Will learning all the different variations of poker help or hurt your game? And if so, how and which ones??
I think you must mean will it help or hurt your no limit holdem game? It might help a bit but I think it is fun to learn and play the different variations. I liked it on pokerstars when they had the astronomer freerolls with all the different variations including Badugi. Now they are having a bunch of frerolls of 100 or 200 or 300 dollars but they are all no limit holdem. I wish they would mix it up a bit--it would make things more interesting.
Well, the worst that can happen is you win money on one variation of poker and lose it all in another variation of poker that you enjoy more.
Learning new variations of poker is never a bad idea. However if you want to be really good at one particular area, then I would pick one and specialize in that area. sometimes getting involved in other games is refreshing when you are on a downswing or burnt out. Learning the different variations is fine, but pick one to Master. IMO
I feel like thats probly the best way to go - But then is there a standard in which you personally realized ok, Ive got the hang of this (besides rising through the limits) was there anything else that let you know personally that you were where you wanted to be as far as "mastering" the game goes??