There is nothing wrong with hitting and running by taking your profits without giving your opponent a chance to win his money back.
Some poker players have this notion that it's wrong to quickly leave after relieving someone of their money. But there is no rule against it, nor is it expected that you have an obligation to give anyone a chance to beat you.
These whiners who complain when you hit and run them claim it's bad etiquette to take their money and run. And they may even have a point: it is a little bit rude to defeat someone and get out of town without a word.
But poker isn't about being polite. Poker is about winning money.
On the other hand, I don't like it either when someone beats me and leaves before I have a chance to try to get even. Against many opponents, I will extend the courtesy of playing for a few minutes after stacking them.
However, I'll lock in the win given the slightest reason: if my opponent is an asshole in chat, if he's playing a high-variance style at higher stakes or if I feel he's at least as skilled as me.
The only reason I would feel committed to playing anyone is if we agree ahead of time to play for at least a certain length (this usually happens in heads-up matches). Otherwise, I may leave you hanging at a moment's notice.
See ya, sucker.
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3 comments:
Here's the hand that inspired this post. Villain called me a bum for hit-and-running him, even though this hand happened after a full ring game broke and I didn't want to play him for long deep HU:
Full Tilt Poker, $5/$10 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 2 Players
LeggoPoker.com Hand History Converter
SB: $1,715
Hero (BB): $2,358.50
Pre-Flop: 8d Td dealt to Hero (BB)
SB raises to $30, Hero raises to $120, SB calls $90
Flop: ($240) 4h Th 4d (2 Players)
Hero bets $160, SB raises to $425, Hero calls $265
Turn: ($1,090) 7s (2 Players)
Hero checks, SB bets $1,170 and is All-In, Hero calls $1,170
River: ($3,430) 9s (2 Players - 1 is All-In)
Results: $3,430 Pot ($0.50 Rake)
SB showed 5h 3h (a pair of Fours) and LOST (-$1,715 NET)
Hero showed 8d Td (two pair, Tens and Fours) and WON $3,429.50 (+$1,714.50 NET)
If it's a private game, I feel you should commit to playing for a reasonable minimum length of time (say, four hours) or until you bust out. But in public games, online or otherwise, screw 'em if they don't like it.
Usually I'm more than happy to see the big stack leave the table. I figure either that player is better than I am, or he's cheating, or he's Micky Megavariance and I have close to a 100% chance of losing my stack if I keep getting it all in with him.
I have posted about this topic also and I whole heartedly concur.
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