How do you know if you are a GOOD player???

Ronaldadio · Mar 3, 2014

Hello all.

This question came to me last night as I was playing a tournament.

I only play tournaments and the odd SNG. I don't keep records as such. All I go by is...
1) I have not put money into a poker account for 6 years, but I have withdrawn about $3k or more in the last 12 months - so I guess I'm doing something right?
2) I check sharkscope & OPR to see what my stats look like and they seem ok.

However, I don't feel I'm a good player.
Some of you guys talk poker on here and tbh, I don't have a clue what u r on about sometimes lol

Feel free to check me out on Pstars, FT & Party - I drift from one room to the next for months at a time.

So, my question really is...If you are a winning player over years are you a good player?

Thanks all

warturtle7 · Mar 3, 2014

I guess if you have those results you are an above average player, even a good one.

If you have noted that you don't know somethings talked here study them a bit and you can even get better and win more

racorel · Mar 3, 2014

I guess if you win money in poker, you realize that you are a good player.or if you get to the final table at most of the tournaments played

Arjonius · Mar 3, 2014

It depends on the criteria you decide to use. For one thing, it's usually a relative thing, and also dependent on how you define good. If you set Ivey, Galfond et al as your standard for comparison, it's very likely you'll never be good. Otoh, if you pick being a winning player at the lowest stakes, it's not hard to be good.

nabmom · Mar 3, 2014

Don't forget that being a good player and needing to learn/ understand more about poker are definitely not mutually exclusive!

vic75 · Mar 3, 2014

If you are winning coin flips that are all in and making final tables and cashing out on a regular basis

Ronaldadio · Mar 3, 2014

Arjonius said:
It depends on the criteria you decide to use. For one thing, it's usually a relative thing, and also dependent on how you define good. If you set Ivey, Galfond et al as your standard for comparison, it's very likely you'll never be good. Otoh, if you pick being a winning player at the lowest stakes, it's not hard to be good.

Never thought of the comparison thing

but you are right with that.

The last bit I have to disagree with to an extent. If it is not hard to be good how are there so many losers at the lower level? I guess they don't lose on purpose?

I would prefer to be a 'poor' player that wins at the lowest stakes than a 'good' player that loses at the highest.

Leprekahn · Mar 3, 2014

I would say if you continually show a decent profit year over year then you being a good player would be indisputable.

terryg642 · Mar 9, 2014

how do you know your a good player

poker is a negative sum game, not only does some one have to lose for you to gain,you have to gain in excess of tourney fees and rake so if your showing consistent profit your a good player,maybe if you studied the game more you could be a great one.

Dubstep · Mar 10, 2014

This depends on how many tournaments you have played?. You could just be lucky. If you want to find out if your a good player or just lucky you need to play a massive amount of games im not sure how many tournments this is but here is a really good example. Some poker pro s go on a year long losing streak in mtts. So obviously the opposite could be true for a not so good poker player. If you want to find out if your a good player quicker download poker tracker and start playing 180 man sit and gos maybe about 10k tournaments will be a rough idea. And for the big mtt it would be alot more than 10k im not exactly sure how much but just remember the year long losing streak of a pro in big mtt.

EvertonGirl · Mar 10, 2014

racorel said:
I guess if you win money in poker, you realize that you are a good player.or if you get to the final table at most of the tournaments played

Never think cos you have won a tournament in poker that you are now a good player.

I have won 2 CC freerolls and came 2nd in one. I also have a lot of FT positions, but I don't think I am a good player. I have definitely learnt a lot since I have joined here that will put me in a good stead to become a good player. But I am not delusional to believe I am a good player just because I have made the FT an amount of times or even bink a few tournaments with a big field, which I have done twice in the BR.

These games I have won or placed well in had some element of luck involved and without the luck I would not have binked the BR's or the CC freerolls.

Arjonius · Mar 10, 2014

Ronaldadio said:
The last bit I have to disagree with to an extent. If it is not hard to be good how are there so many losers at the lower level? I guess they don't lose on purpose?

There are more losers than winners because poker is not a zero sum game overall; due to fees and rake, the average EV is somewhat negative.

That said, it's still not hard to be a winning player at the lowest stakes. You only have to be less bad than most of your opponents by enough to offset the fees and rake. And frankly, a lot of those opponents are rather low-hanging fruit.

kidnaping · Mar 10, 2014

increase

your bankroll increase more and more

Arjonius · Mar 10, 2014

EvertonGirl said:
Never think cos you have won a tournament in poker that you are now a good player.

I have won 2 CC freerolls and came 2nd in one. I also have a lot of FT positions, but I don't think I am a good player. I have definitely learnt a lot since I have joined here that will put me in a good stead to become a good player.

I think it's a good idea to regard being good as a moving target; i.e. as you improve, change your personal definition of good so that the threshold always stays above your current ability level.

