Archive for July 29th, 2010

Poker: A Game Of Profit

Thursday, July 29th, 2010

In Poker, some games offer more potential for profit than others. Limit Hold’em was once the most popular online game. There remain many low to medium limit games, and also those with limits as high as $100/$200 per game. Because one can always find a hold’em game whether online or at a casino, it undoubtedly offers the most profit potential of any of the games. There are many not-so-hot players out there that do not rise to the level of the $20/$40 limit.

Being as popular as it is, it is everyone’s choice and so maintains its profitability and will be the go-to game for a long time.

A significant plus of Limit Holdem is the amount of literature devoted to it. Many of the modern books on poker in general are devoted to limit games. It is one of the most studied games and it is possible that a diligent student may learn much from the published material. In this respect, decisions may be simpler to make in Limit Holdem.

These advantages of accessibility and the copious available literature surrounding limit hold’em means that there are a lot of skillful players in the game. This fact can unfortunately make the game less profitable for the average player. The average player can expect enjoyment of the game but no profits.

If you would like to avoid this dismal fate, there are several very specific questions you can ask yourself in order to determine which game is best for you. Poker is a game of chance, a game of skill and creativity, and it is a game of risk and self control. Determine as precisely as you can how prone you are to taking risks and how well you are able to control yourself in such situations: that is, whether the risks you take are impulsive and uncalculated (.i.e. a disaster in poker terms), or whether you are the type who likes to take calculated risks designed to win as well as to thrill.

Once you have decided your risk level and there are special tests to determine this, you can go for the game that fits your style. If you are the one who acts solely on impulse, the slot machines are where you should invest your time and money. If you want to avoid risk altogether, you should be at a limit table with betting levels proportionate to your comfort zone with regard to risk.

Rigid logic is not the same as psychological insight. If you think that you like to have things under control as much as possible, decide whether you are best at calculating the best card combination in relation to every other combination that has been played so far in the three-hour long game, or whether you make your best moves by reading your opponents’ current hands and tells by observing their expressions and body language. For the latter type of player, no-limit and MTT poker is probably best.

Interestingly, it is also the latter type of player who has the best shot at developing as a player. High-limit games are rare. High risks are also not likely to lead very far. No-limit and tournaments offer both accessible and complex poker challenges, providing the best environment for aspiring beginners.

The author is a successful limit cash game player. He plays poker online and receives Rakeback at PKR Poker and Rakeback at Victory Poker.

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