Copyright 2005 Full
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June 13, 2005
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Poker Lesson: Specialize
At Your Peril
Author: Howard Lederer
The recent poker
explosion on TV and the Internet has created a flood of new players
who are serious about developing their game. Sadly for them, television
is sending a skewed message. No-Limit
Hold 'em is the game of choice when the game is shown on TV,
and it's easy to think there is only one game out there. While
no one would argue that No-Limit makes for the most exciting television,
there are many dangers associated with playing only one game.
First, you run the risk of getting bored, and boredom
will lead to a stunting of your poker development. Enthusiasm
is a critical ingredient for a successful poker career. When I
spend time around the best poker players in the world, the one
thing that they all share is a genuine love and passion for the
game.
Next, you might be missing your true poker
calling. As it happens, my best game isn't No-Limit Hold 'em -
it's Limit Hold 'em. Had I not tried playing limit, I would never
have found the game I am best at.
There are reasons why all the biggest casinos in
the world feature multiple games. Stop by the big game at the
Bellagio in Las Vegas and you're liable to see No-Limit
and Limit, with games
ranging from Seven-Card Stud
to Deuce-to-Seven Draw. The best players in the world simply love
to play poker. To
deny themselves the pleasure of playing some of the best forms
of the game would be unthinkable. They also know that if they
play just one game, the specialists in a particular game (who
are not nearly as good overall poker
players) would be able to sit at their game and win. If you
want to climb to the top of the poker world, you better become
a great poker generalist. If you insist on limiting yourself to
one game, you'll never make it.
Even if your ultimate goal is to become an accomplished
No-Limit Hold 'em player,
I encourage you to at least play a lot of Limit Hold 'em. Too
many No-Limit specialists
get by with almost no post-flop skills. To get good at limit
Hold 'em, you will be forced get more comfortable playing
after the flop. Getting free cards on fourth street and making
close value bets on fifth street are just two of the skills you'll
be working on. And those skills are transferable. Developing these
skills in limit Hold 'em will allow you to play your hands with
all your options available. And your No-Limit results will improve
dramatically.
Playing the other games will develop skills that
will simply make you a better poker
player. Skills that have subtle value in No-Limit
Hold 'em are very important in the other games. Acquiring
these skills will have profound effects on your No-Limit game,
even though you might not even be aware of their importance now.
Playing Seven-Card
Stud will definitely teach you the value of free cards. It
is a fundamental skill necessary to succeed at the game. In Pot-Limit
Omaha you will learn the power of position and the power of the
semi-bluff. Seven-Card Stud 8/Better is a game where you need
to learn how to narrow the field at the right time. The number
of players in a pot can make a hand go from a fold to a raise.
Razz? Well, if nothing else, it will teach you how important patience
can be when things aren't going well.
The world of poker
has a lot more to offer than No-Limit
Hold 'em. And if you start to explore that world, I am confident
you will enjoy the game more. Getting good at each game will take
time, so start out small and read what you can. Have fun; a new
world awaits.
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