Punishing the Weak
All….okay most, poker players have a soft side. Every once in awhile they’ll make a play against a weak opponent that is influenced by their sympathy towards the inexperienced beginner, whether it be not betting when they should or just checking a hand down all the way til the end. While I can completely understand the thought process behind such a decision, you need to remember that you’re there to make money, and the best way to do so is to prey on the weakest players at the table.
Personally, I cannot remember the last time I felt bad for taking someone’s money from the poker table. To me, I know they sat down and knew that they were putting that money at risk a variable risk, which is gambling, and anytime someone is willing to gamble with their money they have to be ready to lose it, and that’s where I, you and all the other experienced players at the table come in.
I understand that this problem doesn’t really exist online, as you don’t typically really know the people your playing against and it’s easy to keep a detached mentality when it comes to most emotional decisions. However, at a live game in a casino you might take pity on a player that is just obviously way in over their head. Well guess what, there’s a name for this type of player, fish. That fish is going to make the worst plays at the table and incorrectly put his money at risk in situations where they don’t have to, and if you don’t capitalize on the situation, one of the other sharks at the table will be more than happy to oblige.
Poker is fun to play and can still be viewed as an occasional hobby, but that shouldn’t change the fact that the goal is to win money, and to do that effectively you need to put yourself in the most profitable scenarios while minimizing your overall risk. Moral of the story? Destroy that fish on every opportunity that presents itself, that’s why casinos carry ATMs.
By: Chris Iaquinta
