Pass on +EV plays to keep fish at the table?
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 5,578
This isn't a common problem, but it's a problem that I've dealt with several times live, as well as online on a site where players are anonymous.
There isn't much to talk to about regarding the problem...
1. I sit at a table full of loose/passive limpers
2. I see a good squeeze spot, I do it.
3. Once the squeeze gets through, 1 or 2 deep stacked players leave the table. I presume this is because the fact that I made the squeeze play leads them to think I'm a good player, and they are scared to lose all their money to me.
A similar thing happened another time when I range merged someone. As soon as a player (that wasn't involved in the hand) saw the cards I vbet otr (I rivered 4th pair or smth), he insta-picked up his stack and got up from the table.
This situation has happened too many times to say that I'm being a delusional prick that's riding his own jock and greatly overestimating his game. Fwiw I said that I'm probably being VIEWED as a good player, but tbh I know I'm not. And I'm sure everyone here has experienced this at least once.
So basically what I'm asking is...should I pass up on +EV spots like these so I don't "scare" the fish away? I mean, it's plays like this that add to our win rate right? But...maybe it's better to not give into the temptation of picking up dead money and wait for a spot where a fish has all his money in the middle and we know we're ahead so you can win even more $? Idk.
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 146
[x] delusional prick that's riding his own jock and greatly overestimating his game
[] I'm probably being VIEWED as a good player
[x] but tbh I know I'm not
[x] Only way to reply to this....
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 5,578
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 1,645
If any rec player leaves the table because of another player at the table, it is normally to do with personal distaste rather than any kind of snap-recognition of the impossibility of ever winning against
such a stellar opponent.
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 146
lol micros
Edit:........and range merging low stakes
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 5,578
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 13,472
Bloating pots preflop with garbage is a bad idea. Makes stacks shallow and not folding less of a mistake, reducing your edge.
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 5,226
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 14,284
Sorry - complete BS that you need to worry about a couple of big stacks leaving your table because you raised and got folds pre-flop... holy **** does the world revolve around you
(and if I fed the troll.. oh well)
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,087
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,397
I can't say that I've ever experienced this problem (maybe 'cuz I'm the fish), but I would think that if people are truly leaving the game because they've identified you as a strong player, the people that left weren't actually the spots in the game... The guys who aren't aware enough to realize that you are better than them and continue to play with you are the true fish, and you should be happy that the more aware players are walking away.
IMO, the situation you describe doesn't sound problematic unless
(a) you're playing in such a small room that the game might break if one or two guys walk, and / or
(b) if, in addition to taking plus ev squeeze spots, etc., you are also doing other things that are making the game "worse.". If, for example, the table was loud and boisterous before you got there, and you sit there stoic and studious, you may, indeed, be chasing off some of the fish and making the remaining fish play tighter and with less gamble.
But, if neither a nor b is happening, I wouldn't mind at all if a few semi-competent players decided to pick up and get out of my way...
