// ATM Field Guide
Every poker table is an ecosystem.
Sharks hunt. Whales create action. Turtles tank. Parrots talk.
And somewhere at the table, a Howler Monkey is demanding an investigation.
You've played with them. You may even be one of them.
Meet the species.
Says very little. Notices everything. Your chips are already in danger.
Quiet, patient and always watching. The Shark doesn't need to dominate the conversation. He's too busy figuring out who at the table is about to donate a stack.
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Came to play pots. Preferably all of them.
The Whale didn't come to the poker room to fold. Big pots, questionable calls and spectacular swings are all part of the experience. Wherever the Whale swims, the action tends to follow.
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Every pot he wins is skill. Every pot he loses requires an investigation.
Loud, emotional and permanently one bad beat away from launching a full investigation. The Howler Monkey believes every pot he wins is skill, while every pot he loses requires an explanation.
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Four minutes. Seven-deuce. Still thinking.
Time moves differently for the Tanking Turtle. Every decision deserves deep reflection, even when everyone else at the table figured out the answer three minutes ago.
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You played the hand. Now you're going to hear about it for 20 minutes.
The hand may be over, but the story has just begun. The Parrot will replay every bet, every card and every thought process for anyone within hearing distance, whether they asked or not.
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Never misses an opportunity to explain how well he played.
Winning the pot is nice. Making sure everyone understands how brilliantly it was won is better. The Peacock doesn't just play poker. He provides his own highlight reel.
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Protects every chip like winter is coming.
The Chipmunk didn't build that stack just to risk it. Every chip is carefully collected, counted and protected from the dangerous creatures trying to put it into the middle.
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Friendly conversation. Quietly figuring out everyone at the table.
Friendly, relaxed and always interested in conversation. The Fox seems to be making small talk, but somewhere between your job, your poker experience and that hand you just described, he's learning how you think.
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Still remembers the bad beat you gave him three years ago.
The Elephant never forgets. Especially poker hands. That questionable call you made three years ago may be ancient history to you, but somewhere inside the Elephant's memory, the investigation remains open.
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