Risk Aversion

M

mojorising

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
Jul 17, 2017
Total posts
97
Chips
0
I am risk averse.

I never bluff.

I only value bet.

It makes me easy prey to anybody who picks up on my behaviour since they can kick me out of pot on a drawing or modest hand easily by making big raises.

But I rarely meet the same players so 90% of the time I am playing against people who don't know my weakness.

However my style does not seem to actually cost me anything. I win consistently just by waiting for good cards and betting proportionally based only on EV.

I am quick at calculating probabilities for my outs, draws etc. and measuring them against pot odds and I can often accurately put other players on a hand once I have watched them betting a few hands.

But I cannot bring myself to bluff which is a valuable part of the game.

So am I good poker player or a bad poker player?
 
zwbb

zwbb

Legend
Bronze Level
Joined
Sep 2, 2017
Total posts
1,072
Awards
6
Chips
30
I'm sure that the right style exists in fact and this style is known as tight-aggressive. Within this style, the winning player will play more tightly than most of his opponents, and will bet, raise or reraise more effectively than his opponents.
 
masik6

masik6

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Oct 8, 2017
Total posts
1,044
Awards
6
Chips
0
ответ

Tight aggressive style of play to me seems the most optimal.
 
A

AlexTheOwl

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
Aug 22, 2017
Total posts
860
Chips
0
Most poker players lose money, so I'll call you a good player for your stakes. You seem to know that you could be a better player.
 
P

ph_il

...
Silver Level
Joined
Feb 5, 2005
Total posts
10,128
Awards
1
Chips
25
I am risk averse.

I never bluff.

I only value bet.

It makes me easy prey to anybody who picks up on my behaviour since they can kick me out of pot on a drawing or modest hand easily by making big raises.

But I rarely meet the same players so 90% of the time I am playing against people who don't know my weakness.

However my style does not seem to actually cost me anything. I win consistently just by waiting for good cards and betting proportionally based only on EV.

I am quick at calculating probabilities for my outs, draws etc. and measuring them against pot odds and I can often accurately put other players on a hand once I have watched them betting a few hands.

But I cannot bring myself to bluff which is a valuable part of the game.

So am I good poker player or a bad poker player?
Have you tried semi-bluffing as a transition stage?
 
R

Rational Madman

Legend
Platinum Level
Joined
Jan 11, 2017
Total posts
2,478
Chips
0
You will enjoy zoom tables I think.
 
LX4

LX4

Rising Star
Bronze Level
Joined
Oct 10, 2017
Total posts
7
Chips
0
Being tight aggressive could allow you to bluff extremely effectively. It's just a matter of picking the right circumstances. You have to be able to recognize when you are being bullied off a hand by someone that clearly does that often. It can't be against someone that just calls anything. And you should always look to at least have some outs. It's ultimately a question of reading the information that comes into play through the process of betting. Get a read on a hand, and don't over-commit in order to allow a change of course when it becomes apparent that the read is probably wrong. You sound like you get good reads. You just need to have the confidence to feel like you can make use of them without over-committing to a course that you want to avoid.

All that stuff becomes essential in mid to late tournament play when it costs a lot just to sit and be tight exclusively. Your style would probably work pretty good in terms of sit and go situations. So really it's just about expanding a bit on what you're already good at.

What about continuation bets? You don't avoid those altogether do you? If so, that would probably be the first place to start in terms of getting a feel for what works. I'm not one for total bluffs myself. Mainly it's a matter of making a player strongly assess the strength of their own hand, and making them question whether they can beat you or not. If you consistently bet strong hands then they are going to not want to dig a hole for themselves, unless that is what they typically do.
 
Clasher

Clasher

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Jun 22, 2016
Total posts
360
Chips
0
It may be okay in cash games but not very okay to very attentive players...

And also will be very hard in tourneys if you never bluff because the cards wont always be on your side...

Learn to bluff some according to your table...

You dont bluff accoding to ur cards You bluff according to ur opponents... GL 👌
 
F

Fernando2904

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
Oct 17, 2017
Total posts
81
Chips
0
Its a game format in Pokerstars where you can fast fold ur hands and dealt another without waiting for other players turn......

