At odds with all the tech

[boyward]

Hello,

A recreational player here. I've been playing a load of micro tournaments and it's going OK.

However, as I study the game I feel I am playing at a disadvantage against all those who are set up playing with ICM calculators, programmes like Flopzilla etc and other bits of wizardry that help others have an advantage.

I just play on my mobiles as i work so I don't feel in a position to join them, nor do I want to be a total grinder with a laptop full of screens.

My question is this, can I get by as I am and does anyone have any advice playing in this way on the minimum I should have.

I'm working on improving my positional play and ranges etc, but at the moment EV calculations and ICM seems a bit over my head.

I do have a maths degree so I understand a lot of the theory etc, I just want to keep the game a little pure.

I hope this makes sense.

 

[UberPokerFan]

You are at a disadvantage against those players who study a lot but because you are playing micros, for the most part you will not be playing against them. From my observations while playing micros, most if not all my opponents don't study at all. I'm continually amazed at the poor hand selections and plays my opponents make. Even in the CardsChat freerolls, with all of the free training available here 70% of the freeroll players apparently have never read any of it.

So for the micros you will be challenged enough. As you learn more and move up the tables, you will eventually run into the studying players but there are still plenty of unschooled players for you to win from. Just watch the youtube videos put out by Brad Owen, Jeff Boski, Lex Veldhuis, and Andrew Neeme, to name a few, and you'll see plenty of players who play badly at the higher stakes.

 

[CDNMAN 42]

Non Tech

Hello,

A recreational player here. I've been playing a load of micro tournaments and it's going OK.

However, as I study the game I feel I am playing at a disadvantage against all those who are set up playing with ICM calculators, programmes like Flopzilla etc and other bits of wizardry that help others have an advantage.

I just play on my mobiles as i work so I don't feel in a position to join them, nor do I want to be a total grinder with a laptop full of screens.

My question is this, can I get by as I am and does anyone have any advice playing in this way on the minimum I should have.

I'm working on improving my positional play and ranges etc, but at the moment EV calculations and ICM seems a bit over my head.

I do have a maths degree so I understand a lot of the theory etc, I just want to keep the game a little pure.

I hope this makes sense.

Yes it makes sense to me, I have been playing live and online for over 30 years and still don't use tech gadgets..I guess I am at a disadvantage to the younger high tech players but you know it is just a game and really anything can happen at any time..Overall, financially, I am up significantly from playing low and micro entry tourneys and playing 5 sites, and when live play resumes in casinos here I'll play there also..Studying the game, the players and your own hands certainly helps..but in the end. the cards count...good luck

 

[puzzlefish]

It kind of depends on what you are looking to get out of playing online poker.

 

[Four Dogs]

You know, I'm an older guy (in poker years at least) and I love the tech, but I don't feel like I get a huge advantage from it at-the-table, and certainly not in tournaments or SNGs where you rarely have enough hands on an opponent to make a difference. In those cases the sites own note taking features are just fine. AGGY, STATION, NIT etc.

Where the software, Flopzilla, PT4, really help me is off-the-table review and study where I can spend a whole Saturday getting into the Donk Lead weeds or fiddling around with SPRs.

That said, all the studying and technology, while fun, hasn't made me rich. So, if that's not you're cup of tea than I don't think your at that much of a disadvantage, at least not at the limits most of us play at.

 

[boyward]

Thanks for the great replies. All good comments. I am enjoying my poker so that's good and still feel I am learning my apprenticeship. Just hoping to ay some winning poker and improve my play. I think i need to work on my ranges at the moment. Cheers all.

 

[boyward]

Just an update, I am using Jonathan Little's pre-flop cards to help guide me when I am a little unsure, just to help me get my head around opening ranges as I know I have been playing far too tightly in the late positions.

 

[jeffman123]

I do think this software you are talking about makes studying a lot more effective and efficient. So if you do want to put in the time to get very good at the game then it's probably worth it for you to invest both the time and the money to get these programs and learn to use them. If you just play for fun at the micros then of course you don't need to do much studying at all. You might even end up on a winning strategy given that most players will be making very fundamental mistakes all the time.

 

[Vilgeoforc]

It's never too late to start learning and exploring your own game. Download Equilator, free HUD and now your first weapon is ready.

 

[Lucky_Shark]

The fact is that such programs as FlopZilla and the like are allowed and anyone can use them. If you play from your phone, this does not mean that everyone else should abandon poker programs. If you want to play on an equal footing with the others, you have to adapt.