Egotistical Arseholes.

One of the reasons I don't play so much live poker is because the atmosphere can often be intimidating or downright unpleasant. Poker attracts a variety of people from the super-nice to the socially retarded (mostly the latter) and I've always wondered if the reason Internet poker is so popular is that you don't have to sit opposite the rude, hygienically challenged tossers that you so often find in card rooms around the globe.
One of my biggest peeves though, has to be playing with professionals who like to lord it over the newbies and lesser players at the table, that they feel are beneath them. I've seen plenty of pro's and/or experienced players who like to rub down lesser players for no reason but to feed their ego's and also try and gain a little more edge.
The good thing, however, is that playing these "poker arseholes" can often be fun and very profitable because their arsehole mentality can easily be exploited by you to great effect - as long as you know how to push their buttons.
To give you an example I'll tell you about one guy who makes a point of letting everyone know he's a "pro" at a local casino I frequent quite often.
This guy is the perfect example of the type of player I have described above. Now, like most people, I don't like arseholes - especially ones who are useless at poker but let their mouths run and run. We're playing a weekly tourney at my local casino and I make a verbal point of picking holes in his play for a while, while still keeping some class about me, but then a situation came up that I couldn't ignore - or resist.
After a period of around 45 minutes from when I had been moved to his table, during which time I'd had a bit of a card rush and had been opening around 30-40% of pots, and the "arsehole" had hardly played a hand. A situation came up where it was folded around to the two of us in the blinds, where I decided to limp from the small blind on his big blind. Obviously he was going to raise, I knew it, he probably knew what he was going to do too, (if I limped). So the blinds were 600/1200 and I was right, he raises to 4k.
I sat and think for a bit then declare "all in". He folds instantly and I show him my 10,4 suited...... "Good fold" I say. As expected this put him on tilt and around fifteen hands later he decides to shove on me with 10,8 after I opened another pot when I happened to be holding KK.
Playing WITHOUT ego is something that the "poker arsehole" really struggles with, and it's this flaw that can be used to your advantage. The following week I was unlucky enough to be sat next to this guy again at the same casino. I knew his ego wouldn't let him forget what had happened the previous week. Sure enough, after playing for around two hours I picked up AQ suited and decided to raise. Without much thought this arsehole quickly re raised to more than half his stack. Knowing that he was probably trying to make a play back at me after what had gone on seven days previous, it was an easy decision for me to push "all in". After a long pause where I could see he was thinking about folding, his facial expressions told me he just couldn't let the hand go. After much gurning and heavy sighing he eventually called and flipped over....... A7. Oooooops! Another buy in gone.
This is a classic example of an ego call and in a tournament you just can't afford to play like that.
Now like so many other poker players, I've been accused of having an inflated ego and it's probably true. When I'm running well I almost always feel I'm the best player at the table, playing the best poker.. and its probably the best feeling you can have while playing. In my opinion you have to have a bit of an ego to be successful in this game, the trick is not to let your ego turn you into a "poker arsehole" too. In the long run this will most likely have a negative effect on your bankroll. So next time you meet an "arsehole" I hope you remember this story and take advantage. There's simply no finer feeling than busting out someone who thinks they are untouchable.

Cow.