Sunday, May 21, 2006
The more I play and the more I think about my game, the more I realize that there is only 1 question that matters, "how much is my opponent's hand worth to him/her?". That's it, that's all. All your analysis at the table, all the math in the world, all your knowledge about how to play a specific hand from a specific position as recommend by 7 different pros, it's all useless until you answer that one question. Just answer that question and get it right more often than not and you'll be a winning player.
Once you've learned the basics of the game and gotten lots of experience under your belt, you will know when you are likely ahead and when you are likely behind. You will know your "outs", your "pot odds", the "EV" of a given play. So, if you can determine how much your opponent values his/her hand, then the game becomes simple. When you want a call bet less than the value your opponent places on his/her hand. When you want a fold, bet more. If you're opponent's hand is worth more to him/her than your entire stack and you want to induce a fold, well you won't be successful, therefore YOU should fold. That's all there is to it.
So, from now on that's what I want to become an expert at. It's not easy, but with more time and practice, I think I'll get there. And then, watch out!
Once you've learned the basics of the game and gotten lots of experience under your belt, you will know when you are likely ahead and when you are likely behind. You will know your "outs", your "pot odds", the "EV" of a given play. So, if you can determine how much your opponent values his/her hand, then the game becomes simple. When you want a call bet less than the value your opponent places on his/her hand. When you want a fold, bet more. If you're opponent's hand is worth more to him/her than your entire stack and you want to induce a fold, well you won't be successful, therefore YOU should fold. That's all there is to it.
So, from now on that's what I want to become an expert at. It's not easy, but with more time and practice, I think I'll get there. And then, watch out!
posted by Bill Sparks at 2:04 PM
Hey Sparks...definitly an angle I've always been working on. I find many variables end up coming into play. I find that I tend to judge my opponent as if he or she were at the same skill level as myself. For instance...."what would I do in their situation" seems to come into my train of thought more often than "how much does my opponent value their hand".
Another aspect falls back to
[quote"Marc Karam"]"Never try to do your opponents thinking for them" in the manner of inducing folds or raises with pot evaluating bets (not in the way of a pot value bet...I mean putting them in the position of having to value their hand over the pot...you are evaluating the pot for them). I kind of lost myself on that last one but I am sure you are able to get to the jist of it.
Finally...when I am finally able to overcome those insatiable habitual tendancies the old "what good is it to have a read on your opponent if they do not know why they just did what they did in the first place" ends up coming into play!
Ahhh....such is life...
We flop ourselves into this game...We turn ourselves a bankroll...and in the end...we all end up in the river.
Great Post...Keep em' coming.
Shawn
pokerpoker.ca
Post a Comment
<< Home