How do you deal with **** talkers in live cash? Had a rough session yesterday

Ignore them. Stay in the game and take all their chips = best revenge strategy

I actually love when this happens. I pray for the someone at the table to turn against me. It's massively +EV if you're able to maintain discipline and are lucky enough to pick up cards. Opponents will torch trying to cooler us.

I think some of this comes down to aspects of our personalities that are more or less hard-wired into us by the time we're adults, so it can be very hard to make yourself feel differently than the way you feel naturally.

So, if I was in this situation, I'd probably start out making some comments meant to defuse the situation, like "what can I say? I've been catching cards," or "better to be lucky than good," or "don't worry, I'll give it all back soon enough."

If it became a distraction, I'd mentally pause to think about whether the situation was likely to be +EV or -EV for me, and if it would be higher EV to just ignore it or take some sort of action, whether that might be verbally sparring with them, or taking a walk, whatever.

Verbally sparring with another player will often just exacerbate the situation, make dealers uncomfortable, and turn other players at the table against us.

What I try not to do is let it irritate me, especially not to the point that I lose my temper and raise my voice. I play in the same room all the time, and don't want the dealers or floor managers seeing me as someone prone to drama.

Generally, opponents who fixate on other players are likely to be struggling with their own $hlt, and will either dump a bunch of money, or won't last long at the table. As long as the game is still good, it's usually going to be +EV to continue playing.

I do have one good option - play dumb & clueless. Smile innocently and say things like 'did I win that'? 'Oh a flush beats a straight does it?' 'I'm new to this game I must have some beginner's luck!'

Everyone in the know will know you're the smart one taking the mickey but its completely unprovable. You also don't need to be quick-witted to execute it if its not your style.

Weak players want to project that onto other players. A strong player might say something to you after a big win against you, that's fair. The sideline heckler want to get under your skin and he did. Just ignore him. It will infuriate them to no end. Literally refuse to acknowledge them.

Even if you win a hand or a big hand against them. Just refuse to acknowledge them. Strike up a conversation with other people in a friendly manner. No one likes this person anyway except other miserable people. Stick to poker and the positive social stuff. Have fun, hopefully make money.

Take a big breath through your nose, hold it in, keep it in, try and take another deeper breath, then exhale through the mouth. It helps to relieve stress. Then move on.

I needle them right back. I'll make little comments like "well the computer says I'm supposed to raise here". Then when they fold "hey the computer was right!"

Play into the image they are putting you in whether it is true or not, because what they say will impact how the rest of the table perceives you. Even if your actions say otherwise.

Keep it friendly, laugh at their stupid jokes, obviously you want to avoid a situation where real anger is creeping in. When they fail to get under your skin, they will tilt themselves.

I typically have a decent sense of humour about myself, so I would attempt deflecting / diffusing with some self-deprecating humour.

But if this guy really just is an ******* and you don't like being at the table with him, then just move to a different table if they aren't miles worse. A parting shot of "well, I was going to tilt off all my money at this table but now I'm going to do it at that table over there thanks to this guy" when you leave could be funny.

GlaughingallthewaytothecleanersG

Socially you gotta just lean into who you actually are as a person. If you're light hearted make a joke back about yourself or him. Smile, have fun.

If you're a serious person just say something like "now im coming for you you little rat" and give em crazy eyes lmao.

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As for the game itself you gotta have an internal shift. For me if someone talks **** I keep it light hearted on the outside but inside I take it personally. Not sure if I'm crazy or what lmao but I have had two times where someone needled me and I started playing 60 hours a week and transferring to their table every chance I get. I start to focus on what they do every hand and create a counter strategy for them. If I'm at a 9 handed table now 50% of my energy is focused on every line they take and taking counter strategies. Once I get them back by taking 4-5 stacks I usually feel the score is even and start to treat them normal again.

OP, I want to praise you for your self-awareness. I think this type of emotional awareness and willingness to get up from the table when you know your head-space isn't where want it is a really important part of being a winning poker player. Honestly, I read this post as success story.

I'm realizing more and more that this skill is so important, and not having it likely contributes to many skilled players ending up losers/break-even.

Some posts above have already mentioned some strategies that can help you with ppl who needle you on the poker table. Just experiment with what works for you. IMO, taking things personally is hugely -EV. But you can't just control whether the needles are affecting you with willpower.

What you can try to control is being aware of what's happening emotionally and taking action (ie getting up). This ability is so important and you've already demonstrated that you can do it. Just noticing when this happens over and over will help you going forward.

Perhaps worth keeping in mind...

Opponents who "act out" at the table are either doing it to deliberately unnerve others, or they're demonstrating that they have no control over their own emotional state, such that their words are a reflection of the turmoil inside them.

Simply recognizing the above will often help us mentally re-set and find our own emotional equilibrium. Internal tranquility is a powerful thing.

If you're capable of that level of emotional intelligence, odds are you're capable of turning this negative energy around and redirecting it back at them. Guys who act out are easy to wind up. It's often as simple as audibly chuckling when they inevitably do something stupid.

We have a guy like this in my room that plays 1/3 and 2/5 sometimes. He's a fish. My experience with him has evolved over the one year I've known him:

1. Was shocked a bit at first, doubted myself.
2. Then realized he does this to everyone who beats him or wins regularly. It's not personal it's just a miserable person.
3. Then a few months into it I escalated and confronted him directly at the table - I didn't get angry, just said 'ok' a lot and 'don't talk to me'. I realized he was a narcissist most likely. He can't accept not being seen as superior in every regard and so makes these 'face-saving' remarks after every hand to restore his sense of self-worth.

He's had house called on him several times and they keep giving him more beer and things just keep going. The casino likes the business and I take his money overall - there's likely a group of about 10-20 winning regs that put up with this guy to take his money over the long term.

Locking up a nice win and leaving because the vibes are off is fine. Unless you need to pay the bills with poker, it's a hobby and cutting a session short because you're not having fun for whatever reason is not a problem. You could also just switch tables, that's fine as well.

For this kind of problem player, I'd probably start with superficially friendly responses, like he's sarcastically calling me a pro 'well better to be lucky that good' or 'I got the lucky seat when x left' or whatever. Try and link it into whatever table banter is going on. Some people are just going to take that to mean they're not getting to you, or you'll turn them around. You can also try normal conversation with them between hands, you may end up BS-ing and being friendly.

If that's not working, I would either ignore the guy or troll him. Ideally you want to take the piss out of him and get other people laughing. If you can do that, you can't lose, because either he's going to get sick of being mocked and shut up, or he's going to lose his mind, cross a line and get booted out.

Personally I just question whether or not someone has a shortcoming that they're trying to make up for. In terms of physical size of something.

The basic move is headphones or ask for a table change.

I have a strong social game so if someone is just ruining the game by making people I'm winning money from leave or just being a douche then I can push buttons. If you can't, table change.