Yeah but if the casino halts the game for a few hours and has a special counsel interview every person at the table and adjoining tables and cross reference that with the transcripts of the videotapes that a lip reader provides, they could finally get to the bottom of the important question, "But who started it?"

I guess I had just always assumed that what’s every good casino already did.

It takes two to make a quarrel. Whoever didn't start it didn't handle it right.

Also good parents. I videotape my kids 24/7 and have a lawyer on retainer to help determine which kid took the clear Lego "gem" from the other.

All of this stuff like: "O, pfft I'm supersmooth, I'd just shrug it off." is not what I actually see happen. When someone is rude what I usually see is that people stand up for themselves. I'm not sure where all these Mother-Theresa-like players are who just smile when someone insults them. My guess is they mostly exist in the virtual world of 2P2.

Exactly why the floor has to tell both players to lighten up or rack up.

If there was a clear instigator the dealer should let the floor know.
But at this point you both are out of line and need to stfu or go home.

All this thread....and you end up here. Good job.

I'm a nice guy at the table. Dealers and other players usually say something before I feel motivated to stand up for myself.

I will tolerate a lot of misbehavior if a player is dumping money. If a player is not that good for the game, I know how to instigate in ways that don't get me in trouble. If you are a reg who I will run into again, I will bide my time and wait for revenge. If you are a convicted felon who is violating his parole by being in a casino, I just may make sure that police know you are there.

Sorry for not meeting your high standards when it comes to confrontational skills at the table

The poker table may be unique in that you actually benefit from people thinking you are a ****ing idiot when you're actually not. At a job it hurts you and in most competitive games it's neutral.

So a lot of players who are confident in their game not only accept the criticism with grace but encourage it.

Dude, how is this so hard for you to understand? Anyone who gets angry at an opponent is a losing player. Anyone who feels the need to "stand up for himself" (i.e., argue) against a losing player is a losing player himself. When you start playing for real money, you'll encounter fewer rude players, but they still exist, and that's a good thing. Not responding in a similar manner is an even better thing.

See a lot of this depends on context. I just don't encounter enough problem people that I'm having to grin through a mask of rage and frustration.

What I do notice is that a lot of other people get into spats that I almost never do. I guess a lot of those people who do get into arguments think it's all the other douchebags around them but how come I'm just not in that situation and they are, on a regular basis? Yeah, they are the kind of person that needs to bite back in order to satisfy their own ego.

The thing that satisfies my ego is taking money off people who are silly enough to play against people who are better than them. Someone's stack is a lot more rewarding than trying to make some inadequate, half-drunk dip**** regret his poor manners. If I'm wasting my time get all loud and riled up at the table, I'm making mistakes and diverting energy from where it matters.

Fyi

There's always those guys... The alcohol he's drinking and being out after 7:00 PM might be violations, too.