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The ethics of pro poker
It's not something I often do but I came to be watching an nl200 table the other night.
There was a guy there with £600 I'd never heard of (sounds like Scottish villain but wasn't Scottish). He was limping every pot. He was calling every raise. And somehow winning and winning. But I knew it wasn't going to last. I was fascinated. And the sharks were circling. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to name the sharks. Delete as appropriate Mods, but - Both lols, DanB and the AJ fellow, forget his numbers. They were hovering like vultures. Raising 5x every time they wanted to isolate. But he seemed to be quite hilariously calling them down anytime the board paired him with mucho success. But I could smell the blood. The original lol (ufold) somehow sat in and KQ'd full house against N.flush his 2nd hand and I thought it was going south immediately. But, no, he built it back up. And he continued his limp, call every hand strategy. Nowt against Dan, who seems a very decent guy, but he got stacked twice and I couldn't help laughing and willing him on. 'mon the underdog.
But depressingly he bled it all away. Lolu bled a bit of profit away. AJ (I really can't remember the name, yorkshire fellow, was TSP at one stage and talked really well on Ch.865) profited well, other lol was up and I think even Dan made his money back. Our villain/hero eventually got stacked, reloaded and last I saw put in an amount which I'm guessing was his last.
My point is : Is this how regs make their money? I'm not acting superior, I'll steal your blinds soon as look at you. But to make your money is that what you're waiting for? I found it kinda depressing tbh. I know it was the guy's choice, I know he clicked the buttons and I know I'd have done the same against him.
But the pros are vultures to the losers, no? There can't be pros without losers?
Not even sure what my point is and I quadrupally stress this isn't intended to be a slur on the pros mentioned.
I think I've just realised that even success in this game, if it ever happens, mightn't be that sweet.
Thoughts?
There was a guy there with £600 I'd never heard of (sounds like Scottish villain but wasn't Scottish). He was limping every pot. He was calling every raise. And somehow winning and winning. But I knew it wasn't going to last. I was fascinated. And the sharks were circling. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to name the sharks. Delete as appropriate Mods, but - Both lols, DanB and the AJ fellow, forget his numbers. They were hovering like vultures. Raising 5x every time they wanted to isolate. But he seemed to be quite hilariously calling them down anytime the board paired him with mucho success. But I could smell the blood. The original lol (ufold) somehow sat in and KQ'd full house against N.flush his 2nd hand and I thought it was going south immediately. But, no, he built it back up. And he continued his limp, call every hand strategy. Nowt against Dan, who seems a very decent guy, but he got stacked twice and I couldn't help laughing and willing him on. 'mon the underdog.
But depressingly he bled it all away. Lolu bled a bit of profit away. AJ (I really can't remember the name, yorkshire fellow, was TSP at one stage and talked really well on Ch.865) profited well, other lol was up and I think even Dan made his money back. Our villain/hero eventually got stacked, reloaded and last I saw put in an amount which I'm guessing was his last.
My point is : Is this how regs make their money? I'm not acting superior, I'll steal your blinds soon as look at you. But to make your money is that what you're waiting for? I found it kinda depressing tbh. I know it was the guy's choice, I know he clicked the buttons and I know I'd have done the same against him.
But the pros are vultures to the losers, no? There can't be pros without losers?
Not even sure what my point is and I quadrupally stress this isn't intended to be a slur on the pros mentioned.
I think I've just realised that even success in this game, if it ever happens, mightn't be that sweet.
Thoughts?
Comments
I will say though, success is sweet, dont kid yourself, money is money. When you finally stack someone you dont feel bad for the person, you feel good that you came out on top, just like you would in any game, and back to your example, theres probably more going on than just vultures hovering like you say. You may be looking to stack the fish but at a 6max table you still have 4 other regs to battle with and theres a lot of satisfaction in holding your own there. I think a lot of regs would agree its probably more satisfying out-thinking or getting the better of a good player though, because its more of a challenge and it feels more like money earned. THats were the joy comes from, aswell as winning loads of dosh obviously.
Seriously, good post though. Appreciated.
the better regs will be beating up and making money off the weaker regs just like they do off the recreational players,albeit at a slower rate, but regs reload/top up almost always which is pretty nice.
the really bad ethical thing is when the recreational player goes down to 0 chips but is still sat at the table there are a fair few 'pros' who will sit out and refuse to play until the rec. player has reloaded (or leave if he does).
they will also have all the non full 6m tables open so that when a weaker player sits down to start a game with another reg they can instantly join and get position
if someone has a few hundred £££ of surplus income to play poker with chances are they arent going to be braindead and its not hard to realise when people are sitting out / instantly joining on your left and can intimidate them and perhaps make them not want to deposit on the site anymore which is bad for everyone involved
I am better than some regs some regs are better than me. Sam1986 once said to me in the chatbox how much you think you are up on me over the years. I am slightly better player than him only slightly. My answer was nothing. Why? the rake. We spend thousands, at a guess a 200nl reg 8 tabling for 30 hours a week will spend 8000 a month on rake getting about 2k back with c4p. Therefore if I have to make 6k just to brake even never mind make a living.(If I am way out please correct me sky) That is why you have to focus on recreational players.
Really nice answer mate.
Puts it into persoective really well. Thanks for the honesty.
As murderous as men are at their worst we generally try to get on with each other. Youse are a different case. I've briefly worked in an office with ladies. Mayhem! We'd be in asylums if we acted like you.
You running better sweetheart?
I was watching a 200nl HU game the other day between a well known regular Hi stakes pro player and a random recreational player.
The recreational player had 2.2k (he had been lucky) and the sky pro had about £600.
I saw the most disgusting thing in the chat... Another reasonably well known high stakes cash reg (no one on this thread) said to the recreational player... "get off the table, he will take all your money" He said it more than once, and was also, on the waiting list for the same HU table. He was obv trying to lure the "fish" to join him on another HU table!! (steal the reg's customer!!)
I thought this was totally disgusting! and if i was the pro player with £600 i would have been livid!!!
That sort of chat is not ethical, or acceptable imo. I thought the high stakes regs on this site respected each other...
This is why I don't like playing cash. The mantra is only play someone you know you can beat. Taking money off someone who doesn't know what they're doing seems to be the name of the game - if you're a shark . I cannot in all conscience do that. Apart from anything I play to challenge my skills against others and you can't do that if its too easy. Plus lifting money off the "fish " could put them off playing again - could push them into into losing more than they can afford. I am not that ruthless. To me