I hate to disagree with you all, but he's playing the lowest of the low in terms of stakes. What's the harm in chatting to make the game more fun and interesting?
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People here always spout on about not educating the fishes. What's the harm? Are you really gonna pay off your mortgage $1 at a time?
Well depending on your motivations for playing poker, there can be lots of harm in it.
If you're playing only for the fun, social aspect for it, then fine, but you'd probably be better served playing Zynga (sp?) Poker on FB, or
wsop on XBox Live or something.
If OTOH like most of us you actually intend to make money, even if you're doing so casually, then ANYTHING you do to educate your opponent is taking money out of your pocket. Even in
freerolls or these pretty much worthless funstep things, where your villains typically aren't sophisticated enough to comprehend proper play, they certainly do comprehend being insulted, alienated, or told that you (and
sharkscope, etc.) have "stats" on them. This latter fact alone can and does drive some fish away from the game. Even freeroll/funstep/playmoney fish occasionally will deposit or win a score that starts a
bankroll which lets them move up. Many will remember what you or others might have told them about their game, and may learn from it. If they're serious about poker and improving as a player, they'll find their way like the rest of us, through books, forums, coaching, or whatever. But I'm not going to take a fish by the hand at the table and lead him there.
Poker (for money) is a cut-throat game. When we're here on CC, or even a CC game, there's absolutely an important fun and social aspect to it even if I am trying to beat you. There's also a desire to help each other out by sharing strategy and advice -- that's what CC is for. But when I'm at the table the goal is to take your money, not tell you how to keep it or how to take mine.
