aspects of poker you hate the most

[macphec 0]

When bad play gets rewarded by luck.

[TheIceman05 0]

I hate that whenever I manage to convince myself that poker is more skill than luck I sit down in a homegame with all beginners and some dude that started off the evening with a lesson from me in what the small and the big blind is, finish off the evening with all the chips. I HATE THAT YOU CANNOT READ FISH IN A HOMEGAME! I mean, I am a consistently winning player online, but in a homegame this does not matter, even in the longrun.  The reason is that some people for example  dont understand that they have the option to fold instead of calling with their queen high when I checkraise them with nothing. Why dont they understand that I am representing a strong hand? This is one example why poker is always more fun playing with "good" players. At the same time it makes me wonder what poker really is about. My theory is that in a homegame we are talking about 10 % skill and 90% luck, while in a tough game with players who kno their sh-t, we are talking about maybe 40% skill 60% luck...This is my biggest poker conundrum. Thoughts?

Oh, I've got some thoughts alright. Here they are, in order of decreasing likelihood:1) You are a terrible player2) The sun will come up tomorrow.Give me a break. Have you ever thought that if someone's gonna call the river with q high regularly, you shouldn't be check-raising with nothing? Because, like, nobody is handing out cookies for successful check-raise bluffs?? Ice

[drb75088 0]

Losing. So I try and avoid it.Snotty young people.

[theStork 0]

1. people complaining about beats2. boredom

[Men the Hellmuth 0]

I hate that whenever I manage to convince myself that poker is more skill than luck I sit down in a homegame with all beginners and some dude that started off the evening with a lesson from me in what the small and the big blind is, finish off the evening with all the chips. I HATE THAT YOU CANNOT READ FISH IN A HOMEGAME! I mean, I am a consistently winning player online, but in a homegame this does not matter, even in the longrun.  The reason is that some people for example  dont understand that they have the option to fold instead of calling with their queen high when I checkraise them with nothing. Why dont they understand that I am representing a strong hand? This is one example why poker is always more fun playing with "good" players. At the same time it makes me wonder what poker really is about. My theory is that in a homegame we are talking about 10 % skill and 90% luck, while in a tough game with players who kno their sh-t, we are talking about maybe 40% skill 60% luck...This is my biggest poker conundrum. Thoughts?

The Skill in those kind of games comes from playing a very straight forward game and making the "fish" pay for top pair low kicker ex. AK vs. K4.... sometimes the fish gets lucky and makes some strange 2 pair or backdoors into a straight.. but keep making them pay for those weak hands... YOU CAN NOT BLUFF A FISH... MAKE HIM PAY. you'll win in the long run... trust me

[pbwl11 0]

Everyone needs to lighten up.  Sure i still get mad when i take a two or three outer on the river (i get a lot more angry online, but that's different), but you have to look at the game in a different way if you really want to make it a major part of your life.  In live games i think it is very important to joke around, and not show too much anguish when a fish sucks out on you with a stupid hand.  Be courteous, and keep them happy and coming back for more.  Telling people how bad they are is not good for anyone, just play your game and have as much fun doing so as possible.  Even in a bad session i try to remember as much of the positive aspects as possible, while still obviously running over my plays.  Bad beats happen, if they didn't then poker wouldn't be nearly what it is.  What fun would it be if the best hole cards won every time?  What strategy would be involved?  Sure i give the guy at the 3-6 table with sunglasses a laugh when i see him, but it's all in fun.  I try to enjoy every minute i'm at the table, and so should everyone else there.

You are a sick, twisted, demented person. :twisted: sw

[Wang 0]

