[cream12]

While I agree that small ball can be a very profitable concept, I don't think too much of small ball can be profitable, especially in cash games. In tournaments, you play too much you either build your stack up early and gain position, or you lose and get knocked out. Going all in early I too agree is a bad idea, but even the pros have been known to do this. As we've seen Daniel Negreanu's small ball concept works, if you can afford it, as he can and many professional poker players can in both tournament and cash games, but for the average individual I think playing this way could be a bad idea. We know from high stakes poker on GSN Daniel Negreanu's play has been quite a bit of small ball with odd hands that flop straights and are the nuts on the flop. Though, they usually lose out to better hands on the turn and river that are just higher straights with more draws. This leads me to believe that small ball in cash games causes a great flux in money, and as seen he lost a lot in both seasons of High Stakes. Tournament wise he's had a lot of success, but he can also afford to not have to worry about ten grand buy ins, as that is a small amount for him. For the one shot joe, I think waiting and going all in against smaller stacks, or equal stacks early in a tournament is the best strategy as this a way to accumulate chips, and have a chance of bullying your way into position. I have great respect for Daniel Negreanu's ideas as he has proven to be a great player and a fortunate man to be wedded to the beautiful Lori Weber, which by the way I envy you beyond belief, but for the average joe to enter a tournament and play small ball, I believe to be a mistake.

Cream12