Abusive Players

[ch3rrytw1st]

What's the best way to deal with abusive players? I've only been playing money games for a few weeks, and admittedly I've done some fishy things.

Usually I just ignore them (online). But wow, they can really get under your skin.

My fear is that in live games, I won't handle it nearly as well as I do online. Any suggestions? Thicker skin?

[Toasty]

Can't comment on live games (leave? switch games?)

But online you can actually turn off there chat, or just berate them back, call them a noob who doesn't know how to play. If you have actually made a mistake this will jsut make them ready to blow. Can you say TILT ?

If you can get them on TILT just tighten up and start clubbing them over the head with your good hands they will start calling you down more trying to beat you...

[Krapp]

Ignore them, turn chat off, or just leave the table. Sometimes I just decide to leave a table when the kiddos playing are wearing left and right

[xbones]

I like these players, they tend to be the ones who end up donating to the beer fund the most. Had one fella berating me last night, and stayed to continue even when we'd all taken his money.

If you can't take a bit of name calling, how are you gonna take it when someone catches a runner-runner (or shows you their complete bluff when you have 2 pair, and fold )

[Humphrind]

Mike Matasow from the WSOP -
Don't try that [BEEP] in my pots. I'll [BEEP]n take you down every time. I have great big [BEEP] and you have little tiny [BEEP]. My [BEEP] are huge and yours are [BEEP]n itty bitty.

Sometimes you can't avoid a mouthy player. But you are 10 times more likely to come across a mouthy player online than you are in a live game.

Online - just block chat from that person or everyone if you want. Live, ignore it. Either way the most important thing is not to let it affect your game.

[Autocratic]

But then Mike started crying when he lost, thus eliminating the intimidation factor.

When I play live games with my friends I trash talk quite a bit - but it's all good-natured, and I'm generally a better player than most of them. The only other games are with my dad's friends, and I can't exactly go making fun of them. I've never been to a casino, but I can see myself getting pretty mouthy when I get comfortable. It's not about insults, it's about reading their reactions. When you are looking at a big raise and tell them they're bluffing, the average player will have a similar reaction in any given situation.

I'll report back once I find an 18+ casino around D.C.

[DavSimon]

Had an incident this weekend...guy got pissed at losing called me a noob (I am) and many other nasty things, just chastising me up and down for staying in with a 7-2 off.
My reply: "I was the big blind and no one raised pre-flop including you the "expert" - I got to see the flop for free and flopped a full house, limped in - you bit and I took you down...who is the noob again?"
my second reply: "You had QQ and the board showed 77...did it not occur to you that someone might have the 7...or were you just drawing in an attempt to get another Q. Quit crying, and go ask your mommy for another $25 so you can buy in again."
His reply was FU...and left the room. Everyone had a good laugh about it afterwards.
Long story just to say; you will make mistakes and bad calls and still come out on top occasionally. If you try to improve and make good plays forget what all the poor sports have to say...ignore them - try to improve your game and take all thier money.

[Humphrind]

I've done it too. I took down AA with an 84s. I flopped a flush draw, called a minimum bet and turned a flush. Then called an all-in and took down the AA.

Throughout the rest of the tournament, I never once reminded anyone that I had the big blind and it was unraised pre-flop. I wonder if anyone thought tht I was stupid for playing it, but they didn't mention anything.

Last night I took down AA with KQo. I decided to play it hard, even after I missed the flop. Good thing I was the agressor, I would have never stuck around to see my runner-runner queens.

[ch3rrytw1st]

Thanks for the replies.

The experience last night that set this guy off was similar to the ones posted. I was one of two callers. He was in the BB. He was upset because I called his bets (each one equal to the BB) to the river and beat him with a pair of aces, to his pair of kings.

It was late in a MTT and I had a stack much bigger than his to begin with. Winning that hand pretty much elminated him.

What gets me is these guys who get behind a keyboard and all of a sudden they're Rambo.

[DavSimon]

ch3rrytw1st, you did nothing wrong. If he was just betting 1 BB - he was asking chaser/small pocket pairs to be in the pot. If I have some semblance of a hand and someone is betting weak like that, I will pay to see at least the turn.

[FyrFytr998]

The best way I deal with abusive players is to stare them dead in the eye and smile. Then I start singing "Whistle While You Work" as I'm tending to the stack of chips I just took off them.

[Fortune 500]

They can be annoying, or they can be a goldmine.

In life, and in poker, I've found that the best way to deal with them, is to just ignore them. This pisses them off worse than anything else you can do... or just act amused and unaffected. Let them bluff at a couple angry pots, wait for your monster hand, and clean them out. When you tilt the table, the chips will roll your way.

[krazyace5]

Just type in "Shh... I am stacking your chips."

Just type in "Shh... I am stacking your chips."

Ah yes, the old Fnord tactic. You missed out the 'Want fries with that?' bit. Lol