How to Beat Killed Holdem Games
Book Details
PublisherAlan N. Schoonmaker
ISBN / ASINB01H7KMK80
ISBN-13978B01H7KMK84
Sales Rank495,218
MarketplaceUnited States 🇺🇸
Description
ABOUT THIS BOOK
Since I specialize in poker psychology, I rarely write about strategy. Yet I decided to write about killed game strategy because:
1. There’s an obvious need for it. Hardly anyone has thoroughly discussed how to adjust to killed games.
2. Killed games should increase your profits. Action-lovers prefer killed games, and some solid players may avoid them, making your competition much weaker.
3. The best way to learn a subject is to teach it. Writing articles and this book will improve my own play.
4. Psychological factors cause many mistakes in killed games. Many players either don’t plan their adjustments, or they react emotionally.
INCREASING YOUR PROFITS
Killed games appeal to the same urges as straddling, a foolish gamble. Action-lovers like to force others to post “involuntary straddles.”
Action-lovers resent “nits,” the conservative players who usually take their money. Increasing the stakes scares some “nits,” and lets the “real gamblers” run over them. They can also win a lot of money quickly.
Occasionally doubling the stakes makes everyone’s results more dependent upon a few pots. So many solid players avoid killed games. Playing against more action-lovers and fewer solid players should greatly increase your edge and profits.
IMPROVING MY OWN PLAY
I learn by writing and getting feedback. David Sklansky, Mason Malmuth, Bryan Clark, Nick Christenson, and several readers commented on the articles. Roy Cooke, Preston Oade, Jim Brier, Jan Siroky, and Brad Cline criticized drafts of this book. More feedback will come from this book’s readers.
PSYCHOLOGICALLY CAUSED MISTAKES
Some weak players don’t adjust, and others react emotionally. Some conservative players become too weak-tight. Some action-lovers become too reckless.
Mason Malmuth said, “If most players adjusted properly, killing the game wouldn’t have much impact on strategy. Since so many people don’t adjust or adjust poorly, you have to adjust well to exploit their mistakes.”
This book will analyze these mistakes and recommend ways to exploit them. It will also discuss your own strengths, weaknesses, and feelings. If you don’t understand and adjust to these factors, especially your own mindset, you’ll make serious mistakes.
THE BOTTOM LINE
If you adjust well, choosing killed games should substantially increase your profits:
• There’ll be more action-lovers, fewer solid players.
• Many opponents don’t adjust or adjust badly.
• The looser, weaker players will play more hands, chase more often, win more pots, and post many more kill blinds than you will.
• Killing the game raises the stakes without substantially increasing your own blinds, increasing your edge.
• Because the worst players kill the most pots, while some solid players become tighter in killed pots, you’ll often play for higher stakes against only the weakest players.
You gotta love it!
Dr. Al
Since I specialize in poker psychology, I rarely write about strategy. Yet I decided to write about killed game strategy because:
1. There’s an obvious need for it. Hardly anyone has thoroughly discussed how to adjust to killed games.
2. Killed games should increase your profits. Action-lovers prefer killed games, and some solid players may avoid them, making your competition much weaker.
3. The best way to learn a subject is to teach it. Writing articles and this book will improve my own play.
4. Psychological factors cause many mistakes in killed games. Many players either don’t plan their adjustments, or they react emotionally.
INCREASING YOUR PROFITS
Killed games appeal to the same urges as straddling, a foolish gamble. Action-lovers like to force others to post “involuntary straddles.”
Action-lovers resent “nits,” the conservative players who usually take their money. Increasing the stakes scares some “nits,” and lets the “real gamblers” run over them. They can also win a lot of money quickly.
Occasionally doubling the stakes makes everyone’s results more dependent upon a few pots. So many solid players avoid killed games. Playing against more action-lovers and fewer solid players should greatly increase your edge and profits.
IMPROVING MY OWN PLAY
I learn by writing and getting feedback. David Sklansky, Mason Malmuth, Bryan Clark, Nick Christenson, and several readers commented on the articles. Roy Cooke, Preston Oade, Jim Brier, Jan Siroky, and Brad Cline criticized drafts of this book. More feedback will come from this book’s readers.
PSYCHOLOGICALLY CAUSED MISTAKES
Some weak players don’t adjust, and others react emotionally. Some conservative players become too weak-tight. Some action-lovers become too reckless.
Mason Malmuth said, “If most players adjusted properly, killing the game wouldn’t have much impact on strategy. Since so many people don’t adjust or adjust poorly, you have to adjust well to exploit their mistakes.”
This book will analyze these mistakes and recommend ways to exploit them. It will also discuss your own strengths, weaknesses, and feelings. If you don’t understand and adjust to these factors, especially your own mindset, you’ll make serious mistakes.
THE BOTTOM LINE
If you adjust well, choosing killed games should substantially increase your profits:
• There’ll be more action-lovers, fewer solid players.
• Many opponents don’t adjust or adjust badly.
• The looser, weaker players will play more hands, chase more often, win more pots, and post many more kill blinds than you will.
• Killing the game raises the stakes without substantially increasing your own blinds, increasing your edge.
• Because the worst players kill the most pots, while some solid players become tighter in killed pots, you’ll often play for higher stakes against only the weakest players.
You gotta love it!
Dr. Al
