How much do you stick to the preflop guide?

[shermn27]

In my first 10,000 hands - exactly to a T, no deviations.

Since then, I make all sorts of plays depending on who is in pot, my position, and how big the pot is. It's always great when you get into a pot with a really bad player.

There is a friend of mine who I am teaching to win, b/c he already knows how to play; I give him the preflop guide and tell him not to deviate. 300+ hands later he comes complaining that he isn't winning. (I sort of guessed this anyway b/c of his poor post-flop play but was trying to build his bankroll with rakebake and forcing him to learn preflop play). So I make him download PT and look at his stats. Sure enough, it doesn't even look like his postflop play is a big problem, but he doesn't even have the discipline to use the chart for every decision! VIPI of 33+! Ugh. Of course I scold and tell him not to deviate anymore. Some people just can't do this - too much gamble in'em.