Poker is a dynamically changing game. With the amount of useful poker information available everywhere these days, players educate themselves more efficiently and useful strategy concepts spread much faster among the community. Not so long ago, ABC LAG poker used to be the road to success. Ever since people have had their fills of Sklansky’s and Malmuth’s theories though (which worked well for a while there and which are still solidly rooted in mathematics), the general picture began to change. With so many people playing the same style, innovations were needed and produced by the community. Nowadays, the loose aggressive style is in, and that means that NL Holdem, which was always supposed to be more of a post-flop game than a preflop one, is turning into a radically post flop game, neglecting the mathematically justified preflop elements to an ever increasing degree. The loose aggressive approach means though that regardless of whether or not they’re masters of the post flop aspect of the game, players will be hit by bigger variance, and that means they’ll be hit hard on two psychological levels: the emotional one, and the one regarding bankroll management, which is closely linked to the former.
Getting emotional at the poker table is never good. High levels of stress have been proven to activate extremely peculiar psychological responses in humans, like making them push money into the middle on nothing but rags, while fully aware that the move is a suicidal one.
High variance always carries high stress, because poker players don’t like to see their bankroll crippled, even if they know the state is only a temporary one.
The strategic maneuvers that the loose aggressive style of play calls for are all such high variance ones. They sometimes work, and when they do, they make you a good chunk of cash, but when they don’t, it’s like firing a rifle and having it blow up in your face.
The way to handle this emotion-factor is to dip into the pool gradually. Adopt post flop moves that make your post flop decisions easier first, and only afterwards venture into deeper water.
Sign up for rakeback, which will dampen the effects of the high variance a little. You’ll find the best rakeback deals at Rakemeback, and signing up for them is a cinch really: it’ll only take a few minutes.
The downside of this gradual approach is that you’ll be pushed around for quite a while there by your opponents, until you get proficient enough to swim with them as a member of the pack.
The bankroll aspect is the other factor hit hard by large variance, and I’m talking about your bankroll in a strictly financial sense now. Even if you have the emotional aspect taken care of, you still have the financial one to deal with. High variance action requires a large bankroll, one that can absorb the fluctuations induced by your playing style.
At the end of the day, bankroll management is a personal thing, due to all the personal factors involved in it: your age, your responsibilities, your non poker income etc. etc. What that means is that you’ll rarely find good advice in this respect anywhere. Everyone looks at bankroll management from his/her own personal angle, so the advice they offer is never really suited to your specific needs.
Get to know your limits and correlate them with your responsibilities and your income. Make sure you make it as big as you possibly can, compared to the stakes/limits you intend to play that is. If there’s one general thing about bankroll management, it’s the bigger it is, the better.
Author Resource:-
Steve Larson, an online poker player from Canada, visit his rakeback site for mor useful tips and strategies. Rakemeback.com, the number one rakeback provider.
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