Seven reasons not to be a “know-it-all” at the table

I love watching people. Other human beings are fascinating. Even when I'm in a museum or a zoo, a place I've visited to see the only non-human things on display, I usually spend a good deal of my time people-watching by looking at informational signs.

One of the consistent interactions between people you see in these places is this: one member of the couple is looking at the animal on display, while the other is reading the informational sign. The one reading the sign will learn some interesting fact – and the first reaction is to want to share it.

“Hey honey, it says here that snow leopards are predominantly white because the cold weather freezes the DNA that is responsible for pigmentation!” (note: this is not a fact. I made it up.)

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I think we all have an urge to teach others what we know. It’s deeply ingrained in the characteristics that make us such social animals. The need to teach what we know is what has allowed us to evolve as a species. We don’t have to figure out from scratch how to make fire, grow wheat, or drive a car. One of our fellow humans will teach us, just as he or she was taught before.

This impulse manifests itself at the poker table as well as in other situations. I'll sketch out a scene and you can think about how you would react to it.

Player A raises. Player B looks at his cards and calls. The flop comes. Player A bets. Player B looks at his cards again, sighs, and folds. Then he says, clearly frustrated, “When you have a pair you should flop a set about once in three times, on average, but I’ve been playing for ten hours today and I haven’t hit it yet.”

Now, if you're experienced enough to read strategy tips, you probably already know that the true probability of hitting a set on the flop is about 12%, or about 1/8 of the time, as opposed to the three times that poor Player B is thinking the poker gods owe him. Would you tell him?

That's certainly tempting, isn't it? Part of it is probably ego – you get a little personal satisfaction from knowing the correct answer when someone else doesn't. But part of it is also a simple, universal, commendable desire to share our hard-earned knowledge.

So, do you do it? I hope not!

As a general rule, the poker table is a terrible place to teach someone about poker. This is especially true if that person is a stranger to you, as will usually be the case. Let’s list the reasons why it’s usually a bad idea to give unsolicited poker advice or information:

1. No one likes to be told he or she is wrong.
2. You could start a pointless argument that will ruin everyone's mood.
3. If you teach people to play better, they will probably play better, which costs you money.
4. You may be labeled as a “know-it-all,” which is not a popular trait in most social groups.
5. You mark yourself as someone who knows more about poker than others. There may be newbies at the table who had no idea that it was even possible to calculate probabilities. As a result, they may leave the game, feeling intimidated, or avoid playing hands specifically against you because they now realize they are at a disadvantage.
6. If Player B believes in you, he will realize that he is not as unlucky as he thought. People usually play worse when they are feeling unlucky, so you can improve your attitude and performance.
7. Your commentary gives other players more information about what you know about poker and your experience. This is something that is best left to them to discover for themselves because it is information that makes it easier for them to guess how you play and therefore beat you.

It is worth noting that some teachings are perfectly acceptable.

Despite this long list of possible bad consequences, there are many things that are perfectly acceptable to teach other players. This is especially true when you recognize that someone is playing for the first time. There is a long list of tips that, if you notice they are unsure about, are not on the list above.

As well as some examples that beginner players don't understand, it's acceptable to explain how blinds and straddles work, how to behave at table changes, where the breakout room is, and the mechanics of how it works when you don't have the exact amount of chips to bet or call a bet.

More generally, all help is acceptable. In fact, in most cases the person you help will be grateful to you, and you will feel great about helping someone who is inexperienced. These things don't reveal anything about you, just that you have played at least once or twice before, and they don't teach you anything that will make it harder to win their money.

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But tips on strategy, poker facts, how to play in a given situation and the like – that’s all over the line. Not because the rules allow such discussions, but simply because it’s a bad idea for all the reasons mentioned above.

If you ever become a poker coach, great – people can pay you to reveal everything you know. But you still do it away from the table, not while a game is taking place.

If a situation like the one I’ve described arises, resist the urge to correct the problem. Pay attention and see if anyone else succumbs to the temptation to be the teacher. If they do, it tells you something important about them – that they haven’t yet progressed in their poker wisdom enough to know when to keep quiet.

Article adapted and translated from the original: Seven Reasons Not to Be the Table's Poker Know-It-All