Some big online rooms also have this kind of format in different names....
Oh great! Thanks! I will try this way at this kind of games!
 
milka1605

milka1605

Legend
Loyaler
Joined
Jun 1, 2014
Total posts
2,183
Awards
2
Chips
104
I think it all depends on the fact that you lose money or you earn them. If you sit at the last table, then one by one you will find it hard to win without bluffing.
 
makisaa

makisaa

Legend
Loyaler
Joined
Oct 6, 2015
Total posts
3,029
Awards
10
GR
Chips
203
Risk or bluff is in poker. Both are valuable weapons, which will multiply profits. You can just start trying to use them.
 
O

oldolm

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Sep 8, 2017
Total posts
191
Chips
0
i beat u maybe week before u remember??
 
BlackJesus

BlackJesus

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
Jul 9, 2016
Total posts
861
Chips
0
to know if you are a good player can be judged by the end results, not some aspects of your playstyle.

Mainly, conservative, tight-aggressive style pays off well enough that you do not have change your strategy.

There are lots and lots of other aspects that take part, not just the cards you play. If your results allow you to profit, thats the first sign you are a good player.!
 
Nr98

Nr98

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
Dec 4, 2016
Total posts
589
Chips
0
Running bluffs is essential, since it gives you ways to win hands that otherwise would be dead.

But the question is, if as you say you can put your opponents on a good range of hands. Then why don't you use that info to pick up some chips? If you put them on a range with alot of marginal hands in it, it might be a very good spot to take a stab at the pot. Mixing in some bluffs improves your game alot ^^
 
Fisherman_63

Fisherman_63

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
Sep 1, 2017
Total posts
92
Chips
0
Here it is necessary to understand in which game igraesh MTT and Kesh play in different ways
 
0546474

0546474

Legend
Loyaler
Joined
Apr 4, 2016
Total posts
2,560
Awards
14
UA
Chips
85
if your game brings you victory, then this is the right game! if not, then work on improving your game! but the bluff is part of poker, and without it it will be very difficult to become a plus player!
 
M

marakhovskii

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
Oct 1, 2016
Total posts
512
Chips
0
This is an excellent strategy at low limits
 
M

mojorising

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
Jul 17, 2017
Total posts
97
Chips
0
Yes, I think I will start to try some small trips bluffs when a pair comes up on the table.

I am just so averse to losing a hand that it goes against my instincts to bet over the odds..

I think as motivation I need to remind myself that there is value even in getting caught in a bluff since it means my opponents will be thrown off the scent of my true playing style and are more likely to call when I do bet big a on a strong hand.

Also bluffing in the wake of a big hand winner is maybe good cover to get some bluffing practise since opponents will be wary of the 'winning streak' factor. Just wait one hand to check they are not tilted in which case the bluff is gonna be called (or raised)!
 
Ebsonip

Ebsonip

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Sep 13, 2017
Total posts
140
Chips
0
I am risk averse.

I never bluff.

I only value bet.

It makes me easy prey to anybody who picks up on my behaviour since they can kick me out of pot on a drawing or modest hand easily by making big raises.

But I rarely meet the same players so 90% of the time I am playing against people who don't know my weakness.

However my style does not seem to actually cost me anything. I win consistently just by waiting for good cards and betting proportionally based only on EV.

I am quick at calculating probabilities for my outs, draws etc. and measuring them against pot odds and I can often accurately put other players on a hand once I have watched them betting a few hands.

But I cannot bring myself to bluff which is a valuable part of the game.

So am I good poker player or a bad poker player?

Consider yourself a medium player.
Good luck, you'll need it.
 
atlantafalcons0

atlantafalcons0

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Mar 4, 2010
Total posts
3,713
Awards
1
Chips
4
I have found that selective risk aversion can be a profitable technique especially in tournament play. The best players have an instinct of when to put the money and when to get out.

Even stealing blinds requires a selective approach as to keep an image while still making the profitable play.
 
TeUnit

TeUnit

Legend
Loyaler
Joined
Jan 20, 2009
Total posts
4,734
Awards
14
Chips
77
You should definitely have some bluffs in your range it will you more difficult to play against. And you should be seeing spots where you can bluff.
 
Top