What makes a game a GOOD game??

[stickman]

In your opinion, what makes a game a good game? Obviously a game you can beat. I am looking for a little more depth (i.e. contributing factors to making it beatable).

[cferejohn]

Hmm. Bad players? Too vague again? I suppose it begs the question "how do you spot bad players?". OK then, let's call it "The 7 habits of very ineffective hold-em players" (course, now I'm obligated to come up with 7. Let's see if I can:

1. Calling too much pre-flop. The most obvious one, and the most easily correctable by reading a book, memorizing a table, and sticking to it. Still, if you routinely see 5+ players on the flop, its pretty good odds at least a couple people are playing too loose (you can pick out specific ones when you see showdowns).

2. Cold-calling raises. To me, this is the big red flag. Players who often cold call raises, especially single pre-flop raises, have a huge hole in their game. Less true about players cold-calling when many players are already in.

3. Overcalling with a mediocre hand and no draw. Comes up a lot in loose-passive games (where you are probably seeing number 1 too). People calling 2nd pair after a bet and several calls. This is only correct if the pot is big enough to give them odds to get trips, which is rare, at least.

4. Chasing a draw without odds (or close to odds). Also chasing with draws that are a long way from the nuts (i.e. a small flush w/several other callers). This comes up less often, so it won't necessarily be instantly apperant. Combine with number 2 to get "cold-calling 2 bets when chasing", which is nearly always a bad idea (although raising can of course be legitimate in some situations).

Hmm, that's 4. There are plenty of other bad things folks can do, of course, but I'm looking for things you can pick up quickly and say "hey, that guy r teh suq! w00t!".

Note that all of these mistakes are on the passive side of the coin. Its pretty hard to quickly spot a player who is too tight, since you rarely get to see their cards, and generally, passive players are worth more than over-tight ones anyway, especially in low limits. It should be noted (and I'm sure everyone on this site and his brother can give you a story) that games that are passive like this can have huge-ass swings, especially if 1 or 2 aggressive players (i.e. you) are added to the mix.

Does that help? Or hurt? Or make you feel kind of funny, like when you used to climb the rope in gym class?

[brad]

'People calling 2nd pair after a bet and several calls. This is only correct if the pot is big enough to give them odds to get trips'

that cant be right

[Warren Whitmore]

Assumming you know all the players look for the largest percentage of calling stations ie a game with people calling to the river but very few raises.
If you don't know the players it depends of the game. Holdem for example the fastest tip off is to watch a few raises if the next person after the raise calls cold its a good game.

[andyfox]

A lot of calling. The two biggest mistakes in poker, IMO, are calling when one should fold and calling when one should raise. My favorite players are those who limp, call, call, fold.

[J.R.]

Opponents who straight bluff check-raise the river and cap the ensuing three-bet.

[Tommy Angelo]

What makes a game a good game?

Good people.

And limpers don't hurt.

[SoBeDude]

I think what makes a game "Good" varies by person and playing style.

For example, some players like a tight table where there aggressive style and bluffs are effective. That style against passive calling station types can be a disaster.

Others like a bunch of calling stations where they can build big pots and play for big hands.

I find games with many loose players very profitable, but I'm patient, play cards that can make big hands and can handle the swings in my bankroll. I'm tring to learn to adjust to a tight table as well.

Your question is important for you to answer yourself. You must find the "type" of game that is good for you. Then exploit it when you find it. Then continue to work on adjusting your style of play to beat the other types of games as well.

As most books will tell you, you need to adjust your play to the game at hand, or don't play.

Last Sunday, I watched a Vegas high-roller who plays pot-limit drop $700 in about an hour and a half on a very loose 10-20 table, complaining how he can't beat the game. He couldn't adjust.

Good luck!

-Scott

[J.A.Sucker]

I haven't read the other posts, but basically it boils down to the following - you want players who are:

1. Playing too many hands early (loose)

2. Folding too many hands late (weak)

3. Failing to apply pressure to opponents

The best game would also have no rake, but such is life.

[KSU78]

A good game to me is one that I can dominate. The goofy stuff stops when I enter the pot and I am in control of the betting. It is akin to Doyle Brunson's destroying a game but it is virtually impossible to destroy a limit game.

[758219]

You can beat any game by adjusting to how your opponents play, even the "tough" games if they don't ajust to you; e.g. I sometimes play higher where everyone and his friend is betting loose; in those games one just calls with average or so hands, checks and call, and only bets the good hands, that get regularly position raised, so you win more money; easy as long as they don't know you or adjust. Against those weak-tight-loose players (whose style I use against the "good" players) who bet only the goods and call (from medium strength or better, except the pain hands like weak top pairs, second pairs or strong middle pairs that they might raise with)if you semi-bluff. So, the correct strategy is to either check-fold (weak hands) or bet for value or good hands, depending how loose they call. So, what makes the game good, is your ability take advantage of how your opponents play; then most games are good.

[cferejohn]

Hmm. That was poorly said on my part. I left out (but was thinking) that they didn't have any draws or an overcard (i.e. they have T9 and they call a bet to a board of A94). Sorry, that was very unclear. My point stands about watching for overcallers on mediocre hands/no (or poor) draws.

[SittingBull]

[ACPlayer]

I like games where I am the most likely to do the raising on any street. Loose-passive.

I also like games where semi-bluff's/bluff's are likely to succeed. Weak tight.

I avoid games where pots are big because tough players are making pots big with tactical raises.

I avoid loose wild games where people are re-raising with anything on any street (specially when there are more that 2-3 such players) -- go back to point 1.