How Do Non-Rational Players Succeed in Poker?

[Morrek]

Very nice post ZJ

[Kharnage]

Good post, I thought about some of the same things when Paul Phillips mentioned this book in his blog

[no_skills]

Zee the list of players you compilled are all NL and Pl players. Hand reading and feel maybe the most valuable asset you can posses for these games. In Nl and Pl games math is important, but not nearly as useful as it is in Limit IMO(oviuosly). NL and Pl games mainly deal with implied odds.....which is completely player dependant.

[whitelime]

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ZJ,

This is one of the best posts this year imo.

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[BraveJayhawk]

In my development, I have found great success in NL 6-Max 2/4 & 3/6. In NL Full Ring, I have had success from 2/4 upto 5/10. My approach has been logical in playing these games, playing more mechanically than anything else.

However, when I have moved up from time-to-time to 5/10NL (6-Max) and 10/20NL (FR) I have experienced nothing but problems. I have found myself getting beat by the non-rational players. At first, I felt I was getting more unlucky than anything else, but after several go-arounds I have noticed myself getting constantly beat by the non-rational players. I have found the inbred willingness to gamble of the non-rational players to create many problems for successfull players of the lower levels, who have a more straight-forward, mechanical approach.

Beyond 3/6 (6-Max) and 5/10 (FR), I admit I have much to work on in order to have a chance to beat those games.

* I think the seemingly irrational play of my successful opponents has gotten the best of my playing style in the bigger games, because I have been unable to successfully adapt. However, I would like to note the 'seemingly irrational' players, although they have more variance and have an unorthodox playing sytle, will more so than not break-down players like myself. I'll admit, these players nearly always get the best of me and until I improve my hand reading skills and open up my play at the correct times will only remain as a fish in the games.

[The Funky Llama]

Some of the ideas you mention are similar to those in the book "Blink" by Malcom Gladwell, which is a really great book. It is mainly about the power of the subconscious. I highly recommend it.

[Requin]

Very nice post. Does anyone else do this when faced with a tough decision? I go to each of my other tables and deal with whats going on there, maybe pop up my poker tracker browser, anything to distract myeslf from consciously thinking about the hand. Then when my timer is almost done I go back and find the answer to my decision is in my head. I agree 100%, I think the unconscious mind is a much better decision maker in poker than the conscious mind.

[Jman28]

Excellent post ZJ. I don't have anything to add right now.

Do you recommend the book? Was it a difficult read?

[My_Name_Is_Hov]

wow... i have never really thought about poker that way. I have always been a very logical person always choosing to do the rational things. With a few exceptions this forum is comprised of very good high stakes players... Yet nobody that post much here has been super succesful playing the highest stakes online (50/100+). I wonder how much of that is due to most of the players here started reading 2+2 when we were at the quarter tables.

[ZeeJustin]

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Good post, I thought about some of the same things when Paul Phillips mentioned this book in his blog

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El Diablo mentioned the same book to me. Unfortunately I haven't heard of it until today, but I'll put it right atop my list of books to read.