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"'Not losing is winning.' Everyone has heard this phrase, and it is indeed a very sensible one. Sometimes poker players get carried away when trying to win a pot, but they must always remember that both winning by a lot and losing by a little are good outcomes.
Many people care about winning and losing, but compared to losing, not losing is indeed winning. Unfortunately, not everyone can grasp this concept right from the start of a poker game.
All poker players have biases; they have their ways of making a profit, slightly profitable methods, methods of losing, and ways to avoid losses. It's because some people can recognize these biases in themselves that they understand that not losing is considered a win.
Below, we'll explore the five most common biases in poker games.
1. Bias 1: 'You want me to fold.'
This is the most common bias, especially in multi-way pots. For example, in a flop of T♠8♠7♥, holding A♦T♣, a player might say, 'Oh, buddy, I have a pair in this hand.'
The player who hits a pair on the flop may win the pot, but it doesn't rule out the possibility that his opponents have stronger hands.
The best way to play this hand is to consider the opponent's range and make decisions that maximize your own profit (when your hand is strong) and minimize your own losses (when your hand is weak). The choice of method depends on factors such as who your opponents are, their playing style, and their chip stacks.
Once this bias sets in, many players become overly focused on the idea that 'you want me to fold,' thus ignoring the fact that their hand might be weaker. They subconsciously believe, 'I might beat him, but I mustn't fold too easily.'
When they have this mindset, they are essentially playing with fire. Players with this bias rarely become top-notch players, and having such players at the table should encourage you to play more hands.
2. Bias 2: 'You are bluffing me.'
Poker is a game of information management. Game theory in poker analysis talks about the concept of the 'optimal bluffing frequency.' If you bluff with the correct frequency in different situations, whether your opponent calls or folds won't affect you.
Likewise, opponents also have an 'optimal calling frequency,' which means they call even when they suspect their opponent is bluffing. However, real-life poker players have poor control over their 'optimal calling frequency' when bluffing is involved.
These opponents can be envisioned as those who hesitate to fold, call when in doubt, and even call when they suspect their opponent is bluffing.
Clearly, if such players are at the table, you should bluff them less.
3. Bias 3: 'I don't want to play 'nut' hands.'
'Nut hands' refer to the best possible hands or hand ranges. For example, if someone raises pre-flop, and you call with J♣T♣, and the flop comes J♦9♠6♥, and your opponent bets, and you call, and the turn is 7♣, and your opponent bets, and you call again, and the river is 3♥, and your opponent bets small, and you call.
Oh no, your opponent had AA! Wasn't that obvious?
Some players hate this 'nut hand' approach. This bias stems from another bias: 'In small-stakes games, I shouldn't play nut hands because players don't bluff frequently.'
Many players with this bias fold early, regardless of what cards they have. They think, 'If I didn't call on the river, I shouldn't call on the turn.' This bias can lead to unnecessary folds on the turn in the long run.
4. Bias 4: 'I don't want to see a suck-out.'
This bias is similar to the next one, but players' emotional reactions are completely different. Players with this bias believe that if they lose to AA because their opponent had the nuts, it's a normal outcome. However, they often go crazy when they see a suck-out after folding.
Regardless of whether the opponent is bluffing or calling all the way, players who fold eventually lack confidence in their own hands. They get excited when they see a suck-out and don't want to face the moment when their skills fall short.
5. Bias 5: 'Don't pressure me.'
Some poker players absolutely despise pressure from their opponents.
Pressure from the opponent can mean many things, such as making tough decisions when you have a weaker hand. For some players, even a seemingly unlikely raise from a player who has been winning small pots can be pressure.
This bias can make players anxious, especially when opponents are betting with a strong hand.
In Conclusion:
'Not losing is winning.' How you interpret this phrase may vary from person to person. However, if you are a player who can't let go of your biases, it might be worth trying a different strategy from time to time." |
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Post time 11-9-2023 07:47:08
