Honesty and Game Selection
14 March 2010
Who am I?
I am not a future world champ.
I am not a million dollar a year cash game player. In fact, I am a lifetime loser in cash games.
In other words, I suck at poker.
There should be no reason at all that I should still have money left. But, instead, I have made quite a bit over the last few years by simple money management, game choice, and honesty. I learned a while back that I am a decent sitngo player. While I have leaks that are tremendously exposed in ring games, these leaks are less exposed in tourneys. If you aren't honest about your game, if you're arrogant about your game, you'll go broke sooner than later.
The old saying goes, "Everyone thinks they're great at sex and poker." The simple fact of the matter is not everyone is great in poker, obviously. (In fact, I'm sure all of you can think of sexual partners that weren't that great either.) As I say, I suck at poker, but in tournaments there are literally thousands of horrible players out there that think they are the next world champion in the making. They think reraising with 6 7 suited against a tight under the gun raiser is imaginitative. These players are fish and don't know it. If you are a five or ten dollar tournament player or play for .50 to $1 stakes, you are a fish too. Understand that just like the ocean, fish pray on weaker fish. Your job is find the weaker fish.
In ring games, if you are very dedicated, you can do this. I'm too lazy picky, so I go with tournaments of ten dollars and less. In this way, I know I will be provided at least four to five players whose leaks are well defined by at least a couple of rounds.
Which either way, know your limits and keep to it.
---Lane
I am not a future world champ.
I am not a million dollar a year cash game player. In fact, I am a lifetime loser in cash games.
In other words, I suck at poker.
There should be no reason at all that I should still have money left. But, instead, I have made quite a bit over the last few years by simple money management, game choice, and honesty. I learned a while back that I am a decent sitngo player. While I have leaks that are tremendously exposed in ring games, these leaks are less exposed in tourneys. If you aren't honest about your game, if you're arrogant about your game, you'll go broke sooner than later.
The old saying goes, "Everyone thinks they're great at sex and poker." The simple fact of the matter is not everyone is great in poker, obviously. (In fact, I'm sure all of you can think of sexual partners that weren't that great either.) As I say, I suck at poker, but in tournaments there are literally thousands of horrible players out there that think they are the next world champion in the making. They think reraising with 6 7 suited against a tight under the gun raiser is imaginitative. These players are fish and don't know it. If you are a five or ten dollar tournament player or play for .50 to $1 stakes, you are a fish too. Understand that just like the ocean, fish pray on weaker fish. Your job is find the weaker fish.
In ring games, if you are very dedicated, you can do this. I'm too lazy picky, so I go with tournaments of ten dollars and less. In this way, I know I will be provided at least four to five players whose leaks are well defined by at least a couple of rounds.
Which either way, know your limits and keep to it.
---Lane
