What is so bad about being "results oriented" ?

I have seen this phrase show up a few times in various web sites and poker webzines. In poker terms, what do people mean when they say "results oriented" and why do they always speak of it negatively ?

Short Answer:
It's due to variance. Just because you are winning or losing doesn't mean you are making the right or wrong play. People that are results oriented change their style of play and sometimes make plays that are -EV due to previous positive or negative results which isn't good. Hence why being results oriented is a negative thing in poker.

They mean you base your opinion of a particular play based on how the hand ended up not on if you made the correct play. Example: you limp with 72o from UTG and call a raise from a tight player on the BTN. The flop is 77T and you check-raise all-in. The BTN calls with AA and your trip 7s hold up. If you think limp-calling with 72o is a good play because you won a stack with it, that's results oriented. If you continue to limp-call with 72o because you might flop trips that has negatively affected your play.

Ah... k. I tend to be results oriented - and losing ! lol. Thanks for the quick responses.

Recently, while reviewing a poker book I have read several times, something jumped out at me that I hadn't paid attention to before. The advice was to think in terms of winning money, not winning pots. Obviously, we all intend to win in the long run...that's the results we want. But, while playing, if you are too oriented toward immediate results, like winning a particular pot, you will play -Ev hands, just hoping to hit. That's a guaranteed loosing proposition. As WVHillbilly said, 72 might be the nuts on the next hand. But, that doesn't mean you should play it! Thinking in terms of making good poker decisions is the way to make money, in the long run.

Let's say we are playing a coin flipping (fair) game where:

1. when coin comes up heads you pay me $1
2. when coin comes up tails I pay you $2

So say the first three or four flips come up heads: are you going to quit the game and/or claim it's rigged?


Don't be results oriented, be "Expected Value" oriented.

Quote:

Originally Posted by aliengenius Don't be results oriented, be "Expected Value" oriented.

Very nicely put.

I have to pretty much agree with all the above responses IF I accept the idea that "results oriented" means "short term results oriented". If you are truly "long term results oriented", you absolutely must be "Expected Value" oriented.

There are other implications. One is that going on tilt is often the result of focusing on a negative result instead of whether you made a good decision that worked out badly one particular time.

Another is winning can lead to over-estimating your ability when it was really due to variance. This is a good thing when other people do it, but not when it results in you playing above the level you really should.

Both true imo

Playing EV - oriented makes you less tilt-prone.

Over estimating your abilities will reduce your ability to learn, a huge leak.

I've seen your boasts in the CC Challenge threads ...

... and you keep going back for more ...

Talk about leaky boats ...

Yeah Nick my boat might be still leaking

but as far as the challenge thread goes yours seems to have sunk .

Come on right now - I'll boast right away there now - friendly challenge...

Maybe some time in the future Graf. Waiting for a call today to confirm a dentist appointment I can get due to a cancellation, so would likely have to sit out anyway. HMmmm... maybe I could do better sitting out ...

Just couldn't resist a jab to the ribs of a CC friend and buddy - lol ...

My understanding?

Because the result of any given hand is not the goal.

The goal is to make the correct decisions. The results will fall where they will.

The best you can do is play the hand correctly and make good decisions. Obviously, you can do this and still lose the hand. You can play perfect poker and still lose, but if you are playing perfect poker (if there is such a thing), you will in the long run be a winning player.

In poker (again as I understand), nothing matters but evaluating each situation correctly and making the right decision. If you do this, results will follow.

You nailed it Nick - I couldn't resist - - gl at the dentist.