[Optional]

Was at my firs live poker tourney last week.

Not far into it a guy says to the table that I dont bluff. Thought that seemed really fast to get a read on me that strong so I must be playing like a real nit. Anyway, decided that was a good time to bluff a bit.

At one hand not long after, I was UTG and drawing for a boat. flush and str8 on the river... which didnt hit but some blank card that wasn't going to help anyone else came and I thought it was a good spot to take advantage of this perception so pushed all in and hoped and prayed with my 2 pair.

1 player folded and the BB, an old cragily Italian looking guy who had eyes that looked like they could see into your soul turns to me and says "you wouldnt bluff me would you?", Without missing a beat (or thinking) I shook my head no. And immediately thought.... shit that was the wrong response! And could feel my face getting hot!

He folded pretty quickly though.


How do you guys handle questions like that?

[sinmiedo]

Was at my firs live poker tourney last week.

Not far into it a guy says to the table that I dont bluff. Thought that seemed really fast to get a read on me that strong so I must be playing like a real nit. Anyway, decided that was a good time to bluff a bit.

At one hand not long after, I was UTG and drawing for a boat. flush and str8 on the river... which didnt hit but some blank card that wasn't going to help anyone else came and I thought it was a good spot to take advantage of this perception so pushed all in and hoped and prayed with my 2 pair.

1 player folded and the BB, an old cragily Italian looking guy who had eyes that looked like they could see into your soul turns to me and says "you wouldnt bluff me would you?", Without missing a beat (or thinking) I shook my head no. And immediately thought.... shit that was the wrong response! And could feel my face getting hot!

He folded pretty quickly though.


How do you guys handle questions like that?

I like to say............" all those chips you have are mine, you just do know that"
And see the reaction, but that is me, I never answer a direct question, just like a politician.

[astro61200]

Show the bluff, then anyone who thinks they have a read on you will have to question it and, thus, allow you to get paid off more with a hand later on.

I rarely answer questions directly either. Usually just a laugh or ignore them.

[AUSTINRUSSELL]

You didn't bluff you were way good with 2 pair.

[astro61200]

You didn't bluff you were way good with 2 pair.

I didn't read the 2nd half of the 2nd paragraph. Austin is right. I stopped after the draws on the river and missing.

[sinmiedo]

You didn't bluff you were way good with 2 pair.

I agree .

[Auto Donk]

I generally respond if I know I'm in the player's head already, sometimes ignore it all together....

very situational and often in direct relation to how much I've had to drink, and whether I still have the obvious smell of pussy wafting about me at the table....

a few favorites were once at a trny when I re-raised a pro all in, he asked if I had a big hand (I didn't), and I responded "You see all my chips in the pot, whatta you think, numbnuts????"

and when mizeraki's little bro twice shoved on my big blind from the button late on day one of a bracelet event (I had about 3x the stack he had), I leaned around the dealer (I was in the two, he was in the 10), and said "next time you shove on my blind, I'm all in"... and a guy he knew at the table asks me, are you threatening him? My response "no, if I'd said, 'you shove on my big blind again, I'm gonna beat the shit out of you', that would have been a threat".... nevertheless, he never made any move after that....

and often use the scotty line, in his accent, "call me, you goin' home baby"........

[astro61200]

Personally, I'm a fan of bombarding them with so many "tells" that they have no idea what to think. The very first tournament I ever played I went with my brother and a couple friends on no sleep. I was so slap happy by the time it started I was just moving all over the place, talking about bullshit, and so on.

Ended up chopping with someone as the winner got a seat to the championship thing they had (which I wasn't going to go to). He wanted the seat, I took the 1st and 2nd place money. Everybody was happy. Except my brother, as I knocked him out in 4th or 5th place.

Want to say it was a $50+5, I just know I walked out of the place with around $2k. Not bad for being 19 or 20 at the time and having only played house games before that.

[downsouth]

If you want to be chatty at the table some quality smart remarks are usually in order.

If not, say yes, all the time and move along.

[BeerDog99]

If you want to be chatty at the table some quality smart remarks are usually in order.

If not, say yes, all the time and move along.

This....

[Grivas_Digeni]

You didn't bluff you were way good with 2 pair.

Yes, he is a nit.

