I always have chat turned off at the poker table, but I had left avatars on. However, I found that some avatars that I found offensive actually started impacting my play, mainly political ones. If I start to dislike a certain player, that impacts how I play against them, so I turned the avatars off. I'd rather pay attention to their playing than be distracted by their name, avatar, or things they say in chat.

What do you think?

I have everything turned off (chatbox, avatars, throwables, etc.). I prefer less clutter on the screen. I also chose a boring colour for the background, the table and the cards.

Why let those things bother you, I'm more interested in what is going on in the game than let a picture or chat distract me, you can get a lot of info from the chat if some clowns start berating each other, you don't need to actually chat.

On the sites where there is an option to disable a particular avatar, I have them displayed.
On the sites where there is no such option or there are only room-made avatars (or even there are some emotions attached to these avatars) I have them disabled and play with the peace of mind

As long as I am confident in my playing skills, no one will influence it
So why turn off avatar or chat unless it is against my beliefs

If there's stuff you find offensive and you've identified that it changes the way you play you should change it to a point where it will no longer impact your play.

On a side note I recently hid pictures on Pokerstars just because I wanted less clutter on my screen. However I also have thought that this might be a disadvantage because it makes it harder to identify player's I've played before who might have made bad plays in the past if they have a picture enabling me to identify a weaker player by his picture if I wasn't able to tag him or something.


But if you're in a spot where it can effect your game play for whatever reason to the negative I think it's worthwhile to block whatever it is.

(I don't have throwables on because it would tilt me if I lost a big hand and villain started throwing poop at me for example but maybe that's the point of throwables as well )

never paid attention to chat or avatars, just play the game dude

As soon as I learned how, I turned off avatars.

There are a few avatars I've blocked on stars just because they irritate me. Some of the room generated options on ACR are really annoying but I've not seen how you turn them off yet.

Chat doesn't bother me. I don't usually talk at the table other than occasionally with someone I know from here. I prefer to leave it on though because you can sometimes pick up someone tilting when they start mouthing off.

I have long turned off avatars on all sites. They distract me too. But I don't close the chat.

The avatars don't bother me

Originally Posted by rictor99

I always have chat turned off at the poker table, but I had left avatars on. However, I found that some avatars that I found offensive actually started impacting my play, mainly political ones. If I start to dislike a certain player, that impacts how I play against them, so I turned the avatars off. I'd rather pay attention to their playing than be distracted by their name, avatar, or things they say in chat.

What do you think?

Greetings. In Russia there is a saying "in battle, all means are good." So if it gives you the opportunity to concentrate directly on the gameplay, then why not. And it's good that you use such techniques in life. Good luck in the game and enjoy the process.

except PS, I leave it disabled in all. I leave the chat active, despite not having time to see (4 tables)

The avitars do not bother me. It is the chat that I get a laugh from especially when somebody is trying to play the hero and then gets BUSTED !!!!

Originally Posted by rictor99

I always have chat turned off at the poker table, but I had left avatars on. However, I found that some avatars that I found offensive actually started impacting my play, mainly political ones. If I start to dislike a certain player, that impacts how I play against them, so I turned the avatars off. I'd rather pay attention to their playing than be distracted by their name, avatar, or things they say in chat.

What do you think?

It dont bother me but i have mine off only because my internet is choppy. I guess it could help you identify a nit or not. i dont pay much attention although i really like chatting

I sometimes turn them off as well not because they are offensive, but because they can really be too big at some online poker rooms.

I also noticed that if a player with certain avatar plays a certain way, I tend to lump them in, which is the greatest reason to make notes. I also noticed that when I changed my avatar to one with a more aggressive look instead of a funny one, more players would fold it seems to me when I raised.

Originally Posted by rictor99

I always have chat turned off at the poker table, but I had left avatars on. However, I found that some avatars that I found offensive actually started impacting my play, mainly political ones. If I start to dislike a certain player, that impacts how I play against them, so I turned the avatars off. I'd rather pay attention to their playing than be distracted by their name, avatar, or things they say in chat.

What do you think?

Agreed. Aside from the political avatars (idiotically bad taste for half the players) , I find the overall avatar feel juvenile as though the sites were designed for 11 years olds. I turn as many avatars, throwables etc. off as possible.

I like GG for instance (the graphics are superb) but the whole Negreanu, Elkie emojis often used incessantly by players - "You Suck!" "Bye Bye!" "Running Cold"- as junior high at best.

And, as far as I am aware, you can't turn that inane dialogue off, can you?

I leave avatars alone. Sometimes they give you an insight into how a player is going to act/react.

I Block chat on chatters that make unsportsmanlike comments. Typically I don't pay much attention however every once in awhile I have a good chuckle someone will make a comment like " Good Luck everybody" and shove all in feigning a bad hand.


I find Avatars amusing
I am intrigued by the names players choose.

An avatar is a mirror of the person behind it. I find it helpful to keep them involved. I turned off only the one that distracts me too much.

I absolutely HATE the avatar thingy. I have it turned off. All I care to see is what country they are from. .I forgot what site it was ..but they used to put the city you live in which was way cool. I think it was pokerstars not sure haven't been on there in a long time. Some let you download pictures. But its a really good thing that you have an option to have one or not or turn them off..

On the PS, I have player avatars enabled. If I don't like some avatar, then I turn it off alone.
Recently I had to reinstall the PS. And again there was "aurora" (throwing different objects at opponents), and I forgot how to turn it off. While I was looking for how to turn it off, I even liked how the players threw handkerchiefs and horseshoes to each other. But this quickly got bored.

I sometimes turn the odd few off if they are too weird. Often turn off clowns, sharks and other aggressive avatars as they can be off putting when your playing a pot against that opponent.