sharing

[aaokwitme]

I'm sharing this list in the interest of helping others who may be struggling with how they can get better, and to get feedback on other things to consider so that I can learn from others. I've broken these skills into three areas, technical skills, "soft skills" and intangibles, and limited my discussion to what I think are the top three items in each area:
Technical skills

These basic technical skills provide a framework for decision making under pressure. Novice family game players and many new tournament players lack this framework and "go with their gut" on every play. Lacking a basic understanding of poker theory, these players rely almost completely on luck. These skills are foundational. Basic blocking and tackling and for serious players they should be second nature.
Starting hand selection

I'm not talking about starting hand charts here, although those are useful in getting started. This is more about knowing when 89s is a playable hand, and when it isn't. Its knowing which hands play better with just a few callers, and which ones only work in a multi-player pot.

Great starting hand selection is adjustable for the situation. Playing 18% of your hands may be appropriate, or way too loose, in an aggressive game. 35% might be too tight if the game is passive. Skill in selecting starting hands relies on knowledge of when, why and how to get started.
Probability and odds

Basic statistics play a role in almost every decision, so a little knowledge of statistical analysis and probability is important. Calculating probability based on outs is a start. Knowing the odds of hitting on the flop is also important (but difficult to do in your head). Either one of these can be memorized for the mathematically challenged.

The ability to calculate expected value, however, is complex enough that a good understanding of what expected value is, when it applies and how to calculate it is valuable. Sorry, I know of no easy way to get around the math on this one.
Reading Hands

This is the ability to quickly recognize the likely hands that an opponent may hold. At its most basic level it requires knowledge of what is possible. New hold 'em players often bet two pair or three of a kind against a board that suggests a flush or straight, for no reason other than forgetting to think about it.

At a deeper level, the ability to accurately recall the order of play: who bet, who raised, who re-raised - not just on this betting round, but during the entire hand, provides additional information in determining what is possible. This is almost always just partial information, and depends on several factors like the quality of the competition and how extreme the action has been. A good player is unlikely to hold a full house when the flop comes 447, unless they were given a free pass in the blind, but a newer player might. If there was heavy raising before this flop, you should be pretty sure that nobody has a full house.


Technical skills can be learned through self-study, reading and practice. Anyone with an average aptitude for math and card playing experience can master them with a little effort. Most above average players have a full understanding of the technical aspects of the game.
Soft skills

Gauging the player

The ability to quickly and accurately determine how much poker a person has played, how good he is, and what his playing style is. Then, the ability to validate or adjust these assumptions based on further actions by this player. For me this is an evolving situation in which I make some initial assumptions, and then gain confidence in them as I continue to learn about the player. As my confidence in what I think I know grows, so does my ability to take actions based on it.

Things to think about. Aggressive or passive? Loose or tight? Tries to steal too many pots? Traps or slowplays? Makes loose calls? Always plays (bets) draws? Bet size vs strength of hand? Varies play, i.e. plays tight when the table is aggressive, but loosens up when appropriate?

Getting a quick read on a player adds a dimension to reading hands that can be used to take actions that may otherwise be questionable, even if it's a rough read. The size of the risk taken should be appropriate for the confidence you have in the read. For example, you might make a 2BB call with a rough read, but decline to make a 10BB call until you are more confident in what you know about that player.
Reading the player

The ability read a player's actions, based on the kind of player that you think he is, and factor that into your play. This means having a feel for what a certain action means for a specific player. For example, an all-in bet from some players is a blatant attempt to bull their opponent out of the pot. When these players want to build the pot because they have a strong hand, they don't force others out by going all-in. For other players, an all-in bet may mean that they have a strong hand, and have put their opponent on a good second best hand, and they want the call.

Alternatively, a soft bet on the flop may be a trap, or a weak attempt to steal when no one is likely to have hit. Most average players are relatively consistent in how they play their cards, and once you have gauged their play it can be a strong factor in how you react to their actions. Even above-average players can be predictable to a degree.
Playing the player

This takes reading the player to the next level. It is the ability to use your knowledge to get a specific action from a certain player that you are familiar with.

For example, some players hate to be re-raised and have to dominate the hand. Got a strong hand and want to isolate him? Re-raise him pre-flop and often he'll go over the top, maybe all-in. Afraid he'll learn what you are doing? Next time he bets, put out a small raise with anything, and then fold to his re-raise.

Got a pot stealer and a strong hand? Check the flop and weak bet on the turn to induce a steal/bluff. Call his raise, then bet big or go all-in on the next card. Pot stealers hate to think that anyone else would use this tactic against them, and they'll call to the finish or come back even stronger.
Intangible Skills

Discipline

The ability to play only good starting hands, make tough laydowns and play as correctly as possible under any circumstance. Never saying, "I know this is wrong, but." (I'm due, just this once, no guts no glory). Resistance to loosening up because of dryspells, bad beats or just because "you've got a feel". Recognizing tilt and dealing with it (get better or get out.)

Things to think about:

To really master discipline, a lot of the skills above have to be mastered. Its hard to make yourself do the right thing, if you don't know what that is.