[Grivas_Digeni]

If you want to be chatty at the table some quality smart remarks are usually in order.

If not, say yes, all the time and move along.

It's all an act. You may confuse someone here and there with what you say/how you act but if you are unsure whether it's going to work it probably won't. If you are a beginner, I'd recommend only trying table chatter during low-limit games. For other games, use a scarf, a pair of sunglasses and get an iPod with favorite tunes to listen to after you push all in on the river and guy goes into the tank and tries to chat you up.

[Optional]

Don't really want to wear a scarf in Sydney in summer. Also dont really want to wear sunnies or an ipod. Need to able to hear the dealer for all the times I'm not sure whats going on LOL
'
But will try to just ignore and not answer next time.

Have feeling I will look uncomfortable doing that at first though. Have to practice.

[daneblazer]

Just answer each question with a fart, then they'll stop asking questions

[Auto Donk]

i usually stand up and rub my balls if I get dealt pocket aces

like erin andrews, i simply can't keep my hands off myself when I get excited

[SharpAngles]

Unless you're 100% confident they're a tourist don't say anything and just stare at their chips like you're already adding them to your stack. Guys who have a clue are trying to get you to talk for a reason so don't give them what they want.

[Optional]

Unless you're 100% confident they're a tourist don't say anything and just stare at their chips like you're already adding them to your stack. Guys who have a clue are trying to get you to talk for a reason so don't give them what they want.

Played same tourney again last night and any time I was in a hand just stared blankly and tried to clear my mind. In one hand I zoned out so badly I thought I was waiting for the other guy to act and just sat there like a zombie for maybe 2 minutes (I think) until someone finally tapped me.

Got knocked out with about 20 left again.



One thing I noticed both times I have played was that rebuys almost doubled the prize pool... so just about everyone who entered did a rebuy I guess.

Both tourneys so far I have not had to rebuy.

Is that always a good thing or does it suggest I'm not playing right in some way?

[astro61200]

How is the rebuy structure? I've never played a live rebuy, but online they're crap shoots early. I never enter one if I'm not willing to rebuy 3 or 4 times, as there is so much bingo going on early (because of the rebuys) it resembles an SBR tourney.

If you're uncomfortable not answering, you can come up with a generic answer for every question as well. Give the same reply every time, that might make you a little more comfortable than flat out ignoring someone.

[Optional]

How is the rebuy structure? I've never played a live rebuy, but online they're crap shoots early. I never enter one if I'm not willing to rebuy 3 or 4 times, as there is so much bingo going on early (because of the rebuys) it resembles an SBR tourney.

If you're uncomfortable not answering, you can come up with a generic answer for every question as well. Give the same reply every time, that might make you a little more comfortable than flat out ignoring someone.

You are allowed 1 rebuy before the 2 hour break if you bust out. No add ons. I was 20 mins late for the start and was #55. Ended up at 106 with rebuys. A few probably came after me but still must have been no more than 10 people like me who didn't rebuy. Same as last time. Anyway, I am much happier not needing to but with so few not re-buying both times I played it made me wonder if maybe I should be taking the chance to double myself up early more often or something.

Generic line is good idea.

[SharpAngles]

1 rebuy = Save it for bad luck

Unlimited rebuy = Gamble like a mad man

[astro61200]

1 rebuy = Save it for bad luck

Unlimited rebuy = Gamble like a mad man

Yes, BUT if you are right around the starting stack as the rebuy period draws to a close then open it up and play loose. Best case you luck into a bunch of chips in a hurry. Worst case you get drawn out on but rebuy and end up in the same place you'd have been if you didn't try and get a bunch of chips quickly.

[Auto Donk]

I played in a weekly trny run by some half-ass swingers and card sharks, where you had unlimited rebuys, and did not even have to bust to buy as many of them as you wanted..... some pricks were "re-buying" 5-6 times after the first f'n hand just to chip up......

and invariably, they'd donk em off by the break

all the rebuys were designed to allow the game runner/waves-like scammer to recoup all of his money that he "guaranteed" in the prize pool ($5,000), and to enable the son of a bitch to skim the prize money like a mo fo......

one trny we got creative and designated a player at each table to kept track of all the rebuys (on the downlow), which were supposedly added to the prize money; it was around a thousand short....... lol