General HE forum required reading

[detruncate]

[ QUOTE ]
From the thread, a line from a Noted Poker Authority:

[ QUOTE ]
You don't raise enough before the flop. 7.7% is not enough. Your PFR should be at least in the double digits.

[/ QUOTE ]

From the Micro FAQ, and another noted poker authority, albeit an uncapitalized one:

[ QUOTE ]
PFR: preflop raise (%). The typical range is 7-10. A few posters exceed 10, but many posters begin their first 10K hands at or below 7.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't want to start a stats post, obviously, because we have one of those going, but does the FAQ need to be revised? Why the discrepancy? Do noobies start low and then build it up? Because I'm not much higher than 7.7%, and I always figured that I was in a reasonable range, if a little tight. And now Ed Miller, by proxy, is telling me otherwise.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ed also talks about starting with the training wheels on. Start by pushing the more obvious edges since that's going to make the biggest difference in your game while you're starting out and allow you to avoid difficult marginal situations post flop (most beginners are still learning standard lines and how to play hands in which they have a decent edge at this stage). Later as your post flop play improves and you begin to evaluate starting card strength situationally your pfr % will almost certainly increase all on its own.

Some people are more naturally aggressive than others, and it's been argued that playing too loose/aggressive is a good way to learn how to deal with difficult situations while the lessons are cheap. I think people will get more out of starting slowly and working their way up, but I can understand the other point of view.