Speach play - bad manners, poor play or just plain wrong??

[M3boy]

Speech play - a GREAT way of getting a tell on someone.

[RED-DOG]

Speech play, I don't care if it goes or not, as long as the rules are uniform and enforced

The only thing I don't like, (and I imho is cheating) is declaring your intentions before it's your turn to act, as this can alter the action of others who act before you

[robyong]

I like speech play, it makes the table more enjoyable and when youre playing 10 handed you play so few hands it breaks the monotony. This is an example of a speech play that I did in the £750 at Luton a few weeks ago. I guess I got what I deserved and I guess I was trying to induce a call from Geoff Duvall.

Geoff and me had nearly 40% of the chips in play with 11 people left. Bubble time.

Geoff raises UTG A7
I call button 55
Flop 357
Geoff bets 50k
I say, "come on Geoff, you've missed that flop" and move all-in for 200k
He calls and hits runner runner straight, so maybe there the poker gods do believe in justice.

I'm sure some people would think I am a XXXX for inducing the call, but I see it as part the game which makes poker so much more facinating that 52 cards. The only think I don't like is "slowrolling" the NUTS when a player has set you all-in, this is just malicious (unless he has done it to you before!)

Cheers Rob

[GlasgowBandit]

I personally enjoy speach play and any banter at the table at all.  I think sometimes peopla get too serious and a bit of banter lightens things up.  I use speach play often but normally I wait and pick my victim!  I wait to see who gets riled the most by other players and then I concentrate on them especially if I do have a hand!

[madasahatstand]

yes banter is good but when it starts spilling over to aggression, its not.

[TightEnd]

I like speech play, it makes the table more enjoyable and when youre playing 10 handed you play so few hands it breaks the monotony. This is an example of a speech play that I did in the £750 at Luton a few weeks ago. I guess I got what I deserved and I guess I was trying to induce a call from Geoff Deauville.

Geoff and me had nearly 40% of the chips in play with 11 people left. Bubble time.

Geoff raises UTG A7
I call button 55
Flop 357
Geoff bets 50k
I say, "come on Geoff, you've missed that flop" and move all-in for 200k
He calls and hits runner runner straight, so maybe there the poker gods do believe in justice.

I'm sure some people would think I am a XXXX for inducing the call, but I see it as part the game which makes poker so much more facinating that 52 cards. The only think I don't like is "slowrolling" the NUTS when a player has set you all-in, this is just malicious (unless he has done it to you before!)

Cheers Rob

in case anyone is confused he means Jeff Duvall (blondeite Jeff D)

secondly, I saw this hand when I was updating thecomp for blonde. It was great speech play, it got him to call a massive bet, no doubt about it

[AceofWands]

Most people's perception of live poker is of a gambling game played laddish blokes in smoke filled rooms.  I appreciate that it is these very qualities that many of the people on this board enjoy about the game

But if it is ever to be taken seriously as a game of skill I don't see how deliberately trying to verbally put off your opponents can be part of it.

 

[Newmanseye]

Most people's perception of live poker is of a gambling game played laddish blokes in smoke filled rooms.  I appreciate that it is these very qualities that many of the people on this board enjoy about the game

But if it is ever to be taken seriously as a game of skill I don't see how deliberately trying to verbally put off your opponents can be part of it.

 

Well I dissaggree, there are plenty of sports where speach play is a big part. Baseball, Rugby, Football, Darts, Boxing, Elephant Polo.  I'm sure there are more, I can see where the problem is in getting inside your opponents head to get the action you want.

If its acceptable in other sports why should poker be different?

[thetank]

You can't get close enough to your opponents in Elephant Polo to bring speech play to bear. You're both on the back of great big mammoths.

Hearing can be a problem. As a kid, when you're outside playing a spot of the ol' Elephant Polo in the garden, you'd be lucky to hear your mother call you into dinner.

[Newmanseye]

You can't get close enough to your opponents in Elephant Polo to bring speech play to bear. You're both on the back of great big mammoths.

