Highstack - Re-inventing the wheel

Whilst I still firmly believe this concept, I have been attempting to add new poker skills to my armoury. As a result I have not been at the usual tables throughout the last month.

I have been playing cash games, Hold’em MTT’s, Omaha and Omaha Hi/Lo. As in all new ventures it can prove an expensive learning curve. I have tried to limit this to small stakes throughout this period, taking the view that this learning curve represents a short-term loss in return for long-term gain. I have read books in relation to the aforementioned games, although once again, education is no substitute for practice and I am sure that when I read the books again I will be able to appreciate and make sense of the strategies discussed.

To use a sporting analogy, these games are different in the way that one day cricket differs from test match cricket or rugby union from rugby league. In short, the underlying principals and rules are similar, but they require a whole new set of skills and strategies.

I have reached a proficient standard in the STT games ‘cashing’ in a reasonable percentage of them. Understandably you might be thinking; ‘Why change’? (If it isn’t broken, then don’t fix it). I watched Daniel Negreanu (currently the best poker player on the planet in my opinion) explaining that he prides himself on success in all of the games and not just specialising in one area. He demonstrates a tremendous aptitude for all codes of poker and this impressed me enough, to try and emulate him on a small scale. I am exceptionally competitive and must continue testing myself. I thrive on poker and I desire to attain the knowledge that will expand my ability, in order to become proficient in areas of the game new to me.

As an inexperienced Omaha Hi/Lo player I ignored advice that I had read, stating that hands such as TTxx was one of the most dangerous starting hands (it can look pretty enough). When I received TT in my first ever hand and the action was cheap I became involved. I flopped quads and took an immediate liking to the game. I guess that is one of the advantages of being a new ‘fish’!

At the low level I have been playing, it would appear that Omaha is much more a game of draw and not a game of bluff. If I ever should progress onto the higher stakes then I would imagine (hope) that the respect shown should mean you could get a few additional bluffs through. I believe the reason for this is that many players (I include myself here) are unable to fold big hands, but with four hole cards instead of two, it is much more likely that bigger hands are out there. Until I understand the odds in the way that I do for Hold’em, I guess that this will be a difficult attribute to master.

In the Hold’em MTT’s that I have been playing it can be disheartening if, after a sustained period of time, you are not cashing or placing high. That is the nature of the game. One win generates a large reward and therefore I am positive that it is worth persevering.

Hopefully when I return to the usual STT’s, I will not only be revitalised and refreshed, but also able to bring any newfound skills to the table that I have learnt from one of the other games, enhancing my talent. I am also hopeful that this quest proves successful, but more importantly, I can guarantee that I have enjoyed the diversity of playing different games and I would recommend it to you all.

Best regards and good luck to all.

Highstack