Good Player/ Lucky Player

The other day a fellow poker player went on to tell me that he was a Good player but also a Unlucky player at the same time. This really confused me because I couldnt understand how he can be Good and Unlucky at the same time.

He went on to tell me that he starts out with a great hand such as AK and will catch the A on the flop and procede to make his big raises and someone with A3 will be playing and calling all his raises till they end up rivering a 3..he calls these people Bad players who are also Lucky players.

Was wondering if anyone has any thoughts on this?
Cali

Next time that Good but Unlucky Player gives you his story show him this.

Aren't we all great??

Your friend is not a great player.

He might know odds, but he's expecting to win just because he leads at some point in the hand. The average winning hold 'em hand is two pair, and he doesn't even beat that. He may be over committing himself in trying to be "aggressive" against opponents who do not understand aggression. If you are playing against calling stations who won't fold, YOU are the bad player if you refuse to recognize and adjust to the opponent's tendencies. Don't curse them for being who they are.

TPTK is good but not great. The best hands also have good drawing potential, such as to a flush or straight. If your friend completes such a hand against a calling fish, THEN your friend should put the big money in. Especially if the fish hits two pair - your friend should stack him. But don't try to get too much out of a middling hand.

Furthermore, the opponent here was about a 7:1 dog. Be happy that he called! The fact that he sucks out is really a minor point, and needs to be expected once in awhile. We need to savor our suckouts because they reward bad calls and keep them coming. Your friend appears to be results-oriented, and focused on short term results at that. Good players are beyond that.

Sounds like he tilts and blames others or blames the fates when he loses.

Poker is ZEN-like when it comes to killing the ego and dispassionately examining self. You can't play with wounded pride and a sense of injustice and expect to see your own strengths and weaknesses.

Your friend is not a great player. He over-reacts to normal statistical outcome and variance, he has a short term view of the game, he does not adjust to and exploit opponent tendencies and he is not doing the work of honestly and comprehensively deconstructing his game.

He's really in an early stage of poker development. He's playing only his cards.

GtW

glworden said:

Your friend is not a great player.

We need to savor our suckouts because they award bad calls and keep them coming.

GtW

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BEAUTIFUL LINE!!!! I've never heard it put so perfectly before, PROPS!

Hambone8705 said:

BEAUTIFUL LINE!!!! I've never heard it put so perfectly before, PROPS!

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Thanks. I already edited it.

Even the most skillfull of players,will at some point, also get lucky in a hand. Its just a fact of life when playing poker. However he is convinced that some players will be persieved as more lucky than others.

These players are the kind that are usually a semi or loose pre-flop. They are almost always behind in the hand from the get go vs a tight/solid player, but willing to call that 3x-5x BB pre-flop raise, and hit the flop, or call your pot size continuation bet on the flop with a gut shot draw. Its a game of 5 cards, and unless you hold the nuts after that fifth card is showing, you ar at risk of losing.

Thats why he likes to play in a Forum tourney. You get to play against more players on a regular basis and learn what thier playing tendencies are. You know the players that chase, so try and keep the pots low. You know the solid players to avoid playing in pots with unless you hold a very strong hand, and you know the bluffers who you can trap and double-up with rather easily.

The amazing river card, making bad players look good since 1854.

You know the players that chase, so try and keep the pots low.

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I think this is incorrect. We should me charging these players the maximum, giving them inproper odds to draw if they choose to.

The Shrog said:

I think this is incorrect. We should me charging these players the maximum, giving them inproper odds to draw if they choose to.

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Yes, you are right. Charge a premium. But at the same time, don't overvalue your hand or your hand's potential.