In poker, are all created equal?

[The Monkey]

The reason I ask this question is because I I have cerebral palsy and I'm in a wheelchair. obviously I can think clearly because I am able to play the game at a very competitive level, even though my funds are limited due to Social Security disability income.


my question to the reader of this thread is if you saw me at the poker table would you feel any obligation to try and take it easy on me because of the fact that I was in a wheelchair. I know for a fact I would not take it easy on you. I feel like poker should be a game without discrimination of any kind , but I have encountered people who have felt bad playing against me because they didn't want to take my money as if my money were not good enough. I'm just interested in your open thoughts on this issue.

 

[perrywh]

My grandaughter has the same. She can do most things normal except talk. I think more of her than anyone on the face of the earth. As for giving you a break at the table! I will not! So beware when we meat in the freerolls! Good luck at the tables!

 

[Tracid]

The reason I ask this question is because I I have cerebral palsy and I'm in a wheelchair. obviously I can think clearly because I am able to play the game at a very competitive level, even though my funds are limited due to Social Security disability income.


my question to the reader of this thread is if you saw me at the poker table would you feel any obligation to try and take it easy on me because of the fact that I was in a wheelchair. I know for a fact I would not take it easy on you. I feel like poker should be a game without discrimination of any kind , but I have encountered people who have felt bad playing against me because they didn't want to take my money as if my money were not good enough. I'm just interested in your open thoughts on this issue.

No.

I try to empathise with people, but not sympathise. If that makes sense..?

You have just as much right to win (or lose) at the table as anyone and everyone else!

I think it's not uncommon for people to be unsure how to act/talk/behave around certain types of people.

This totally unnecessary and stems from overthinking it.

Just treat everyone normally (as you would anyone else) regardless of whether or not they're famous, male, female, disabled, old, young, green or blue!

All of that is irrelevant to who someone is on the inside.

 

[NWPatriot]

Interesting question. I could take the safe route, and just read what others say, or I could take a risk of looking like a fool and participate. I decided to take a risk - I sincerely hope I do not offend anyone.

In today's society, though we preach political correctness (PC), us humans, we implement this poorly, even if it is a good idea.

There is a tremendous difference between disagreeing and hating, yet our society makes these synonymous at times. I can absolutely disagree with someone, without hating them.
There is a difference between discrimination and having empathy or showing sympathy (as Tracid eloquently stated). For this question, it seems like neither is requested or required. But as humans, do we really want to live in an uncaring society where there is no sympathy or empathy for one another. I would not.

The PC answer may very well be, to act as if nothing were any different. But I don't think this question is that simple. I have a quadriplegic relative and if they needed help with something, I would feel like an a##hole if I sat in my big chair and ignored the situation.

Is it condescending to ask if the person needs help before assuming that they do? If I can empathize with the desire to be independent, but yet offer my help if I see a need, am I being a jerk, or am I being helpful?

It is difficult to know what someones motives are based on their actions. But it is easy to assume we know what their motives are.

If we played poker together, I would have to assume that you can afford to lose your chips, and I might as well take them. If there was some way I could help you with something, I would be happy to do so. I would likely recognize that your journey to the table was different than mine, as I know how much effort would be required for my relative to do so.

Not that this was a test, but how are we doing? Without dialog, we just keep rolling down the same road we are on. You were interested in our opinions. I am interested in yours as well.

Good luck to you and God bless.

 

[PistolPete89]

I've played with the most severe disabilities imaginable and the thought to let them win was never considered. I played in a tournament a few months back where there was a guy at another table with terminal cancer and 1 month to live. He was knocked out early but that may have been tempting to let him win had he ended up at my table.

Now, I played with a guy with a guy and he asked me to reposition his arms and of course I obliged.

