Roy West and simple wisdom
I am a fan of simple statements that are motivating to me. This, from Roy West makes the grade:
"Many (new players) believe poker is mostly a game of luck, with a bit of strategy...but you don't play just one hand of poker in your lifetime. If you did, you would just put all of your money in the pot, deal all of the cards, and see who wins. But you don't put it all in on one hand. As a skillful player, you put in your money only with hands that have a positive expectation. That's the skill of poker. The poor player puts his money in with hands that don't have that positive expectation. Sometimes he makes his long-shot hand, but most of the time he loses. Over the long run, playing hands with a positive expectation will be profitable for you. The poor player doesn't show that profit because he came to play and puts his money in without having the best of it."
"Many (new players) believe poker is mostly a game of luck, with a bit of strategy...but you don't play just one hand of poker in your lifetime. If you did, you would just put all of your money in the pot, deal all of the cards, and see who wins. But you don't put it all in on one hand. As a skillful player, you put in your money only with hands that have a positive expectation. That's the skill of poker. The poor player puts his money in with hands that don't have that positive expectation. Sometimes he makes his long-shot hand, but most of the time he loses. Over the long run, playing hands with a positive expectation will be profitable for you. The poor player doesn't show that profit because he came to play and puts his money in without having the best of it."
Comments
Maybe I'm even simpler minded.
"Get your money in when you have the best of it, protect it when you don't. Don't give anything away."
-From Rounders (written by David Levien & Brian Koppelman)
ScottyZ
I think that describes the game best. It brings in that element of unknown. Roy West may have neglected the part where good players have the ability to let go when the tables turn against them. Even I have been guilty of pushing a hand I was drawing dead in. Not a nice feeling.