Remove the word donk from your vocabulary

[Mr_Oog]

The word donk is holding me back. I think it is also holding many of you back. The reason is that it is much too simple to consider our opponents unthinking donks and ignoring their play. This is of course a mistake.

There is no such thing as an unthinking donk. Your opponent may not think correctly, but she is thinking something. It is imperative to discover what this is. Whether your opponent thinks “I know you are bluffing” or your opponent thinks “There is a straight possible and you must have it” your opponent is thinking something. Saying your opponent is an unthinking donk is simply a crutch allowing you to continue to not understand your opponent. Do not allow yourself to continue to do this.

I used to have a very hard time putting my opponent on a range of hands. I would think “She is a donk and could literally have any two cards.” I was wrong. Each opponent likes slightly different cards. Some opponents love any connected cards, some any suited, some any hand with a King or Ace. Learn this about your opponents.

Now, I can’t tell you how to do this, as I am only learning myself. But the first step is clearly to no longer allow you the luxury of simply calling them a donk and not trying.

-Mike

P.S. I am sure this is obvious/boring to many. However I am quite certain there are many who are being held back by this.

Disclaimer: As with anything I could be wrong. I accept any and all criticism. I currently play the 50's on Party and a few MTT's.

It sounds like you think donks are women (you say "she" a lot). Are you of the opinion that women are bad players?

[downtown]

[ QUOTE ]
It sounds like you think donks are women (you say "she" a lot). Are you of the opinion that women are bad players?

[/ QUOTE ]

I saw in another one of your posts that you said English wasn't your first language. Occasionally in the U.S. writers will write "she" instead of "he or she" in order to simplify.

[Mr_Oog]

I started out saying he but decided to use she instead. A gender neutral pronoun would be ideal as I do not know the gender of my opponents online.
-Mike

<edited due to likelihood of language barrier>

[downtown]

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LMAO, you are kidding right? I started out saying he but decided to use she instead. A gender neutral pronoun would be ideal as I do not know the gender of my opponents online.
-Mike

[/ QUOTE ]

I think he mentioned English is his second language somewhere else.

[bennies]

I agree donks or whatever we call them usually think something. However, trying to figure out what it is can sometimes be such a confusing task that we are simply better off not trying.

For me, when I think of the average online opponent on the levels I've played at so far (60$ and lower) I think of two common mistakes.
A) someone who overestimates his cards,
B) someone who plays the bubble badly.

OK, I understand. I have great sensitivity to these pronouns. I wanted the guy to know that men can also be the bad players.

[DarrenX]

good post- I know I'm guilty of classifying players as 'donks'. A simple but good point.

[Mr_Oog]

[ QUOTE ]
I agree donks or whatever we call them usually think something. However, trying to figure out what it is can sometimes be such a confusing task that we are simply better off not trying.

For me, when I think of the average online opponent on the levels I've played at so far (60$ and lower) I think of two common mistakes.
A) someone who overestimates his cards,
B) someone who plays the bubble badly.

[/ QUOTE ]

Common mistakes are well and good, but I strongly disagree with the statement that we are better off not trying. How can the best solution be to not try to understand our opponents?

I do agree with your list of general tendencies, but I think learning specific tendencies is a much more worthwhile task.
-Mike

[Mr_Oog]

[ QUOTE ]
good post- I know I'm guilty of classifying players as 'donks'. A simple but good point.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thank you. This is certainly not earth shattering stuff, but I think it has value.

[downtown]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I agree donks or whatever we call them usually think something. However, trying to figure out what it is can sometimes be such a confusing task that we are simply better off not trying.

For me, when I think of the average online opponent on the levels I've played at so far (60$ and lower) I think of two common mistakes.
A) someone who overestimates his cards,
B) someone who plays the bubble badly.

[/ QUOTE ]

Common mistakes are well and good, but I strongly disagree with the statement that we are better off not trying. How can the best solution be to not try to understand our opponents?

I do agree with your list of general tendencies, but I think learning specific tendencies is a much more worthwhile task.
-Mike

[/ QUOTE ]

I think a difference is what you are trying to accomplish with your game. Take for example two situations, one in which you think of all your opponents as donks, and one in where you try to reason out all your opponents moves.

In situation one, you can play more straightforward and play more tables. Sure, if you play the 55s or around there like you or I do, you are going to lose a few points off of your ROI, but now you can play 4, 8 or 10 tables and make much more $/hr. Of course, there are no absolutes, you can in fact still take notes on good players or very specific tendencies you've noticed.

In situation two maybe you can increase your ROI long term up to 10%, but you can't multitable. It's also very difficult to reason why donks do the things they do... I would rather multitable and try to pick out obvious reads.

My opinion is that it's not worth trying to make really specific reads in SNGs, at least at the 55s, where I play. Your sacrificing too much effort for too little gain - just play more tables instead.

[skipperbob]

Insight is Rare!...Thank You...Regards, SFB

[Mr_Oog]

[ QUOTE ]

I think a difference is what you are trying to accomplish with your game. Take for example two situations, one in which you think of all your opponents as donks, and one in where you try to reason out all your opponents moves.

In situation one, you can play more straightforward and play more tables. Sure, if you play the 55s or around there like you or I do, you are going to lose a few points off of your ROI, but now you can play 4, 8 or 10 tables and make much more $/hr. Of course, there are no absolutes, you can in fact still take notes on good players or very specific tendencies you've noticed.

In situation two maybe you can increase your ROI long term up to 10%, but you can't multitable. It's also very difficult to reason why donks do the things they do... I would rather multitable and try to pick out obvious reads.

My opinion is that it's not worth trying to make really specific reads in SNGs, at least at the 55s, where I play. Your sacrificing too much effort for too little gain - just play more tables instead.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is a valid point. I certainly cannot get strong reads on players while 8 tabling. I do find that the more I practice this the better I get at it however. I find I can now three table while getting much stronger reads on my opponents.

Also, I do not play for a living. I play for fun and extra cash and can therefore sacrifice some $/hour for the long term benefit of my game. I feel my game will be better served by improving my reading ability than by improving my ability to 10 table. But this is a choice and I can find no fault in the opposite decision.
-Mike