"Nice Hand"

I have seen people abuse the way "nice hand" is said over and over throughout this world series and I have decided to write a little bit about it to hopefully help everyone that reads this not make a huge breach in etiquette.

I just got moved to a table in yesterdays $1500 WSOP event when I saw a guy get it in with AQ vs AK, hit a Q to win a big pot, wrap the table (which is basically knocking the table like you would someone's front door) as he was collecting his pot, then he told the guy that just lost 2/3 of his chips "Nice Hand." This guy basically did everything he could to rub it in the losing players face that he just won most of his chips.

So, what did he do to make him look like a total jerk? First, he wrapped the table. In general, I think wrapping the table is a semifishy thing to do under all circumstances. The one time it is ok is when you are on the losing end of a pot. Basically, wrapping the table is a way of saying "Nice Hand" without actually saying it.

Now that we know that, why don�t you say nice hand once you win the hand? Because you don't want to discourage people from playing again in the future by making them embarrassed/mad and you also don't want to make people feel bad, unless of course you are an absolute horrible person. I am not really sure if this is clear enough to make the point that it is a huge douche to say/do these things. Trust me though, just don't do it.

One other thing that is a HUGE no no that lots of clueless players do is to say "thank you" to the player that you just won a big pot off of, especially if what they did was a little spewy or if you lucksack them. Say someone gets it in with T4 on a 743 and you have 77. You double and win a huge pot. The last thing you want to do is tell the losing player "thank you" as you are basically saying "thanks for being an absolutely terrible." We can all look and tell that just isn't nice. Simply put, every time you win a big pot off someone, you should keep your mouth shut unless you are spoken to, and even then, keep talking to the minimum.

Now that I had that little rant, how has poker been for me? Playing the smallest stake tournaments in any tournament series is always a little like pulling teeth for me because no one really knows what they are doing. The actual flow of the game is so much slower in a small stake tournament than the highest buyin tournaments. Also, the bad beat stories fill the air like love on Valentine's Day.

Despite all of this, I have constantly gotten my money in good over and over. In yesterday's event I eventually busted in a pretty cool spot where I knew a European kid was about to try to outplay me. If you pay very close attention, it is usually clear who is getting fed up with me raising over and over. You will usually seeing them eyeing you, trying to sense weakness or something like that. What usually happens though, is they end up spewing their chips off.

In this specific hand, the young guy had been watching me lots and doing a few other things, making it clear to me he was about to spew off his chips. I raised 55 from the button and he looked like he wanted to reraise. Instead he just called. We both had around 25bb stacks. Had he reraised right there, my money would have snap been in the pot. Instead, it came 743. He checked and I made a normal continuation bet. He thought for around 30 seconds and pushed. I basically snap called and he showed the QJo. Sadly for me, he peeled the J like a pro and I was out right after dinner break, once again.

All in all, I am very happy with my play and very disgusted with my results. There are only around 10 more events left for me to play. Hopefully I can have some hands hold up and I can make something happen.