Playing With Know-It-Alls

It seems like whenever I am playing poker in real life with some buddies of mine, there are always about 4-5 know-it-alls. They have to be the first one to complain when something isn't done exactly how it is supposed to on the wsop. And they get mad about it. Yes, I might have forgot to burn a card, and I am sorry that everyone at the table saw that card, but you don't have to jump my ass about it. How do you deal with Know-It-Alls, or are you one?

Wait for a great hand, and, bust him out and have a great laugh. Let your cards do the talking and all the banter will stop unless there is too many pops involved.

If you are playing just one table, that sounds to me like a much higher than average number of "Know it Alls". While I only play one occasional home game that is quite civil, I've encountered plenty of people like that playing live. To me, the key thing here is to recognize that they get to us emotionally. Whenever we're playing and let that happen, our game usually suffers. Other players pick right up on that, compounding the problem.

There are a couple of things you can do. When you get to the game, scope the joint and see if any of them are there. If they are, you know without a doubt what they're gonna be doing so you are prepared in advance for their asinine behavior. Once you sit down, respond in a different way than they expect. For example whenever they criticize how you deal or whatever, say something like, "man, I keep forgetting to do that" then blow it off and play your cards. If you let them be right (regardless of whether they are right or wrong), you take away their steam and get your power back. Always remember that in poker as in life, we can't change other how people act but we sure as hell can change our responses to them.

LarkMarlow said:

If you are playing just one table, that sounds to me like a much higher than average number of "Know it Alls". While I only play one occasional home game that is quite civil, I've encountered plenty of people like that playing live. To me, the key thing here is to recognize that they get to us emotionally. Whenever we're playing and let that happen, our game usually suffers. Other players pick right up on that, compounding the problem.

There are a couple of things you can do. When you get to the game, scope the joint and see if any of them are there. If they are, you know without a doubt what they're gonna be doing so you are prepared in advance for their asinine behavior. Once you sit down, respond in a different way than they expect. For example whenever they criticize how you deal or whatever, say something like, "man, I keep forgetting to do that" then blow it off and play your cards. If you let them be right (regardless of whether they are right or wrong), you take away their steam and get your power back. Always remember that in poker as in life, we can't change other how people act but we sure as hell can change our responses to them.

Click to expand...

Very good. Personally I love the over-dramatic apology. "OMG! I did it again! Am I ever going to remember??? etc etc etc etc etc " Apologize so much and so long for every little boo-boo that they fuss about, that they start getting into calming you down. (Since you are actually calm inside, it's an act, don't smile when they do that.) You will soon train them. It will NOT be worth the ten minutes of you apologizing to criticize. They will learn.

I enjoy playing at a table with some "Know it alls." All you have to do is pay attention to what they are complaining about and use that to your advantage to beat them. Usually these players don't realize how much information they are giving out about the way they play.

Big Maverick said:

It seems like whenever I am playing poker in real life with some buddies of mine, there are always about 4-5 know-it-alls. They have to be the first one to complain when something isn't done exactly how it is supposed to on the WSOP. And they get mad about it. Yes, I might have forgot to burn a card, and I am sorry that everyone at the table saw that card, but you don't have to jump my ass about it. How do you deal with Know-It-Alls, or are you one?

Click to expand...

If I was inexperienced at poker then I think I wouldn't play with those players again, they are obviously better players than me for knowing the proper way to play poker but as it stands you can call me a know it all.

I play live quite often. At my B&M room they are all "PRO`s". I like to sit back and take it all in. My technique is to wear my IPOD but not turn it on. They make comments to me but I just stare into space like I can`t here them because the music is too loud. Part of the "knowitalls" game is to get under your skin. As mentioned earlier in this thread, listen to what pisses them off and use it to your advantage.

Poker is profitable because everyone thinks there amazing at it.

I dont have much experience with that type of know-it-all, but I am always meeting people in real life who claim they are pretty good at poker because they did well in some bar-league donkament or something....I just nod my head and say that's cool and on the inside I'm secretly hoping they will deposit money online because it will just increase the fish pool.

online poker is getting pretty good even at lower limits and if you don't have a lot of experience or studied the game a lot and everything you know is from the WSOP on ESPN or your local donkaments....you honestly stand no chance from just that knowledge.

Best way to deal with these clowns you are talking about is by getting them drunk....then take their monies!!

There is a very simple solution to this, just say: STFU you cry baby where not playing for thousands of euros/dollars ******.

Well if they know it bother's you then they will try to put you on tilt and get you off your game, there was the one where you apologize so much that they can't take it anymore and shut their mouth. GL

I am one of these "know it alls" online. Its more of a defensive mechanism for going on tilt and a good way to make other players squirm destroying them emotionally. If you want to deal with one just pretend like you are a know it all too and make up stuff. Then all we can say is that your wrong and stupid, but we know we arent affecting you emotionally.

