Just Fold
Do you fold enough? Statistically, you probably don’t. In fact, I can probably count on my fingers the number of opponents I have played that have suffered from the problem of folding too often. Some of these very rare people simply don’t keep up with the aggression of shorthanded games (I play chiefly 6-max) and they fold a lot of profitable hands. Still, they tend to be winning players because the edge they get from playing tighter than the rest of the table is enough to churn out a profit.
But how about you? Do you fold?
In my view, the most common misconception that beginning players have about poker - usually subconsciously - is that it’s a game about winning pots. It isn’t. It’s a game about winning money. This is not some zen-type bullshit that I’m trying to pull; I’m not trying to be witty or cute. It may seem obvious to you that it’s a game about winning money, but - again, statistically - you don’t play that way. You’re so concerned about winning the pot that you’re currently in that you’re missing the greater goal: To win money.
So fold. Instead of bluf-checkraising the turn in a small pot, you could consider just folding. I get it, the player you’re up against has been two-barrelling the whole night and you’re sick and tired of him doing that and this time you’ll take something back.
You don’t want to lose this pot.
You really don’t want to lose this pot. You feel like it belongs to you. So you put in a lot of money to protect this pot that you’re so fond of.
Why?
You know that this is a game about winning money. Or you think you know, but your defensive instincts are playing tricks on you. Given the goal of winning money, why do you even care about the pot? Ignore it. The pot is not your concern. The tally at the end of the night is. Make the most profitable decision.
Fold.
Let me tell you 1st of all that your blogs are, more often than not, extremely interesting. Even if I’m new to cardschat, since I just registered today, I’ve been reading your blogs for quite a while now. The topic about folding too much or too little is one that recently is making me seriously question my game, in the sense that maybe, just maybe, I’m folding way too often before the flop. More on this I’ll write tonight on what will be my 1st blog and, just to let you know, I care very much about your opinion so I’m asking you to please give a look at it when I publish it later today. I can’t do it right away because I just logged in for a few minutes and don’t have the time to do it now. I want to add, however, that I’m not exactly an expert and as far as poker literature I’ve read 2 books: Poker the real deal, by Phil Gordon, and HPFAP by Sklansky and Malmuth. The latter is the one that I consult all the time when I feel like something is wrong in my game. But, for now, I’m not finding an answer. More on this to come later in my blog. Take care for now and GL at the tables.
Comment by joeeagles — March 24, 2007 @ 6:00 pm
Do you have a link to your blog?
Anyway, it’s possible that you fold too often preflop. It’s a very rare mistake to make, since most of us are action junkies per default, but there are a few people who fold too much preflop.
Unless you fold WAY too much preflop, however, it’s unlikely that it’s a huge mistake you’re making. Preflop hand selection and postflop skills (should) go hand-in-hand. The pickier you are about what hands to play, the easier time you will have playing after the flop has been dealt. Post a couple of hands in the Hand Analysis forum where you thought you had a tricky decision preflop, and we can discuss them together.
Comment by Fredrik Paulsson — March 25, 2007 @ 11:00 am