All games of poker are not alike. At our Claude Pepper Senior Center Poker Lab, we were discussing the Four Basic Rules for Winning at the Game of Poker (reference: The Greatest Book of Poker for WINNERS) that distinguish consistent winners from losers. Basic Poker Rule No. 2, concerning game selection, led to some lively discussion.
This rule suggests that specializing in a particular game can help you be a winner. To illustrate: Engineers can specialize in various fields-chemical, electrical, mechanical, etc. To become expert, we learn about other fields but concentrate on one. Specializing helps you to become the best you can while dividing your time among various fields makes you a jack of all traits, expert at none.
Years ago, my game was 7-card stud. Inherently it is preferable to hold 'em because, as a player, you have access to more information before the first round of betting: Your two downcards plus everyone's first upcard. In Texas hold 'em, you see only your two hole cards before betting. But 7-card stud games are rare today, and like others, I switched to hold 'em-the most popular game today.
But that's not enough. You see, there are many varieties of hold 'em: low-limit, middle-limit, high-limit, pot-limit, no-limit, and then there are tournaments. Which to select? Much depends on your reason for playing poker. Is it primarily for recreation? Socializing? Intellectual challenge and stimulation? Or is it to make a living from the game?
Some people in our Poker Lab enjoy both low-limit and tournaments. But most tournaments are no-limit games. Tournaments also involve some skills that are different from those needed in cash games.
Is it possible to be skilled in all these? That question was posed to me. I thought a moment and answered, "Well, if you are playing strictly for the entertainment value, then it's OK to play all of these games. But, for me, since I don't like to lose, I focus on low-limit games. For most of us, becoming skilled in low-limit is a big enough challenge. If you want to play no-limit tournaments as well as cash games, it would be wise to concentrate on no-limit games rather than limit games and to try to develop the additional special skills for tournament play. Just accept the fact that you won't be as skilled as you could if you played only one of these varieties."
How Does No-Limit Differ From Fixed-Limit Games? Most significant, I explained, the opportunity to bet any amount at any time is a powerful weapon. You can use it to force out opponents with marginal drawing hands, who likely would stay to see the next card in a limit game. On the other hand, you can go broke if an opponent with a slightly better hand raises you all-in. No-limit involves more strategies than limit games. For example, what is the "right" amount to bet under different circumstances? With more at stake, psychological aspects take on greater significance. But it's harder to use the poker odds in no-limit. You need to think in terms of implied pot odds and that's usually a guess. Will my opponent call my bet on then river? As for tournament play, there are additional considerations and strategies that we won't try to address here.
One student asked: "George, which do you prefer?" I reiterated: "At this time, I consider myself fairly expert at low-limit. I am still honing my skills. So I plan to stick with low-limit-even if it means not playing in tournaments." You may not agree....
So readers, what's YOUR opinion?
George "The Engineer" Epstein is the author of The Greatest Book of Poker for Winners! and Hold'em or Fold'em?-An Algorithm for Making the Key Decision and teaches poker at the Claude Pepper Sr. Citizen Center in Los Angeles. Contact George at geps222@msn.com.
