Hi all,

I was watching a 2-7 single draw episode of Dolly's Game on pokergo and Shawn Sheikian started talking trash to another pro. It was a big game and I was surprised to see it. I am used to hearing trash talk at the lower stakes but it becomes less frequent as you move up. The last time someone talked trash to me was, interestingly enough, in a 75/150 with kill mixed game. He said "these guys don't like you. Just punt off your stack and go home." I was a newer player in the group trying to fit in so it was a pretty good jab, I have to be honest, even though it rubbed me the wrong way.

I wonder what your thoughts are on trash talk at the poker table? Any "good" (or bad) ones you remember? Is it fair play or against the spirit of the game? Is there a line that is crossed at some point at which it violates the rule against using abusive language?

Thanks,
DT

I once heard a guy say he'd rape and kill your mom. Then said he better stfu or he'll be found in the desert with missing fingers.

Where was this? What stakes? Did the guy get put out?

Maybe if your name is Shawn? But SS has a long history at the tables going back to the HSP early years. He's not a Pro and probably has family money to pad the BR. I can imagine that it's much worse off camera .. or he thinks that he needs to do it to keep his spot at the table. I've never seen/heard even a sniff that he's a 'good' Player, just that he's rolled somehow.

The other Shawn (Deeb) has definitely toned down his antics from previous years but he does have the resume to back up any pointed comments he may offer. AND he fully admits that he's well aware of his behavior whereas I think SS may just be 'that way' in life. GL


PS .. Do I trash talk? Perhaps there's a few digs here and there, but only within the 'Reg' crowd. Hopefully my days of tapping the tank are over but I'm still emotional when the bad beats stack up during a session without some wins mixed in there.


"I want to win when I'm supposed to and lose when I choose"

I was at a final tournament table and a guy was trash-talking and being generally annoying while the action was on me and wouldn't shut up. So, I called the floor and sensed a tone change that told me he was fearful somehow.

My point is that most people who talk trash, aren't all that emotionally stable. Challenge them with authority and see what changes.

They are trying to get you to act on your emotions, by challenging them, you can get them to act on their emotions ... which pisses them off ... and it's really hard to play well when you're pissed off.

Fun trash talk is fun and mean trash talk is mean.

Personally, I don’t trash talk, but am okay with it when others do so, as long as it doesn’t get into threatening anyone with violence or get into racial slurs and the like. IMO though it is usually counterproductive. Either the trash talker really isn’t a good player and he’s criticizing someone who actually plays decently or the person being criticized is actually bad. In the first case he just looks like a jerk and in the second it will potentially cause the bad player to ply better or leave the game.

at the casinos and poker rooms in general I refrain. although there are some regs who when drinking light up a table and I've never seen anyone visibly upset.
in the private game I play in which most times have over 60k on the table , if you don't trash talk you don't get invited back.
Its to an outsider very very disrespectful and rude;
to the guys and woman at the table its all a good laugh, and yes the woman dish it out dirtier then the men do.