There was mention
in a forum thread of people at the APC locations
getting better as the season has progressed.
That got me thinking about the progression
that a poker player takes as he (she) gets
better.
I also think it’s good to assess where
you’re at every now and then so you
know what you need to do to get better.
I put the learning poker player (i.e.
non-professional) into four levels. These
are players that are actually trying to
play well, not the any two cards type. To
me this is the progression that most players
take. So lets have a little self assessment
here.
What level you think you are at and what
do you need to do to get to the next level?
Also, If you think I’m completely
off base or missing something, let me know.
Here are Four Levels Of Poker Play
Level 1: This
player plays too many hands pre-flop (any
two suited any Ace any king, etc.). They
don’t raise much pre-flop and when
they do it’s usually not the right
amount. They go to the river with any piece
of the pot (low pair, inside straight draw,
Ace high). They pay no attention to position,
betting patterns, previous hands, etc. They
will never fold a pocket pair, even if there
are 3 overs on the board. They bluff too
much and go all-in too much.
Level 2: This player has
figured out a few things, like tight pre-flop
play keeps you in the game longer. This
player has tightened up pre-flop, but has
over compensated by becoming two passive.
They no longer play Kx or any two suited,
but they still can’t fold hands like
KJ or AT or Axs or suited connectors. They
can’t get away from top pair. They
have a little understanding of odds and
outs, but don’t apply it to their
game. They don’t raise enough pre-flop.
They don’t bluff enough. They’re
easy to fold with a big bet. They rarely,
if ever, re-raise or check raise. Basically
this is tight, predictable poker.
Level 3: This is where
the player starts to really understand the
complexities of the game. They realize that
you have to have a better hand to call a
raise than you do to open raise. They have
a decent understanding of the odds and can
apply them (I have 12 outs, there’s
1,000 in the pot I can call around a 300
bet without making a mistake). They play
their position and they bet aggressively
pre-flop. They’ll put in a continuation
bet on the flop to see where they’re
at even if they haven’t hit the hand.
They’ll bluff and steal blinds effectively.
They are starting to pay attention to betting
patterns during a hand and are able to put
players on a range of hands. They can categorize
players as tight, aggressive, loose, passive,
etc.
Level 4: This player can
read other players based on past betting
patterns and has a mental note of the hands
different players have shown down. They
use “moves” like check raises,
re-raises, slow plays, etc. effectively
and often. They truly play the player and
will bet aggressively regardless of their
cards if they have a read on a player. They
have the math down and can calculate odds
and probabilities immediately. They win
a lot of hands without having to go to showdown.
I’ll start (can you tell I’m
bored today?).
I think I’m in Level 3 right now,
though barely. I have a decent understanding
of the game. I understand odds and how to
apply them, but I most of the time I lose
focus and don’t apply them.
I think I play my position well and have
a pretty good idea of what to bet in different
situations. I can read obvious moves by
players, but tend to get caught by some
of the trickier players.
I’m not very good at reading tells.
I sometimes have a hard time getting my
self to aggressively attack a player that
I have a read on. Example: even though I’m
almost positive I can fold the blinds with
a raise I have a hard time doing it with
a sub par hand (not playing the player).
The biggest thing I need to change to move
to the next level is pay attention to the
other players betting habits and patterns
(and remember them). I know I’m missing
out on some opportunities because I’m
not gathering enough information on players.
I also think my play might have gotten a
bit too tight (I don’t remember the
last time I hit a straight or flush)
Taking your self assesment is an important
part of poker strategy. If you'd like to
test your skills visit the PokerStars
Download Guide for a step by step instruction
on setting up your online account.
justthedude
P.S. Leave feedback for
jtd in the poker
forum where the original posting of
this article appeared.
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