Hope it not coming off as needling. I’m interested in how one approaches the game with this added element of beating the system. It seems you have a two fold strategy which by your admission is producing success.
This site and certain individuals were very instrumental in my development with poker. We both came up in a similar fashion with a apprehensive manner and slow progression to real money play.
Spent a lot time reading and following members in the freerolls, and ask questions. That resulted in participating in discussion groups and running programs on my HH. Most data pointed to errors on my part that were corrected but nothing to the sites program. No data ever pointed to anything regarding the program ran on any site.
Wouldn’t even know where to start adding that element or how one would improve. If it is just a fall back to the fault of the client? What methods do you use and how far do you go taking out navigating the system? Do you feel an accomplishment on winning a tournament. Can’t help to think it is a sterile approach to succeeding and growth.
Again, the replies and post has open an avenue that I never thought about. Don’t buy in to any site running favorable hands to change the results of a hand and how much one wins. Just don’t know how one would approach the game to alter the perception of a perceived out come?
Again, I appreciate the dialogue.
No I do not employ any programs to analyze hands (though I do record ludicrous beats, and please note, ones which benefit me). I just observe things every time I play and patterns raise suspicions. Wet boards, big stack dominance (though that appears to have a specific pattern also) and of course the classics such as river cards.
Early days, I played regularly with a set of players in a quiet corner of a large site. We were very friendly with each other and one of our delights was spotting patterns, often on a daily basis. We would try to be first to nail the pattern...flushes, straights, trips etc. It was a lot of fun and we would crack each other up (this was over months). No one was bent out of shape in any way because it was a social game.
I have told my poker origin story elsewhere, but I was a passionate observer of live poker streams (primarily the European Poker Tour) who had never played a single hand. I then ventured online and recoiled as it all felt contrived. But- I ultimately felt compelled to learn, yet was cynical from the get go.
That said, you touch on something of note. As I learnt the game and got traction I started to pride myself how often I could cash in the play money MTTs...then I would enter as many free rolls as possible before ultimately joined the CC FR Club. I chalked whatever success I was enjoying down to study and playing.
But after periods of running in really odd manners yes, I had a realization that the good results (like bad) were much more question of luck/algorithm than any smart or creative play I had made. I certainly do not believe my poker fate on any given day rests in my hands. Yet, it is still enjoyable and profitable. if you remain measured in your approach.
In closing, I note I now play 5 sites and have cashed on all (it expanded since this thread started). Of the 5, there are two I am wary of and the other three seem to play fairly (but then all random number generators are not created equal). I think the point that is missed with someone such as myself, is if I feel (cliche) 'the deck is stacked against me' it all becomes even more of a fun challenge. Holding suspicions or not, beating other players and then beating the algorithm is rewarding.
And, to repeat, I have no choice in the matter, if I want to play, it can only be online.
