changing gears

I've been thinking a lot about changing gears and how to go about doing it. It is an aspect I'm thinking I need to introduce to my game, I'm too predictable I think. Although sometimes I feel like I change gears in how the cards fall. Often it seems I'll get some cards and play several hands in a twenty minute span and then not play another hand for an hour. So I question how important is is to consciously change gears.On the otherhand, I've seen players consciously change gears and it can be very effective.Exactly how do you change gears and when? For intance, if you switch from tight to loose does that mean raising everyhand, or just semi-blufffing a lot. It sounds strange but I've always been a tight player and I don't think i know how to play loose. How often should you switch, once an hour? Comments?


monkeyman

The concept of changing gears is more useful for tournament play. In ring play, I would suggest thinking more in terms of considering your current table image when deciding how to maximize your EV in hands. This may involve bluffing more with a tight image, or playing tighter with a loose/aggressive image.

Here's an answer from someone who is not a great player or anything, but I have had the same thoughts you are having. I noticed that as I learned more about the game I appreciated more subtleties. Thus, more information will go into a particular decision. Two similar hands in terms of the cards contained in them will then be played differently. This will give the appearance of a mix in your play or a "change of gears". But the decision is not based on simply a desire to change your image, but is based on multiple factors, particularly how the game is playing and how the other players are playing. Doyle has spoken about changing gears in no-limit play, so I think the concept gets its share of thought, but I think its easy to take the concept too far. You probably can't run over the limit game you are playing, so why try? Its good to be unpredictable enough that you are not an open book, but a lot of times this can be accomplished without making a lot of "image plays." I have noticed my game is less predictable now, but there's still a lot I can learn. A consequence of learning more will be that I am less predictable than I am now. But if you are a tight player you are starting at the right place.

I change gears constantly, on every time scale. Sometimes within a hand, after, say, reraising the flop and folding the turn. Sometimes within a round, say, after scooping a big pot from the SB with AA and reraising preflop on the button the next hand. Sometimes within a week, sometimes within a month.


I've got a lifetime membership at AAMCO.


Tommy

Tommy....I just gotta tell ya that I just love your posts! I find a profound simplicity and clarity to them that is quite refreshing.....


Keep up the good work.....I'd love to sit at a table with you someday.