I wish I were kidding when I say  I hear this at virtually every poker gig I’ve dealt, and truthfully I’m not alone.  At some point, someone who wishes to play discounted poker will continually fold a number of hands in a row and blame it on the dealer.

It’s not our faults you don’t know how to play, and by you voicing your frustration, you’re giving everyone at the table a tell.

On occasion, at friendly games, I’ve asked said player if they’d mind me peeking at their fold.  Generally they want me to look so I would validate their frustration.  On many occasions I look down and I’ll see something like a mid or lower level connector, or suited connector and they say to me “You’d never play that, would you”?  I then proceed to ask “Have you bothered looking at the board”?

On many occasions, they would have won had they had enough wherewithal to stay in the hand.  I’m not suggesting you play every hand you get, however just like good hold cards can get cracked, half way decent hold cards can win a pot.  Poker isn’t always about having the best hand though, it’s also about playing your opponent.  I’ve heard stories about Doyle Brunson, poker legend, on heads up games, not bothering to look at his cards, but playing the player, and win.

As it stands, traditionally the final hand that wins at the world series of poker is something like a 2-5 off suit, and I’ve dealt to enough bracelet winners who have confirmed this.  It’s about poker strategy, and if you say it’s about getting the better cards, you’re leaving the majority of your winnings to chance.

So do us all a favor and get your poker face down, learn how to play your opponents, and quit complaining.  Your slip is showing, and it ain’t cute.