there are so many things I hate I could write forever, but here are some:-- I hate everyone bitc.hing about bad beats. Everyone takes them and everyone will continue to take them. Deal with it within and shut the fu.ck up. Don't berate someone else whether they win with Aces or 3-9 offsuit. Take it like a man.-- This is more of a general hate, but everyone thinking they are good. Everyone who plays any sport thinks they are good. Golfers, whether they shoot 110 or 70, think they are good. Basketball players, whether they have any sort of game whatsoever, think they are good. I, like everyone else, is guilty of this in some way. It is an unsaid fact that to be good at ANYTHING, one must think they are good, but it does not need declared that you think so. If you are good at anything, it will be noticed and discussed without having to say a word about it. In short, I guess people need to be more humble and let their play do the talking. You can think you are the best player in the world, but keep it to yourself. You can think you are better than someone else; and you may be, but there's no god damn need to belittle someone because you play 3-6 and they play 1-2. Keep it to yourself because no one wants to hear it. Nothing is better to me than hearing someone admit the weaknesses in their game, hearing how someone played this hand so poorly, or hearing someone admit the best they've ever shot 95 but that they can't wait for the day they break 90. Having humility and being humble are the most underrated things on earth.-- Bragging. I'll be the first to congratulate someone on their first pot, first win, etc. no matter what the level may be and I also love hearing about someone who won a tourney and having them tell the hands, etc, etc. I do not consider that bragging. I consider that taking pride in what you have done. What I hate are the clowns who try to brag about their bankrolls, etc. No one gives a sh.it.-- I hate everyone who rips on pros. They could not care less what you think and neither do I. You can critique their play or anything else, but do it like a normal human being.Peace........

Amen. Unfortunately I find it to be the self promoting types, that I can't stand, that get more notice and recognition. I'll stop there before I break out into a rant.

[Guest Anonymous]

I dislike lying. Not bluffing - that's just part of the game - I mean the situation where I'm sitting at a very soft table full of people who think poker's just like any other casino game, where I have to lie any time they ask me why I did something. Well, I suppose I don't have to, but things go more smoothly that way... "why did you raise with JTs this time, and not when you had it earlier?" "Well, earlier I was in lousy position and didn't know if I'd have a bunch of callers. This time all you fish limped in ahead of me, and I had plenty of customers to make it worth playing it aggressively..." might be considered insulting, so a lie is better.

Just tell them "you had a feeling", and they'll understand.

[Guest Anonymous]

I hate that whenever I manage to convince myself that poker is more skill than luck I sit down in a homegame with all beginners and some dude that started off the evening with a lesson from me in what the small and the big blind is, finish off the evening with all the chips. I HATE THAT YOU CANNOT READ FISH IN A HOMEGAME! I mean, I am a consistently winning player online, but in a homegame this does not matter, even in the longrun.  The reason is that some people for example  dont understand that they have the option to fold instead of calling with their queen high when I checkraise them with nothing. Why dont they understand that I am representing a strong hand? This is one example why poker is always more fun playing with "good" players. At the same time it makes me wonder what poker really is about. My theory is that in a homegame we are talking about 10 % skill and 90% luck, while in a tough game with players who kno their sh-t, we are talking about maybe 40% skill 60% luck...This is my biggest poker conundrum. Thoughts?

Pretty much have the same advice as everyone else. Don't try to bluff the guy you gave a five minute lesson to. EVER. And if you're playing a freezeout in a homegame, with one or more such players, make sure before the game starts that the blinds start as low as possible (if you have any say) and move up as slowly as people will allow, and your chances of winning the whole thing will be much much better.

[DCWildcat 0]

Texans who think they're good at poker because they're from fucking Texas. They seem to think the two are related. Oh, and apparently you're a better person if you're from Texas. It used to be its own country, you know.

VARIANCE

Thought that was a given 8)Along that line, people who blame all their losses on variance (over 30k hands...hmm)

[JimmyWellington 1]

I hate that whenever I manage to convince myself that poker is more skill than luck I sit down in a homegame with all beginners and some dude that started off the evening with a lesson from me in what the small and the big blind is, finish off the evening with all the chips. I HATE THAT YOU CANNOT READ FISH IN A HOMEGAME! I mean, I am a consistently winning player online, but in a homegame this does not matter, even in the longrun. The reason is that some people for example dont understand that they have the option to fold instead of calling with their queen high when I checkraise them with nothing. Why dont they understand that I am representing a strong hand? This is one example why poker is always more fun playing with "good" players. At the same time it makes me wonder what poker really is about. My theory is that in a homegame we are talking about 10 % skill and 90% luck, while in a tough game with players who kno their sh-t, we are talking about maybe 40% skill 60% luck...This is my biggest poker conundrum. Thoughts?

