A $1,825 pot in a $1/$2 game got more attention this weekend than a $20 million heads-up match did. That tells you something about poker, and probably more about the internet.
Here’s what happened on The Lodge poker live stream. During a $1/$2 “friendly” game, Abby “abbypoker” Merk jams A♦️5♦️ for $821 as a 4-bet bluff. Susan, a friend of Abby’s, tanks with 6♠️6♥️ and asks Abby if she wants the action. Abby says “not really”. Susan opts to call, wins the pot, and Abby is clearly unhappy with Susan asking the question and using the answer to make the call. Abby then only buys in for the minimum $60 and doesn’t want to keep playing.
The poker community piled on, berating Abby and supporting Susan. Last time I checked, the clip is close to 2 million views, a significant amount more than the biggest televised heads-up match in poker history between Patrik Antonius and Ossi “Monarch” Ketola.
Taking into account both sides
Susan did nothing wrong. It is an ordinary part of the game, known as table talk, to ask questions and converse to get information. She wasn’t rude or insulting, she didn’t angle or break any rule, and she had a hand she was entitled to call with. You do not owe anybody a fold just because they’re being friendly.
Abby’s perspective was more nuanced and human than the community berated her for. The poker community can get alarmingly toxic and mob-like, without taking pause. Abby struck up a friendship with Susan, and felt like the game was social and Susan was indicating a fold by asking a question. She wasn’t, that’s clear to us, but it wasn’t to Abby. When Abby answered the question, it was a big blunder because she gave away a piece of information she had no need to give, regardless of how friendly or low-stakes your game is.
That’s the whole lesson, really.
Friendly poker is fine. Just stay disciplined
Some of us are lucky to play with people we like. Home games, the same local cardroom, the same faces in the weekly MTT, or the weekend cash game action. That’s a huge part of what makes poker great, and it should be protected.
But the money is real, it’s the other side of why poker is amazing, and the core of what generates that rush and adrenaline whenever you play. The second the chips pile in the middle, your friendship pauses. Your buddy is allowed to hero call you. Your newfound friend is allowed to goad you for information on the river. It’s not a betrayal or an angle, it’s just part of the game.
What you control at the table is everything. Be chatty, have fun, buy the rounds. But when someone prods you for information, jokingly asks if you made that flush or improved to trips, remain absolutely stoic. There’s no shrug needed, nor a laugh or a smile. Silence is the right approach unless you are an elite live player.
Treating every hand of poker like it matters is the core of being a solid poker player. Every hand is an opportunity to win chips or learn lessons. You can still have fun doing it, but you do not need to throw away a spot because it’s your friend or the stakes are small.
I feel for Abby, not because of the hand but because of the subsequent pile on. It’s a good lesson for all to be kinder, to be more thoughtful, but also to remain disciplined and focused in poker, because everyone else is most likely taking the same approach against you.
