To All Those Who Just Play Texas Hold em

I love Texas Hold Em. Lately though, I've been playing different game sof poker like omaha and seven card stud (which I recently found out I'm actually good at). I'm starting to read up on some stragedies on these games (the articles on cardschat.com is a great place to start). Maybe you should too. As Daniel Negreanu said, "If you hope to play with the big boys, you'll have to become a strong all-around player in order to survive. Texas Hold'em skills alone just won't cut it."

I think your very correct in this T1riel. Ive missed the recent few CC HORSE tourneys on Full Tilt, but its a great way to test your skill at some other poker games. I feel that of all the the poker variations holdem is the one that has the greatest level of "luck" (suckouts)

Recently ive been playing some 5 card draw on KS and playing very solid, (ill do a thread on this shortly) and some omaha h/lo sit and go's at pokerstars. Some of the softest money ive made playing poker recently at the fishiest live game of 7-card stud ive ever happened to stumble across.

Im now thinking of having a go at some triple-draw, then im gonna decide which game to refine properly and develop myself a playing style.

Good Idea but I got the basic practice this week while visiting my brother over the holidays playing the WSOP game for his PS2.. I know it isn't live or online but boy it was fun playing the other games especially razz.

I almost exclusively play stud now as hold'em has lost it's charm to me. At least with stud, I'm playing my own hand and can make decisions based on my experience. I've played in a couple of HORSE events on Fulltilt and they are seriously fun...

I play all the games that Poker Stars has to offer, but lately I've taken a shine to the 7 card also. This game takes me back to family games growing up. I'm not by any means a one dimensional player, but I have not ventured into Horse or Razz. Maybe I should give these a shot to broaden my game even further.

I`ve played them All throught out my life, but i have come to just love No Limit Holdem, i dont know if its that you can be chip leader one minute and OUT the next or what, but my prefered game is no-Limit. I know all the other games but i seem to do my best in no-limit, But everybody has there best, Like Chip Reese, hes a great hi stakes ring game player,and others who are better in Ohama and Razz, but not great in big tourneys, then theres guys like Phil Ivey whos great in almost any game. Its a matter of choice, some guys like Omaha,some Stud, and some love no-limit, its just a matter of choice and what your best at.
buck

Daniel Negreanu said, "If you hope to play with the big boys, you'll have to become a strong all-around player in order to survive.

This is like saying you are pretty good in 1 sport so you should be good in all sports.

I agree with you Twizzy, you can be a Great football player and suck at baseball or hockey, Theres very few that are Great in Everything, they can play them all, but there not great in all of them, and thats true in poker too, you can play all the poker games, but you might do better in one of them than you would in the other`s and thats why i tend to stick to no-limit, i just seem to do better in it. Also dont forget most of the Pro`s are millionaires, they can Afford to play the games that their not the best at.>>>>>>>>>>>buck

I love to play texas holdem but i just staeted to play 7stud & ohama it's ok but you got to play it more to get used to it

Yes and I agree Buck.. but with pro sports millonaires they still stick with the sport they are good in. Need I say what happens to the 2 sport pro player??

It does seem that because of the frenzy that NL Holdem has created, most people I know tend to shy away from the other poker variations. I'm kind of old school myself, preferring draw poker and 5 or 7 stud to hold-em. these are the games I learned the game of poker with so they are my favorites for sentimental reasons if nothing else. These other games can teach you different aspects of the total game. 5 and 7 stud teaches you quite a bit about reading players, and 5 card draw is one of the best games to work on your table game tactics ( especially bluffing) I also don't see any reason why you can't be good at different poker games. The hardest part is learning how to calculate the odds with the different games, but the strategy never really changes. It will always be the best hand wins, or convincing the other player that you have it.

Side note: Has anyone ever seen 5 card draw offered at an online casino? I don't think I've ever seen it at any of the sites I play at.

Not really - a lot of the concepts in poker apply in varying degrees in all games. Playing Holdem might be better for improving your player reading ability, whereas playing PLO8 might be better for improving the mathematical side of your game, or Stud may well be better for improving your hand reading ability.

