No such thing as a "friend"

[roo27]

There is no such thing as a "friend" at the poker table. Because there are many ways that friends at the poker table can cost money. You can lose value on your hands if you do not bet them properly. You might also play a hand incorrectly if you listen to your "friend" while in a hand with him/her.

Anytime a player does not bet his/her hand for value against a friend, he/she loses money. You might not win a couple bets. You might even lose the whole pot because you are giving your opponent free chances to outdraw you. Either way, it will cost you. "If you were playing pool with your friend and it was your turn to sink the 8 ball, would you try your best to get the ball in the pocket even if your friend had six balls left? Or would you try and miss and let your friend catch up a little?" Of course, "I would sink the 8 ball." Competition is about winning, poker is no different.

There will also be times that a "friend" will bluff you out of a hand because of something they say or do. Do not base your decisions on what a person will likely do or not do because they are a friend of yours. I learned this lesson the hard way approximately three years ago.

In a small tournament I was heads up with a player who was a "friend". On the flop, my opponent bet and I called with a low draw and AK for high. The turn paired the board and both of us checked. The river brought three of a kind. I checked and my "friend" bet into me. He said I shouldn't call him because he had me beat. I thought about it for awhile. Normally, I would call in this situation because I really thought my AK was good for high, but I didn't in this case. I was short stacked and I thought there was no way my "friend" would tell me that he had the best hand unless he really did. If he hadn't said anything, I would have called, but he told me he had the best hand so I folded. He showed a busted straight draw and low cards. My AK would have won the hand and I would have won a nice size pot. Instead, I was left short stacked and was eliminated from the tournament a short while later.

To this day, I am bothered by this hand. He deliberately manipulated the situation and our friendship and that is a hard lesson learned. Whenever I see this player, I tell him I am going to take every chip he has. So, he not only got the best of me on that tournament I played with him, he continues to get the best of me. I know in my head that it would be better if I would just let it go and move on. I just want to be sure that the lesson is permanently instilled upon my brain. And to think, I could have avoided all of this by just playing 1 hand the way i should of.

There are always lessons to be learned in the game of poker. And there are times we have to learn the lessons the hard way. Some of us are lucky enough to have true friends away from and on the table that can teach us. If you are learning from the latter, remember that you can only listen when you are NOT at the poker table.

[stevo_58]

Nice post mate.

I don't know if anyone else has done this but I must admit I have been guilty of this. A few times I've been on a money table and an OP player has appeared. I played some hands differently when they were also in the hand. Not smart because sometimes it definitely worked out to my disadvantage overall. It might be a nice gesture on your part but it sure can bite you on the bum. So now if I bump into an OP player on a money table I wish them luck, and hope they do well, but once the game has started the gloves are off. After all, you are playing to win. The best outcome would be for me to win and my friend to get second place LOL

I know it's a bit different because this has been on play money tables but I've had some of my most enjoyable heads up games against a friend. We both play each other no holds barred, including trying to mislead each other with chat. Sometimes it's been really hilarious, especially with all the blatant lying about our hands LOL.

[telboy]

nice thread roo.
you can play poker with friends,but play poker not your friends,
i think it was good play by your friend,and im sure you would laughing if it was you that done the bluff.
you played tourney poker where the risk of going out was greater than winning the hand,the killer for me is the show of cards,i like to show good hands not bluffs,if you wasnt shown you would be none the wiser,remember next time you play this friend dont get mad get even

[jimggoldwing]

A good post ----- but was it ROO that wrote this post? Or is he copying/pasting someone else's story?

Reason I ask is obvious --- spelling was meticulous!

As for the post itself, very true ---- I find that when I'm on the table with "friends", I do have to maintain the same game, though for obvious reasons (cash side), the game is "easier" when they're not there...

[maddarcy]

poker like boxing when match starts we all come out punching ..