When it's HU at the river and the other guy has gone all in and you're left with the decision, (1) does anyone ever ask the other player questions to get information and (2) is this frowned upon by any places you guys have frequented?

I know some places don't like players talking about hands. E.g. I've got kings. Can you beat kings? Hmm if I have kings it's less likely you have a king so you can't have a straight etc etc.

That doesn't go over well with some places, even HU. But has anyone been to a place where the players or house have gotten upset when you ask questions, like, do you have a straight? Will you show me if I fold? Do you want me to call/fold? Are you having a good day?

Heads up I feel you ought to be able to ask questions to get information. Thoughts?

Talking is part of poker. Multi-way, it can be bad form because it affects other players in the hand, but heads-up it's fair game. Sure, some people may get upset, but **** 'em. People get upset about everything.

Of course, there is such a thing as taking it too far, but that's often best judged on a case-by-case basis.

House rules apply. There are poker rooms in Britain where the rule is if you talk about your hand, it is mucked and you lose.

In general, I don't suggest asking questions. Most players aren't novices and know not to say anything. What it does do is get other players pissed off at you, especially when you continue to pepper a player with questions when it is clear he isn't going to say anything. You're slowing down the game. I encourage that by putting my head on my hand, closing my eyes and saying, "Dealer, wake me up when he's made his decision."

The other advantage is that it discourages the second favorite trick of people who ask questions, the chip fake. This is the person who puts his chips close to the betting line, then trying to jerk them a couple of times to get someone to react. Can't react if I'm not watching. All you have to listen for is the dealer, "player calls, show me a winner.

Talking heads up is great. it makes the game great and stupid rules in Ontario prohibit players heads up from talking about the hand. Absolutely stupid

The card rooms in Vancouver ruled you can't talk even HU. Multi way, certainly talking is disrespectful but I always thought HU it was pretty universal you can throw a few questions and see what happens because at 2-5 and sometimes 5-10 even, you get a guy or 3 in there who's kinda green and can be taken advantage of this way.

My theory is that these people are prone to tilt, and never far from it. My strategy is to get them tilting as soon as possible.

I had a guy at Wynn 1/3 who kept asking me questions while he was trying to decide what to do. I used psychology on him.

"What are you on? Set?"
"Nah. Aces."
"What are you betting that for? Aren't you afraid I have 2p?"
"I dunno. I just have aces, that's all."
Tank, tank, tank.
"I fold. You have a set."
I show aces.
"Arrrrrrgggghhhh!!! I just threw away two pair!"

20 minutes later.

"What are you on?"
"Nut flush."
"Nuh-uh. No way. I call."
I show nut flush.
"AAAAAAARRRRRGGGGHHHHHH!!!!"

Psychology is fun.

Most of these talkers are narcissists. Very easy to get under their skin.

I have no issues with talking either, within reason. If a question or two can help you get a read on a player so be it. It's helped me enough that I value it when necessary but respect the game enough not to badger players with questions everytime I have a decision.

I have found that asking a question not at all related to poker might give you a guage on their comfort level and whether or not they are being honest or deceptive. many have trained themselves not to answer poker questions, but their subconscious can trick them when you ask them something mundane.

Agreed, this is the best kind of question to ask.

Tho' at the same time, some people are totally comfortable and casual when they have the nuts, and other people are totally comfortable and casual when they're ready to go home. Even more, some people value hands differently, so they might think TPTK is huge whereas you're worried about your 2P vs a set. So regardless of what you ask, you really have to know your opponent.

Talking is fun. Watching Tony G talk people into calling his nuts is fun too

For the most part you are just wasting everybodies time.

ask if they'll show, if they say no, fold

its reliable at games smaller than hsnl

I do this at lsnl. If they say no and you insta-muck they show you nuts like 80% of the time.

Back before Gentings bought out Circus casinos I played in one where the rule was you could talk about your hand unless you specifically declared it. So you could say "I have a big pair" but not "I have aces".

Led to a spot for a friend where he got dealt aces back to back, not knowing about this new rule, and made the same opening and flop bet. The guy next to him in the hand said "you've got aces again, haven't you?" to which he laughed and said "yes".

Anyway, the guy called him down and then declared that his hand was dead because he'd announced it. Floor got called and ruled that he was angle shooting, that an answer of yes is different to an announcement of a precise hand, and that the best interests of the game were that the hand should stand.

As far as I remember the rule got dropped because it caused more trouble than it stopped.

As for general table talk, I like to be quiet and give the other person a chance to give me a speech. I rarely ask people questions. The "show if I fold" line is sort of reliable but leads to people getting annoyed because I never show my own hand.

I don't mind talking with people while heads up. I love messing with people when they try to talk information out of me. My favorite is to tell them I have a hand that isn't possible and then act all surprised when they look confused (ie: I got a boat on a non paired). I don't do it too much, bet every once in a while when its a big decision, I'll talk the hand out loud, not directly talking to him, but loud enough for him to hear it and see if he reacts to anything I say.