Re: I think Mason is relying on too narrow a definition of M
[ QUOTE ]
Hi Al:
No. It's important when playing a tournament to try to keep your M at a comfortable level (above 20 according to Harrington), and when your M is above 20 you're a "fully functional poker player" meaning that you can and should take risks to maintain your comfortable M.
Best wishes,
Mason
[/ QUOTE ]
Mason,
Responding to several posts here. I have read HOHI and II twice as well as III once and continue working on improving my game based largely on their contents. You're correct in that they include several examples from presumably faster tournaments. I'll revisit the essay you reference. However it seems to me you're not questioning the overall premise of the book (playing faster when the structure is faster in order to stay in the green zone as a fully functional player) but are calling into question specific techniques for trying to do so (calling on the button too much with marginal or junk hands). I'm not sure if you're still mid-book, but at some point when discussing integrating all the techniques Snyder discusses some of the things to consider when deciding whether to make a particular move. For the move of calling from the button and taking away the pot one factor might be whether the player(s) in the hand with you are weak-tight and likely to give up on the hand. Another might be your table image - if you've only shown down winning hands a TAG might give up on the hand if the flop missed him and might have hit you - obviously the texture of the flop and his perception of what you might have played factor into that. Although this move is part of the "basic strategy" it isn't something you'd do every time you're on the button in an unraised or standard-raised pot.
BTW, good luck in your first ME.
Al
|