Best Poker Advice ever?

[ACW]

Two things turned me from a hopeless fish to a winning player, which allowed me to develop my game without it costing anything :

1. In Sklansky's Holdem Poker I read something like "If you need to read this book, don't even think about playing no limit".

2. Play tight.

Later I learnt the third key :

3. Use good bankroll management.

With these three rules, I was able to grow my bankroll while I was learning, rather than the more usual paying to learn.

[McGahee]

[ QUOTE ]


1. In Sklansky's Holdem Poker I read something like "If you need to read this book, don't even think about playing no limit".


[/ QUOTE ]

What does that mean?

[binions]

Once you have sat down to play (i.e., after game selection and the decision of how much to buy in for), there are only 3 things you have complete control over:

1. Your betting (raise, call, check or fold)

2. Your image (loose, aggressive, tight, passive, tilt, etc.)

3. Your observation (mainly what you do when you are not in a hand)

You can't control your cards, your position, the flop, the other guy's cards, the other guy's position.

Through your betting, image and observation, you can attempt to influence the other guy's betting (or folding as it were). Sometimes you are successful, but you cannot "control" the other guy's betting.

That's basically it. Poker isn't a game of cards. It's a game of betting, image and observation.

[ACW]

It means beginners nearly always lose a ton at no limit.
The gulf between good and bad players is huge, and the exploitation time short. Learning the basics at limit is much cheaper. Mistakes are generally less expensive. You can always check-call a big pot fairly cheaply if you're not sure who's ahead. At no limit, you'd better get the big pot decisions right or you'll lose your entire stack quickly.

[ctv1116]

From the HUSH forum:

"When there is a close decision between calling and folding, you should raise."

[A_PLUS]

"what the hell does that have to do with anything?"
-When I gave someone the results of a hand when asking for advice on my play.

"You can't always wait for the pretty ones"
-A Local Legend who was on his way towards winning his 3rd MTT in a row.

[Tom Bayes]

About a year and a half ago, I was heads-up in a multi-table tournament for the first time. Even though I had the chip lead to start, I was too passive and my opponent ran me over and won. I made a post to 2+2 whining about it.

http://tinyurl.com/clnua

A reply to my thread was this great advice that has led to improvement in my finishing ability. Simple and succinct and obvious, but useful. Pretty reliable source, also [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

<font color="blue">If you're not sure what to do, be aggressive.

Later, Greg Raymer (FossilMan)
</font>

[motorholdem]

[ QUOTE ]
just to clarify, i think the worst advice ever given, or at least the worst advice listed in this thread is the terrible cliches such as;

"raise or fold"
"never coldcall"

[/ QUOTE ]

Hi Tstone

Those, and others like it are my pet peeves. I see guys bragging that they have only cold-called 5 times in 20,000 hands or something like that....

I think...well good for you. They must be either folding some playable hands (ones they don't believe they have the skill to play post-flop after a CC) or they must be raising out of position and/or with holdings that might play fine for a cold call. AJs, 99 for example (in certain situations).

There are times when cold-calling is a "good" strategy, as you can disguise your stregnth and you are not forced to lead out with a bet out of position.

I just hate the NEVER do ______ advice. If anything is so obvious that you should NEVER do it, then who needs to be told?

PS. I also wish people would stop tossing around the term "value-bet". And, "raising for information"....I could go on....

PPS. Venting is over...Thanks

[housenuts]

Read TOP

[A_PLUS]

[ QUOTE ]
just to clarify, i think the worst advice ever given, or at least the worst advice listed in this thread is the terrible cliches such as;

"raise or fold"
"never coldcall"

[/ QUOTE ]

I couldnt agree more. Maybe it is better than how they were playing, but not always optimal. In fact, it can be a very unproductive strategy in certain NL cash games. There are many ways to get the money, and on a good amount of occasions, check-calling is the way to do it.