Bradley: First let me say I enjoy reading your entries, they prove interesting and entertaining.
I had to comment on your final summation about not being able to bring yourself to play at the higher levels. I have always considered myself an instinctive player. You are the polar opposite of myself - very analytical, always calculating. My piece of advise to you is concentrate more on the instinctive part of the game. Buy Mike Caro's dvd about "tells" it is VERY good - might seem outdated ad obvious to some, but there is alot of good stuff in there. Pick up some poker psychology books about bluffing. Howard Lederer has one that's ok, Caro's is better. Watch the World Series tournaments, BUT don't watch the cards and the size of the pot, watch the players themselves - watch for how they talk, act, move, sit when they have the hand vs when they don't. To put it simply "Play the player not the cards".
You have the analytical part of the game down, but if you are sure some guy is bluffing and you are not getting the odds to call - call anyway, don't let the bullies push you around because you base your play on odds all the time.
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Analytical vs Instinctive
Date: 2005-03-22 18:18 (UTC)I had to comment on your final summation about not being able to bring yourself to play at the higher levels. I have always considered myself an instinctive player. You are the polar opposite of myself - very analytical, always calculating. My piece of advise to you is concentrate more on the instinctive part of the game. Buy Mike Caro's dvd about "tells" it is VERY good - might seem outdated ad obvious to some, but there is alot of good stuff in there. Pick up some poker psychology books about bluffing. Howard Lederer has one that's ok, Caro's is better. Watch the World Series tournaments, BUT don't watch the cards and the size of the pot, watch the players themselves - watch for how they talk, act, move, sit when they have the hand vs when they don't. To put it simply "Play the player not the cards".
You have the analytical part of the game down, but if you are sure some guy is bluffing and you are not getting the odds to call - call anyway, don't let the bullies push you around because you base your play on odds all the time.
Rob C