Do you play the cards or the player??

I have been having this debate with others for years, so now I am bringing it to the CC community to see what y'all think. I feel that the cards are never totally irrelevant but that it is most important to study your opponents and play the player and that the cards don't really matter that much. I catch a lot of sh** for this because the other side thinks that you have to play the cards, you throw away the trash and play playable hands depending on your position.

The others that I keep getting into this debate with are solid, successful players (as am I) so there really is no comparing results. So, what do y'all think? Do you play the cards or do you play the player?

I try to have a balance of both. Weak players I exploit more so I play the player. Stroner or Reg players I play the cards more but am always looking for spots to exploit. But Im not a very successful player yet so my opinion does hold a lot of relavence.

I play cards

You are always playing against players. You pay attention to the cards and the numbers (which is easier if you have software, when allowed), but the numbers don't show tilting, bad play days, or unnatural and out of character play. You have to notice these irregularities in order to exploit. Playing the same players over and over makes this easier with time. Random players should get cookie cutter play, strictly by the numbers until you notice ways to exploit their erratic play and tendencies. :evil::evil::evil:

i play neither cards, no player. i play poker)) (mix from cards and players)
if you want to win you need to play the game and enjoy it

gotta do both. odds are not imaginary lol

Like everyone else said, it is a mix. Learning the optimal mix balance in various situations I'm still learning.

both but not equally. i think i play the cards more and for the majority of the time than i do the player. i do keep notes of players so in case i run into them again.

I play against a player only when I have enough hands played with him/her.
Otherwise, I play my position and my cards and my stack.
The next thing, that I take into account is the time of the tourney.

You need to do both man!!!!
Everything in poker matters, your opponent, the hand, position, stack, blinds, the previous hands, everything man!!!!

HaroldHouse said:

I try to have a balance of both. Weak players I exploit more so I play the player. Stroner or Reg players I play the cards more but am always looking for spots to exploit. But Im not a very successful player yet so my opinion does hold a lot of relavence.

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Actually, this isn't a bad approach. I think with each hand, and depending on who's involved in it, you're going to have to make a decision to play the cards, the player, or a bit of both.

You basically have 3 advantages in most poker games:

1. Card Advantage

2. Skill Advantage

3. Position

The bigger the skill advantage the less the cards matter, especially if you have position.

But no matter how good you are: if you are playing against bad players that are mostly calling stations (as in a lot of low stakes live games) it is often a matter of extracting value from made hands (and bluff less).

And if you are betting for value you obviously need good cards - at least better than your opponents.

Part of Skill Advantage is to always play the player.

It is almost a rhetorical question - since you can't sit and bluff all the time the cards matter a lot. But to use your cards optimally (and in the long run we all get the same cards) it is the ones that can play the player that makes the most out of every hand they are dealt.

So I guess I can agree with the OP that playing the player is most important in the long run, but you can only ignore the cards and your range totally in certain situations. To say that the cards don't matter that much is to take it to far.

It is as stated in the thread always a combination of cards, and playing the player(s). To give it a percentage or choose one is just semantics.

A mixture of that position and board texture. Playing just your cards or opponents we make you a break even or losing player. You also need to focus on blockers

For me, you have to do both. If you're getting hit with the deck and your table is extremely active, play slow. Wait for the raise and re-raise, and when it gets to you, you shove and scoop. If your table is being super nitty, bet big pre, and donk bet the flop to maximize your profits.

In fact, I try to combine these two factors. I think this is very important and I believe that such a combination produces a good result.

Need to combine the game of cards and the game of the player, only then you get a successful game.

I play my cards with opponents

I play the cards.

mix

definitely a mix - the cards is your fundamental situation - expected value vs random hands, when you adjust for players etc if you get a stronger read on a player etc and finally adjust for risk profil you follow.

cant just play the cards nor the player. relative value of esch component will change from situation to situation but will always be a mix!

Ive always played the cards sometimes maybe most of the times played too many hands buy i love to gamble win or lose its a rush

Generally, a good play is a combination between playing your cards and playing the players. Of course with strong hands everyone play his cards what ever was a player besides, but with a bad shape or a bad turn or river some times with your abilities to get a good read from your opponents if he is in a good shape or not, it's good and healthy to bluff.
Certainly, You don't have to bluff from the first round of playing, you have to watch your opponents how they act with a strong hands or a bad one, the way they are playing then grab the one that a board could help you and with the body language of the player, both they give you the information to high percentage of bluff success.
We should always remember that there is some big actors players how can give you some bad reactions just to trap you, so be careful you are not only the smart one.

Playing the player, primarily loose players, is a very effective strategy until said player wakes up with a monster hand. Then you're very likely to give them everything.

yosif

I personally try to combine