Don't Tap the Tank
It is all too common to sit at a poker table and see one player berate another. The most frequent scenario is a supposedly “good” player ranting about mistakes of a bad player. There are so many reasons this shouldn’t happen.
When you criticize players by highlighting their mistakes, you accomplish several objectives – none of which are beneficial to your bottom line. A typical example of this type of behavior is “I can’t believe you just called that huge bet on the turn with just a gutshot.” Not only does a comment like this make people conscious of their play, it might actually tighten them up. If a player feels embarrassed, he might even leave the game. Additionally, it could make other players less likely to gamble in similar situations, for fear of looking stupid. This is precisely the opposite of what you want from your opponents.
As a poker player, you want your opponents to play as poorly as possible. This enables you to capitalize on their mistakes, which translates directly into profit.
Instead of criticizing the bad players at the table, you should be complimenting them. Everyone likes to hear the occasional kind word. However, don’t be disingenuous and say something like “Nice hand” after someone sucks out against you. Rather, wait for an appropriate situation and genuinely compliment him, even if it’s just to say “Nice pot” when he wins a big one.
Another common mistake is talking about players when they are away from the table. People frequently discuss someone’s bad play as soon as he gets up from the game. “Can you believe he called an under-the-gun raise with ace-ten and went broke on a ten-high flop?” Not only is this rude, but all it does is point out to other players what they should avoid doing. Don’t teach the table.
Don’t discuss hands or high-level poker strategy with another player. There is a time and place for hand analysis, but it’s away from the table. There is no advantage to pointing out your poker prowess to your opponents. All that does is pad your own ego and teach the weak players some new or advanced concepts.
Bad players frequently take what they perceive to be a bad beat, when in reality they just played the hand poorly. For example, a player slowplays aces in a large multiway pot and ends up getting drawn out on due to his passivity. The losing player then goes into a rant about how unlucky he is and how his aces always get cracked. Time and time again “good players” point out how the hand was played poorly and what should have been done differently. Don’t tell your opponents how they can improve their play.
When weak players take what they perceive to be a bad beat and start complaining, rather than correcting them, telling them to stop whining, or flat out ignoring them, sympathize with your opponents. Many people just want to validate their “proper play” and have someone agree with how unlucky they really were. Once you acknowledge the supposedly “terrible beat,” they will often stop. They’ll feel like they did everything right to win the pot and just got unlucky, which is exactly what you want them to think.
It’s important to recognize that people play poker for many different reasons. Not all players are concerned with making the optimal play and maximizing their expected value from each and every hand. Some people play to gamble, others just play for fun and entertainment purposes. These are the players you want in your game. Plenty of people really enjoy the social aspect of poker. You shouldn’t play the role of the “serious pro” and just sit there quiet and stone cold. Talk it up; make jokes and have fun. Do whatever you can to keep the game light and enjoyable. When people like you, they don’t mind losing to you as much.
You should be friendly and welcoming to all players, but especially to the bad ones. Make it fun for them to play by engaging in pleasant conversation. Compliment them and sympathize with their bad luck. When they finally decide to leave the game, tell them that you enjoyed playing with them and that you hope to see them around soon. They’ll remember the good time they had and return for more.
Don’t tap the tank and scare away the fish. Take care of them, feed them, and change their water. Remember: Good players stack bad players, but great players get bad players to reload.
