Getting Started: Table Talk; or, Chatbox Chatter in Online Poker
As anyone who has spent any amount of time on the internet well knows, many are much more willing to lash out at others when the interactions are mediated by usernames, avatars, and/or relative anonymity.
When first starting out playing online poker, there are a number of factors unique to the online game that take a little getting used to. Most who click their way to a seat at the virtual tables have some idea about how no-limit hold'em or whatever game they've chosen is played. But even if you've played live poker before, there's more to get used to when starting out online, including the "extracurricular" aspects of the game such as "table talk" coming in the form of chatbox commentary.
I remember when I first played online poker -- we're talking nearly a decade ago -- my initial experiences came in the free money games, where lots of interaction tended to happen in the chatbox. In fact, I recall "meeting" several players at the tables that way, often seeking them out to play against them, have fun joking around and catching up, and experience the game both as a competition and as a social occasion.
Eventually I moved over to the real money games and began playing for small stakes, and one of the differences I noticed immediately was the relative lack of chatbox banter. Even at the "micros" where I started, people seemed much less interested in making friends or even just being friendly, and when people did use the chatbox it seemed that more often than not the exchanges were of the critical variety.
I quickly became accustomed to certain chatbox shorthand such as "gh" ("good hand"), "nh" ("nice hand"), or "wp" ("well played") -- compliments that like a lot of online or "virtual" communication were sometimes hard to decipher as sincere or sarcastic. But then came that first time I laid a relatively bad beat on an opponent who responded with a frustrated outburst directed toward me regarding how I had played the hand.
I didn't need help understanding any abbreviations then. Nor was there much ambiguity about the sincerity of his feelings, although I was intrigued by all of the asterisks appearing amid his monologue -- i.e., words that had been caught by the chatbox profanity filter ("you dumb ****!").
To be honest, I was a bit taken aback initially. Sure, people behave badly in live poker games, but this sort of pointed, personal-seeming outburst felt somewhat novel. Indeed, as someone new to online poker, I remember wondering a little about what I'd wandered into, and whether or not I wanted to stick around.
Of course, as anyone who has spent any amount of time on the internet well knows, many are much more willing to lash out at others when the interactions are mediated by usernames, avatars, and/or relative anonymity. And the fact was, as I gained more experience at the online poker tables, I began to recognize that for the most part, the unfriendly types were the exception rather than the rule.
Most who play online poker for real money -- even at the "micros" -- are there primarily for the competition, with even "recreational" players usually more interested in winning than socializing. Those looking for the latter online have plenty of other outlets for such, including the popular play money poker games on Facebook.
Setting aside the genuine congratulations for well-played hands that once in a while will occur, I would classify what you'll encounter in the chatbox as mostly falling into three categories of online "table talk": (1) reprimands; (2) free lessons; and (3) pity grabs.
"Reprimands" include my example above, that is, the player who for whatever reason -- usually after losing a hand -- decides to lash out at an opponent. If you happen to be the recipient of such vitriol, be inclined not to respond with any sort of self-defense, as there is little benefit in doing so.
"Free lessons" generally also come from players who have just lost hands and are desirous to make up for their now missing chips with a demonstration of their understanding of poker theory and strategy. As is often the case in the live setting, such lectures generally reveal gaping holes in the instructor's own understanding of poker, in particular the important lesson never to coach your opponents.
Finally, "pity grabs" are issued by those unable to withstand the vagaries of bad fortune without comment. "Every time!" types the self-pitying one, noting the frequency of others' flopping sets, his big hands getting cracked, or his draws failing to fill. It's a natural response, although like the other common categories of table talk is of little constructive value, and in fact often serves to alert other players that the player is on the verge of tilting his or her way into more erratic (and likely losing) play.
As I say, not all table talk at the online cash tables will fall into these categories, but most will. My advice to new players is (1) avoid responding, if possible, to such provocations; and (2) avoid contributing this sort of chat yourselves. In fact, just keep mum, if you can, perhaps tossing the occasional "nh" to an opponent (sincere or otherwise).
Losing will happen. Even the best players endure it as a constant and necessary part of the game. But the best players also know better than to compound their losses further with tilty table talk that more often than not serves to tell observant opponents -- quite literally -- how to beat you.
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