I hate when people constantly complain about not being able to bluff fish. I hate when people make up excuses for why they are losing and it's always someone else's fault, instead of maybe realizing that what they're doing is not working and that the same method of playing is not going to work against every opponent. OK, I don't really HATE is, but it's irritating. If someone is a calling station, maybe they're not the best player to be trying a bluff check-raise on. Try saving your bluffing for the tight players and pushing your great hands into the calling stations for as much as you can.

[checkymcfold 0]

man, most of the things posted thus far are what i LOVE about poker. take a 2-outer beat on the river when fishy mcsenile called you down with deuces? say nice hand and make sure he sticks around when you take all his money.have an idiot talking about how he knows more about poker than you will ever know? i LOVE that. free entertainment. i'll often egg him/her (usually a testosterone-inflated him, of course) on while practicing avoiding tells by concealing my uncontrollable laughter.the only, and i mean ONLY thing that pisses me off in live poker is people that slow the game down unneccessarily. if they're "thinking" in order to bluff, that's fine. it's easy to read, and it'll make me money. slowrolling winning hands, not looking at your cards until 3 minutes after you were supposed to act, etc., are the only things that make me mad, because they're the only things that keep me from making my money.and re: humility, which everyone seems to think is the greatest thing on earth-- in terms of life in general, yes, humility is wonderful and often a beautiful thing to witness. in terms of poker, no, it's -EV. you will never be as good as you can be if you let yourself think you're playing against better players. ever. that doesn't mean trying to run over everyone is a good thing, but only that you have to know that you're the best guy there. every time. if you don't, you are handing that "one guy who i'm scared of" a psychological edge, and that is bad.

[bascomeb 0]

i hate when people post on a forum about what they hate about poker oh and smasharoo

[Jeff 0]

the sheer boredom and folding for 2 hours straight

[bascomeb 0]

the sheer boredom and folding for 2 hours straight

try shorthanded

[Bagtatta 0]

This goes for Turning Stone Casino because I'm not familiar with other casinos:I hate the dealers that play by their own rules. I get all in and lose and some jerk asks to see my mucked cards that I never flipped. The dealer shows them immediately. The next dealer comes along and some guy a few seats to my left has the same situation and mucks, the same jerk asks to see cards and the dealer explains he doesn't have to show.I also hate all the poor guys in the area who come and gamble all their money. I don't want to take money from a man who has a gambling problem. I want to take money from the guy sitting two seats to my left who doesn't know what a satellite is but calls a $20 bet preflop with Q6 just because he won a hand with it back home.Jopke.

[Wang 0]

and re: humility, which everyone seems to think is the greatest thing on earth-- in terms of life in general, yes, humility is wonderful and often a beautiful thing to witness. in terms of poker, no, it's -EV. you will never be as good as you can be if you let yourself think you're playing against better players. ever. that doesn't mean trying to run over everyone is a good thing, but only that you have to know that you're the best guy there. every time. if you don't, you are handing that "one guy who i'm scared of" a psychological edge, and that is bad.

You make a good point and I will add to that by saying that if you talk enough shit that your opponent is intimadated than you have possibly further added to your EV. However, in poker you need to be able to be objective about your abilities and those of your opponents. There will be times when you need to be able to admit that a game or limit is too tough, or that there are players in the game that are better then you and this does not necessarily fall under the category of being intimidated, rather just being aware. Does knowing that a player is better than you mean that you are afraid to play a pot with him? No. What it does mean is that you need to be more selective about pots you play against this player. Confidence and arrogance are not the same thing. In fact some would argue that confidence and arrogance are opposites. You can be confident about your abilities and not make big displays and broadcast how great you think you are to everyone and anyone who will listen every chance you get. Playing against a table of fish it is -EV to bitch about getting outdrawn, talk about strategy, or verbally abuse and put down other players and I would argue that anyone who does any of those things does so because they lack confidence in their own game and ability to make that money back.

