Learning More Theory Has Made Me Worse

[es530]

Hi. This happened to me, exactly the same, but with the passage of time things normalize.

 

[bablo]

How much do not learn and only micro-limits will help only luck and arrogance.

 

[Dzob]

In the long run, learning poker skills will give you the most money.
Trust in mathematics and everything will be fine. GL

 

[ThinkIllcallUwitha5]

In the long run, learning poker skills will give you the most money.
Trust in mathematics and everything will be fine. GL

This is another thing I needed to realize but took me quite some playing to figure out. Even if I'm Phil Ivey, I can still lose a game, because it's not 100% skill. I was def. not at that level, though, hence the maths were not working in my favor yet. I've cooled my head a bit since and am thinking more rationally about the game now.

 

[neafana]

I learned about pot odds and now call or fold based on them, but I haven't won since, whereas I placed ITM in about half the tournaments when my decisions were just based on playing the best hole cards and folding the rest. Anyone else experience this and have any advice? I'm even trying to go back to the old way but I can't figure out how I did it. I can't see the pot and not calculate it, or not calculate number of outs, but it seems to be hurting my game beyond variance.

I had the same problem but I have given myself the answer.

I was analyzing my play from 2013 until 2015 when I didn't know so much about pot odds, etc. I was 3Betting only JJ+, AQ+ and I was reaching final tables of thousands of people (MTT of 3k, 6k even 12000 people), winning more than 10k at the micros. I was reading some basic MTT's books seeing very few videos.

After 2015 I think the games became though, some countries were banned, the pool player is smaller and some of bad regs are quitting especially on stars because, most of them there were relying on the rakeback.

Overall the field is better and you have to improve your game a lot.

I see players that in 2013, 2014 they were winning MTT's for 70k dollars (1st place), playing medium stakes MTT's and now I see them at 50cents SNG and 1$ MTT's so..., it seems that this is the reason that we are not making so much money.

 

[dedok0525]

Chances do not mean that only the best cards should be played.
Your decisions must be based not only on hidden cards.
You have a reputation at the table, your knowledge of opponents, position, stage of the tournament, type of tournaments and speed.
The range of hands varies the campaign tour.

 

[Reh1980]

Worse no

I think it made me better because I can fold an easier hand than I could before I can see how much there is in the pot, and the odds of a hit, it made me play better live events too, so I think it only improves gl.

 

[TheDude6622]

Counting your outs/figuring your odds to hit is just one of the many aspects that comes with playing this game. You cant simply just learn and do one thing and expect a smooth ride to the top.

Off of the top of my head, you have to think about: implied odds, hand ranges, player styles, position, game type, how you play, how people have seen you play, etc and so much more.

Learning about pot/hand odds is great because you make more +EV calls and lose less profit. But if that's all you look at, it isn't enough.

This is so true. pot odds are just a small part of it. Poker is playing against a human person with emotions and a style. If someone shoves every hand and you have AA, you should fold because the pot odds are not correct. That is what you're technically saying with the pot odds theory. Poker is like chess. You have to think 5 moves ahead of everyone else.

 

[Mycetism]

Experience is the best learner, there is a pattern in poker, I actually managed to win a poker tournament without bluffing once, but I guess I got lucky!