By Crash Martin
In the poker room I frequent, the tournament players tend to be a core group familiar with each others’ play and playing style. My sense is that this is a relatively widespread commonality to card rooms in all geographic areas.
While waiting at ones’ assigned seat or elsewhere in the room before the ‘shuffle up and deal’, watching fellow participants stream in brings to mind the famous line from Captain Renault (Claude Rains) in the movie ‘Casablanca’, “Round up the usual suspects”.
It’s used in a way that conveys an ‘I’ll make an effort, but the least possible effort in this case‘.
This translates to the zombie looking contestants making their way to the tables.
Are they contemplating the puzzle before them ? Are they just glad to be playing ? Are they even more elated to be away from whatever life situations they are dealing with? Are they actually excited to be playing ? Is it just that it’s poker night?
Getting that read can be a help in our game as we determine what that player’s motivation is and what determines their style of play.
The familiarity leads to fun, respectful, yet hardfought hands. No tournament journeys are alike however, and sprinkle in some unfamiliar faces and the rivalries are fresh each time.
When we sit at a table and recognize sixty to seventy percent of the players it almost has a home game feel to it, which is a double edged sword in that we recognize betting patterns and banter from opponents but they also can possibly have a read on us.
While we see these ‘suspects’ as adversaries, over time we can actually be friends with our longtime rivals.
Just as the last line in ‘Casablanca’ from Rick (Humphrey Bogart)…” Louie, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship “ reminds us, keep listening at the tables, you and I may learn some valuable life lessons.
