You MUST learn all forms of poker to improve your play???

Hi all, hope you are all well.

I have been playing all the various formats of poker and I am convinced that my game has improved.

I would suggest everyone gives it a try.

There are two main reasons I think this is true,

1. You find what form of poker you are best at
2. The various forms of poker, IMO, seem to need a different skill.

The different skills I think are helped by the main forms of poker are

• NL Holdem - You improve your read of other players
• Razz - Improves your aggression
• Omaha - improves your play on/ after the flop
• 7 card Stud - improves your ability to `card count`

I know this is very basic, and anyone feel free to expand or comment on what I have said

I find Omaha H/L makes me think more about possibilities after the flop. Makes me better at reading NL Hold'em flops.

Razz just gives me heartburn. Stud... I just plain suck.

I agree that different forms of poker can improve one's game. It is easier to understand the general poker principles when they are observed in different types of games.

I haven't done any serious efforts in this area but I am planning on doing so.

I agree that the more variations you know, the more well-rounded you are... and I would even expand that concept to a variety of venues. Casino games are different than online, different than home, different than charity tournaments, etc. Nothing wrong with maximum exposure.

I've found that when I spy trouble with my post-flop play, I sit down at a limit game to get my bearings back. Limit almost totally eliminates pre-flop.

Razz - you get to really see how hard it is to find a razz game, then can realise that poker wasnt invented to make the worst hand and the game just sucks

I have just started playing HORSE games on Stars and I really like it. The other variations are cool because they keep you sharp and get you thinking about different situations rather than the normal Holdem ones. I think this is pretty important too if you plan on playing poker long term in a serious/semi-serious way. Holdem may be the game of the moment but that can change so you'll need to master new games to keep the revenue up. I think it makes you a more complete player.

Also, the specialisation in other forms of the game is not as intense as in Holdem, so you'll find softer games for higher winrates.

So why do u like HORSE??? If it`s that bad, play HOSE!!!

Actually, you still need the best hand in Razz to win. It is just that the definition of best is different.

Yea I agree that it would make you a better player overall, but when I play omaha and other games I dont see improvement in my main game; NLHE.

Razz teaches patience moreso than aggression. And discipline as well (as far as practcing not tilting, haha)

razz is the easiest game to tilt in

2 words

auto raise.

I MUST learn limit games like stud8 or my NLHE game will be unable to improve? I don't really buy this argument at all. Any residual benefit that learning other games might have certainly is outweighed by using that time to actually study NLHE directly.

exactly my point, but actually explained 10X better.

each of the major games teach you somethign different
all the stud games (h, h/l, razz) teach you to concentration more on the game-you have to see all the cards and keep track of everything including how players play their boards according to what cards have already been shown so it teaches you to pay attention when you go to a h'em or omaha game to everything and gain information
omaha for me anyways just lets me realizes there are a lot of opportunites out there for stuff when i transfer back to holdem

Everyone to their own I suppose.

However, I now feel more confident folding, reraising, reading players and I know this is due to having to focus in a different way to different situations depending on the game.

The title of this thread looks like a question...

I think to get better at NLHE you play NLHE. You don't play tee-ball to get better at playing baseball. You don't run track to get better at swimming.

I do find that Omaha is a great mental workout for reading the board and your opponent's.. and it's just a sick sick game!

I like stud hi .. but i don't think it really help's me with NLHE.

[quote=Dogday;668171]The title of this thread looks like a question...

I think to get better at NLHE you play NLHE. You don't play tee-ball to get better at playing baseball. You don't run track to get better at swimming.
quote]

No, but if you specialize in the 100 meter dash it doesn't mean you can't do 100 meter hurdles or the pentathalon.

I view HORSE (or HOSE) as modified forms of similar gaming. I play it mostly to add variety to my day. I'm not looking at becoming an expert at Razz. I like playing Omaha, but I would never enter a Stud tournament.

Razz gives me a headache i hope that games dies in a fire!!!

Draw poker teaches you basic pot odds/bluffing and should be played at least a bit (even at play money stakes if necessary) by beginning players. There's a reason a lot of the hand examples in ToP take draw games for examples: it was played a lot mroe back then, but it's a also simpler to go by than LHE.

Simply because hose is like playing the fake version of horse, I don't know of many major HOSE tournies or cash games, so therefore it has to be HORSE

you need to learn the different styles of play also ,when to trapp the agg player when to become the agg player good luck all see ya around

i find stud and razz are more luck since u can't protect your hands in limit. omaha h/l is alot more luck than nl holdem. omaha improves your hand assestments since more combinations to hit with 4 down cards instead of 2 but what do i know im a donkey gl2a at the tables

Wow Razz to me is a junk poker game!! It rewards the donkeys for playing bad poker and to me is a total mockery of the game we all love to play. My chips stay in play with NL sit n gos I dont know about you guys but this in my book is the only poker game to play and do well at. Best of Luck and Happy Holidays to all at CC.

I think there are 2 significant issues here: One posted by the OP, and the other by AG.

AG makes the point that the time to learn another form of poker is not worth it since that time can be spent better on improving one's NLHE game.

The OP makes the point that you don't know what your best game is until you try it. (That is independent of any benefits or time loss.)

I think this is a difficult issue bacuse NLHE is the dominant game. Yet, at very high stakes, PLO rules!

If NLHE is a cash cow....Skill in other poker variants will build you a herd of cash cows

I think playing all the different games helps my play, it certainly is where I seem to stack up the chips. My personality may have something to do with it. I don't like to do the same thing over and over; it bores me. I know with patience anyone can win at RAZZ if they pay attention to what others have, especially noting exposed final hands to see if others play with paint in the pocket all the time. I guess I just like the change of tempo.

I have the tendency to side with the argument stating that the other games help improve your overall play. I usually side most with the "Razz builds patience" argument just because it really has helped me. I used to be ridiculously LAG before I started playing well in Razz. And Omaha really helped me understand flop textures and the majority of post flop play. In either case, the different games really do help your overall poker play, and I'm saying this from experience.

On that note, the biggest reason I play all the different games is just cuz NLHE gets really freaking monotonous!

I haven't noticed that smiley before.

Playing a Free Roll HORSE tourney at FULL TILT just to try it. Interesting combination of skill sets required. Definitely has improved my hand assesment and table reading skill. Might not get into the money but had a blast playing.

I play NL holdem only.Well not only,just 99% of the time.Guess I'm a one trick pony at best.

You need not play all the others to sharpen your skills at NL.Might make you a better HORSE player,and maybe even a better overall poker player,but not a better NL player.

For example look at Phil Hellmuth.He is one of the best NL players there is(and he'll tell you that himself).The fact is he is not very good at all at other poker games.

I think Doyle said it best :"No-Limit Texas holdem is the Cadillac of poker".There is the perfect amount of information for a good player to win over one who is not so good.

I in no way am against other poker,it's just not for me.All of my time invested will be in improving my NL holdem game(cash and tourney).That is what I believe will make me a better NL player.

A 100m sprinter does weight training and long distance running for stamina

Its funny that everyone thinks the form of poker they play is skill, but the other forms are luck