Specialize in one game or learn all?

[MikeR]

If you decide to invest x amount of hours each day playing poker and trying to profit would it be best to stick to one game or learn several games in case you find a softer table that's not hold em?

[william deangelis]

You should be able to find a soft holdem tables without really looking. However, Omaha players say that the tables are extremely soft. The average fish probably knows even less about Omaha than Holdem. I think as you progress knowing all games helps to be able to pick the most EV+ tournie/cash game.

[AncientPC]

I'd specialize in HE then branch out.

From what I've heard, Omaha money dries up towards mid-limit.

[Mike Gallo]

Work on becoming an expert poker player, not a specialist. You should strive to learn poker theory.

Welcome aboard.

[Pov]

[ QUOTE ]
Work on becoming an expert poker player, not a specialist. You should strive to learn poker theory.

Welcome aboard.

[/ QUOTE ]

[bholdr]

I personally started with NLHE, then decided that there was more $$$ in LHE. so, i concentrated like crazy on that for a while, then, i took a month and learned how to win at O/8, then a month at stud, then i found stud/8, which has become by far my best game and the game i play most often and win the most at. i am currently trying to become a better LHE player. I also took week-long breaks from LHE when i felt that i wasn't playing LHE well and learned PLO, PLO/8, Draw, Razz, etc...

so what does that tell you? nothing, really, except, go where you are comfortable, play all the games, but focus on one or two, IMHO. also, the poster that said to study theroy has a good point.

from a profitaility standpoint, the consensus is that LHE is the most profitable game, but it depends on the player, availability of the games, tolerance for risk and variance, investment capital, tourneys vs cash games, willingness and ability to multitable, etc, etc, etc...

[AKQJ10]

I'm gradually trying to work in other games. I started learning LHE, then O8 after 3 months or so, now I'm working on 7-stud with the occasional NLHE ring game or tournament. Every once in a while for a change of pace I'll play a play money game in razz, A-5 triple draw, five stud, or something equally esoteric.

But it must be said, I'm trying to maximize my EV which depends on my enjoyment. My enjoyment of poker is closely related with the goal of getting the money, but they're not one in the same. I dabble in marginal games because I enjoy them, not because they're lucrative, although I think the better game choice will matter more as I move up in limits.

As for Omaha, the thing is so many people think it's just like holdem, that AAxx is a monster, that top pair on the flop is a good hand, etc. I haven't played the Foxwoods 5/10 but I'm told it's extremely loose; I guess that doesn't really qualify as "mid-limit" but I believe it's the highest limit of exclusively O8 they spread, although they have a bunch of bigger mixed games.

[Derek in NYC]

I am a limit player, but one of my resolutions this year is to start playing (and beating) baby NL. The games are simply too soft to pass up, given the popularity of televised poker.

[Cooker]

I think it is a good idea to be a solid player in several games. Often you will find that even though you know more about limit Holdem than you do about limit Omaha/8 the Omaha/8 game is where you should be. This is because you are relatively better than the other Omaha/8 players than you are the Holdem players. I find low limit Omaha/8 to be very easy to beat almost every sitting. I don't win nearly as consistently at low limit Holdem even though I am a solid winner at the low limits (4.6 BB/100 over the last 12K hands) and feel like I know much more about Holdem.

[AKQJ10]

Bingo, same here.