An interesting thing is happening in the world of poker.
I'll spare the commentary about the popularity of poker, because we all know that the WPT has
single-handedly introduced poker in the living room of average America. But, the popularity of poker isn't the
strange part. What is interesting is the people that are being drawn toward playing poker.
Naturally, since poker is popular, we will get people from everyday walks of life jumping in on the bandwagon to
taste what it's like to go "all-in" or to engage in mental combat with cold cash as the victor's prize. These types
of people include the busy professional, bored housewife, slacking college student and even the average joe working at
the local fast food joint. However, what is starting to occur, is that among these new players, an strong group
of unlikely players are emerging - the nerds.
When I say nerds, I am not implying the pocket protector guy in glasses necessarily, but the more passive, intellectual
types that you wouldn't imagine playing poker. Engineers, math majors, programmers, chess players, high level computer
gamers - basically people with a high caliber of logical thinking. It makes sense as to why this group of players would
be playing poker, as they posess analytical and reasoning skills that are required for a solid poker player. Since these
players are mostly playing online, passive skills such as reading body language and mannerisms are not required either.
Another trait with this new breed of poker nerds, is that they are very willing to devote
the time to study the game as needed and focus on improving their game. With all the literature, web sites and
speed of online play, it gives these players an exponentially quicker rate to mature from a fish into a
skilled poker player. While the average or old school player may be proud to have never read a poker book,
the new players have no problem with it and will garble everything up and more - especially if they are
making money.
While I don't have solid numbers to back up my statements, my own personal observations of the poker scene are
what give me these impressions. Among my own personal circle of acquaintances, I know many very smart people
who have quickly become good poker players. The amount of computer applications for poker has shot up tremendously,
so that's another indicator that programmers have joined on the poker bandwagon as well. Smart people
are catching on that poker is a skill game and one that they can beat.
So what does this all have to do with you?
A lot actually. What it means is that there is a huge influx of skilled (or soon to be skilled) players entering a
game that has predominantly been played by mediocre players. With the current boom in poker, it's not a big deal,
because there are so many people playing poker right now that the 'fish' supply is still plentiful. However, when
a critical mass has been reached of skilled players to non-skilled players (sharks vs fish), the game dynamics
will change.
Case in point, most of you reading this article have probably read at least one of these books:
Hold'Em Poker for Advanced Players,
Doyle Brunson's Super System and/or
The Theory of Poker. These books
pretty much assume that your table is going to be filled with people who don't really know what they are doing. And for right now, they
are right - most players don't know what they are doing. But the warning bells should start to go off when you
realize that these books are among Amazon's best sellers and have been for many months.
For those of you who are somewhat seasoned poker players, you'll recognize that a large group of
players are now pulling off semi-bluff plays (raising straight/flush draws in late position) to get
a free card. This concept is covered extensively in Super System and the Sklansky books. The once crazy games
on Party Poker are becoming a bit more tame, as the poor players are busting out in droves, while the good
players are sticking around. While there is nothing to worry about for quite some time in terms of the
games getting much harder or drying up, it is something that we should all keep a tab on, even if at the back of
our mind.
As a serious poker player, you should think ahead of what lies in store for poker. Skilled players may
become all too common and hurt your win rate. Some smart computer guys might make some killer AI poker bots
that will become good even up to the high limit games. If you don't think that's possible - a high level
player living in Slovenia (Abdul) has said that the Slovenia government is funding research for poker
bots in it's country. While likely still in development, they have at least one bot that is ready to play - no joke.
Lastly, there's still a chance that the Senate will ban online gambling for good, which would completely kill
online poker as we know it.
So, it's important to improve your game even if you stay at the same limits. Start thinking about tactics
that work better against knowledgeable players as well, since the games will tighten up down the road and
play will get much more sophisticated. Exercise good table selection while you're at it and consider playing at
some lesser known poker sites as well in the future, where the sharks aren't hanging out.
Just like at the tables, adaptability and being able to switch gears is the most important weapon in your
arsenal.
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