Home Poker Games are Loose
Posted on March 13, 2008
Filed Under General
I was talking to one of my players earlier at the gym about another home game in my area. I was conversing with him how loose that game is. He said something which made me think a bit. He said that “all home poker games are usually loose.” I stood in silence for a second, then continued on. But after having some time to think about it, I realize how loose all the home games I’ve been to. At first I thought it was just the higher stakes games because of the older crowd who have money to gamble with. But I realized that even the games with the younger, college crowds who don’t have as big a bankroll are equally loose.
There are few professionals and semi-professionals that play at home poker games. One of the first things you learn in any poker book is that the most common amateur mistake is playing too many hands. That’s what separates a professional from an amateur, patience. Professionals know that it only takes one big pot to make their night. And they’ll wait all night long until that one big hand comes up where they double, triple, quadruple up. Amateurs don’t possess that same patience. At first I thought the looseness was just a result of the big bankrolls, but that’s not it. It’s because the home games are just flooded with amateurs. All too often I hear players that take a lot of pride in their game, “you can’t win because they’re too loose,” or “how can he make that call?” If the stakes were high enough, the professionals would absolutely LOVE these games because they would just eat up these players. Professionals know when and who to get involved with. They don’t blame the other player for their loss or mistake. It’s poker and they realize shit happens. But in the long run, the professionals will eat these games up. Lol, I think I’m going to start exploring more of these home poker games now. I think I should just take my own advice, lol. Damn, I just suddenly got the urge ;p
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