Players Comment on Tough Losses, WSOP's New Tweeting Rule by Russ Scott on Creators.com

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Players Comment on Tough Losses, WSOP's New Tweeting Rule

This week, a Texas reader shares details of a tough no-limit hold 'em session in Shreveport, La., and players in New Jersey and Tennessee weigh in on tweeting at the 2010 World Series of Poker.

Q: I didn't do so well playing no-limit hold 'em last week at the Horseshoe in Shreveport. I won some hands, but had some very frustrating ones, too. It sure is a bummer to be on the losing end. — Paul M. in Forney, Texas.

A: Yes, it can indeed be painful to be on the losing end of a poker hand (or anything, really), especially when you're playing a solid game and making very few mistakes.

The losing hands you mentioned — making a straight but losing to a flush, flopping trips but losing when a high board card pairs giving your opponent a bigger full house than yours — certainly will test your patience.

And that 10-7 offsuit you folded pre-flop after someone raised to $15, and the flop came 10-10-7, leading to a $600 pot for someone else — well, that's just the nature of hold 'em. You always know what you would have had, and sometimes it hurts.

Occasionally, I'll pay to see a flop with weaker hands such as 10-7, just to mix up my game or try to reverse a losing trend. Against a raise, however, I'll fold unless at least three other players already have called and no re-raise is possible. Your fold was correct, Paul.

I love your comment summing up the rough session: "I can't complain, since I've had plenty of winning days in the poker room."

Keep that positive attitude!

Q: At first blush, I was peeved about the rule change allowing players to tweet at the 2010 World Series, but I think I've come around. Fields are huge, seats are random, and the risk of collusion among buddies seated at the same table is tiny at best, don't you think? – Ken L.

in Pennington, N.J.

A: That's true, Ken, but I just don't understand why the WSOP brass would open a new door for possible abuse that could threaten the game's integrity.

Besides, as I wrote in a recent column, this rule figures to at least slow down the game, even though seated players only will be allowed to send and receive messages after mucking their cards.

I think it will take tremendous focus to not let the Twittering and texting get to you and possibly throw you off your game — especially if you suspect something sinister is going on.

Meanwhile, your observation that amateurs could "take advantage" of a pro missing telltale information at the table while fiddling around on an iPhone is interesting. The notion of turning someone else's distraction into a favorable situation for yourself is an aggressive response that could pay dividends.

Q: I've been trying to get good enough to play in the WSOP, but with this new rule on tweeting in effect, I'm now saving up to play in a World Poker Tour event, instead. This change proves the WSOP is more concerned with building its "brand" than promoting good poker. I'll have no part of it! — Joe K. in Tennessee.

A: The WPT holds great events all across the country, Joe, and I think you'd enjoy the experience.

I wouldn't give up on playing in the WSOP, however. While I admire your principles, I think you'd be depriving yourself of too much reward and enjoyment by standing up against this stupid rule.

Competing for a WSOP bracelet is something every poker player should do at least once.

E-mail your poker questions and comments to russ@luckydogpoker.com for use in future columns. To find out more about Russ Scott and read previous LuckyDog Poker columns, visit www.creators.com or www.luckydogpoker.com.

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