Why they are Pros, and we are not

[zuluking]

I don't know what forum this would be appropriate, so I'll put it here......

A friend of mine, a tourney/big cash game pro who now lives in Vegas, came home for a month to rest/re-charge before the various WSOP events that he plans on entering.

Of course after 10 days home, he got the itch and called me up to go play some 4-8 "for fun".

We got to the Casino at 4 and got seated at the same table opposite of each other. For 1 1/2 hours, he played it "by the book". At around 5:30 I happened to look up at him, and he had this $hit-eatin' grin on his face. He mouthed the words, "Watch out", and proceeded to rape the table for the next 4 hours. He called every bluff, folded to the monsters, put people on tilt several times, and won a mere $832 at a 4-8 game! Hell, he beat me twice for big pots! I won my usual $200+, but watching him was like magic. It would be like watching Barry Bonds playing against a high school team.

On the drive home, he explained that once he had his reads down, it was pretty easy beating the table. I noted that even at low limits, he played every pot like it was a 100/200 game. He said that no matter what the stakes, a win is a win to him, that he always played that way from the first day he ever played the game.

It was cool to watch, and one hell of a poker lesson. Just thought I'd share.

[bernie]

Sounds like he also caught some hands. Which always helps in the image of winning.

When you see him on an off night, then youll see how he really is.

b

[Mikey]

Bernie you do have a point there.

[jdl22]

Would Barry get to use an aluminum bat? That would be something.

[NaobisDad]

Sounds to me like this guy was capable of breaking that table into tiny little pieces. Really cool, man.

[zuluking]

Yea, he was catching some good hands. But what amazed me, was that he knew exactly when these guys were bluffing, semi-bluffing, or had the goods.

[NaobisDad]

That's what I qualify as good play and is what I'm stryphing for. You're lucky to have a friend like that, someone to learn from first hand.

[Steve Giufre]

I think people have a misconception about limit poker. A good player, like your friend will only maximize his wins and minimize his losses. To win 800 in a 4-8 was because he got a huge run of cards, not because he knew when he was getting bluffed. (Althuogh I'm sure it didnt) I've seen great, probably world class players go on runs where they lose five or six sessions in a row, even when they are much better than the competition. When the cards run dry for someone in a session they are going to lose, and when they run hot, most all players are going to win, it's just a matter of how much.

[NaobisDad]

I think the emphasis on the ammount profit is indeed misplaced.
I think it's the fact that this guy analyzed the table, and announced he accomplished that, and starter to play accordingly that makes this post good to me. It was a completely rational thing.

The ammount of the win doesn't matter to me. It's makes for a better story than saying: my friend played great poker, he ended up losing his entire stack!

But I do stryphe for a day when I will have such accurate reads on my opponents as a rule rather than an exception.

[limon]

people always come to watch me or play in one of my home games and depending upon my results that session they either think im the best poker player in the world or just another gambler. i think this is what separates pros from losers. when i watch a player for the first time i dont even note his results when gauging his skill. in one home game i play a very strong player has lost 10 sessions in a row, (since we only play once a week it seems like forever since hes won) to a man everyone is convinced he's playing poorly or was never that good, lucky for me i think he's starting to beleive it too.