The Importance of Style, and All Subjects Zen (Long)

[NiceCatch]

I've come to an important conclusion based on my poker playing experience from the last couple of months in particular. Important for me anyways, and I thought I'd share my thoughts on the forum.

I've come to realize that NL is a game without form, with ebbs and flows, organic in nature. This is true for limit, to a much lesser extent, as limit is ruled by the set size of the bet. NL is whatever you want it to be, and to a reasonable extent you can influence the nature of an NL game, given some amount of skill. (Of course you can unintentionally influence the flow of the game, however this is not your goal, I would hope.) Given this knowledge, it is obvious that many different styles can be used in NL, to work with the flow, within the flow, against the flow of the game.

There are some that would say one style is superior to others, and some that would say every style has its strengths. And here we come to the crux of my post (finally and thankfully): is there a superior style? If so, what is this superior style? And what is the superior style for you to use? What style should you play to maximize your profits, to make you the best possible poker player?

I'll come back to the first question. I don't believe there is one superior style. There is, however, a superior style for each individual person, an attitude at the table that is in tune with one's own state of mind and fundamental beliefs. Some naturally tend towards LAG; some towards TAG; and some would rather peddle the nuts at a card table than go out on a Saturday night (you know who you are... >>ahem<< creed). I am conviced that there is a most natural style for everyone, and to go against that style is to engrave an invitation for bad karma to visit you.

During the last several months I have tried several different styles at the table, from TAG to tight-weak to LAG. I even peddled the nuts for a while >>shudder<<. Yet whenever I played too tight, I would eventually hit a point where I would get bored, I would crave action, and I would f*ck myself with foolish play. This point would usually come after a few days, and if I was really good, it would take a over week before I reached it. But it was inevitable. The reason for this, of course, is because my personality refused to allow me to boil NL down to the mindless time-passer that it can profitably be. I rejected this method of play, though it took me until recently to realize this. Many of these styles were WRONG for me, period.

Unfortunately, I found a LAG style to be expensive at times, and riddled with variance. Reducing variance is very important to me. And even with my LAG style, I felt like I was still just playing cards. I was a victim of the vagaries of fate, of foul river cards, and of runs of the usual ugliness that one faces when one looks down at his hole pair. I was still not in control. I was still not at one with the game. And then an evolution occured. My style evolved into that of the adaptive LAG.

NL poker is about timing. It is about being at one with the ebb and flow of the game, about picking your spots, about observing tendencies and exploiting them. Many times the variables of gameplay at a table, collectively known as table conditions, simply are not conducive to a LAG style of play. The players observe your style, and can pick it apart just as you try to do the same. It is sometimes necessary to sit through fifty, one-hundred, one-thousand hands even without a single preflop raise. It is sometimes necessary to peddle the nuts. It is sometimes necessary to be weak and tight. Conversely, it is sometimes correct to raise twenty straight hands preflop. It is important to understand where you, and to a much lesser degree your hand, belong in the whole scheme of things. Comprehending and exploiting the table conditions, regardless of the number of players, and understanding when to thrust and when to parry, are critical.

This understanding, combined with the adaptation of the fundamental style that fits one best, is what I believe to be the true keys to being a successful poker player. Since I adapted this style, I believe I have maximized my profits. I have often controlled tables that were ready to be controlled. My enjoyment of the game of poker has grown. And I have never even come close to tilting. I believe tilt is due in large part to an irrational feeling of loss of control, a feeling that no matter what you do, you will lose. One fights to regain control, thrashing about like one who does not know how to swim would upon suddenly being dropped in the deep end of a swimming pool. This is a feeling that has not visited me since I adapted my true style. I certainly have not played flawless poker, however technique is something that one can acquire; it is the mindset that is difficult to change.

And so I close with this: endeavor to understand the flow of the game, and where you belong in this flow, and your bankroll shall prosper.

[dankhank]

nice post, abstract enough to be cool and grounded enough to be useful.

[freemoney]

no offense, well i guess offense but that was the gayest thing i ever read, you contradict yourself a whole lot and it was just a copycat post of other peoples. YOU PLAY A GAME ON THE COMPUTER WHERE YOU GET 2 CARDS, 5 CARDS COME OUT, YOU CLICK A COLORED BUTTON TO EITHER STOP PLAYING THE HAND, KEEP PLAYING, OR ADD EVEN MORE MONEY, SHUTUP WITH ZEN AND EBBS AND FLOWS go watch oprah

[kagame]

ooooooohhhhhhhmmmmmmmm

[vapourtrail]

"laughing out loud"

i thought the original post was awesome

but i thought this reply was funny as hell

[esbesb]

Great post.

What you say is very true. It is something that holds true session to session and hand to hand. And it's one reason I've learned not to get too caught up in all these damn posts. Because trying to play a certain style or make a certain move just because you've read about it can totally backfire unless it's in context with the game. Its about incorporating knowledge and then using it (or not)creatively and under the right conditions.

