Most players learn poker’s explicit rules pretty quickly: the “one-chip rule,” for example, or “verbal declarations are binding.” But not everyone seems to have digested the game’s vast book of unwritten rules, admonitions like “don’t berate other players (particularly bad ones)” or “say ‘nice hand’ even if you mean something entirely different.”

Enter “The Rules Guy.” TRG believes that civility and sportsmanship are never wrong, and that bad behavior (even if you’re simply looking to get an edge) is bad for the game.

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Dear The foundations Guy:

No doubt you saw probably the most more exciting episodes of ESPN’s coverage of the primary event where William Kassouf talks Stacy Matuson right into a fold. Did he deserve a penalty?

- I Don’t Just Watch Poker; I Watch Poker on ESPN

Dear IDJWPIWPOE:

You know the way you get this inner smile while you river the nuts, and the action goes bet, raise, and reraise before it gets back to you? When TRG saw this hand on ESPN with William Kassouf and an understandably tilted Stacy Matuson, he got an analogous frisson of anticipatory excitement. That is etiquette in action! Etiquette with consequences! Etiquette played out on national television! TRG is mystified as to why Lon and Norm didn’t bring him in for some expert commentary.

To set the stage (with help from Card Player’s own Erik Fast, who wrote concerning the hand and the ESPN coverage on Sept. 19): It’s day five of the principle event, and the stakes are monumental. ESPN picks up the action at an outer table where Kassouf has moved in at the river with the board showing 532810. Kassouf has nine high; Matuson, holding pocket queens, has the most productive hand.

This is rarely a very easy call. And Kassouf does everything in his power to make it impossible to name. He's coffee-housing big time. He’s British, and apparently around the pond table talk or coffee-housing is known as “speech play.”

He talks in regards to the size of the pot. He tells her that “I want you to name 100 percent.” Then he switches gears. “You don’t need to bust out with the entire camera crew watching now…This might be embarrassing.” After which he’s in faux-geniality mode. “It’s a friendly table. Should you show, I’ll show.”

Kassouf sells the hell out of his bluff. But let’s be honest: Kassouf is annoying. The dealer is annoyed (to the purpose that he rebukes Kassouf for talking concerning the size of the pot, which isn't a contravention of the principles). Matuson is annoyed (to the purpose that she appeals for his hand to be killed, which on this scenario could never happen.) And the ground men across the table (TRG counted three) are annoyed – since the incessant chatter. Speech play is, well, annoying.

But being annoying isn't a contravention of the foundations (as much as some extent; we will get to that.) As Kassouf has revealed in interviews, speech play is a key a part of his strategy, correctly. Social engineering in all its forms is a key a part of poker, live poker specifically. Kassouf isn't colluding and never harassing Matuson in any egregious way, like belittling her play or attacking her character or making fun of her. He's simply seeking to talk her right into a fold, that's in fact the one way he can win the hand. (He has nine high!)

There’s a predictable logic to Kassouf’s banter. He's turning Mike “The Mad Genius” Caro’s classic notion about poker behavior and tells (“strong means weak, and weak means strong”) on its head. By acting exceptionally strong, he hopes that Matuson will transcend the “obvious” conclusion that he’s weak and browse his behavior as a double bluff. It was brilliant. Easy to look through on reflection (or whilst you can see the outlet cards); not in the least easy to look through these days. And, it is going to be said again, perfectly inside the rules.

To Kassouf, selling his bluff was such an overriding priority that he kept talking even after Jack Effel, the WSOP tournament director, told him to close up: “You will receive a penalty if another word comes from your mouth.”

Here’s a professional tip for all you reside tournament players: If a TD tells you to be quiet, STFU. But Kassouf couldn't contain his communicative nature; he actually mimed, together with his hands, several times, that if she folded and showed, he would do the similar. Effel needed to admonish him to not make another gesture.

To TRG, Kassouf did cross a horny substantial line when he went against the TD’s directives – and that alone merited a penalty. (Effel was well within his rights and responsibilities handy one down.) Essentially the most applicable rule this is “Etiquette Violations” (Rule 116 of the WSOP Rules), which cites “excessive chatter…that causes a disruption of participants who're in a hand.” When The principles Guy watches the hand, there’s absolute confidence that Kassouf’s chatter was excessive and that it caused a disruption – particularly when Matuson called time. At that point, etiquette demands that Kassouf shut up and provides her the peace to make her decision. This hand might also be an excellent candidate for a tournament rule: When time is called, table talk should cease. But despite the fact that it’s not an explicit rule, every player should abide by it. It's essential be in Matuson’s seat someday, and you’ll appreciate the quiet minute-plus to ponder your action.

And Kassouf really compounded his sin after Matuson folded her queens face-up and he turned over his nine high with a phrase which will undoubtedly be heard in card rooms all over the world for future years: “Nine high like a boss… big heart of a lion.” Have to be the British equivalent of “that’s what I’m talking about.”

“Like a boss” is also trending on social media, but Kassouf’s comments when he showed his bluff were out of line. It was fine, even strategic, to turn. But he seemed so filled with himself that his comments came off as self-congratulatory and on your face; highly disrespectful to Matuson. He taunted her, not a punishable offense unless there’s a pattern of it, but there’s no good reason to rub salt in that individual wound.

TRG doesn’t particularly admire Kassouf’s demeanor – and would actually dislike being at his table – but Kassouf played this hand with great skill. He sold his bluff and won a large pot. But he did antagonize players (reasonable, is fairly) and floor people (potentially a colossal error in judgment for his future tournament life; he's going to be on every floor person’s radar.) Ultimately Kassouf did extremely well, finishing in 17th place ($338,288) and Matuson busted soon after this hand in 169th place ($42,285).

Kassouf went out of his way, in the course of the hand and in interviews, to show that “I am just seeking to be friendly.” Nobody need to be fooled. A friendly player should not have thrown his bluff into Matuson’s face. Kassouf isn't seeking to be friendly. He's seeking to win pots and go deep – as each people tries to do in our own ways.

Everyone knows that poker is a game of incomplete information, but it’s also a game of misinformation and disinformation. Kassouf is sweet at these skills, but his efforts shouldn't be mistaken for geniality and friendliness. They're calculated and manipulative – and, as people say from time to time, “that’s poker.” ´

What’s wrong? What’s right? What’s an angle? Got a matter about the best way to behave on the poker table (or a comment a couple of column)? Email TRG at editor@cardplayer.com.

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