It's more like saying "To be really good in any sport you need to be generally fit and healthy" than what you suggested.

It's more like saying "To be really good in any sport you need to be generally fit and healthy" than what you suggested.

It won't matter how fit and healthy you are. If you aren't good at a particular sport, you aren't good at it. No ifs ands or buts about it..

Its like playing pool as well. Some are good at 1 particular thing such as 8-ball while others are good at 9-ball and snooker. Yet there are some that can play all 3 pretty darn well.

So to say you HAVE to be a strong all-around player to play with the big boys is pure poppie cock.

You can enjoy playing everything but you don't need to be the best in everything to play with the big boys.

You've distorted my analogy. I did not say "All fit and healthy people are good at sport", just as DN didn't say "All people who play lots of different poker games are really good at poker" so I don't really see your point.

Pool/snooker and poker are entirely different, too. I merely used a sports analogy because you did, not because I believe it to be entirely accurate. Note the "It's more like saying"...

Name me half a dozen top players who exclusively play one variant of poker. Go on, try.

Yes, a guy like, say, Chip Reese can buy in to a $5000. Razz game and lose,then go to a ring game and make his money back in 30 minutes, people like us cant do that, at least i cant, i have to play what i do best at, and hope to get in the money. its like Dave prefers stud, i prefer no limit and theres nothing wrong with that. And to the guy who wrote you have to play them games,Well ive been playing longer than you are old,ive been playing poker since i was about 12 or 13 and im 60 now, so thats over 45 years. I just seem to do better in no limit and thats why i like it. I`ve lost more money over the years than you can imagine,mostly cause we played in bars and we were all drunk except 1 or 2 of the guys, and just take a guess who won the most, it was the guys who did not drink WHILE they were playing.
buck the drunk>LOL>LOL
P.S. That should be >buck WAS the drunk<

Pool/snooker and poker are entirely different, too

How so? Same analogy.. Pool requires to know what English, Position, et-cetra one uses when playing. However 8-Ball, 9-Ball, Snooker and even Trick shot Tournaments require diffrent strategies for each game. Yet you can be good/great in 1 particular game pool or you can be good/great in mulitple games of pool.

Just like Hold-em, 7 Card Stud, 5 Card Stud, Omaha, et-cetra.. Yes they carry the same aspects but they also require diffrent strategies for each game. Yet you can be good/great in 1 particular game of poker or you can be good/great in multiple games of poker.

So again you don't HAVE to become a strong all-around player in order to survive. Texas Hold'em skills alone just won't cut it.

You can stick to what you are good/great at.. if you are great at 1 game doesn't mean you won't survive and play with the BIG BOYS.

You just won't play with the BIG BOYS in every game and it doesn't make you any less of a strong all around player.

the "big game" at the bellagio with the "big boys" is mixed games of 4k and 8k limits

so if you want to sit and play with them you can't just stick to one

thats like sitting at a holdem table and sitting out and only being dealt when your on the button

not playing in every game is the complete contradiction of being a strong ALL AROUND player

nothing wrong with sticking with one game if thats what you enjoy and what you are good at, though you can't claim to be good all around when clearly if your playing one game, you aren't

its just like some of the players doing well in the big tournys are regarded as tourny specialists

there are also plenty of players online who just play sitandgoes and never play in ring games

as long as you enjoy what your doing, thats all that really matters

Very Well Said Grum, guess thats what i was trying to say but couldnt get the rite words, i really enjoy no-limit and thats why i play it. Now a Younger guy like you Grum could play all games,at my age when i switch to something else, Especially Horse, My Brain has a Short Circuit,LOL, and i get confused.>>>>>>>>>>>> buck

not playing in every game is the complete contradiction of being a strong ALL AROUND player

Not really.. back to sports.. Michael Jordan for instance.. A Great all around Basketball Player? Yes Great all around Athlete? Yes Great all around Baseball Player? Nope...

Then comes Dion Sanders and Bo Jackson.. 2 sport players.. Both were great all around athletes and both great all around baseball and football players.

