A Rose By Any Other Name

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” - William Shakespeare

Poker is a game of imperfect information, and the more information you have, the better off you are. What (if anything) can be learned from someone’s screen name?

Well, sometimes you can learn a little about them, and sometimes you can’t. In tournament play, where you change tables often, name analysis can sometimes provide clues about your opponents. It’s no substitute for watching them play, but can give you a slight edge when you first meet a new player and haven’t had the time to see them in many hands.

Let’s take my name as a warm up. SunPowerGuru. Hmmmmm

If you guessed that I’m an engineer with an interest in alternative energy, you would be right. But what does that mean?

Engineers are problem solvers with analytical mindsets. You should expect them to be pretty good at understanding where they stand in a given hand. Engineers are a bridge between the theoretical world and the nut and bolts world of everyday reality. Some people have trouble bringing theoretical concepts into their game, engineers do this kind of stuff for a living. Engineering is mathematically intensive. You should expect us to understand the mathematics behind the game.

Get the idea?

OK, let’s look at a few other name types and what they might mean;

Military or Law Enforcement names. If you see someone with “Vet,” or “Cop” or “USMC,” or the like in their name, don’t expect them to be timid. Don’t think you will scare them off a hand, they don’t back down that easily. Military guys also like to set ambushes.

Names with “Shark” or “Pro” or “Hustler” in the name usually aren’t. With “Pro” names, this only applies to poker related variations. For example, BagPipePro is probably just good at bagpipes, and probably a little hard of hearing… no help there. Remember, in poker, strong means weak.

On the other hand, you might want to give names like “FluffyTurtle,” or “CuddlyBunny” a little more respect. They are trying to look weak, and in poker, weakness often means strength.

I could go on, but I think you get the drift. Name analysis won’t win you any tournaments, but it can sometimes give you some idea of how your opponents approach the game, and some information is better than no information. Plus, it’s fun to do and helps pass the time between hands. Give it a try and let me know what you think. :slight_smile:

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Lol I always look at players names and agree the ones who use the names pro , shark or hustler are usually pretty bad and easy to read.

Hmm, I wonder what my username is telling people…

I would guess you play tight(ish) aggressive poker and rarely bluff.

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I always expected with a name like SunPowerGuru that you were esoteric and not easily defined. Only played on a table you were in a couple of times, so I’m going to stand pat with my view.

I am esoteric and not easily defined. You were correct!

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So glad I went with 1Warlock instead of BigShlongBillionaire :smile_cat:

I really do apologize if that offends anyone. Sometimes my sense of humor wanders a bit.

I find many players aptly named as “insane this or that,” “suicidal maniac” etc. Of course, being a fictional character myself, I suppose that means I lie (bluff by another name) a lot.

Alan25main,

I would guess your name indicates that you are a serious student of the game, and that you have a creative side that often finds expression at the table. This combination would make you a fairly unpredictable and dangerous opponent.

yea you aren’t far off:)

A post was merged into an existing topic: CONTEST - A rose by any other name

3 posts were merged into an existing topic: CONTEST - A rose by any other name

Nice to hear! But this isn’t the contest thread, that one is here…

Contest - A Rose By Any Other Name

A post was merged into an existing topic: CONTEST - A rose by any other name

I shall change my name to Away From Table