If I Were a Weak Player, Would I Realize That Fact?

Hi. Come on in. There's nothing exotic in the feed bag today: triple-decker turkey and ham club sandwiches on rye with enough onion rings to feed a small army. Start feeding your face.

We'll begin today with a question. Stop moaning, it isn't an unannounced test, just a general one-question quiz. You might even call it a rhetorical question. (I wish someone had asked me this when I started playing poker many years ago.)

If you were put on trial, accused of being a good poker player, would there be enough evidence to convict you?

This is something for you new players, and a lot of you regulars, to ponder, along with my poker students. I suggest that you consider the question before you get involved in your next poker session.

You've played with people who obviously are unskilled and shouldn't play poker until they learn something about strategy, but they don't seem to have any interest in learning more and improving. They just keep playing, and mostly losing. Why do these weak players continue to play?

We have to recognize that this is America, and that these weak players do have a right to keep playing - and to keep losing. And let's be glad for that. Without them, a lot of other poker players would have to find another source of rent money. A poker friend and I recently were talking about this subject while waiting for a seat to come open.

This friend, who makes a large share of his income from poker, came up with a thought that I've expanded upon. I'm passing this along, with the hope that I'm not describing you. He said, "Weak players don't know that they are weak players." Really? I wonder. If I were a weak player, I surely would know it … or would I? Maybe I wouldn't. Would you?

Those players who are willing to admit that they lose think it's because of bad luck and bad cards. Most weak poker players have no clue as to just how weak they really are.

Bad-beat stories are traded with other losers, all waiting for their luck to change. Some will even buy a book on poker strategy, but won't actually study it. I guess they think that the act of buying the book will give them the knowledge they need, possibly by osmosis. Or, they'll "get around to reading it later," but right now, it's time to go play.

There are many facets to the game of poker that these players not only don't realize they do not understand, but don't even know they exist. If you lack knowledge but realize that you lack knowledge, you can do something about it. But if you don't know, the highest likelihood is that you will remain lacking. (Again, I hope that I'm not describing you - and I hope that you are willing to take a hard look at your game.)

The question to examine now is, how does a weak player get to thinking of himself as a strong player? We'll consider two poker players, Elmer and Charles. Each of them regularly makes 30 mistakes over a period of time; 15 of these mistakes are common to each player, while the other 15 are not. When Elmer makes one of his 15 mistakes that Charles also is capable of making, Charles does not recognize it as a mistake. But when Elmer makes one of the 15 mistakes that Charles does not make, Charles does notice it as a mistake. The result of all of this is that they each notice the other player regularly making 15 mistakes, while thinking their own game is on solid footing. Of course, a very solid player would cringe while watching either of them play.

What you need to know is, how can you tell if you are one of the weak ones? It's simple. If you keep a journal of your wins and losses with your hourly win rate, that will tell you. If you don't keep a journal, start. If you find yourself "forgetting" to enter a loss now and then, that's another big clue.

If you do recognize that your play is weak, or even a bit shaky, you can strengthen it by study and more study. Talk with poker-playing friends. Get some good poker books and actually read them. Most players aren't willing to take the time and make the effort to improve their game. You should be different!

It's a good thing a small army didn't show up, as you didn't leave enough onion rings to create a good burp. It's my nap time. Kill the light on your way out.

Roy West, best-selling poker author, continues giving his successful poker lessons in Las Vegas for both tourists and locals. Roy's toll-free number is 800-548-6177 ext. 03. In Las Vegas call 873-7574.