry, 1 rebuy. 9 players first takedown...new set of 9 next game

If it wasn't for a local friend dropping in when he did - I wouldn't be here now.

No more live games for me unless in a casino. PERIOD

How did you get in on this game? Yeah, that would scare me right to the casino too. Security!

Well what happened ?

you saying you beat everyone then they threatened you afterwards ?

You really think these "Farm boys" as you call them were going to do something so horrible for taking 25$ off of them.

Perma-scarecrow comes to mind ...

As you were playing did you hear dueling banjos? Soon as I hear that I be running for the door LOL

Yes. I've heard of this happening occasionally at home games, as well. Some folks at some of these are used to playing donk poker and a new guy comes in and beats them all by playing good poker. So since they don't know any better or are maybe drunk, they probably accuse him of cheating or they just lost their only beer money or something. Or maybe they are just thugs.

BTW, $25 x 9= $225 + rebuys. If it wasn't winner-take-all, I'd say 1st place paid at least $150. And he won twice, so at least $300 takedown.

Also, I live in the city so I've been called a "city boy". Aren't guys who live on farms called "farm boys"?

I've heard lots of stories about this type of stuff.

IIRC

Kevin Saul (Bel0wab0ve on PS) was at a game in the Chicago suburbs and got stuck up at gunpoint with a buddy of his at a home game (not cheating) and narrowly escaped.

I think heard him tell that story on one of his tables or something. I forget I just remember the gist of the story.

No...They're called "Barny's (meaning fresh off the farm).

That said, I grew up on a cattle ranch in Arizona (NOT a farm!).

Well I tend not play in home games where I dont really know anyone.
Learned that leason long time ago,while playing in a game that I was invited to after the card room closed for the night.
Not A whole lot of fun if you get my drift.

I can remember a few times when a home card game has caused thoughts of blood lust, but usually when I lose to a horrible suck out. The fact is beer, adrenaline, money and testosterone are a dangerous combination at the best of times, surely amplified when playing with those to whom a drunken fight is the norm (no offense farm boys).

scary!!
i would rather play in a casino than with those farm boys getting my skin ripped!

Yes, it was a bit fk'd up.....well, actually it was VERY FK'D UP. You see, I grew up out here in the boonies - in the middle of tobacco country in south western Ontario...major agricultural area - in fact we just got half of the mexican workers they import every summer - who brought the "swine flu" virus with them. It is still a bit hush but it's about to become as big as the "SARS" epedemic we had in Toronto a few years ago - completely different epidemic but just as catastrofic.
I digress...sorry - anyway...I moved to Toronto 25 years ago and recently moved back so everyone knows me or of me from the old days. But I might just have well been a stranger to them, yet they new me as "the computer guy" when I walked into the barn.
Now these peeps are built like a brick shit house - tall and solid muscle yet as dumb as a friggin slab of wood - but damn they are hard workers.
I'm not a small guy myself - 6'1ish - 185lbs so I can hold my own if needed. But not against 20 of them at once.
Each and everyone of them think they are poker god's so it's not about the money - they want and need the title of the best poker player on the planet...hell when I told them I saw Gus Hansen lose 1/2 million in 2 hands the other day on FullTilt they looked at me as if I had 2 heads or something...jeeeesh.
Anyway.....needless to say I took them all out in a few hours and they didn't take it lightly, as I said - it's not about the money..it's about the "status" they want(and/or need)
One kid actually said he had placed a call for a "hitman" on my head....I said fk...why not take me out yourself idiotstick - why do you need to hire a "hitman"? no comment.
Just about that time one of my buddies dropped in who invited me to the game to begin with - he had to leave early for medical reasons, but thank god he popped in when shit was hitting the fan and coming to a boil.

Yes I won a fair bit of cash from them - like I said it was $25 entry with 1 re-buy - which they all had to rebuy - 9 of us in round 1, then a new set of 8 for the second round (me being the 9th of course) - you do the math.

Was it worth it? NO.

I'll never play live again unless in a casino...if I do I certainly will need a bodyguard - PERIOD. (these boys carry shotguns behind their truck seats 24/7 for hunting - so jeeeesh - kinda scary)

Well, that pretty much sums it up - sorry Trigga for being short-wick'd last night - I apologise.

Good luck on the felts!

My friend was playing in the back of a resturant ofter closing. he caught a guy taking a $10 chip from him and waited for the dealer button. he stopped the game and called the guy out on it. If my friend wasn't 5 foot nothing, the story might have a cooler ending but, all they did was make the guy leave. I can only imagine what I would have done. Chips would have been flying. Cheaters deserve to get beat down. Is it really worth the risk? just take the time to get good and S**T like that wont happen. probably the only good part about playing on line is you dont have to worry about cheaters as much

Or worry about getting your face broken (before they kill you ). Rough night out, Bourbon. Might not be a good idea to go back there anytime soon. Just lie low for awhile. And I guess your buddy will also be persona non grata. Seriously, glad you got out without harm.

Rule of thumb: Home games should involve atleast a few individuals you know just in case things get spotty.

I remember one time a guy was literally going to beat my ass. I'm 6 ft, 170 and he's like 6'3 240-260. Solid as a rock! I raised on the button with KJ dimez and when he pushed all in, I counted out the money in the pot, my money left and was getting the right price to call, so I did. Flop came K2J, and he literally flipped out. Cursing at me, screaming, yelling, etc.

I just sat there, didn't even care to mention I was getting the right price. May have been the last straw of my life.