O-Poker

I was playing some $5/$10 Limit Holdem yesterday at a full table. The table was an average table with several weak-tight players, a couple of tight-aggressive players, and a couple of loose calling stations. I tried to steal the blinds with Ad3d from the cutoff and both the Small and Big Blind called. The flop came KcQcJh. Checked around - It was very likely that one of those guys called the preflop bet with a Q or J and neither of them would fold to a bet. Turn was a 4d. Checked around. River was the 10s. I had the nuts, but didn't think I was getting anything but a split pot from it. I bet, SB (Trash Talker - TT) called, and the BB folded. I was very surprised when TT turned over 77. What did he think I had? Horrible Call on his part. He immediately made comments about how horrible I play. I did what I usually do when someone makes a comment like that - ignored him. I won a pot a few hands later and TT commented that I was chasing when I actually flopped a set and the other guy in the hand folded on the river. TT quieted down a little for about 12 hands. I was dealt QQ and raised TT's Big Blind. He went on a rant about how I was a chaser and folded. A few hands later, TT raised from early position and the small blind called and I called from the BB with AJo. The flop came AQ10 rainbow. Check, Check, TT bets - Call, Call. Turn is the K. SB bets. I call. TT raises. I raise. TT calls. River was a blank. SB checks. I bet. TT calls. SB calls. I won the pot with the straight. TT had AKo and SB got unlucky with his pocket 10s. This hand flipped the switch on TT from making comments to extremely abusive language.

TT was making comment after comment and I was laughing to myself. I decided to finally reply to one. After one of his comments, I said, "How long before this degrades to a heads up challenge?" He responded with, "I bet you likes 'heads up'." Which was immediately followed by another player saying, "Didn't see that one coming." I followed up with, "Can your Dad beat up my Dad?" TT was irate. He spouted over several more unoriginal comments. I replied with "If you stop making so many negative comments, you will find the world to be a much happier place." I was surprised - he didn't make any more comments. A few minutes later I was dealt AA in the big blind and he raised preflop. We capped it preflop and he called my set of aces all the way down with QJ when a Q flopped. Comments completely ceased after that hand and I bit my tongue (fingers) and didn't comment on his poor play. Why help him improve his game?

It doesn't pay to get upset at the table and berate others. It does provide entertainment for the others at the table while you are passing out your money. I am a big believer that a positive attitude at the table leads to success and this guy was an example of how a bad attitude equals poor play.

Good Luck at the tables,
cmitch