Then back to football.. Is a QB great all around at the position he plays? Yes.. Is he a geat all around football player? Yes
Is he a great all around defensive back? No Is he great all around reciever? No
Is he also a great all around athlete? Yes

The point is you don't again HAVE to be a great strong all around player to be great at what you do even if you play 1 particular game.

Now Poker.. Is he a great all around Hold-em player? Yes Is he a great all around 7 card stud player? No .. is he great all around poker player? Yes

Just because you don't play every single poker game doesn't make you a great all around Poker player.

I will even bring myself into this picture.. I am a pretty good all around basketball player.. can't say great of course.. I am a pretty good all around athlete.. but I sure as heck can't hit a baseball to save my life but can shag any fly ball sent my way..I have never shot par playing golf for the few times I have played it. Yet I still remain a pretty good all around athlete.

How can someone be a good all-around poker player when they are only proficient at one of these games? It's like saying someone is a good all-around ball sports player when they're only good at football.

Edit: Dook's already said this in a better way if you care to (re-)read the last few lines of his post.

Ok buckster... you have said no-limit a billion times on this thread and it bothered me. lol. you should say holdem... no limit doesnt mean holdem its a form of holdem. no limit could also be omaha or 7 card stud or whatever... thanks!

How can someone be a good all-around poker player

And what is Hold-em? Last I recalled a Poker Game.. Doesn't change a player into a bad all around poker player just because he only plays hold-em.

I'll even put this into perspective..
3 Players.. doesn't matter who they are
All 3 have 3 WSOP Bracelets

1st Player has 3 diffrent ones from Omaha, Stud and Hold-em
2nd Player has 3 diffrent ones that 2 are from Omahan Hi/Low and 1 from Hold-em
3rd Player Has 3 only from Playing Hold-Em

So you mean to tell me all 3 of those players aren't great poker players even though all 3 won the same amount of bracelets. Even though 1 player only plays the hold-em which he won 3 bracelets from.

Thats like trying to tell me Dan Marino isn't a great QB because he never won a super bowl.

It's like saying someone is a good all-around ball sports player when they're only good at football. Yes since when does someone have to play all ball sports to be a great ball sports player?

Thats like telling me Babe Ruth wasn't a great ball sports player or Wilt Chamberlain wasn't a good ball sports player. Just like Poker you don't need to play more than 1 ball sport to be a great ball sport player.

You are basically trying to say that someone is a great poker player in more than 1 specific game of poker. Doesn't mean the person who only plays 1 specific game isn't great in poker.

To think otherwise is again pure poppie cock.

Who's the best all-round player? (look, I bolded it for you )

(p.s. this is a really pointless and stupid argument, but alas I'm bored)

Nobody said anything about anyone being a bad poker player because they're only good at one game (again, you're putting words in people's mouths, something you seem to be very skilled at), but they're not a good ALL-AROUND poker player because they specialize exclusively in only one part of the game.

ALL-AROUND

Once again.

ALL-AROUND

OK sorry, from now on ill say No-Limit Texas Holdem, is that any better>LOL>LOL> buck

Who's the best all-round player? (look, I bolded it for you )
Good for you but you took out the word POKER now and lets quote you "How can someone be a good all-around poker player"

That just contradicts what you say next...
Nobody said anything about anyone being a bad poker player because they're only good at one game (again, you're putting words in people's mouths, something you seem to be very skilled at),
How so.. I wasn't the one who changed the sentence all of a sudden.. If you wish for me not to take words then by all means stand by the words you use.


Now to quote DN
If you hope to play with the big boys, you'll have to become a strong all-around player in order to survive. Texas Hold'em skills alone just won't cut it."

Big Boys??? Hmmmm Professional Poker Players..Didn't know all around player of hold-em with hold-em sklls wouldn't cut it playing hold-em. He meant and I mentioned it(strategies).. so tell me again how I put words into someones mouth when indeed I mentioned strategies. You just constantly misinterpret things as usuall. So strategies of Hold-em won't cut it in a game of Stud.. Yet it still does make you a BIG BOY if you have great skills in hold-em.

