integrating the psychological edge

[college kid]

I have been playing poker now for just about one year, give or take. I started last year when we got our dorm game going. I was very fortunate that me and about four other guys were really serious about learning to play better, and by the end of the semester, having picked up all the books and also really thinking about the game and practicing with our $10 NL buy in game (we're there to learn, although the bank has had over $300 many times!), we were all dramatically improving. Each of us can go to the strip and really take the 3/6 and 4/8 for some decent money, although I still haven't picked up the new SSH, which I will do soon. Although I haven't played in the Sam's Town low buy-in tourneys, most of my buddies have, and half of them have placed and made a few hundred, and of those, three won it. And I mean the first try, not going to it every week and getting lucky once or twice--we don't have the money for that, we're in college! I however have seen one player, the best of us all, consistantly take home like 5 or 6 times more than me or any of the other decent players and after watching him I finally realized the big reason why is his psychological edge. He is very good at reading the strength of everybody at the table and he can buy pots without cards--he knows when to do it and how to do it right. He can win showdowns by betting the end when he knows others didn't hit, and his most powerful weapon, the almighty semi-bluff. He is not at all into the books or math and he really doesn't know in terms of EV why his betting is right, he just has a good sense of what to do and he has a lot of natural talent. I have been able to play a winning game at our dorm game and at low limits online and on the strip by playing against newbies who just have no clue. He can win by playing them and then also outplaying the better players. So my question is how can I go about adapting a psychological edge like that? I can read people to an extent--based on the play of the hand and sometimes facial expressions and just knowing the tendancies of the people I play with, but I have not been able to pick up the ability to play at the level of the other guy. I haven't picked up that massive edge he has. And I really want to! I see him take so much more money from semi-bluffs and steals and here I am relying for the most part on the cards. Granted I just came to this realization recently, and I will do my best--maybe this time I'll raise with my flush draw and see what happens--I will try some tactics and see what works and try my best to integrate that kind of edge into my game, but before I do I would just like to ask advice of everybody. Were you like me at one point and if so, how did you incorporate the psychological edge? Maybe I am just too scared, maybe I jsut need to keep playing and have my game develope. But I truly believe I know the mechanics of the hands and how to deal with specific situations, and I have called all-ins with ace jack becuse I knew from previous play that the guy would do that with no kicker. I am good at all the stuff except really pushing the players--in essense, what the people with the natural talent always talk about--play the people, not the cards. So how should I go about learning to do that? For now, I am going to jsut be aware that I want to do that and try being more tricky than I have when I think I can get away with it and try semi-bluffing more and well--just see what happens. But any advice on how to go about this in a better fashion is much appreciated. Thanks!

[Neil Stevens]

I guess you don't have to know what a paragraph is to get into college anymore.

[BarronVangorToth]

[ QUOTE ]
I guess you don't have to know what a paragraph is to get into college anymore.

[/ QUOTE ]


Serves me right for not replying when this first went up - I'll merely mention that the Return-key is your friend. And he likes being hit.

Barron Vangor Toth
www.BarronVangorToth.com

[Dov]

Check out 'Killer Poker' by John Vorhaus.

If you are ready for it, you'll understand it. It's not a beginner's book, though.

[Al Schoonmaker]

Some of that edge is innate and unteachable. I am fairly confident he just has a natural gift.
If you don't have that gift, you have to study. That's what my book, "The Psychology of Poker," is all about. It is not for people like your friend; he doesn't need it.
You do.
Regards,
Al

[LokiV]

Al,

Based on my life experience I have always been extremely good at 'reading' people (more than just poker, kids) and I still found your book extremely interesting. I guess I didn't pick up needed tips on how to read hands or people any better but as far as understanding my own motives and how I'd fallen into my TAG style without ever studying was thought provoking.

You write often in the book that it 'isn't for people with these natural talents' but is the only value of your book in your opinion to teach non-people readers how to do so?

If so, I disagree and think you're selling your product a bit short. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Al Schoonmaker]

Thank you for the kind words, and I admit that I may be selling my book a bit short.

I come from the academic tradition, and it is regarded as bad form to push oneself. I'd rather be seen as a bit self-effacing than as one who promotes himself too much.

Regards,

Al

[steamboatin]

I'll tell'm Doc. You book rocks.

[Al Schoonmaker]

tyvm
Al

[Mike Gallo]

Dr Al,

Ironically I do not own your book.