[warlockjd]

[ QUOTE ]
no offense, well i guess offense but that was the gayest thing i ever read, you contradict yourself a whole lot and it was just a copycat post of other peoples. YOU PLAY A GAME ON THE COMPUTER WHERE YOU GET 2 CARDS, 5 CARDS COME OUT, YOU CLICK A COLORED BUTTON TO EITHER STOP PLAYING THE HAND, KEEP PLAYING, OR ADD EVEN MORE MONEY, SHUTUP WITH ZEN AND EBBS AND FLOWS go watch oprah

[/ QUOTE ]


Jer-RY Jer-RY Jer-RY!!

[cero_z]

Hi NiceCatch,

[ QUOTE ]
I've come to an important conclusion ...
and your bankroll shall prosper.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sounds like you're running good. I, on the other hand, am not, so I am inclined to say Bah.

Seriously, I can see that you worked hard on this, and I know I'm in a negative mindset right now, but I believe you will look back on your post above some day soon and shudder (and I on mine, perhaps).

[cero_z]

Hi freemoney,

[ QUOTE ]
YOU PLAY A GAME ON THE COMPUTER WHERE YOU GET 2 CARDS, 5 CARDS COME OUT, YOU CLICK A COLORED BUTTON TO EITHER STOP PLAYING THE HAND, KEEP PLAYING, OR ADD EVEN MORE MONEY, SHUTUP WITH ZEN AND EBBS AND FLOWS go watch oprah

[/ QUOTE ]

Some of us don't play on computer, for the most part. For us, the game is more like NC described. One thing is for sure, though: my computer hates me.

[RYL]

[ QUOTE ]
I've come to an important conclusion based on my poker playing experience from the last couple of months in particular. Important for me anyways, and I thought I'd share my thoughts on the forum.

I've come to realize that NL is a game without form, with ebbs and flows, organic in nature. This is true for limit, to a much lesser extent, as limit is ruled by the set size of the bet. NL is whatever you want it to be, and to a reasonable extent you can influence the nature of an NL game, given some amount of skill. (Of course you can unintentionally influence the flow of the game, however this is not your goal, I would hope.) Given this knowledge, it is obvious that many different styles can be used in NL, to work with the flow, within the flow, against the flow of the game.

There are some that would say one style is superior to others, and some that would say every style has its strengths. And here we come to the crux of my post (finally and thankfully): is there a superior style? If so, what is this superior style? And what is the superior style for you to use? What style should you play to maximize your profits, to make you the best possible poker player?

I'll come back to the first question. I don't believe there is one superior style. There is, however, a superior style for each individual person, an attitude at the table that is in tune with one's own state of mind and fundamental beliefs. Some naturally tend towards LAG; some towards TAG; and some would rather peddle the nuts at a card table than go out on a Saturday night (you know who you are... >>ahem<< creed). I am conviced that there is a most natural style for everyone, and to go against that style is to engrave an invitation for bad karma to visit you.

During the last several months I have tried several different styles at the table, from TAG to tight-weak to LAG. I even peddled the nuts for a while >>shudder<<. Yet whenever I played too tight, I would eventually hit a point where I would get bored, I would crave action, and I would f*ck myself with foolish play. This point would usually come after a few days, and if I was really good, it would take a over week before I reached it. But it was inevitable. The reason for this, of course, is because my personality refused to allow me to boil NL down to the mindless time-passer that it can profitably be. I rejected this method of play, though it took me until recently to realize this. Many of these styles were WRONG for me, period.

Unfortunately, I found a LAG style to be expensive at times, and riddled with variance. Reducing variance is very important to me. And even with my LAG style, I felt like I was still just playing cards. I was a victim of the vagaries of fate, of foul river cards, and of runs of the usual ugliness that one faces when one looks down at his hole pair. I was still not in control. I was still not at one with the game. And then an evolution occured. My style evolved into that of the adaptive LAG.

NL poker is about timing. It is about being at one with the ebb and flow of the game, about picking your spots, about observing tendencies and exploiting them. Many times the variables of gameplay at a table, collectively known as table conditions, simply are not conducive to a LAG style of play. The players observe your style, and can pick it apart just as you try to do the same. It is sometimes necessary to sit through fifty, one-hundred, one-thousand hands even without a single preflop raise. It is sometimes necessary to peddle the nuts. It is sometimes necessary to be weak and tight. Conversely, it is sometimes correct to raise twenty straight hands preflop. It is important to understand where you, and to a much lesser degree your hand, belong in the whole scheme of things. Comprehending and exploiting the table conditions, regardless of the number of players, and understanding when to thrust and when to parry, are critical.

This understanding, combined with the adaptation of the fundamental style that fits one best, is what I believe to be the true keys to being a successful poker player. Since I adapted this style, I believe I have maximized my profits. I have often controlled tables that were ready to be controlled. My enjoyment of the game of poker has grown. And I have never even come close to tilting. I believe tilt is due in large part to an irrational feeling of loss of control, a feeling that no matter what you do, you will lose. One fights to regain control, thrashing about like one who does not know how to swim would upon suddenly being dropped in the deep end of a swimming pool. This is a feeling that has not visited me since I adapted my true style. I certainly have not played flawless poker, however technique is something that one can acquire; it is the mindset that is difficult to change.

And so I close with this: endeavor to understand the flow of the game, and where you belong in this flow, and your bankroll shall prosper.

[/ QUOTE ]

Wow. [img]/images/graemlins/ooo.gif[/img] Awesome post. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] I got goosebumps reading it. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]