How are you going to deal with tougher games in the future?

Why is it that a lot of people seem to believe that poker is going to end in the near future? IMO, it is only going to get bigger and bigger, especially when we consider that Asia has yet to enter the internet scene but will shortly as their standard of living continues to dramatically increase. Billions and billions of players are coming. Get ready to take their yuan, yen or rupees! (As the US dollar is tanking, you'll want those currencies anyways).

Individual casino's will come and go, but gambling lives forever. It's as much a part of the human existence as are sexuality and drugs. I don't believe that poker is going to go anywhere soon. No way, it's too much fun and too accessible.

Also, I don't get this notion that just because there are poker books means that the players are going to be so much better. If everyone is reading the same books, then it just means the weaker players will be playing exactly the same game. (BTW, the weaker players never get the books, they just want a formula for certain hands so they know what to do.) Does anyone here think televised WSOP or WPT increases a player's skill? "Me watch lots o' TV poker and me read lots o' books, but me no get better." This is the story of every poker player who does not take the game seriously and work at it. (Prodigies like Stu Ungar excluded, maybe.)

So, IMHO, I don't see the poker doomsayers as having any validity in their prognostications.

I just hope they donk zergling rush my chips

[solucky]

Poker will be bigger, but all here in germany dont play poker for fun they all start poker because they want MONEY! It will dry out. I dont need the Poker $$$ and spend them so far into the stockmarket, if it works 3-4 years more i make more with the stocks than with poker. And sure i only play poker as long i get money, if not i leave.

[brick]

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And sure i only play poker as long i get money, if not i leave.

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it's pretty darn addicting and it's tough to know when you're not making money anymore. that's one of the big challenges. at least for me.

[krishanleong]

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How will you handle it if the games get so tough that you no longer have an edge?


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Move down.

Krishan

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it's pretty darn addicting and it's tough to know when you're not making money anymore. that's one of the big challenges. at least for me.

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Hey, like I said in my earlier post, there's nothing wrong with busting out and reevaluating.

I think hedging your bets is best if you believe that leaving all your eggs in the online basket worries you (assuming you are playing mainly online). The great thing about poker is that there's so much variety. If LHE becomes drier try out other games and/or betting structures.

If you're actually addicted to gambling, then that may be a problem that goes beyond the "goodness" of the games. I'm not a trained psychologist, but I believe that the basic definition of an addicted individual is that he will continue a behavior regardless of the consequences. Would you not stop playing even if only expert robots were playing poker online? Of course, if you mean "addictive" in the loose, fun sense, they yeah, it's understandable. Then it's time to find another fun home money-making hobby or play live. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[bernie]

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Be patient and only sit in games that are better than average?

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The average game will still be easily beatable at most limits.

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Limit the amount of poker you play?


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Irrelevant.

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The poker boom is slowing, the number of new players and gambling types is now dwarfed by the number of players who are trying to play well.

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I doubt this. Most don't even know what playing well is if it were right in front of them. It's a step above a pit game to most of them. Personally, I'm not sure it's even peaked yet. Definitely not on the live scene. I think the tide will start turning a bit when the n/l games start going away. Just like they did before.

You're giving way too much credit that people are actually really working on their games, much less that they'll retain or or keep applying what they learn after their first real bad streak. Nothing stopped the average mope from learning it before. It takes alot of work to develop and practice the unnatural ability of playing winning poker. Schoonmaker goes into this a bit in his book.

b

[DCWildcat]

I hate to say it, but there have been a lot of poorly reasoned thoughts in response to a good initial post.

The games aren't getting tougher
Yes, they are. Party's stock plummeted because the number of new people signing up is decreasing rapidly. Horrible players are going broke too quickly to be replaced. The ones smart enough not to go broke are getting better. Post that they're the same/easier than before in a high stakes forum and watch people laugh with a twinge of resignation.

You'll still beat the games

This is just kind of dumb. A bigger edge is better, no? Earning 2BB/100 is better in a soft game than 1BB/100 in a tougher one.


I don't think the perception change is that big of an issue.

[brick]

Hey B,
thanks for the response. Looking forward to meeting you at the muck someday.

My experience over here is that the tables tend to have more young players who are trying to play well, they've read a book, and they think poker is a game of skill.

Four years ago when I started at Kenmore lanes the crowd was a mix of young and older players. Most hands were 6 ways for 1 bet. Or maybe you add a few wild ones to the mix and it's 6 ways for 4 bets. Books, pot odds and were never mentioned. Standard table talk was "suck and re-suck". Or "no nine at kenmore".

Now when I visit to chow down a Triple Turkey I find that most of the players are under 30 and most think poker is all "skill over the long term". Most pots are 3-4 ways for 2 bets. People love saying "did I have odds?" or "what's the right play?".

Of course the games are still pretty "good" but I don't like the trend.

[brick]

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I doubt that live play won't be profitable since people that want tend to want gamble-it-up more in a live environment and have fun. That's what most people do at casinos.

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You're right about that. And it only takes a maniac and a round of beers to get everyone all reved up.

My take is that the average game will not be as good. Find a maniac and the problem is solved.