Poker Talk: How Well Does It Work

There have been countless poker games that I have sat in on where there was all kinds of conversation going on. Sometimes people will be talking about their families, other times they will be discussing their jobs. It isn't uncommon for people to just start talking about current events and to have a very casual demeanour about them. A lot of time, especially in lower limit games, people will talk about poker.

People love to talk about poker. I find that the lower limit you are playing in, the more advice the poker players at the table are willing to share. They always like to give their opinion about how well other people at the table are playing. These kinds of players will especially enjoy talking about how other players should have played previous hands.

Sometimes people who talk a lot at a poker table suddenly stop talking once they decide to participate in a hand. Other players suddenly talk more when they are playing. All of these players seem to be implementing some kind of strategy that they believe works for them. The question of whether you should talk at a poker table and how you should talk has always been interesting to me.

By no means should you ever sit down and completely fight the urge to say anything at all. If you sit in a game in complete silence, especially if you are a tight player, people will read you as very serious and always put you on monster hands when you play and in all likelihood you will not get much action. I've always enjoyed being natural at the table. I will talk about all kinds of things but I will almost never comment on the game. The reason is simple. I don't want people knowing how I think when it comes to the game. I also don't want to be encouraging bad players to play better.

I've never understood why anyone would lecture a bad player about a bad play. Whey on earth would you want them to improve? I know it usually happens after they lay a bad beat on somebody but that will not be the rule. Most of the time, bad play will pay you off, so stay away from the lectures. I also love when another player will say "I would've done this..." or "I did that because.." Some people can't help themselves and if you pay attention, you will get a great line on their play. So I never discuss my play at all.

I like to keep the people around me relaxed so that they feel more inclined to share information with me. It will improve my game and give me an edge. I will stick to talking about the weather or sports or something else. You should also be aware that if you are talking, other people will be putting reads on you. They will be trying to figure out what kind of player you are and the more you chatter, the easier that becomes. Unless of course you are setting them up, in which case, good on you. Most people however, are not good at that. It takes practice.

So in summary, I wouldn't be completely quiet but I wouldn't be a chatter box either. I will always encourage conversation from other people and I am constantly using chatter to gain information and appear relaxed. The more confident and relaxed I appear, I find the more respect my play receives. That's just me. It could change on any given day and I will adapt my table talk accordingly. Keep these tips in mind the next time your neighbour asks "So where are you from?"