The Poker Chronicles

I agree on the point that human nature is what makes players good or bad. However, I don't completely agree that the Limit games have gotten as tough as many people are indicating. I think what has happened is that over time the players real win-loss record has gotten more accurate. There are a lot of players that can have a good year or two, but statistically they are bound to have some years that are not as "good". This doesn't mean the game has gotten tough.

I don't think that limit holdem games have become all that much tougher. I simply think that their availability has dispered (this is based on Limit Full Ring; I continue to think that the Shorthanded games are still very juicy).

You see before, you could simply go to just one poker room and open up 8 decent tables. However now, you have to go and check out three or four different poker rooms, and maybe find 8 good tables between all of them.

Limit Holdem players now have to play 'multi-site' poker; but from what I have read, multitablers (especially the 8-12 tablers), prefer to just search and play at just the one site alone, (or simply open up even more tables at a poker skin of that particular poker room).

Online poker has changed, the field between poker rooms has now become much more even, and we need to adapt to accept that change, rather than just crowd onto one poker room website (yes a lot of fish may be in one poker room, but all poker rooms across the web have fish at the tables, we should take advantage of that).

My personal poker playing experience:

2004: Turn on computer, play mildly retarded, make decent beer money.

2005: Turn on computer, play decent poker, make almost twice as much money playing part time than I did at my full-time job.

2006: Turn on computer, play very good poker, make very little money, put lots of holes in apartment walls.

There is absolutely no doubt that LHE online has gotten much more difficult. I for one, won't be playing it anymore.

Hey Matt, speaking of Ed Miller I was wondering if you've read the new NL book by him and Sklansky. And of course, if you have, what you think of it.

Hey Matt. Thanks for the kudos. FWIW, I read your blog regularly and appreciate the effort you put into it.

There is no question the online limit games have become tougher and Ed is on target in his article.

A previous poster mentioned something about being a multi-site player and that would certainly be a good way to expand your ability to finding more potentially profitable tables. There is still money to be made, but it will take more effort. Game and table selection are more important than ever.

Right now it does appear that the money is at NLHE, but I suspect that this will cycle back to Limit HE. The bad players will find that they are losing faster at NL and will move back to Limit. It's just a matter of when.

I've never played much limit, just when I started out.. but I quickly moved to NL.

Probably because I found it to be more exciting, not for any reason relating to win rates or toughness.

As of now, I've been playing HU Cash games.. NL .50/1 on FTP and my win rate is better than $2/4 NL 6max. Apparently all it takes is patience, which I never considered my strong suit but is something I apparently have a multi-tude more of than most players at that level.
-------------

On another note, I almost fell out of my seat laughing at this quote from Ed in the comments to his post:

"And if you learn nothing from this blog, learn this. If you are in a game, and it’s five Vietnamese dudes and you, get the fuck up immediately. Even if you’re Vietnamese too."

Hahahaha... reminds me of the title to Terrence Chan's blog, "i rai."

Although I think Terrence is Chinese.. maybe?