This is a six day work week for me and the way the tournament falls, some of our dealers will work two, six day work weeks. Lucky me, my days off fall just right.

Work is fine, it’s just something that makes me crazy because it takes up a major part of my life when I’d rather be doing something else. And spending an additional day at it really causes my free spirit to tail spin into the black hole of CHOKE, GAG, SPUTTER!

I’ve put more than a few million thoughts into the playing arena and what makes it spin, slide, topple, smooth out, and start over again. There are always new players coming in to take their turn at competing to be the best.

Some of the new players are prepared, having read countless books, newsgroups, stories, spent time sweating someone that will allow them to watch, standing on the rail watching games, playing at home games and the internet, and talking about the play of hands and the game with their friends or a peer. They’ve learned about the importance of bankroll, game selection, money management, and how to manage their attitude and they keep learning.

They also schedule their hours each week in a time slot that works for them, still have a social life, and go to the table with plenty of rest and armed to play. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it’s like an ad for a vitamin that gives you a healthy lifestyle. But that’s the way playing poker should be…put in it’s proper perspective, not where it controls you and you drown in the Bad Luck, Bad Card, Bad Dealer Whirlpool.

Some of the new players just come in to jam and try to ‘get lucky’. They start with bad habits. They don’t all have bad attitudes…just a few carry those with them everywhere they go. Some of these players are the most fun in a game and to deal to. They are fresh, untainted, there for the social factor and, yes, they want to win also but if they don’t, they don’t give a damn. They just want to be there.

What’s my point? New players should be gently nudged into the main stream of folding and acting in turn, welcomed and helped with game protocol but never chastised for playing a bad hand and winning the pot, nor should they be instructed on what to play and how to play it…truthfully some of them don’t give a damn about that either…the ones that do will eventually learn on their own by watching and listening. Don’t teach them to beat you at your own game, there are enough sharks lurking around to do that.

I listened to the 6s, in $15-$30 Holdem, make a comment to the guy next to him the other night, this is how it went:

The 1s was a tourist, stuck…he just had the look and very few chips in front of him with a few $100 bills tucked under the chips.

I slipped into the box, smiled at him and said, ‘hello’.

He smiled back and I knew he wasn’t a regular player because he eased the ‘tight lipped’ look long enough to smile.

The 1s called $15 and then a raise, with A-5 OS, heads up. The raiser was the Button.

An Ace, little, little, on the Flop. The 1s bet and got raised, he called.

The Turn was a middle card, bet by the Button, the 1s check/called.

The River a big card, the 1s check/called. The Button turned over A-9, the 9 played.

The 1s had the look of ‘I’m running so unlucky’ but never said a word. He dug out more cash.

The 6s started his commentary…”I can’t believe he called with A-5 offsuit…can you imagine, he called right up front”…laughter…”Wow!…what was he thinking the guy on the Button raised with?”

I’ve dealt to the 6s before, mostly $8-$16 and he always has to chatter box with the player next to him, no matter who it is.

I mouthed at him, ‘SHUT UP! Don’t say anything.’

The 6s got the picture but the 1s was flushed and squirming.

No one ever says anything to the asshole that throws his cards and has a fit and acts like he’s a pro so why say anything to the new guy that just wants to play?

This always seems to be the cycle of poker. Stick around, it just doesn’t get any better than this. NOT! If you’re going to open your mouth, put your brain in gear first and look at the overview!