You keep implying that someone who plays more than 1 diffrent game is better all around poker player.. A poker player is a poker player.. 1 may specialize in more than 1 game but that won't make him a better all around poker player..

You can specialize in more than 1 poker game and specialize in only 1.. still makes both a great all around poker player.. just one player is great all around in more than 1 game.

I'm going to stop arguing with you now as it's pretty pointless if you think that this even makes a shred of sense, let alone is true. I leave you with this.

all-a·round (ôl-round) also all-round (ôlround)
adj.

1. Comprehensive in extent or depth: a good all-around education.
2. Able to do many things well; versatile: an all-around athlete. See Synonyms at versatile.

all-around
adj : many-sided; "an all-around athlete"; "a well-rounded curriculum" [syn: all-around(a), all-round(a), well-rounded]

C'mon guys don't tell me you're done with the back and forth antics. This is quickly becoming one of my favorite threads and the funniest.

Comprehensive in extent or depth:

Ding-Ding.. give this guy a cupie doll.. Comprehensive to Poker.. Now look up Poker.. Hold-em is poker.. Now for the 400 Dollar Dictionary Question Alex.

Able to do many things well
Ding-Ding give me a cupie doll..MANY

Didn't know Poker Constitutes as many..Thought it was 1 individual thing but hey what do I know.. Do you play Poker? Yes as a matter of fact I do play poker.. However I play many variations of it that require diffrent strategies..

But nah Alex BZZZZT.. I will ring in for the 400 dollar answer

Poker: Any of various card games played by two or more players who bet on the value of their hands.

Any:One, some, every, or all without specification

Yet since we are talking Poker meaning One.. but yet somehow Being A Big DOG poker player you have to play all various games of poker without specification to actually be a BIG DOG poker player is again pure poppie cock.

See I can also look up words in the online dictionary...

No Dennis I am not done..apparently when someone mentions Poker and it means more than 1

So you can be an all around Poker player with 1 variation of poker just like you can also be an all around Poker plaer playing more then 1 variation..

So puuuleeeasse.. if you want to look up meanings.. look up all of them before you only post the ones you so choose to begrudge your debate to look good.. Cause to beat me in a debate you can't win... you have to be me.

I'm going to stop arguing with you now as it's pretty pointless if you think that this even makes a shred of sense, let alone is true. I leave you with this


I am glad you left me with that ... cause I left you with that..game/set/match goes to me(even though I never played a lick of live tennis in my life)

Um. You play with dolls?

I know I said I wouldn't respond, but making you look silly is too much fun, and I hate it when people think they have "won" just because anothe person sees arguing with someone so narrow-minded as useless.

Yes, HE is poker. So is 5-card draw, Stud, Omaha etc. One of a vast multitude of games is not comprehensive to poker as a whole. If a person can bake a cake, do they have a comprehensive knowledge of cookery? By your logic, it seems they do. I would suggest otherwise.

Dook already answered this. I suggest you abandon your usual style of picking one sentence from a post and blatantly ignoring the rest and try actually reading his post before rambling off-tangent like this any more.

I fail to see how posting the definition of "any" proves anything. Still you ignore the use of the words ALL-AROUND (quite how many more times I need to bold/caps this I don't know). But your last sentence there obviously shows you are pathetically stubborn, and arguing with you appears to be the internet equivalent of banging my head against the corner of the table.

Look - good = good, all-around = comprehensive, poker = lots of games. I fail to see what is so difficult for you in putting these together. If someone is good at bluffing but doesn't know any other aspect of holdem, is he a good all-around holdem player? No, as bluffing is only one aspect of holdem, just as holdem is only one aspect of poker.

I'm pretty good at winning $1/$2 limit hold'em full ring games. Does that make me a good all-around poker player?

Seeing as poker players are persons, does it also make me a good all-around person?

Wow! I didn't think this thread was going to have this amny posts and responses!

I think that the point he was trying to make was that he doesn't believe that one needs to be a good all-rounder to be good at poker.

Twizzybop, it would have been far easier to say that you disagree with the statement. Instead you tried to flame Dorkus and got your arse burnt. I partly agree with what each of you are saying so I'm just going to sit back and w