Table talk; where is your limit?

Do you report table chat that's conflicting with integrity rules?

  • Never, f* etiquette

    Votes: 1 12.5%
  • Never, I just let it go by

    Votes: 2 25.0%
  • Yes, when I'm affected

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Always when it's against the rules

    Votes: 2 25.0%
  • Other

    Votes: 3 37.5%

  • Total voters
    8
Moonchild

Moonchild

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Sep 21, 2015
Total posts
132
Chips
0
I am curious what is your opinion and experience? When do you think it's fun and when does it become bullying? Is there a difference in playing online or in real live? Do you report some table talk and what is your boundary?

I mostly play online on pokerstars and there are times that the language of some players is atrocious. Sometimes it's just childish, a bit silly or naive. Those times I just laugh in my head. When the language becomes racist, sexist or threatening, I report it to the moderator.

In my experience, people are seldom banned. The moderator just does his scripted talk; something like: "May I remind you to keep the chat friendly and fair. Thank you and good luck to all players" It seems that the moderator does not even look at what has been said, even when the talk is ultra racist or when death threats are made. Some players don't know when and where to stop.

In my opinion, the organiser of the game should stick to his rules and apply some kind of penalties after a warning. When a player keeps on being extremely rude, I think it's fair that he is being banned from chatting or even get a ban from playing for ex. a month.

I don't know if many of you follow the big live tournaments like wsop or EPTLive. There you see that some players like talking and some of them don't say a word. In the latter case, it could be pretty boring to watch. I love hearing players like Daniel Negreanu. He is so funny and for me it's interesting to see how he tries to read his opponents in trying to talk with them.

That being said, there is one player, William Kassouf, that really gets on my nerves. Probably it is just my personal preference or in this case aversion, but when I hear him I feel real compassion for the other players at his table. Last WSOP a penalty was handed out to Kassouf for his table-talk 'taunting'. I don't want to say he deserved the penalty. I'm not sure. I just wonder what your opinion is.

If you didn't see it, you can find some highlights here:
.

Anyhow, apart from Kassouf, I'm curious on all of your opions and experiences concerning table talk. Also: do you do it? Do you share your hand afterwards? Can you get a read on chat online?
 
Dunc8b

Dunc8b

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
Jun 8, 2016
Total posts
660
Chips
0
When I started playing online, not so long ago, I left the Chat on. Then after one game where it was like watching some hormonal teenagers taunting each other I switched it off. It's been switched off ever since on any site i play on.

The one exception is the CC league games I play in and rail. It is now week 6 and with playing the within the same group of players for a while it's now nice to chat while playing. I can encourage my team mates and they do they same for me.
 
J

Jason Yocham

Rising Star
Bronze Level
Joined
Oct 26, 2016
Total posts
11
Chips
0
I keep my chat turned off when playing online. I don't find it valuable to have dialogue online. In live games, I enjoy talking enough to be conversational but I don't go out of my way to talk.

How far is too far when it comes to trying to get into someone's head?
 
BigJamo

BigJamo

Aussie Elite
Silver Level
Joined
Aug 9, 2010
Total posts
2,088
Chips
0
I dont talk while playing on-line unless its in the cardschat league events, were the player are worth talking too.

Live is a big social thing anyway and you cant change what peeps are gunns do, just have a good sense of humor is the best way.
 
Moonchild

Moonchild

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Sep 21, 2015
Total posts
132
Chips
0
Mostly I don't talk online either, except when we get in the final stages of the game (MTT). F.ex. when 3 tables are left in a field of more than 3000 players. Even then it depends. It should not distract me.

But I wonder ... does anyone of you know William Kassouf?
 
shinedown.45

shinedown.45

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Aug 18, 2006
Total posts
5,389
Chips
0
As for you thinking that reporting doesn't work, I can tell you PS does it's job on this.
I have in fact been banned from chat for 24 hrs one time, I was angry and drunk and called a brazilian player an inbred wetback.
I have behaved ever since. :)
 
S

Sourtubbie

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Oct 24, 2016
Total posts
158
Chips
0
When it comes to banter directed at me I can take it all day long and often flip it back on the person attempting to get under my skin. But I do take offense to people picking on players that are obviously not of that ilk or new to the poker in general. So I often redirect the banter my way and that sorts things out but I often have chat closed if in is more then 5 players at a table. Just nothing interesting to be gained after that amount usually for me.
 
