I’ve always had a thing about sportsmanship and basic manners. I was raised to respect opponents and was taught that being a good winner is at least as important as being a good loser. When I watch a hard fought game, I watch closely the way both sides behave at the conclusion, and am heartened when there is a show of sportsmanship on both sides. How does this relate to poker?
I remember the first time someone celebrated in my face after beating me in a poker hand. It was a tournament in the ’90s at the WSOP at Binions. This was unprecedented as far as my poker experience, and I was shocked at the rudeness of the act. Little did I know that it would become standard practice after the poker explosion of 2003. Often, the poker world mirrors what’s going on in the outside world. We have become too much of a rude, me-first, look at me, disrespect the loser society, and it’s spilled over to poker.
About 10 years ago, it was the height of poker mania, ESPN was televising a lot of different events, and the acting out was out of control. Players were shedding all dignity and sportsmanship to try to get some TV face time. As a long-time poker player, it was embarrassing.
I remember watching the WSOP live stream of the 10k Pot-limit Hold’em in 2012. Andy Frankenberger and Phil Ivey played a great heads up match. After beating Phil in the final hand to win the bracelet, Andy immediately ran over to the stands, with the cameras following, and celebrated with his fans, as was the standard reaction at that time. Phil, obviously crushed by the defeat, nevertheless had gotten up and looked like he was ready to congratulate and shake Andy’s hand just as Andy ran away. I like Phil for a lot of reasons, but this was my favorite: he waited about 15 seconds, looked over at Andy, shrugged his shoulders and left. When Andy finally came back, he looked shocked that Phil was gone. Sorry bud, respect your opponent first, then celebrate.
I was going to write an article for my All In column this year about this subject, but as I watched the preliminary events at the Rio, it seemed that things had calmed down a bit in this regard. Maybe it’s because TV coverage is limited to the Main Event and players weren’t willing to look like assholes if it didn’t get them TV time. Maybe it’s because civility and manners are making a comeback. I’d like to think it’s the latter, but given what’s going on in the world right now, I doubt it.
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Lessons in losing and winning. I enjoyed reading the article Mr. Rodman. I’ve recently seen some lessons in losing and winning in poker but it wasn’t on a big stage like the WSOP.
I recently seen a poker player spill his drink on another poker player on purpose. In short the guy who lost his stack/bankroll spilled his drink on the player who won because the winner was running his mouth and being a bad winner after he had won the hand. A fight/brawl nearly ensued but the poker host was able to dampen any fighting in the poker room.
This other incident I witnessed wasn’t nearly as violent but I watched someone who became a winner take on a bad attitude towards the guy he knocked out of a tournament who was on the cusp of getting a better pay out.
About a year ago I was nearly involved in a brawl over a NL poker game because the winner wanted to run his mouth and talk shit after he put me out of the game. He had KQ off suit with one club in his hand and I had pocket 88’s, I raised pre-flop he called, the flop came 8QK with two clubs on the flop, I went all-in he called and the turn and river were both clubs giving him a flush to beat my set. It wasn’t enough that he had won the hand so he had to run his mouth after I told him I didn’t want to hear his comments. Well he said it anyways and it was distasteful and at first I just shrugged it off and went to an empty table to play some Blackjack. After awhile of playing blackjack I started thinking about his comment and how my anger was starting to boil up inside of me. When the poker host broke down the table I was originally on and moved the other players to different tables is when I wanted to have a conversation with this guy. There was an empty seat next to this guy and I took the seat right beside him and started to talk shit to this guy even though I was out of the tournament. After he realized I wasn’t joking around with him he finally got pissed off (what I wanted him to do) and a brawl nearly ensued. I don’t mind losing but when someone wants to run their mouth I may want to start a real fight with them or have that conversation with them where they have to hear my comments when they don’t want to, especially when I stated I didn’t want to hear his comments after I had lost the hand. I think I gave him a lesson on how to be a good winner and not talk smack after the hand is over, at least I’d like to think so. There was no money on the line in this game, just pride.
I remember this particular “In Your Face” moment I had with the casino while I was playing craps years ago. This doesn’t relate to poker etiquette but it does relate to being a good winner in the casino. On this outing and with the win I had put up against the casino I decided to turn my back to the dealers while the game was in motion with my arms crossed, as a way of rubbing it in the casinos face and the dealers faces. I was satisfied with what I had won and my way of letting them know that they were not getting it back was to show them my back. There weren’t many players on the table but when a number would get established, I would wait and lay odds on a number and then turn my back to the table until it got acted upon. I was happy because I had managed to fill up two of the slots in front of me completely with $25 chips.
After awhile of playing this way and winning I noticed a lot of guys with suits starting gathering around the table. I could tell they were casino goons and worked for the casino. They became interested all of a sudden. As if they wanted to teach me some manners. 😉 I wasn’t scared and intimidated but I did stop rubbing the win in the dealers faces and cashed out after I had had my fun with them. 🙂
In poker I think it is rude to celebrate in front of your opponent (within arms reach), or to tease them for losing a match afterwards. But when it comes to the casino I really don’t feel the same way. I want to rub it in the casinos face.