Lori
02-10-2004, 02:21 PM
Rant time again.
Before I start, please note that although this post is apparently inspired by a recent post on this board, the rant is not aimed at being derogatory towards that poster (in fact it is meant to help) nor is that poster the reason for this rant.
The rant was coming anyway, just seeing one more post in that ilk speeded up the process.
I try to treat the SS forum as if I am a guest (mainly because I am new to the area and don't know all the hiding places) so no flaming intended, I do have a naturally abrasive style.
Okay, rant #3 begins ....... NOW!
Time and time again on this board, I read about people making incredibly odd plays that even they would not normally make.
Upon questioning, the response is all too often "xyzplaya said you should".
There are many very good players on this forum and equally many very good posters, their knowledge and writing can only help you, but once again, as with my prior two rants, it will only help you if properly applied.
So, there you are, sat at home, content that all the replies to other posts do roughly what you would have done and you are feeling rather smug with yourself.
Suddenly, you open a new thread, and disaster strikes, a respected poster, who you know can play has made a play that is utterly backwards to what you would have done.
Don't panic, just think to yourself "Today is a good day, for I am about to learn something!"
Now, I'm assuming that the poster refered to is in the 95% or higher range for known accurate information, but the concepts will still help even for the good/very good range.
You have a choice as you sit there saying "Wow, new play!".
You can a) copy the play blindly, it must be right
or b) work out why you were previously wrong, or why this is a special case.
Choosing option 'a' will cost you money in the long term, if you would have chosen that, stand at the back and listen closely.
Option b is the correct route here, and different things work for different people. The plan outlined below is just an example of a method that can be used, but if you don't use any methods, I suggest you try it and see if it suits you.
Learning a new play
My favorite approach is the "Prove them wrong" approach, this is very valuable and I recommend you try it.
Tell yourself that you are going to compose a reply that proves the poster wrong. (Actually posting this is not neccessary if you are not that way inclined)
Get a pen and paper (Always the best for learning) and write down every piece of information in the post.
Now look at where the 'weird' play occurs.
Do not try to understand at this point why the play was made, instead put together an argument for why the play was WRONG.
If you are actually thinking, and not just playing like "xyznotquitesogoodplaya" told you to, this process could take up to an hour.
Now read through the original post again.
At this point, you will start to notice things that are unusual.
Possibly there has been something strange occur previously in the pot, or possibly you hadn't noticed that the flop was more dangerous/less dangerous than you first thought, something will be different though.
Now read the post yet again, and this time, for the first time, try to work out what the poster's reasons were for playing that way.
Now compare the likely outcomes of your play versus the likely outcomes of the play as made.
If you are still convinced your play is better, wait a day or so and look at it again.
By now the original poster will have had replies from people of his own level, and if he has made a genuine mistake, he will have either corrected himself or others will have pointed it out.
If you are still unclear, post yourself and explain what you would have done and why, by this time you will be able to form an argument that the original poster will need to find the hole in for you.
The worst that can happen is that you can learn something, and the best that can happen is that you can learn something AND make the original poster think about his own game too.
Application
The first time that this scenario arises after you have worked out your new trick, DON'T use it!
After the hand, immediately send for the HH and read through it with your standard play, and also apply the new trick.
Look through to see if the situation was genuinely the same, or whether there were subtle differences.
Your curiosity should be fairly intense at this point, and this will aid your learning.
After reading through you will suffer one of three emotions.
1) Anger that you played the hand wrongly.
This is great, you have learned and understood a new play, use it from now on.
2) Disappointment that you were so stupid as to have thought the new play applied.
This is still great, you appear to understand your new play.
You might not be ready to use it in battle yet, repeat previous step.
3) Confusion.
This is still good news, you are aware that you are not ready to use the new play yet, and can spend time on fixing a genuine hole in your game.
Until you understand the new play, DO NOT use it, it is more likely to cost you money in the long run if badly applied than it will make you in the instances you guess correctly.