Moonchild

Moonchild

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Sep 21, 2015
Total posts
132
Chips
0
As for you thinking that reporting doesn't work, I can tell you PS does it's job on this.
I have in fact been banned from chat for 24 hrs one time, I was angry and drunk and called a brazilian player an inbred wetback.
I have behaved ever since. :)

I am so glad to hear that: that it works and you became a good boy!;)
 
V

vassiriki

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
May 2, 2016
Total posts
135
Chips
0
i guess it might be a bit disturbing when it's really getting beyond limits. i, myself, do not talk that much when live or online, doesn't matter. however, i also got to know very kind people during conversations at a poker table. i've never been a fan of thrash talk though...
 
Amanda A

Amanda A

Legend
Bronze Level
Joined
Feb 23, 2016
Total posts
1,357
Awards
2
Chips
23
I like focusing on the game when I'm playing but I can't say I've ever been offended by table talk either online or off. I am an Aussie though, so it probably takes a bit to offend me. :)
 
dbchristy

dbchristy

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Dec 27, 2015
Total posts
1,158
Chips
0
I mostly block chat..ppl are meanies..lol
 
onondaga

onondaga

Ukraine
Bronze Level
Joined
Apr 21, 2015
Total posts
3,146
Awards
14
UA
Chips
0
Thats not bad to discuss something when u are playing live games and not to easy to do it when online (cant chat when tea or coffee in one hand and playing by other one)/imo. About Kassouf, nice guy and play smart in own way
 
M

marcumx

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
May 10, 2013
Total posts
438
Chips
0
if i'm playing live, i will usually limit my talking to the players left and right and directly across from me in between hands. i don't normally use talking to gain info if i'm in a hand and where i play, nobody else does either unless they're getting ready to fold.
 
R

roddypra

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Jan 16, 2016
Total posts
134
Chips
0
I try to keep some conversations with the online tables, however many do not like to talk. I think if u can extract the maximum information of the player is valid. And also helps to ease the tensions. In the live tables, sure a good dialogue. It helps a lot in all aspects.
 
Moonchild

Moonchild

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Sep 21, 2015
Total posts
132
Chips
0
Thank you all for reacting, but I would like to go back to my original post. Do you sometimes report some table talk to the moderator and when/why do you do it. Mostly my reports don't have anything to do with chat directed to me, but to other players. Sometimes I am really startled/shoqued by what some people say and wish upon others. Some things I hear are just illegal in real life. For me, chatting with real people, is real life. You might call me naive, considering everything being said on f.ex. social media. But I'd rather stay naive and keep my values than accepting disgusting behavior.
 
quick

quick

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Jun 17, 2010
Total posts
1,348
Awards
1
Chips
67
Online is pretty brutal talk. Insults, name calling, rants, etc. I think I may switch it off in most cases but i have occasionally had good conversation in the chat boxes before. It's a lot easier to berate someone online than live of course and even I have fallen victim to saying some not so nice things online which I am working on because it's bad for poker, bad for me, and just bad in general!

Live, I usually say hi when a new player sits, esp next to me. Most respond. I'm not super chatty live, but I will jump into a conversation if it's something interesting and obviously not just between the two or three conversing. Sometimes players next to me like to chat and poke fun at other players (usually when everyone seems to have ID'd the fish or the reckless aggro guy). And if someone opens a conversation with me I'm not going to ignore them unless I'm in a hand OR their in the hand with me fishing for info.

Some players give away a little too much info or borderline cross what many would consider to be proper table rules. For example: I had a player the other night on multiple occasions show me his cards and smile and laugh (I wasn't in the hand and it was against the guy we had all figured out was on reckless aggro tilt). I didn't respond to this until the hand was over, I didn't want to 1.) accidentally reveal an expression or something and give away his hand or 2.) worse be accused of some sort of collusion. Wait until the hand is over and dead if you want to show your cards! I also think it's poor taste and against the rules in many rooms to discuss what you had before the hand is over.

I think it's ok for other players live to talk about another player, I think it's a bit of a head game though. Clearly the other player may notice this. As long as it's not vulgar or personally insulting I think it's ok if you're discussing or joking about misplayed hands or something. Some may disagree.

