Players With a Mean Streak

Many people gain satisfaction from causing pain to others, a mild form of sadism. This is certainly different from the sexual version of this trait as diagnosed by the DSM IV or even the fetish lifestyle that people sometimes incorporate into their private lives.

I am actually talking about a strange manifestation of social dominance that occurs when playing poker. Dominance tends to occur in many competitive events, and poker is no different. These players try to display dominance in some of the subtle things they do in a game.

People will participate in poker games for smaller stakes, because the game gives them something that they need, not necessarily for the money. The pursuit of this pleasure motivates many of their actions. For some, this need is the pain that they can inflict upon other people.

I categorize these tendencies into three basic types of "sadists":

1. People who revel in the victory of a hand.
2. People who enjoy humiliating or making a fool of another player.
3. People who surprise their opponents with strength (an exaggerated effort to trap or slow roll).

basic types of sadists

the offending player

destroy a gambling frame