Pot odds

[nihil]

I've got a very basic question. I'm pretty new to poker, I've got a lot of literature and am reading up.

I understand that one needs to play the pot odds so that they are higher than the odds of making your hand IF you think that hand will win.

Is the importance in this idea that in the long run you will expect positive gains? Namely, if one consistently played bad pot odds, over many many hands one would tend to lose money?

Thanks

[pudley4]

[ QUOTE ]
I've got a very basic question. I'm pretty new to poker, I've got a lot of literature and am reading up.

I understand that one needs to play the pot odds so that they are higher than the odds of making your hand IF you think that hand will win.

Is the importance in this idea that in the long run you will expect positive gains?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes

[ QUOTE ]
Namely, if one consistently played bad pot odds, over many many hands one would tend to lose money?

Thanks

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes (but the "many many" is a lot more hands than you'd expect)

[nihil]

Thanks-

So, playing pot odds does not (necessarily) help in the short run, but it does over many thousands of hands?

[LetsRock]

That's the idea.

It's kind of like giving yourself the same edge the house enjoys in "normal" gambing games (blackjack, slots, craps etc).

[Expunge]

the correct play in "ring games" is always a long run. like any other game of chance the short run (a hand, a session, a week, a month, even a year) can be much different than the true long run.