Maybe your friends just dont like you that much if they're jumping on you every time you make a mistake... either that or you just suck at dealing

If you forget to burn a card I will two decibels short of shout at you.

there are some decent players i've noticed, where i've taken notes on that are "know-it-alls" and they do it because sometimes it tilts people. i've been guilty of "haha...haha! HAHA!"ing to people sometimes when i'm drunk but i try not to, its not really my style. in real life...i'm mostly friendly with a chance of asshole...but at a poker table...i'd really like a forecast of me just being friendly. we've all probably had our moments, but that's just in our nature. there are several mediocre players who act like they know it all, maybe they read a book or something...i don't know. i've noticed lately in those fun steps at carbon since i'm playing like 6 at a time, someone will point out that i'm not playing in the one i'm card dead...and a few times, i realize they're raising my blind with any two cards, and then saying "see?!?!! he folds nonstop!"...best thing to do is not say anything, because usually when i'm not playing much, i've all ready doubled up and only playing top hands cause they're all such donks anyway...that's the same know-it-all who will call you down with nothing later on because he feels its his duty to remove you. you have to just distinguish what kinda know it all you're dealing with. is this one who's decent and uses his mouth as a weapon, or is this one who's lame and tilt-tastic? it does feel pretty shitty though, if they knock you out, but that's a risk you have to be willing to take at some point.

there's another kind, i should probably bring up. we've all met them. they think they're a jack of all trades...the guy who has an opinion on everything...the guy who's a pro on every single topic that comes up. you hate when he's at parties...or any conversation with anybody cause he butts in and is all like "no man, that's not how...bla bla bla"...that guy is full of crap too. and there's also know-it-alls that i best know how to deal with, like my brother..the really insulting kind....the kind that graduated 2nd in their class at va tech type....yeah, they may be smart...but their head is blown up way too big...i may have flunked out of college cause i got bored and was lazy but that doesn't mean i didn't come from the same sack of genes. you just have to find the things you truly know more than they do and exploit them when necessary.

-Deleted Post, Trying to be funny-

tjyff said:

I am one of these "know it alls" online. Its more of a defensive mechanism for going on tilt and a good way to make other players squirm destroying them emotionally. If you want to deal with one just pretend like you are a know it all too and make up stuff. Then all we can say is that your wrong and stupid, but we know we arent affecting you emotionally.

Click to expand...

i usually dont say anything online. except when someone uses fightin words then i'll start talkin back. it doesnt bother me emotionally to talk i just dont like to type that much. haha. but i mean real life its actually easier to be one of these people. i know one big one but he's actually like my best friend. we know what gets on each others nerves at the table so we like to do it to each other. but it is a defense. its just that we are the type of people who just love to talk and if we can't talk its killin us inside. i personally haven't had that problem yet because there is always one person at the table that keeps me fueled. and if he keeps me fueled the rest of the table will hafta keep listening.

I Know Nothing, so your all set,,LOL, buck

chuG said:

If you forget to burn a card I will two decibels short of shout at you.

Click to expand...

Agreed. Could've messed up my hand.

Just brush it off and remind them that you are not a PRO and do not make a living playing poker. If they continue, just do not invite them or go somewhere else to play cards. It is a a fun way to spend time and if you are lucky make a few dollars. When it stops being fun, do something else or choose to do it elswhere.

LarkMarlow said:

If you are playing just one table, that sounds to me like a much higher than average number of "Know it Alls". While I only play one occasional home game that is quite civil, I've encountered plenty of people like that playing live. To me, the key thing here is to recognize that they get to us emotionally. Whenever we're playing and let that happen, our game usually suffers. Other players pick right up on that, compounding the problem.

There are a couple of things you can do. When you get to the game, scope the joint and see if any of them are there. If they are, you know without a doubt what they're gonna be doing so you are prepared in advance for their asinine behavior. Once you sit down, respond in a different way than they expect. For example whenever they criticize how you deal or whatever, say something like, "man, I keep forgetting to do that" then blow it off and play your cards. If you let them be right (regardless of whether they are right or wrong), you take away their steam and get your power back. Always remember that in poker as in life, we can't change other how people act but we sure as hell can change our responses to them.

Click to expand...

This could alternately be used to your advantage if you know which buttons to push. Of course you would never do it intentionally, but an accidental misdeal or misplay could get their mind more on the misplay than their hand.

Everyone that plays poker for money knows it all. They know the winning hands, they know a piss poor starting hand when they see one and they definatly know when they or in most cases someone else has gotten lucky. Arrogance is what chooses to share. I gurantee you that person that just lost with KK to 6-7 offsuit and proceeds to tell the winner what a donk or idiot he is for playing that hand has profited off worse starting percentages than that. This can get to some people at a table and maybe change the mindset of a player, for me it motivates me more when a person backtalks another player or questions their play. Theres been times ive gotten angry over a hand or frustrated or couldnt understand how theyd call with what they have but I always keep it to myself. Its poker and poker is definatly undpredictable.

KetchupFreak said:

Everyone that plays poker for money knows it all. They know the winning hands, they know a piss poor starting hand when they see one and they definatly know when they or in most cases someone else has gotten lucky. Arrogance is what chooses to share. I gurantee you that person that just lost with KK to 6-7 offsuit and proceeds to tell the winner what a donk or idiot he is for playing that hand has profited off worse starting percentages than that. This can get to some people at a table and maybe change the mindset of a player, for me it motivates me more when a person backtalks another player or questions their play. Theres been times ive gotten angry over a hand or frustrated or couldnt understand how theyd call with what they have but I always keep it to myself. Its poker and poker is definatly undpredictable.

Click to expand...

I like to fake live tilt its even more fun then making people tilt