Online Poker Forum - Should I change style?

tehmac · Pair Joined: 09 Nov 2005 Posts: 43

Just wondering if I should change my style of play?

I recently drew up a chart of all the starting hands and situations that Dan Harringtons, Harrington on Hold 'em Vol. 1 suggested, and gave that a go just over a week ago. I played around $3 buy-in STT's and whatever my position, how many were in the pot, and my cards were, I would follow the chart almost religiously and do as it said... I had a great week and was up �35 (a good amount for me - a student), finishing in the money every game.

Then this week it all fell apart and now matter what I do with my play I can't finish in the money anymore. I don't think I've changed anything either... I would say I had developed a Tight/Aggressive style of play, but I keep getting squashed by Loose/Aggressive players. If I don't get the perfect cards to go in against a compulsive raiser, then my stack dwindles away and there's nothing I can do about that guy to my left.

I watched a STT last night online and one player described himself as a 'semi-maniac'... saying he followed a style like Daniel Negreanu, I saw him go in with the likes of 7-5s in middle position and take down the pot easily and he won the tournament with this aggressive loose style.

Do I need to loosen up... I have been trying to find articles or tips online that specify how this type of method is played, and I can find nothing on Phil Ivey (one of my favourites)... or is this style only beneficial like 10% of the time?

Perhaps I shouldn't follow Dan Harringtons method so religiously? What do you think.

Any help is appreciated!

Moshiach · Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2005 8:02 am Post subject:

Sometimes your style changes without you knowing it, take a short break, get back to basics and start again.

mikec7809 · Two Pair Joined: 09 Sep 2005 Posts: 55

Both styles can be effective. It really depends on which one suits you better. Harrington covers the aggressive and super-aggressive styles, although not as well as the conservative style, which is his style. If you really go back and read closely though, you can get a good idea of the other styles though.

I know he gives the basic starting requirements. He also says, though, that these types of players are looking for favorable positions to enter a pot though, so you'll have to really read it through and try to figure out what these are because he doesn't lay it right out for you.

I think, basically that he says post flop play is the same for the aggressive and conservative players, with the exception of table image. Read over the first hand he shows in the book (From the 2003 wsop) and look at how the table image affected how Deeb and Farha (the aggressive players) and Harrington and Moneymaker (who were playing conservatively) and how they were able to play post flop.

JetsFan28 · Royal Flush Joined: 19 Oct 2005 Posts: 799 Location: NY

try a new style on play chip and practice find a style that works best. dont change style and lose$ do play chip were it doesnt matter. just a suggestion.

Lawing · Four of a Kind Joined: 23 Aug 2005 Posts: 276

I wouldn't just stick to one particular style. Adjust your style to the players, gameplay, etc. A style may be good for one situation, but terrible for another.

Pokalok · Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 2:53 pm Post subject:

Remember there is a lot more to the game than the cards. Position is key. If possible keep the maniacs on your right and be extra selective about the cards you�ll play when they enter the pot. Starting hands are a general outline of the best statistical poker but in time you have to enter other factors such as position, personality, pot odds, and many other words that start with the letter �P�.

Learning how to play tight aggressive poker is only the first step, if your journey ends there you are going to loose a lot of money. You must branch out and learn how to play against many different types of tables and adjust your play to maximize your profit. There was a really great lecture by Tenenbaum (sp) for the 2005 Poker Conference, I could have the wrong year. You can try and pick it up on DVD. Do not get discouraged if a particular system doesn�t work right away. It may not be the system at all, but your inability to adjust it to the particular situation you are in at any given moment. I�ve noticed throughout my poker playing that I reach a point of epiphany when some new thing becomes crystal clear after a great deal of play and my game improves and I adjust. The best skill is continually working on learning new strategies incorporating them into your game and become ever more dangerous with each passing hand.

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