Q&A #14: Dealing with Tough Players in Short-Handed Limit Hold ‘em

I’m glad the article helped. Tricky players who play well post-flop, but who are too loose preflop can be GOOD players. Like beat $100-$200 and higher good. The mistakes they make just aren’t that exploitable.

I think people get into trouble when they start thinking, “I should be able to outplay YOU. YOU make all these mistakes, and yet YOU are frustrating me.”

It becomes personal in a way that’s detrimental. It becomes an ego thing. While people say poker is all about “playing the player” (blech), I think of it more like playing golf. When I sit in the game, I’m playing the course (the table), not the player. Each player adds a new hazard or dogleg, and my job is to adjust to the whole picture. I’ll win today if I navigate the course well.

If you focus too hard on avoiding one nasty water hazard, your ball may end up landing in the bunker all day. So step back, accept that some opponents play better than others, and adjust your game to the entire picture. Don’t let it get personal.