For those that haven't seen the 50K HORSE event, I strongly suggest to get your hands on it. It's a little like watching a car crash slowly unfolding.
There' s been all sorts of discussions about Scotty's antics, but one of the key things for me was Erick Lindgren's calculated approach to the final table.
In an interview since this final table, he admitted:
a) He was aware Scotty likes to drink to 'loosen up' at a final table, so he encouraged the drinking early on. His goal was simply to get Scotty drunk and off his game.
b) Soon afterward he berated the young upstart De Michele for celebrating after every hand. This wasn't done because he though he was out of line but because he wanted to make him uncomfortable and put him off balance after gaining momentum.
By the time it got to three handed, Scotty was out of control and De Michele was caught in a whirlwind of drunken abuse. Lindgren couldn't have been happier with the situation that had unfolded and had substantially increased his edge in the game.
It's cold, very calculating, some might argue immoral, but to me this is the game within the game.
FG
2 comments:
immoral? no way.
Having the mental edge is an important factor in the game, just as important as having more chips or better cards. If you can take someone off their A game to gain an edge, do it. This isn't elementary school gym.
Just know that you can't have it both ways, though. If you're a prick at the table, whether because it's your nature or because you're trying to put someone on tilt, then you have to accept the consequences for those actions. People will go gunning for you - that's fair, too.
Taken in a vacuum, picking on and manipulating people are crappy things to do. So is flat out lying to someone.
But poker ain't no vacuum... (Though it does regularly suck.)
You're expected NOT to hit someone on the street, but you're specifically expected TO hit someone in a boxing ring.
The same goes for poker. Lying and manipulation are part of the whole. Everything you say or do at the poker table should be part of the game - however you play it. As long as you're not breaking some specific rule, you're golden.
I don't particularly care for players who are constantly obnoxious, but I understand that's part of their way to play the game. Fine. Whatever. I think anyone who puts that much attention into their table persona can't be paying enough attention to the game its self... So let them do their thing. In their case, I think it's counterproductive, but not immoral.
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