Hearing can be a problem. As a kid, when you're outside playing a spot of the ol' Elephant Polo in the garden, you'd be lucky to hear your mother call you into dinner.

This bugger is on a roll.

[Rod Paradise]

You can't get close enough to your opponents in Elephant Polo to bring speech play to bear. You're both on the back of great big mammoths.

Hearing can be a problem. As a kid, when you're outside playing a spot of the ol' Elephant Polo in the garden, you'd be lucky to hear your mother call you into dinner.

Elephant's aint that noisy if the're just running around 

[AceofWands]

Most people's perception of live poker is of a gambling game played laddish blokes in smoke filled rooms.  I appreciate that it is these very qualities that many of the people on this board enjoy about the game

But if it is ever to be taken seriously as a game of skill I don't see how deliberately trying to verbally put off your opponents can be part of it.

 

Well I dissaggree, there are plenty of sports where speach play is a big part. Baseball, Rugby, Football, Darts, Boxing, Elephant Polo.  I'm sure there are more, I can see where the problem is in getting inside your opponents head to get the action you want.

If its acceptable in other sports why should poker be different?

The games you mention are physical sports that are in no way comparable to an intellectual game that is entirely based on just four betting decisions.  The 'speechplay' you cite in these sports usually just comprises of boorish insults and personal abuse anyway. Surely you are not suggesting that we allow this at the poker table? 

And I could equally cite such 'speechplay free' games as golf or snooker where a players conduct during the game and personal integrity are considered fundamental to the sport. I think I would sooner see tournament poker go down that road if it is ever to make the transformation in to a properly regulated professional game.

Trying to influence your opponent’s decisions through series of verbal charades may give you a laugh (and maybe even an unfair advantage) but it doesn't add anything to the integrity of the game.

 

[Newmanseye]

I aggree that you have a point, That speach play in poker can be taken in the wrong context i.e. overly aggressive or insulting.

What I mean is the " you have a flush??"  or the "your top pair is no good" I see nothing wrong with it, Although its good to get a difference of opinion.

I would point out that golf has evolved of late and the speach play in golf alone is rife, It may not happen on the course, but it does happen through press conferences and pre match greetings etc.

I do recall there being a stink created over a chess match about 10 or 12 years back when one player managed to tilt the other befoe getting to the table, I will appologise as I cant remember who was playing, the only reason i remember it is because Carol Vorderman was commentating on it and it was televised.

You do make a good point Ace, I dont share that opinion but if we all did this place would be boring.

[onespeedo]

I would never engage in speech play myself - I'm not made up that way and I wouldn't get away with it. But I whole heartedly agree that it should be allowed, as long as it doesn't become insulting or offensive.

One of the biggest satisfactions I have in poker is sitting there like a rock while someone is giving me the verbals trying to get me to talk about the hand I hold after a big bluff. I'll never forget the first "biggish" tournament I qualified for and not cracking under an interrogation from Bandit Evans that seemed to last about half an hour. I absolutely refused to answer his questions. When he passed, he tapped the table and said "well played", which shows that he would have got more information from other players.

I think it therefore gives me an advantage over a player that would get annoyed at such play and who loses their cool, and maybe even over the player dishing it out if they don't get the info that they want. Part of the game, surely? I'd rather have a debate on banning sunglasses........!!

[londonpokergirl]

Personally speech play is great, and you can pick up massive tells on people, however
one ruling is that you cannot say your exact hand to a player for your hand being ruled dead
and for heavens sake why in the world would you want your opponent to know your hand anyways
unless you were colluding.................

I was in a vegas tournament and a guy on my table stating to another guy look sonny I got aces if you want to go out of the tournament now then call me.  The other guy thought for a few moments and folded showing pocket kings and
I called over the TD and told him what happend and said they had told each other their hands and colluded, the dealer agreed and he gave them both 15min penalties. 

If you do use speech play, be careful