[giantfan01 0]

Believe it or not the thing I hate most about poker is inflicting a bad beat to another player. Sometimes this can be especially annoying if its to the type of player that wont stop talking about it. Usually when a bad beat occurs the player on the receiving end of "lady luck"( 8) ) will lose respect from the other players making it more difficult to bluff or semi-bluff with a draw. Another reason I hate inflicting a bad beat is I feel like I don't deserve the pot, that probably sounds weird but its true! :shock:

[pbwl11 0]

Getting hemorroids from sitting at the table for 10 or 12 hours straight. :twisted:

[GoStags92 0]

The most hated words at a B&M poker table..."New set up"[/i]

[elaear 0]

there are so many things I hate I could write forever, but here are some:-- I hate everyone bitc.hing about bad beats. Everyone takes them and everyone will continue to take them. Deal with it within and shut the fu.ck up. Don't berate someone else whether they win with Aces or 3-9 offsuit. Take it like a man.-- This is more of a general hate, but everyone thinking they are good. Everyone who plays any sport thinks they are good. Golfers, whether they shoot 110 or 70, think they are good. Basketball players, whether they have any sort of game whatsoever, think they are good. I, like everyone else, is guilty of this in some way. It is an unsaid fact that to be good at ANYTHING, one must think they are good, but it does not need declared that you think so. If you are good at anything, it will be noticed and discussed without having to say a word about it. In short, I guess people need to be more humble and let their play do the talking. You can think you are the best player in the world, but keep it to yourself. You can think you are better than someone else; and you may be, but there's no god damn need to belittle someone because you play 3-6 and they play 1-2. Keep it to yourself because no one wants to hear it. Nothing is better to me than hearing someone admit the weaknesses in their game, hearing how someone played this hand so poorly, or hearing someone admit the best they've ever shot 95 but that they can't wait for the day they break 90. Having humility and being humble are the most underrated things on earth.-- Bragging. I'll be the first to congratulate someone on their first pot, first win, etc. no matter what the level may be and I also love hearing about someone who won a tourney and having them tell the hands, etc, etc. I do not consider that bragging. I consider that taking pride in what you have done. What I hate are the clowns who try to brag about their bankrolls, etc. No one gives a sh.it.-- I hate everyone who rips on pros. They could not care less what you think and neither do I. You can critique their play or anything else, but do it like a normal human being.Peace........

agreed... well said.i also hate the things that everyone else has said, but what i hate the most are those nightmare sessions, where nothing goes your way:you lose all the hands you're supposed to win, and win all the ones you're supposed to lose, except they're small pots because even though you hit a runner-runner house, the other guy's got a bottom pair and folds to your standard bet. you get horrendous cards, where you just fold, fold, and fold, and then you get AA in the big blind and it's folds all around. then in the small blind you're dealt 74o and you think "god, i don't even wanna complete the blind" and you muck, but the flop comes 3 5 6 rainbow and you just wanna FLIP OUT.what i DO like, however, is bad beating people :twisted: because online poker has made me oh-so-evil.

[Guest Anonymous]

It is THIS smile...this look of self-satisfied but ultimately ignorant contentment that I hate the most about poker.

Hilarious

[....Ian.... 0]

cock gobblers who try to show only one of thier cards at the showdown.

[JustinHEMI04 0]

cock gobblers who try to show only one of thier cards at the showdown.

I hate that too.I also hate many things that were probably stated... IEEveryone on every forum I read playing the game <1 year and being a huge winning expert.People that have been playing the game <1 year arguing with you about rules and terminology.People over analyzing everything from the eye lash that fell on the table as a tell to WHY DID MY AA LOSE TO A BOARD OF 56789sooted SHOULD I QUIT POKER?People defining a loss of AA to anything as a bad beat.People defining any loss of anything to anything as a bad beat. People that try to explain their terribly play with anything other than what it was... terrible play. People that have one winning session at one level and decide its time to move up a couple of levels then ask what happened when they are broke.ETC ETC ETC ETC ETC ETC ETCI love threads like these where you can just vent. Justin

[JustinHEMI04 0]

I hate the Young Punk that thinks he is the greatest thing since sliced bread....and I really hate when the Young Punk talks about poker strategy at the table....I really like......Cleaning out that Young Punk....

Bitter old people.

Old? I am 31 years old....I am talking about the Young Punks that come to the Casino becasue they just turned of age and of course....they dominated their home games...so they are going to "teach" everybody on the table how to play poker....

Ah yes the home game heroes. I love them. At turningstone where the age is 18 you get a lot of fresh faced future of poker types that just got done reading poker for dummies. I espescially love when they sit at the 20-40 table with us "old" guys (I am 30) and start raising the hell out of everything.... I am going to the casino now.Justin