If you could start over again...

[ChuckyB]

What percentage of your "poker time" would you spend:
1) Playing (online or b&m)
2) Studying
3) Analyzing your own play

I'm still in the beginning stages of my poker life. My ratio is about 70/25/5. I feel like I should add in more reading and certainly analyzing my own play.

[jumister5889]

It should be 65/20/15
EDIT: well in the beginning it should be more like 70/25/5 but soon you have to start analyzing your own play and pefecting it.

[John Bedtelyon]

It's real easy to analyze your play and even study while playing online. Just be careful your eyes don't burn out.

JMB

[johnc]

[ QUOTE ]
It's real easy to analyze your play and even study while playing online. Just be careful your eyes don't burn out.

JMB

[/ QUOTE ]

Reminds me of those bozos at the B&Ms who read "Card Player" or the newspaper in between hands. They look up once in a while to see if the actions around to them - completely oblivious, of course. Total -EV move, IMO.

[diebitter]

I think playing + studying often coincide. Hand reading's a perfect example.

[ChuckyB]

I would absolutely agree. I meant more in the way of reading books, 2+2 and running simulations.

[AaronBrown]

If the idea is to become a good poker player fast, I wouldn't do a lot of playing. Like most people, I played a lot before I did any reading or serious analysis. I had some good people to teach me, but without that playing is likely to teach you bad habits.

I'd start by reading and playing simulators. For books, I'd concentrate on theory (The Theory of Poker, for example) rather than detailed playing instructions or psychology. You get the playing instructions better by computer simulator, and the psychology can wait until you get the cardplay and betting down pat. You can get 100,000 hands worth of experience in a few months of dedicated study. Of course, you miss the emotion and psychology, but that can be an advantage early on. You'll learn the odds, and know the common situations so well they're second nature. You'll have the advantage of complete analysis and perfect record-keeping.

It's a little weird to think of someone doing that, studying for months before playing a hand for real money, but it's probably smart. On the other hand, if that appeals to you, you may not have the heart of a poker player. You might be better off spending the time studying accounting or computer programming. So, realistically, you should mix in some play. I recommend bricks-and-mortar (disregard this advice if it is illegal in your area) in a professional (casino) setting. This will teach you much more than on-line or home poker with friends.

Analysis is very important, but it shouldn't take more than 5% of your time. I know there are people who replay every hand and analyze all possible combinations of it using computer software. Maybe that helps them, but you get most of the benefit of analysis by checking simple statistics on play (percentage of hands played to what stage, won by fold, won by showdown, lost by showdown; average money won and lost in each case) and reanalyzing mistakes and close calls. Some people spend all their analysis gloating over their good plays, that's not likely to lead to improvement.

[johnc]

Study, albeit a very important foundation of any solid poker player, must be reinforced in real life experiences - at the table. I equate this to recieving a degree in a chosen profeesion - let's say a graduate degree in business. Almost every reputable university combine diadactic work (study, lecture, research, ect.) with real life projects such as small entreprenure ventures that extend beyond the classroom. Any professor worth his salt will have both academic qualifications as well as real life, professional experience. There's a very good reason for this: you cannot grow in a bubble. That's how one ultimately applies their knowledge to real life.
Relating this to poker can be done so thus: Study, apply what you learn at the table to reinforce what you studied, study your play, study some more, play, study, play some more, well you get the idea. The experience gained at the table with real people with real money cannot be obtained without actually getting your feet wet. Babtism by fire if you will. Wells that's my 2 cents, for what ever it's worth.