Sober, Against the Drunks...

Slipwater

The game is about taking other peoples' money. It's dog eat dog. Don't worry too much about the ethics of it.

Whatever the reason that you are better than your opponents, you always seek out those that are worse than you. That's what we all do. It's their choice whether to sit down and play after having a few, just as it's the choice of some n00bs to sit down with players much more experienced than them. What's the difference really?

By the way; Boom! gg wp

Slipwater

Thin brag post inbound...

It was my work's Christmas night out on December 12th and I ended up in a casino here in Aberdeen.

Come midnight, my mate was very drunk and wanted to sit down at the 1/2 cash table. He has a very basic understanding of the game but isn't overly used to playing casino poker (with regards to etiquette, etc), so I advised him against it on both counts. I was relatively sober, but didn't really fancy it. And apart from that, I really didn't want to sit down and take his money...

Anyway, he did sit down and proceeded to lose £60 very quickly. I stepped in and told him it was time to go home. Reluctantly, he agreed. He gave me the remaining £40 he had and told me to do better. So I did. I left in the early hours with over £200 profit from that table.

So it got my thinking. I decided to try the same casino on the craziness that is Mad Friday, and seeing if I could... take advantage. Long story short, I came out of that night over £400 in the black. Of course, it helped when I had KK and some guy decided to open shove £115 on a KK8 flop. I fear I kind of slowrolled him because I had to quickly check my hand again to make sure I had quads... He had nines.

I was without a plan last night, so I followed suit, and about six hours ago I rolled home £450 to the good.

£1,100 over three nights.

I find the difference in quality astonishing between live and online play. I would choke at a 1/2 table online, but am very comfortable face to face.

Question: am I on shaky ethically ground because I made a made the effort to play poker against drunk people on (quite possibly) a few of the softest nights of the year, or is it simply taking the tools I have and using them as best I can?

CraigSG1

The only ethically wrong thing is starting this thread with 'thin brag post'! Big big brag post! Nicely done btw. 

As for your question. Absolutely nothing wrong, unethical or bad about this. In fact it's what all competent poker players do. Find there edge then exploit it.

Turn up every week. Maybe you'll be able to quit your job and just play one night a week!! Easy money

Matt237

It's +ev, not ethically wrong!

DOHHHHHHH

Love how people like to think 'drunks' are easy targets in poker.  

These people are probably useless when sober too, they just enjoy a game (online or live) more when drinking. 

You probably get the odd player who gets too drunk and does stupid stuff, I've done it alot myself. 

But the majority are probably just not very good at poker anyway, regardless of the amount of alcohol consumed. 

swanstu

In Response to Sober, Against the Drunks...:

Thin brag post inbound... It was my work's Christmas night out on December 12th and I ended up in a casino here in Aberdeen. Come midnight, my mate was very drunk and wanted to sit down at the 1/2 cash table. He has a very basic understanding of the game but isn't overly used to playing casino poker (with regards to etiquette, etc), so I advised him against it on both counts. I was relatively sober, but didn't really fancy it. And apart from that, I really didn't want to sit down and take his money... Anyway, he did sit down and proceeded to lose £60 very quickly. I stepped in and told him it was time to go home. Reluctantly, he agreed. He gave me the remaining £40 he had and told me to do better. So I did. I left in the early hours with over £200 profit from that table. So it got my thinking. I decided to try the same casino on the craziness that is Mad Friday, and seeing if I could... take advantage. Long story short, I came out of that night over £400 in the black. Of course, it helped when I had KK and some guy decided to open shove £115 on a KK8 flop. I fear I kind of slowrolled him because I had to quickly check my hand again to make sure I had quads... He had nines. I was without a plan last night, so I followed suit, and about six hours ago I rolled home £450 to the good. £1,100 over three nights. I find the difference in quality astonishing between live and online play. I would choke at a 1/2 table online, but am very comfortable face to face. Question : am I on shaky ethically ground because I made a made the effort to play poker against drunk people on (quite possibly) a few of the softest nights of the year, or is it simply taking the tools I have and using them as best I can?
Posted by Slipwater

Poker itself (especially viewed as professional) is mostly ethically wrong. Take from the weak, add little to society (if professional). You have to live with that if you treat it that way.

ACEGOONER

In Response to Sober, Against the Drunks...:

Thin brag post inbound... It was my work's Christmas night out on December 12th and I ended up in a casino here in Aberdeen. Come midnight, my mate was very drunk and wanted to sit down at the 1/2 cash table. He has a very basic understanding of the game but isn't overly used to playing casino poker (with regards to etiquette, etc), so I advised him against it on both counts. I was relatively sober, but didn't really fancy it. And apart from that, I really didn't want to sit down and take his money... Anyway, he did sit down and proceeded to lose £60 very quickly. I stepped in and told him it was time to go home. Reluctantly, he agreed. He gave me the remaining £40 he had and told me to do better. So I did. I left in the early hours with over £200 profit from that table. So it got my thinking. I decided to try the same casino on the craziness that is Mad Friday, and seeing if I could... take advantage. Long story short, I came out of that night over £400 in the black. Of course, it helped when I had KK and some guy decided to open shove £115 on a KK8 flop. I fear I kind of slowrolled him because I had to quickly check my hand again to make sure I had quads... He had nines. I was without a plan last night, so I followed suit, and about six hours ago I rolled home £450 to the good. £1,100 over three nights. I find the difference in quality astonishing between live and online play. I would choke at a 1/2 table online, but am very comfortable face to face. Question : am I on shaky ethically ground because I made a made the effort to play poker against drunk people on (quite possibly) a few of the softest nights of the year, or is it simply taking the tools I have and using them as best I can?
Posted by Slipwater

It's no different to playing on-line late at night on fri/sat to skin drunk recs, so whats the difference?  You have done well at the tables but it could easily have been a heavy loss for you with a few bad beats. 

I would rather fire up 6 tables at nl30-50 on sky than play 1 table at 1/2. More volume, less variance and the same people having a drink over christmas who fancy a game of on-line poker. 

ACEGOONER

In Response to Re: Sober, Against the Drunks...:

Love how people like to think 'drunks' are easy targets in poker.   These people are probably useless when sober too, they just enjoy a game (online or live) more when drinking.  You probably get the odd player who gets too drunk and does stupid stuff, I've done it alot myself.  But the majority are probably just not very good at poker anyway, regardless of the amount of alcohol consumed. 
Posted by DOHHHHHHH

Alcohol definitely loosens up play of any player, so a bad player sober would be an awful player drunk .

Slipwater

In Response to Re: Sober, Against the Drunks...:

Love how people like to think 'drunks' are easy targets in poker.   These people are probably useless when sober too, they just enjoy a game (online or live) more when drinking.  You probably get the odd player who gets too drunk and does stupid stuff, I've done it alot myself.  But the majority are probably just not very good at poker anyway, regardless of the amount of alcohol consumed. 
Posted by DOHHHHHHH

I agree with the essence of this, but I reckon there are a lot of players who sit down at a poker table when they're drunk, who wouldn't usually do so.