Rant #3 ends.
Lori
Before I start, please note that although this post is apparently inspired by a recent post on this board, the rant is not aimed at being derogatory towards that poster (in fact it is meant to help) nor is that poster the reason for this rant.
The rant was coming anyway, just seeing one more post in that ilk speeded up the process.
I try to treat the SS forum as if I am a guest (mainly because I am new to the area and don't know all the hiding places) so no flaming intended, I do have a naturally abrasive style.
Okay, rant #3 begins ....... NOW!
Time and time again on this board, I read about people making incredibly odd plays that even they would not normally make.
Upon questioning, the response is all too often "xyzplaya said you should".
There are many very good players on this forum and equally many very good posters, their knowledge and writing can only help you, but once again, as with my prior two rants, it will only help you if properly applied.
So, there you are, sat at home, content that all the replies to other posts do roughly what you would have done and you are feeling rather smug with yourself.
Suddenly, you open a new thread, and disaster strikes, a respected poster, who you know can play has made a play that is utterly backwards to what you would have done.
Don't panic, just think to yourself "Today is a good day, for I am about to learn something!"
Now, I'm assuming that the poster refered to is in the 95% or higher range for known accurate information, but the concepts will still help even for the good/very good range.
You have a choice as you sit there saying "Wow, new play!".
You can a) copy the play blindly, it must be right
or b) work out why you were previously wrong, or why this is a special case.
Choosing option 'a' will cost you money in the long term, if you would have chosen that, stand at the back and listen closely.
Option b is the correct route here, and different things work for different people. The plan outlined below is just an example of a method that can be used, but if you don't use any methods, I suggest you try it and see if it suits you.
Learning a new play
My favorite approach is the "Prove them wrong" approach, this is very valuable and I recommend you try it.
Tell yourself that you are going to compose a reply that proves the poster wrong. (Actually posting this is not neccessary if you are not that way inclined)
Get a pen and paper (Always the best for learning) and write down every piece of information in the post.
Now look at where the 'weird' play occurs.
Do not try to understand at this point why the play was made, instead put together an argument for why the play was WRONG.
If you are actually thinking, and not just playing like "xyznotquitesogoodplaya" told you to, this process could take up to an hour.
Now read through the original post again.
At this point, you will start to notice things that are unusual.
Possibly there has been something strange occur previously in the pot, or possibly you hadn't noticed that the flop was more dangerous/less dangerous than you first thought, something will be different though.
Now read the post yet again, and this time, for the first time, try to work out what the poster's reasons were for playing that way.
Now compare the likely outcomes of your play versus the likely outcomes of the play as made.
If you are still convinced your play is better, wait a day or so and look at it again.
By now the original poster will have had replies from people of his own level, and if he has made a genuine mistake, he will have either corrected himself or others will have pointed it out.
If you are still unclear, post yourself and explain what you would have done and why, by this time you will be able to form an argument that the original poster will need to find the hole in for you.
The worst that can happen is that you can learn something, and the best that can happen is that you can learn something AND make the original poster think about his own game too.
Application
The first time that this scenario arises after you have worked out your new trick, DON'T use it!
After the hand, immediately send for the HH and read through it with your standard play, and also apply the new trick.
Look through to see if the situation was genuinely the same, or whether there were subtle differences.
Your curiosity should be fairly intense at this point, and this will aid your learning.
After reading through you will suffer one of three emotions.
1) Anger that you played the hand wrongly.
This is great, you have learned and understood a new play, use it from now on.
2) Disappointment that you were so stupid as to have thought the new play applied.
This is still great, you appear to understand your new play.
You might not be ready to use it in battle yet, repeat previous step.
3) Confusion.
This is still good news, you are aware that you are not ready to use the new play yet, and can spend time on fixing a genuine hole in your game.
Until you understand the new play, DO NOT use it, it is more likely to cost you money in the long run if badly applied than it will make you in the instances you guess correctly.
Rant #3 ends.
Lori