Cycle of Online Poker

Dave Scharf

Cycle of Online Poker

I think this cycle occurs in regular poker too, but it’s more apparent in online poker.

First, I am told by operators of online sites that “All of the money comes off the site in the biggest game.” In other words, when it comes to determining who the biggest winners in the game are, look at the winners in the big games.

And, I think, this is why A LOT of players for broke OVER and OVER again playing online. They start out playing small -- $2-4 or whatever. They can be put into one of three categories: (1) Losing player, (2) Losing player on HOT streak, or (3) Winning player.

If they are losing players they are feeding their money to one of the players in the other categories. If they are on a hot streak or they are winners, they get cocky and move up in level. Then, either the hot streak ends, they find that they are not able to beat the players at this new, higher level, or the natural variance of this higher level overtakes their too-small bankroll. In other words, they are losing players. And so, their money is fed into the category (2) or (3) players in this new higher level and so on until the money is eventually pulled off the site at the highest stakes game available because there is nowhere else to go.

I have done this to myself numerous times.

lmbb50

You have just confirmed my suspicions. Call it poker or call it luck or cycle or whatever, but I have noticed recently that when I play at ps, and first sit in, I will get a series of above average cards. I win a few hands then the cards tank and for the rest of the session I get nothing but dog crap. Maybe I am being paranoid but it makes one wonder. Having never played a serious live game maybe I am just being naive and the same happens in real life.

PokerKai

lmbb50 wrote:

You have just confirmed my suspicions.  Call it poker or call it luck or cycle or whatever, but I have noticed recently that when I play at ps, and first sit in, I will get a series of above average cards.  I win a few hands then the cards tank and for the rest of the session I get nothing but dog crap.  Maybe I am being paranoid but it makes one wonder.  Having never played a serious live game maybe I am just being naive and the same happens in real life.

I dont think Dave is implying, in any way, that online poker is rigged or that the deck stacked in an unfair manner.

PokerKai

I would like to think that the majority of the money coming off the site is being taken off by the rake...but other then that...ya, Id agree that money gets filtered up as people start taking shots at bigger games that they are not ready (and may never be ready ) for.

lmbb50

Thanks Kai. I guess I should have worded my reply more carefully. I thinkwhat I was trying to say is that the cycle either encourages or discourages us from playing. It is something that goes with the territory I guess.