"You have the right to remain silent"

Poker players will never be confused with layed back types. Many poker players tend to be very egocentric and incapable of socializing with others very well. That does not mean that they are not successful people but it does mean that people that play poker tend to have extreme tempers and do not control them well. Yes, there are the John Juand's and Hoyt Corkins types but they are few and far between.

I played in a tournament yesterday and once again a player would have easily won his hand in a critical pot midway through the tournament had his ego been put in check and he kept his mouth shut. Instead after getting over half his stack in the middle on the river he began a long diatribe about how he was holding Aces and that he was not going to fold. After about one second of thinking his opponent in the pot called and raked in a huge pot. Again, proving what I have said many times over the years that talking at the table while you are involved in a hand is a lose situation for most people.

True, there are exceptions to this rule and Phil Hellmuth and Dan Negreanu immediately come to mind but we are not them. Many poker players tend to imitate what they see on TV which is not necessarily what is best for their game. So the next time you get involved in a big pot and your opponent starts talking and probing for information you might want to remain silent and rake the pot instead of talking and losing it.