Understanding of the game

[Hattifnatt]

This might be blurry but I think this might be of some interest and might be subject for good discussion so please give it some thoughts before replying.

It's often said about good poker players that he/she "has a good understanding of the game".

This is obv not black and white and subjective in a pretty big way but:

What does that mean to YOU?

Do you think that YOU have that?

Can you give example of players (preferable people that posts much here) that you think have (or don't have) this in your opinion?

How many % of the regular posters do you think have that in:

* SSNL
* MSNL
* HSNL

To you, do you think for example that a tight straight forward nut peddling 1/2-grinder making 4 ptbb/100 have this?

Can you give example of player types that in your world have and don't "have" this?

These questions applies to all forms of poker in some way but I am mainly intrested of the aspects in 6-max NL.

[john kane]

Personally I think poker theory is massively underdeveloped. However, with the online game clearly getting tougher the need for a non-abc game will be of increasingly importance, and to develop a winning non-abc game is not easy.

Personally I think I have a very good understanding of the fundamental strategies and my hand reading is very good.

However, I am seriously held back by a mental problem which means I go insane if I lose a few buyins. I put this down to my grinding mentality whereby I am looking for the easiest threshold level profit (about $200/hr) with the lowest risk, therefore I never will be a high roller.

The problem is we have never needed to implement advanced strategy becuase there have been so many bad players about. Now this is no longer the case, having a greater, more advanced understanding of the game will be increasingly important.

[Ship Ship McGipp]

I feel like I have an understanding of short handed no limit hold em. I feel like most people don't have that understanding. I feel like very few in SSNL, a comperable amount in MSNL, and probably only half or so of HSNL players understand the game.

Understanding deals with objectives. Most people don't have those objectives and just randomly click buttons.

[sdfsdf]

someone who has a comprehensive logical rationale for every action he makes. some people just can't think logically. other people use too many lines they've memorized from these forums or from other people at their tables, but dont really know why they are doing it. other players have enough experience to instinctively know the correct decision, and can't explain themselves, but once they hit a bad downswing their instincts will go to [censored].

[Jamougha]

It means they agree with me when they post.

[MATT111]

It means something very different to playing well.

[tommo]

[ QUOTE ]
someone who has a comprehensive logical rationale for every action he makes. some people just can't think logically. other people use too many lines they've memorized from these forums or from other people at their tables, but dont really know why they are doing it. other players have enough experience to instinctively know the correct decision, and can't explain themselves, but once they hit a bad downswing their instincts will go to [censored].

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree with this. Another point is that somebody who has a good understanding of the game doesn't let emotions cloud his thought process at any point in any hand.

He is always narrowing down opponent ranges and has a very accurate idea of how he can manipulate those ranges (meta game and in hand manipulation).

[paulnic]

like all sports\games emotional control is the key imo.

[soah]

[ QUOTE ]
Another point is that somebody who has a good understanding of the game doesn't let emotions cloud his thought process at any point in any hand.

[/ QUOTE ]

This statement is pretty absurd imo.

[6471849653]

If all players are equal mentally and theoretically then the higher they play the more experience they on average have. There are still plenty robots at 1/2 online but after that the nature of the came changes but one can't expect good undertanding of the game from most players still at 2/4 but at 3/6 that may mostly be the case, though there are players who have more money who play 5/10 and maybe 10/20 rather than 1/2.