Being disciplined doesn't always mean playing straight up and by the book. Off color plays are important too, but you need to have the discipline to know why you are doing what you are doing, rather than just acting on a whim.

Discipline and experience go hand in hand. It took a lot of hands for me to really believe that Axo is rarely playable, but now I don't give them a second thought. I also used to check my "flop %" and see 42% and say, "How can that be? I'm barely playing any hands at all." Now I check and see 22% and say, "Wow, felt like I was getting a little loose."
Emotional Response

The ability to take a bad beat, toss what would have been the winner, or listen to a wise cracker and just cruise smoothly along. I'm not talking about banging chairs or cussing after an especially frustrating experience, but the ability to do that if required and get back down to business. Or, if need be, to sit out, grab a beer and just take some time to let it go.
Especially in no limit, this is a necessity. It takes too long to build that big stack to lose it in a fit of irrationality. You may have just lost half of it because bozo over there just caught his gutshot draw on the river, but it won't do any good to lose the rest going all-in with 78s.
A first step is being able to recognize your emotional state and act on it. The next step is being to control it, to be able to smile, shake your head, and say "nice hand", then get past it. Shows poise, experience and keeps you in the game.
Ability to think under pressure

All of the knowledge and experience in the world does you no good at all if you stop thinking when you see a big hand, a giant pot, or a challenge from the gorilla to your right. What can beat me? What could he have? How can I improve and what are the odds?

Easy to say, hard to do, especially with adrenalin pumping, everybody waiting and your inner voice screaming, "Call, raise, fold, all-in." This takes experience, and eventually becomes less about original thinking and more about recognizing situations you've been in before.
A final thought:
Balance

Of course, the reason poker is such a fascinating game is that all of these things, the technical analysis, the soft skills and the intangible factors have to be balanced in an endless number of situations. If there was a formula for success, or a checklist that you could use to cover all of the bases, then any robotron could master it. The reason that so many of the world class players have variant styles, is that there are just as many ways to balance these things as there are players.

I'm still working at it, and I'm sure there are a bunch of things to learn that I haven't even recognized yet. Part of being good at anything is knowing what you don't know, and I'm much further along than I was a five months ago. If you have mastered all of the above, and think you're a great poker player, you probably are. But if you're like me and you want to always get a little better, let me know what you are working on. I'd like to factor it into my plan so I can bust you when we get heads up [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[Boise123]

How's it working out for you.

[basementproject]

Don't forget record-keeping and studying your own play.

BTW great post- people should read it. Bump for that.

[JanelleBB7]

Really Great Post! It is nice to read because it doesn't just apply to Holdem it also applied to PLO.

What I could identify the most with is Discipline and this is an area which I know I really need to develop the most in.

The ability to play only good starting hands, make tough laydowns

This is SO CRUCIAL in PLO... making a great laydown has a huge impact on your PLO game moreso that in Holdem I think because there are so many time you have to let a full house go... and that is hard to do.


(I'm due, just this once, no guts no glory).

This is funny because last night a guy says to me.. "Janelle you need to hike up your skirt and find some balls." As if making a bad push all in is what will win you money... he of course made this ridiculous call all in and sat there with a huge stack against someone who had a far superior hand and I had smartly folded a hand which I knew was better than this guys who told me I needed to find a pair.

The ability to take a bad beat, toss what would have been the winner, or listen to a wise cracker and just cruise smoothly along.

I can usually handle a bad beat if the guy doesn't start making snide remarks about how brilliant he was! Every once and a while when someone is being rude, I just have to call them an idiot. I know in the end it is much better to be nice to them and keep them at the table but holding back the emotional response to snap at them is so difficult. I know some players have all chat turned off to guard against this, but I have a problem because I am a blabber mouth and talk a lot to people.

The next step is being to control it, to be able to smile, shake your head, and say "nice hand", then get past it.

Yes.. on my too do list for the next time I play!! TY!

Part of being good at anything is knowing what you don't know, and I'm much further along than I was a five months ago. If you have mastered all of the above, and think you're a great poker player, you probably are. But if you're like me and you want to always get a little better, let me know what you are working on.

OMG the more I read and post on 2+2 the more I realize I don't know! LOL... but I have learned a lot in the past month and I am continuing to learn... I think the biggies I am focusing on which apply to PLO is to make great laydowns ( When I KNOW I am beaten and I always know it in my guts) and to resist the urge to tilt when I take a bad beat. I can usually control myself from tilting when the player who beats me isn't rude. However, you have to be able to control your emotions at the poker table and I need to just shrug it off and move to the next hand. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Thanks again for this post.. it helps remind me what I need to focus on and makes me want to try!

[FoxInTheHenHouse]

Excellent post.
Well articulated and you obviously put a ton of thought into it.
Good on you!!

Keep thinking and working on your game and continue making thoughtful, well constructed posts....

[aaokwitme]

Boise123
"How's it working out for you. "
Well, my live play is paying of in over %70 of tourneys by getting in the money or takeing 1st through 3rd in games of 10 to 100 players.
Thanks to all for your kind words.