Book Learning Vs. School of Hard Knocks

[Mikey]

David and Mason have written great books on the game of Hold'em. They are filled with great ideas on the game and they are filled with sound advice. I LOVE IT for two reasons.

One reason is that it will encourage more and more people to play the game. Hell, I'm one of those that bought Hold'em Poker by David Sklansky, then as the days went on and I became more and more serious about the game I began purchasing more and more books. I am still purchasing more books and have an extensive library which will only get bigger.

Secondly instinct players aren't developing like they used to because more and more players are taking the mathematical approach. Don't get me wrong just because you are a math player doesn't mean you can't win, you definitley can but what I am saying is that you can win more with instinct and lose less with instinct if you are BOTH a "math player" and "instinct player" This greatly increases your edge.

But looking back at when I didn't have a book in my hand and was playing 7 card stud and Texas Hold'em before the idea of a book being out there was brought to my attention I was playing the hard way. I had no idea of the odds and things like that, I didn't know that AKs was a big holding. I would think that any pair was HUGE in Texas Hold'em. I didn't think that you need to flop a set in order to increase your chances to win I would find myself chasing to the river to improve to 3 of kind.

But as time went on and I was playing these games, I developed an instinctive nature to the game. I would begin to "feel" when someone has a good hand and knew when to get away, I would know when to fold a full house in 7 stud because a larger one was out there. I got this from watching the players and developing the "feel" for the game.


How do you feel players differ from Book Learning Vs. School of Hard Knocks?

[Chris Villalobos]

Take any skilled game player be it intellectual or physical, and you find the best players have both learned by having coaches and lots of playing experience.

[Sitting Bull]

a school of "hard knocks" for years without knowing how to play properly.
This is Y LeroyJones mentioned the necessity of "being coached properly and obtaining experience".
Coaching will put U on the correct path and experience will develop your instinct.
Sitting Bull

There are two opposing advice regarding experience and reading that are worth heeding and acting upon:
"There is no substitute for experience."
"Fools learn from experience. Better to save time and money by learning from the experience of others - by reading their books."
The goal should be to make the correct concepts one reads about in well-written books to be part of one's intuitions and gut feel in the heat of battle - where they should be nearly automatic.

[Dave in Cali]

To be a true winner, you must follow the proper mathematical approaches to common situations. You simply can't chase two outers to the river and expect to be a winner, no matter how much experience you might have. On the other hand, experience is crucial to becoming a consistent winner, particularly as the stakes go up. Hard knocks are the only real way to truly be a winner at the game. But only if you are already following a sound mathematical approach.

Dave in Cali