Nocturnal Poker Ramblings

Lately I have been playing a little $.25/$.50 no limit poker just to pass the time. Those low limit tables are often infested by the roaches of the poker world -- the short stack demons. You know them -- they buy in for a minimal amount, wait for an opportunity, then move all in. If they are lucky and double up, it is not unusual to see them try to rathole their winnings. If they lose, they whine about it ... and whine about it ... and whine about it.

Now, I may stink at online cash games, but at least I make sure my losses don't hurt and I don't berate the other players when they catch a lucky card -- or two -- and bust me. I must confess, though, that there is nothing like felting a shortie -- especially on the river or by going runner-runner. Then the fun begins. My -- what creative vocabularies these cry babies have! After all, they most often seem to not understand one of the basic laws of poker: sometimes you do everything right and still lose. The key, we all know, is getting your money "in good." If you do it consistently, you should be a winner, which is why playing poker is clearly a game of skill. It is the luck factor, though, that drives us crazy ...