 

[Poker_Mike]

Never Feel "Bad" About It

The reason I ask this question is because I I have cerebral palsy and I'm in a wheelchair. obviously I can think clearly because I am able to play the game at a very competitive level, even though my funds are limited due to Social Security disability income.


my question to the reader of this thread is if you saw me at the poker table would you feel any obligation to try and take it easy on me because of the fact that I was in a wheelchair. I know for a fact I would not take it easy on you. I feel like poker should be a game without discrimination of any kind , but I have encountered people who have felt bad playing against me because they didn't want to take my money as if my money were not good enough. I'm just interested in your open thoughts on this issue.

Yes - when playing live you will experience that some players will "take it easy" on you. Maybe show you their hand that they had the nuts even after you fold on the river? etc. etc. Maybe out of pity or maybe they don't want to build a table image where they may seem like they are "bullying" a physically disabled guy? Maybe other reasons?

Personally I never feel "bad" about winning chips. 1st of all - like you say - you will gladly take my chips - so I must be ready to take yours without hesitation. 2nd - if I take it "easy" on you and leave you with chips in a situation where I should have them all - then somebody else will get them. That is the truth. And, 3rd if I take it easy on you but not the rest of the table then there is an element of collusion.

If I were you and someone shows you their AK when you have folded - just thank them and tell them, "Nice hand." Take the "easy" not as pity but as courtesy - and save your money when you can.

Your money not "good enough"? Are you nuts? LOL

My last live experience with a player in a wheelchair was that I raised w AA and he 3-bet with KK from the SB and we got it all in preflop and I scooped a big pot. He shook his head - told the dealer to lock up his seat and rolled to the ATM. While he was gone the table just talked about how bad he was running that day because it was the 3rd hand in a row that he lost before I felted him. No comments about disability - wheelchair - poker ability - nothing like that. If the hands were reversed he would have gladly taken my chips!

Good luck on the tables buddy !

 

[Newzooozooo]

Hi.
Personally, for me, it does not matter who my opponents are. It does not matter to me their gender, social status, religion, nationality and citizenship. For me, the main goal in this game is winning.
Good luck.

 

[Ptiza]

There should be no compassion in the game. In online poker, you can't see your opponent. So I don't care who's playing against me. I don't play live poker, so I don't know. I hope I didn't offend you. Be always positive and good luck in the games.

 

[Alex70793]

I don't care who I play with, it's a game and it has an opponent. No one forces anyone to sit down at the poker table, no matter what you are you understand that you can lose money, therefore why should I feel sorry for other players, at the poker table I am your opponent, I am your enemy, but getting up from the table I will become your best friend.

 

[Datdude1]

For me poker is just like any other game or competition that I participate in. If I'm in it I'm in it to win, regardless of who my opponent is.

 

[deeznutzz]

The reason I ask this question is because I I have cerebral palsy and I'm in a wheelchair. obviously I can think clearly because I am able to play the game at a very competitive level, even though my funds are limited due to Social Security disability income.


my question to the reader of this thread is if you saw me at the poker table would you feel any obligation to try and take it easy on me because of the fact that I was in a wheelchair. I know for a fact I would not take it easy on you. I feel like poker should be a game without discrimination of any kind , but I have encountered people who have felt bad playing against me because they didn't want to take my money as if my money were not good enough. I'm just interested in your open thoughts on this issue.

If I saw you at a table my assumption would be that you are there with the sole purpose of playing poker. I doubt very much that you need or even want pity from me. I doubt the thought would even cross my mind at that time. Once the cards are dealt any assumption made about your mental capacity or your skill level would be bad poker on my part. We're taught to use the information we have to eliminate as much variance as possible.. Seeing that a lot of your physical abilities have been taken from you and then to sit down at a table that puts us all on a equal footings where you don't have any limitations. To play you in anyway to would suggest youre anything other than just another player would be disrespectful to you and disrespectful to the game. Id try and bust you on the very first hand if given the chance

 

[neptun1914]

Theoretically speaking as your brain is as strong (and maybe even stronger) than mine i should play against you just like against any other player as otherwise i will give you an edge. Emotions though sometimes obscure our clear mind and at subconscious level many people will soften their game against you in such situation or focus their efforts on other players on the table and that can happen even subconsciously without realizing it. I personally do not know how i will act in such situation.