The only time I felt a line was truly crossed was live a few months ago. Guy next to me was a reg, somewhat aggro and kept getting called down over and over by some drunk guy who said it was his birthday. Well Birthday boy couldn't keep his mouth shut and kept poking the guy verbally with things like "well yeah I'm calling you down with 104o with my paired 4 even though there's two aces, 3 hearts, and a K, because you keep trying to bluff me, all day I'm taking your money." The line was crossed when he took a third buy in from the reg and the reg quietly said to me and the guy on other side of him "unbelievable, i mean really" or something. Birthday boy proudly showed his cards, collected the pot, THEN after the hand was dead looks directly at the guy laughs and goes "I think it's so great that I took yet another stack off you" and went on for about 30 seconds about how "fitting" and "satisfying" it was to take "your money in particular." He clearly targeted the guy over and over and IMO crossed the line with this berating after he beat him, took his money, and continued to brag.

The table agreed and multiple players told the guy to slow it down. Someone called clock on birthday boy once or twice, floor started keeping closer eye on him. He eventually took his birthday win and left. But really, don't personally target and rub it in like that. Not cool. That kind of stuff will get you finding people waiting outside to have a few words with you in some places. Speak with your chips and play fair.
 
teepack

teepack

Legend
Bronze Level
Joined
Mar 5, 2014
Total posts
2,317
Awards
1
Chips
14
I like to chat online but only friendly stuff. However if I think a player is being rude or abusive to another player I will start talkIng smack to the bully. we need bad players to win every once in a while or they will quit coming back. If they feel bullied they may stop playing.
 
fly2tsky

fly2tsky

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Oct 30, 2016
Total posts
183
Chips
0
Kassouf is one of my rare example that went beyond my insulting standard but still gaining my interests. Because he's a lawyer. Thats what lawyer usually do, they dig in to get more informations & manipulate mindset. I think it depends. I usually consider someone not by their appearance or tone, but education background, mood, and such.
 
M

marakhovskii

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
Oct 1, 2016
Total posts
512
Chips
0
I heard curses and threats many times at all limits but I always smile
 
fletchdad

fletchdad

Jammin................
Loyaler
Joined
Feb 3, 2010
Total posts
11,706
Awards
2
Chips
122
This is all about online playing:

I usually report chat if it goes over a line. It does not matter if it is at me or not. Sometimes I have too many tables open, but I always try to report excessive chat if I don't lose my focus in my games.

I always keep chat on. I rarely chat myself. I gain info on players. It has actually helped me profile players.

I do chat in CC games. But that is more like a home game as well.
 
Lheticus

Lheticus

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Jan 22, 2014
Total posts
1,198
Chips
0
I love table talk, and banter. Honestly, sometimes I can go kind of over the line without realizing it. :( But I really don't like when no one's talking, live or online. It's a bigger problem online, usually.
 
R

roddypra

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Jan 16, 2016
Total posts
134
Chips
0
It's good to talk to people, but online you'll find many people cursing you when you beat his hand. I have made friends and I have them until today interacting in the online mode. I even started to create a group and play with each other. When there is respect, you have everything to do well in the game. But the interaction, besides gathering information about the adversary, is a great way to spend time in the game.
 
D

ds276

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Oct 10, 2016
Total posts
253
Chips
0
There is nothing bad to communicate at a table. But very often one-two inadequate persons who the aggression and weak-mindedness crosses out all desire to communicate in a chat come across. Such people minority, but they meet. When the pleasant atmosphere at a table - communication is possible. If it becomes intolerable, then I disconnect a chat or I ignore the player. I wish all pleasant interlocutors, strong hands and victories.
 
V

Vonick

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Nov 11, 2016
Total posts
219
Awards
1
Chips
2
I personally avoid talking at a table.its rude for the other player too!
 
Moonchild

Moonchild

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Sep 21, 2015
Total posts
132
Chips
0
I personally avoid talking at a table.its rude for the other player too!

Why do you think it is rude talk to at the table? Put some people together on a table and you have a social activity, so I think it's normal and even more pleasant when there's some talking. Better for poker and for humanity. To be clear, it can be different when playing online. It's also there where I see the most trash talk. In that case it's rude and there should be consequences for it. IMO.

That being said: some ettiquette is essential. Ofcourse there are some things that are forbidden, like talking about the cards during the hand. Doh! Sometimes I even see it go wrong here online. Sadly! But if you're not criticizing players before, during, or after a hand table talk within the rules is just fine by me. Sometimes it is boring or distracting, but most of the times it is interesting and entertaining, especially in live poker. Also for those watching.
 
Top