Can you stay a good poker player without studying the game?

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PNTreitor

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  • #26
Natural talent and skill certainly help, but discipline and perseverance will always cross the line between a good Nato player and a good player who has studied.
Learning to do something is good, in my perspective understanding what you learn is better.
 
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monkeytilter

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  • #27
You have to stay ahead of your player pool but if their game isn't evolving then yours doesn't need to either, just keep doing what you're doing.
 
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Vrotebal

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  • #28
Is it possible to become a successful surgeon with a degree in gravy?
 
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Rookworst

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  • #29
Im not study poker at all and im beginner what should I learn
 
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nabmom

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  • #30
Risto234 said:
Never actually studied so yes :unsure:
And then the question is, are you a profitable poker player?
 
nabmom

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  • #31
nabmom

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  • #32
billibooo said:
But don’t get me wrong, I do study in billibooonese. I watch what everyone does, I play all the games here, and I soak up everything like a sponge. CC is honestly my main study tool — the freerolls, the community games, the leagues, and the special events. I even chat with players who were in the same hands as me to get their perspectives.

So yeah… I might not study the “normal” way, but I’m still always learning <3
Billibooonese is the word of the week! And your examples show that you are an active learner!
 
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  • #33
Absolutely. I have one hundreds of tournaments. I have studied but put the wins down to playing experience.
 
Nandabio81

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  • #34
Can anyone recommend study material in addition to the CC material?
 
alucaa

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  • #35
Ah, I would say it would take a long time but yes. Personally, due to my college studies, I don't study poker much, I play for entertainment only, and I firmly believe that I'm not good and just a fish, but I still like poker ajsjasj
 
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  • #36
Not really. You might win some hands or have short-term success relying on experience or instincts, but to stay a good poker player long-term, studying the game is essential. Reviewing hands, learning strategy, and analyzing opponents is what separates the consistent winners from the rest.
 
Fallenglory

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  • #37
No, you cannot. I think studying, reviewing hands, activily engaging with peers and watching others play is vital to improving your game.

I just finished the 30 day course on CC. I was going in blank and I must say I have learned a ton, ICM, tournament variance, bankroll management, managing emotions and much more. After my break of +/- 5 years of no poker there are so many new concepts and things that slipped from my mind.

The book ends with a sentence, you are either activily improving or slowly getting worse at the game. Stay humble and keep up with the field. Thank you Collin and Katie for providing such an excellent read.

Here is the link if anyone is interested: https://www.cardschat.com/poker/strategy/become-a-winning-poker-player/
 
zorro222_zorro222

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  • #38
Yes I do, but of course you would be an even better player if you did things like studying, hand reviews or even just talking strategy with your piers.
 
schtiuky

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  • #39
Never say never I think that's one of your sayings. best learning by practice you can play online daily let just say 200 hands on average in one year that's 73000 in 10 years no matter what you will be a good player/ either broke in 2 ..
 
dreamer13

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  • #40
No, you can't become a good poker player without studying the game, as poker requires an understanding of fundamentals, strategies, tactics, and mathematical aspects, which can only be developed through study and practice. Unlike luck, mastery in poker is based on knowledge, and without constant study, it's impossible to make informed decisions and adapt to the play of more experienced opponents.
 
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  • #41
In my opinion, you’ll get much more benefit from analyzing your own game and fixing the mistakes that hurt your play than just watching how others play. Watching pros can be useful, but without self-analysis, it won’t help much.
Try uploading your tournament hand history to ChatGPT, for example, and let it analyze your key mistakes. I’ve also heard there are poker sites that help you review your gameplay — that kind of work will bring you real progress.
 
Vrotebal

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  • #42
Poker is a game of skill as much as luck. Learning various aspects of the game, such as table position, bankroll management, reading opponents, and mathematical fundamentals, can significantly improve your chances of success. Without this knowledge, players can rely on intuition and luck, but this doesn't guarantee consistent success over the long term.
 
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  • #43
Someone with a natural talent can be a decent player, even without studying. But when you think about a really good player, it's necessary, because al the champions has natural skills too.
What will make the difference is the player's dedication and effort to seek improvement.
 
belizebum

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  • #44
You can still be a good poker player without studying the game, but studying can help you improve and make better decisions at the table. And playing a Replay seems to need more luck....damn aces. LOL
 
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TeUnit

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  • #45
You can sharkscope a lot of the "good players" and often their perception is far different than reality.

If you are not getting better- then you are getting worse.
 
ironduke11

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  • #46
is there any thing in life that doesnt require study?
 
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mammadduke

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  • #47
I learned poker by playing the game .. I was one of those kids that always loved card games..back in my day. We didn’t have the technology to read about it on the Internet and look up stuff for strategy. so I think playing the game is best way to learn about strategy and learn about how other players might play ..except that playing on the Internet is somewhat different than playing a real poker table.. on a real poker table you can see the players reactions if they show any, and sometimes that helps deciding whether to stay or fold..
 
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antonis32123

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  • #48
If you take playing poker very seriously , if you are a pro or a reg , you need to keep on studying the game , or else you will very soon find your self way behind the other players . You will stay behind and start losing . But if you play very low stakes and you have already studied the poker generally and st guess stakes specifically , I font think it will hurt much if you stop studying the game . Ghat in the case you don't don't to love up stakes and play more seriously .
 
ArmiSoo7

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  • #49
I do not believe, that you even need to studie online poker. If you already know basic poker , like conbinations and rulles, than you need luck, and Done. But at live poker , it is totally different game. You can interact with other players and see them , faces.
 
hobojim1247

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  • #50
nabmom said:
I hope everyone agrees that in order to be a profitable poker player, you need to study the game. This includes things like doincomg hand reviews, watching successful players, and maybe even getting coaching. Do you think there is a point where you could have enough skill to stop studying? Would you be able to continue playing a good game?
The short answer is NO. Your game would wither and shrink until it no longer was competitive. Poker is an evolving game with new strategies comng along and occasionally one of them will get traction. All the new strategies, those that work and those that don't, must be met with counter strategies and that takes studying. We constantly see new players arrive with a big splash, many people are awed, others study his game and develope counter moves. This requires study and analysis.
If you only play for recreation and not for profit, you can ignore studying and enjoy the fun of the game, but if you plan to make any money or win tournaments it is necessary to study to be successful.
 
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