Tough Players Nearby

2 December 2023

By Jerry Stickman

From Jennifer:

Hi Stickman!

Long time reader, first time reaching out!

I have been following your articles and am playing video poker more and more so thank you! I would like to get your viewpoint on something that has been bothering me and I am hoping you can help.

Sometimes while I am playing the people around me will start asking me questions which is not as bad as those who smoke and blow the smoke my way or hold their burning cigarette near my machine. I start to get mad and I am afraid that the distraction affects the way I play. Do you have any tips or any help you can give me to deal with this? I enjoy playing video poker and want to continue to play but this really turns me off from those machines sometimes.

Thanks so much!

Jennifer

Hi Jennifer,

Welcome to the club.

It seems there are always people who like to get involved in your game. They either ask you why you held the card or cards you did, or worse, they tell you that what you did was wrong. I generally tell these people – in a nice way, of course – that I enjoy playing alone so I can concentrate on what I am doing. That I appreciate their interest but it is my money, my game, and I will play it the way I choose to play it.

Then there are those, who apparently have never played video poker before, who ask you what you would do with almost every hand they play on the machine next to you. Again, I politely tell them I like to concentrate on my play and cannot do that with their questions. I tell them I am happy they want to learn the game, but I am not a teacher.

Or there are those who have been really enjoying themselves in the casino and feel you should be a part of their enjoyment. These folks can be a little more difficult. I try to be as polite and friendly as possible. I tell them that I can see they have been enjoying themselves, but I am trying to play video poker and would like to concentrate. This works maybe 50 percent of the time.

Finally, there are the smokers who feel it is their sacred right to pollute the air around everyone else. Politely. I ask them to blow their smoke the other way and/or to hold their cigarette in front of them or on the other side. This usually works for a little while, but inevitably they go back to their natural method of holding and blowing.

There are only two ways that I know that will eliminate the distractions and stench.

1. If politely asking them to stop does not work, leave. Go to another machine in an area with few people and hope it lasts. It usually doesn’t.

2. Play during times when the casino is not busy. This is what I try to do. I get up around 2 AM and head down to the casino. My normal time to get up in around 5 AM Eastern time, so in Las Vegas, it is the same time as home. This is usually late enough that the drunks have left and too early for other players to arrive. I play until I no longer want to play or until the place fills up and I am bothered by those around me. Then I leave the casino.

Those are my suggestions. Hopefully, one of them will work for you.

As always, may all your wins be swift and large, and your losses be slow and small.

Jerry “Stickman” is an expert in craps, blackjack and video poker and advantage slot machine play. He is a regular contributor to top gaming magazines. He authored the video poker section of “ Everything Casino Poker: Get the Edge at Video Poker, Texas Hold'em, Omaha Hi-Lo, and Pai Gow Poker!” You can contact Jerry “Stickman” at stickmanjerryg@gmail.com
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