The way I do this is by setting my personal definition of good as equal overall ability- and knowledge-wise to players whose games I'm reasonably familiar with, and whom I consider better than I am. Then, whenever I think I've caught up to them, I just pick other players.

rock0001 · Mar 10, 2014

if you are a good players you will see the results over the long run. you will have profits, and most of the hands you lose will be due to bad luck, especially coolers or bad beats. Also you have to be able to control the tilt and make a good bankroll managment in order to preserve your money.

EvertonGirl · Mar 10, 2014

Arjonius said:
I think it's a good idea to regard being good as a moving target; i.e. as you improve, change your personal definition of good so that the threshold always stays above your current ability level.

The way I do this is by setting my personal definition of good as equal overall ability- and knowledge-wise to players whose games I'm reasonably familiar with, and whom I consider better than I am. Then, whenever I think I've caught up to them, I just pick other players.

Nice one, that's a good way to do it

John A · Mar 10, 2014

You just ask me and I'll tell you.

lol

Seriously, it depends what you mean by good. If you're just playing tournies, then you're probably not a good poker player, but you may be a decent tourney player. If you're winning at your stakes over a reasonable sample, then you're likely doing something right. Whether you're good or not though is a whole other thing.

avjul66 · Mar 10, 2014

To be a good poker player your ratio of profit must be high not the Money you earn
The percentage of wins must be over 50%
But the number one rule is keep on playing
Poker is good

cotta777 · Mar 10, 2014

You fold hands instincively and maximise value I think they are two very good traits. And starting to pick up pre flop tendancies second nature so u can 4-bet call or fold

for me these days if I know a guys range well I wont blink at the prospect of folding aces. If I know hes made his straight or a paired board and hes acting like he is strong whether that be trapping or getin excited i can let it go.
At the same time im willing to call down second pair with a bluff catcher with 90%+ Certainty that ive read his hand right

teepack · Mar 10, 2014

If you're playing online in the low or midstakes tourneys and you have cashed out, I'd say you are doing okay. Your description of yourself is about how I would describe myself. I think I'm a good player with lots of room for growth. I love playing tourneys and am trying to play more live games when I get the chance, which isn't often.

RogerZzz8979 · Mar 12, 2014

I don't think I'm very good player right now...Just got kicked out of a tournament because I couldn't lay down top pair and ran into a flush. Felt it was coming but still went through.

kungfupanda1105 · Mar 13, 2014

you win and win and win lol

SpookMBluffwell · Mar 13, 2014

Ronaldadio said:
Hello all.

This question came to me last night as I was playing a tournament.

I only play tournaments and the odd SNG. I don't keep records as such. All I go by is...
1) I have not put money into a poker account for 6 years, but I have withdrawn about $3k or more in the last 12 months - so I guess I'm doing something right?
2) I check Sharkscope & OPR to see what my stats look like and they seem ok.

However, I don't feel I'm a good player.
Some of you guys talk poker on here and tbh, I don't have a clue what u r on about sometimes lol

Feel free to check me out on Pokerstars, FT & Party - I drift from one room to the next for months at a time.

So, my question really is...If you are a winning player over years are you a good player?

Thanks all

Can I ask what stakes you play? My weakness is my bankroll management. I always seem to let greed get the best of me and it leads to going bankrupt!

John A said:
You just ask me and I'll tell you.

lol

Seriously, it depends what you mean by good. If you're just playing tournies, then you're probably not a good poker player, but you may be a decent tourney player. If you're winning at your stakes over a reasonable sample, then you're likely doing something right. Whether you're good or not though is a whole other thing.

Very true, Tourney play is completely different from cash play. I learned that the hard way after taking my game to the cash tables! For me its much easier to play tourneys online and cash live.

mange1234 · Mar 13, 2014

Are you a good player?

Ronaldadio said:
Hello all.

This question came to me last night as I was playing a tournament.

I only play tournaments and the odd SNG. I don't keep records as such. All I go by is...
1) I have not put money into a poker account for 6 years, but I have withdrawn about $3k or more in the last 12 months - so I guess I'm doing something right?
2) I check Sharkscope & OPR to see what my stats look like and they seem ok.

However, I don't feel I'm a good player.
Some of you guys talk poker on here and tbh, I don't have a clue what u r on about sometimes lol

Feel free to check me out on Pokerstars, FT & Party - I drift from one room to the next for months at a time.

So, my question really is...If you are a winning player over years are you a good player?

Thanks all

I guess, if one wins more than they lose, they are a good poker player. However, in what pond do you play in. Is one a "big frog" in a little pond or a "little frog" in a big pond.

One could be a good player, in the little pond, ( playing small games with poor player} or a poor player (playing in big games with good players}.

Personally, I search for the tables with poor players. If I see that I am a table with good players (which is easy to discover) I move on and continue the search.

Good luck, on and off the felts,

mike

rugby0 · Mar 13, 2014

YOu must keep records to know if you are a successful player as opposed to a good player. In addition those records will help when the IRS. comes calling.

How do you know if you are a GOOD player???

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