 

[dgroes]

The reason I ask this question is because I I have cerebral palsy and I'm in a wheelchair. obviously I can think clearly because I am able to play the game at a very competitive level, even though my funds are limited due to Social Security disability income.


my question to the reader of this thread is if you saw me at the poker table would you feel any obligation to try and take it easy on me because of the fact that I was in a wheelchair. I know for a fact I would not take it easy on you. I feel like poker should be a game without discrimination of any kind , but I have encountered people who have felt bad playing against me because they didn't want to take my money as if my money were not good enough. I'm just interested in your open thoughts on this issue.

i think some may but they won´t be their right mind. poker is competitive and for everyone who can play it. i won´t understand why someone will want to do some charitable act just to make themselves feel good.

 

[T_Dawg]

I will take your money faster than you can blink your eyes

 

[Ecolando]

The reason I ask this question is because I I have cerebral palsy and I'm in a wheelchair. obviously I can think clearly because I am able to play the game at a very competitive level, even though my funds are limited due to Social Security disability income.


my question to the reader of this thread is if you saw me at the poker table would you feel any obligation to try and take it easy on me because of the fact that I was in a wheelchair. I know for a fact I would not take it easy on you. I feel like poker should be a game without discrimination of any kind , but I have encountered people who have felt bad playing against me because they didn't want to take my money as if my money were not good enough. I'm just interested in your open thoughts on this issue.

That sounds incredibly frustrating. If I were to encounter you at the tables, I would not treat you differently.

 

[popstani]

I play once against man with cerebral paralysis last year. It was in Foxwoods casino last year on a 1/2 cash table. He was playing with help of other person, and he played really badly. I scooped couple of pots against him, and at that moment,I didn’t feel good about it. But, later I realised that he was at the table by his own will, and he losing money because by his own choice, he wanted to play. He would take my money with no sympathy, empathy or any other feeling. It’s in a people’s nature to be sympathetic with other, specially with ones who have some kind of disability, but that can be your advantage at the tables. Use it, and don’t bother about that. I wish you a really good luck at the tables

 

[Igor Popadyk]

I understand your opponents in the game. And to be honest, I support them. I have such a mentality. Over time, if you get to know you closer, the attitude may be different

 

[Helvec]

I will say what I think, first it seems like a good question. Personally, it would not affect me to play against you, but I know that what you say is true, not all people are the same, but if there are people who giggle without disrespecting another simply because of their appearance, state of health or even the gender. This is so, and always will be, it is up to you to know how to cope with it. Friend, I have a relative with the same case, and maybe my thinking is this, for me we are all the same, but not all of us think or act the same, so as long as one knows who he is, it does not matter what the other believes. To finish, I would sit with pleasure to play against you, what matters is the person himself and his appearance does not define who you are. Greetings friend

 

[akgross]

In a narrow circle of acquaintances, this situation is logical from a feeling of compassion and kindness. In the course of a professional competition at the gaming table, all players are equal and the task of each player is victory.

 

[podoloboq]

In my opinion-yes, but to play "correctly" poker, it manages not many... This is not a theorem, but an axiom that has not been proven)):icon_joke

 

[kley126]

If I sit next to you and watch your game and see that you are very good I would be very careful but I assure you that I would try to keep all your money lol and on the other hand I would feel and when I read this I feel a lot of admiration for you go ahead no matter what think about your condition and if so, take all your money you are admirable

 

[MrPokerVerse]

Sure, everyone is created equal at the poker table, until proven otherwise. Remember someone with a visual impairment playing wsop. Had his son telling him the hole cards and board. Great thing when people can play who otherwise have hard time participating in most activities.

Good luck at the tables, where all have an equitable chance.

 

[greatgame230]

In poker the only thing that differentiates us is that there are some with many abilities to play and others that we do not have as many abilities, but personally I do not care about the physical condition of the opponent, he would never grant him advantages or feel any kind of pity for that for me it is one more opponent that I want to beat