Poker Philosophy: GTO vs. FEEL : Nominated Post

[Josherzz1]

Originally on 07/03/2023:

Dane, your comments are spot-on. Except for blowing some $$ during a vacation trip, who wants to be a Net loser at a game? That gets old very quickly.

My buddy was one of the top Video Poker players b4 they changed the payout schedule. He would cross paths with an older gentleman on the bank of machines. They got to talking, it was very similar to your 2nd paragraph.

When one gets older and approaches retirement age, they have to ponder their options. How to pay your monthly nut (expenses) and live comfortably and hopefully enjoy yourself (at a slower pace). Anyway, the older guy learned VP strategy and was turning a profit (albeit at a slow pace).

You think about the possibilities where one could gamble and feel like they're likely to turn a profit. The options:
*Video Poker. I think the options are eroding.
*Blackjack. I still think it's possible. Older guys and any woman are normally not viewed as sharp. Sorry, that's the truth, that's the way it is.
*Live poker. Maybe but the rake is a monster. Limit games? No-Limit? Tournaments?

My two cents on trying to beat the MODERN poker game. Of course, it's nice to feel like you have a skill edge. Taking it to at least the second level, you have to be able to READ your opponent. The best player will feel like they're (almost) playing the game face up:
*Don't bluff a donkey. They're not folding.
*Value bet the hell out of a donkey, if you feel like they CAN'T fold.
*Folding on the river when you feel like you're beaten. Unless you can put your opponent on a busted draw, there's no sense in calling River with a modest holding. Poker pros HATE to pay off on river.

I personally love competing against other people and challenging myself. Our brain vs. their brain, our strategy vs. their strategy. I also really enjoy representing the USA in all international tournaments counted by hendon mob. All of it, the competition, the strategy, it's just really fun to me and I enjoy it so much. I understand your views though, Chucky. I will always still have a lot to learn and am learning new things everyday, and the more we think we know, the more we realize that we don't know anything, lol. So I relish gaining knowledge from older and younger posters on here and reading their perspective on things. That's why I made this thread.

I know that you have a passion for poker and enjoy playing currently or have enjoyed playing in the past. We can always play on and off and use poker as a means of enjoyment in our lives. If it ever becomes to the point where we don't enjoy it anymore or want to take a break, then we can always just stop playing.

One day, if we are both in Vegas, maybe we can play the WSOP $1000 tag team event and be partners and see how far we can go : )

If Dock Ellis can pitch a no-hitter on LSD, surely we can win a bracelet right? : D