Cash game etiquetteI've been thinking about writing this for a while as there's a few issues that crop up and although this isn't a set of rules by any means, it's how I see the issues, and I think I'm decently placed to judge since I've been on both sides of the fence at one time or another.
NB, everyone will get paranoid thinking I'm talking about them - no particular incident or individual has brought me to write this. Also everything here is just my opinion and almost every point can be refuted with "It's your money do what you want" - I'm just talking about etiquette, not rules.The first topic I'd like to right about is a small thing but it grates me -
moving seats. I think it's poor form to move seats in a game to get position on another player. For example:
-You are out of position to a good reg. The player on his left gets stacks and leaves the game. Moving to take this seat is bad form. This is the most extreme variant, but anything like this is bad form imo.
-If you see a player coming to join the game and the only seat is on your left, moving to occupy that seat so they have to sit oop to you is borderline imo. Definitely unacceptable if it's a recreational player and they see you move as they approach the table. It's like saying "I'm moving here so you'll have even less of a chance to beat me". It also is unfair on the player who was supposed to have direct position on him. AND it encourages some childish musical shenanigans nonsense where now the player who was on your right will also move up one to gain position on the new player. JUST STAY IN YOUR SEAT!
Obviously there's situations where it's fine to move seats, sometimes you need seat 1 or 8 so you can be near a plug socket. Sometimes you need seat 5 so you can watch the football, but generally, do as you would be done by. Being openly scared to be oop to a good reg gives them the green light to go after you. It's much better to man up and sit down on his right and pretend not to give a shit, than to make a point of not wanting to be there and move somewhere else.
OK next issue -
Changing games. Sometimes you can sit in a game that just gets too big for you. Happens quite a lot at DTD, you sit in a 1/2 with £500 and everyone has £500. 4 hours later everyone has £1500+ and at least the £8 straddle is on every hand. Obviously if you're losing/winning bowl then do what you like imo. I definitely think it's acceptable to move from this game to smaller game even if you're winning a bit. I've done this perhaps once in the last 12 months. There was a 2/5 game a few months ago when I was underrolled and taking a shot, I was winning about £900 and the game was short handed, with Mitch and Tim Chung both covering me, and there was a 1/2 (it turned out to be 1/1 but when I left the game I thought it was 1/2) with loads of heroes on it and it looked like a really fun game and more bankroll appropriate for me at the time. I thought and still do think that it's 100% acceptable to move in this situation (£900 is not a big win in a 2/5 game of that size). Also, crucially, the player who I'd won off had left the game. Even if you're losing I think it's bad to leave the game with a sizeable chunk of someone else's money who's still in the game and stuck, especially if that player is a recreational player who will see things differently to a reg (ie see that money as "his" and he'll want the chance to get it back and will take offence).
If you're winning the lot in a game and you become uncomfortable due to the size of it, just go home. Don't go to play £1/1, don't go to rail your mate in the comp, don't go to the bar and start having a few drinks. It pisses people off. It's so annoying to have done a chunk to someone then see them waltzing round the club with a beer.
This brings me to the next point -
Locking up wins. I've definitely been on both sides of the fence here. A few years back I was exactly how some of the new regs are now. Winning £x meant a lot, and losing it would be a huge hit on morale. I understand how it feels, and just because I've got more used to the swings and become more resilient, doesn't mean I should resent them for doing it. It's natural to get a bit annoyed by it. When you're stuck and one of your best chances to get out of it leaves the game at 1am with some lame excuse, it's pretty annoying. But I've been there, I sort of get it. I don't want to mention any names, but I've stayed in so many games where I've felt uncomfortable and wanted to go home and I've felt stupid so many times because most of the time it's just to stop "Mike" moaning. You know as soon as you say "last half hour for me boys", Mike will have a moan and shake his head and bring it up over and over again in the future. Sometimes it's like FUCK YOU MIKE I'M GOING HOME!
BUT, on the other side of the fence, it's been good for me and my reputation that I've stayed in those games. As I hear rec A say to me "I would call you but not REG B cos you know you won't get it back from him". So having a reputation as a "win locker uper" is pretty bad long term both for your rep as a reg, and for getting action off recs. And it reflects badly on DTD games in general, to people that come from elsewhere.
Also I remember all the people that double through me for £100 and then fold for 15 minutes then say last three hands. And either they won't get action from me next time, or I'll just spite go after them in every pot
The same applies to those who just nit up and fold for the last 2 hours of the game. It's not much better than quitting, everyone knows what you're doing and it still pisses people off, and again, people won't give you action. I feel I do well in the games because people like to gamble with me, because I gamble with them, even when I'm winning chunks, I give them a chance to get it back. This is very important imo.
I will add to this as I think of more issues, but this is all I can think of for now. Opinions and feedback, as ever, very welcome
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