Don't tap the tank!

Somewhere along the line, in my ongoing poker journey, I learned a valuable lesson. Two valuable lessons actually.

Don't try to educate inferior players and don't tap the tank.

Speaking to the first lesson- I was the absolute worst offender. When I wasn't berating fish for shitty play, I was actually and sincerely trying to have a poker clinic at the table. Usually online, but occasionally live as well.

I wasn't just misguided - I was an idiot.

Why would I ever want a donkey to see the light and play "correctly" when clearly, playing poorly is big time +EV?

This problem stemmed from the second lesson - my anger at inferior players who sucked me out. I deluded myself into thinking that I was being a good person by channeling this anger into something constructive - helping a player.

Why would I ever want to help "fix" a potential human ATM? It seems really obvious now, but in my more naive poker playing days I actually believed it was a good thing to show a horrible player the errors of his ways.

Thankfully, I'm in a much healthier place today - when I can get beat with junk on the river and smile; knowing that I want that terrible call EVERY time.

Numbers don't lie, and I've more than doubled my buy-in this season, and I'm far and away the points leader as well. I attribute this to being DECISION oriented - and ignoring short term RESULTS.

Focusing on the immediate outcome of a hand is a recipe for a mental breakdown, and it's unfortunately afflicted one of my good friends in the league. Or perhaps I should say fortunately - his irrational tilt fueled tirades against the fish in the league (the aforementioned tapping of the tank) makes him play badly.

I tried briefly to convince him to not be results oriented, he completely didn't get it. I then realized, that though I'm fond of him as a person, I shouldn't be trying to educate him. I was falling into my old misguided habit, without even realizing it.

The next time he rants and raves at the utter futility of playing correctly against a card rack, I'll only be able to smile. It's what I want him to think. But the other side of the coin is, I hope he doesn't make the mega-fish uncomfortable.

I wish he, and a few others (both bad and decent players alike) would refrain from berating the uber-donks for the inevitable suck outs.

I fear that they will make the environment less than desirable for these juicy customers.

One player in particular is spectacularly bad, and she recently took down a tournament. I myself was ecstatic, now she really believes she is at least half way decent. Likewise, there is a veteran of 2 seasons in the group who is pretty much beyond terrible who took down the tournament last night. Again, I'm elated - it insures my long term profit. Others in the league seem hell bent on bitching, moaning, and complaining in e-mails.

Fellas, please, don't tap the tank.