(Distributed Sept. 12, 2006)
PLAYER ASKS: CAN POKER PROVIDE SUPPLEMENTAL INCOME?
At age 50, Bob B. of Manitowoc, Wis., has only been playing poker for 18 months but hopes someday to consistently win enough to allow him to only work a part-time regular job. Let’s explore his chances at success.
* Hi Russ: I think it would be neat to improve my game over the next 8-10 years to the point where I could work part-time and win enough at poker (maybe $15,000 to $30,000 per year) to supplement my income. What do you think? One more thing, what’s your opinion about poker tracking devices? How helpful or necessary are they to be a successful online hold’em player?
Your approach to improving is outstanding, Bob. You’re thinking long-term, unlike so many younger players I see who believe they can jump right into the game and make a fortune without really working at it.
You noted that some poker books advise players to build their game slowly, advancing to higher stakes only when you regularly beat the lower ones. That’s the correct strategy for players of all ages. With your realistic approach, I don’t think it’ll take you 10 years to find out if you can reach your goal.
There are two key points to consider. One is your willingness to truly be a student of the game, to realize there’s always something more to learn. It sounds as if you definitely have the patience to accomplish that.
The other is to be honest with yourself. Keep detailed records of every session in a pocket notebook and carry it with you. Each time you play, log the date, day of the week, card room, game played, betting limits, hours played, and, of course, how much you won or lost and a running total for the year.
You’ll need that information in a couple of years when you’re ready to make your decision. In the meantime, your notebook entries also will help you spot trends, such as better results at certain betting levels or increased losses when you play too long in one session.
Which brings us to your question about poker tracking devices.
The short answer is that more information is better than less, especially for someone like you who is fairly new to poker but serious about improving. Although you shouldn’t let the computer turn you into a totally predictable player, I suspect such devices would be very helpful in learning hand values, pot odds, weaknesses in your game, and more.
Clearly, tracking your play with lots of statistical data will take some money and a lot of time. Talk to someone who has used such a device and do some online research before making the investment. I haven’t tried tracking software, but it’s in my future.
Good luck! Keep me posted on how you’re doing.
* Hey LuckyDog: I watched Daniel Negreanu take down that Tunica, Miss., tournament on TV recently and was really shocked by how frequently the players showed him their hole cards when they probably should have mucked them. Did Daniel’s talkative style cause the easy playing? Do you really want to give him that much information? — Good times, A.J. in Illinois.
Popular pro Daniel Negreanu is a master at disarming his opponents and causing them to play friendly, A.J. It’s his standard playing style, and it’s particularly effective against amateurs. By falling into his verbal web, they often also play stupidly.
That’s the only way to describe their actions, such as showing cards, goofing off, talking too much — all of which give a player of Negreanu’s ability WAY too much additional advantage.
This final table was particularly light-hearted. I sat in the audience start to finish and watched them have a good time. Maybe some of that funny stuff was due to nerves, or perhaps the players were just hamming it up for the cameras. In any event, they made it too easy for Negreanu.
* Great job blogging, Russ. There could not have been better coverage of the World Series of Poker anywhere. Hope more people discover LuckyDog Poker through your Web site. Like the Series winner, it’s Gold! — Craig of Illinois.
Thanks, Craig! I’m just glad the main event ended when it did. I had used almost every play on words available in reporting Jamie Gold’s $12 million victory!
E-mail your poker questions and comments to russ@luckydogpoker.com for use in future columns. To find out more about Russ Scott and read previous LuckyDog Poker columns, visit www.creators.com or www.luckydogpoker.com.
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