What separates minus player from positive?

Since 2006, there have been 29 Grand Slam men (Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open). Roger Federer has won 11 tournaments, Rafael Nadal - 10, Novak Djokovic - 6, and only two - the other tennis players.

Since 2006, there have been seven major events of the World Series of Poker. Not only that, every New Year the winner was new, but neither player reached the final table more than once. Even Phil Ivey himself all this time got to finalki only once.

This is one of those things that fascinates in poker. After all, here on any given day can beat the best amateur players in the world, such as in tennis just does not happen. In poker, the luck factor is much more important than in any other sport, and that is why it is very difficult to say what is really the art of poker games - especially online.

We have all seen terrible bad players who at some point have won a lot of money. Therefore, from the easy to think that poker is a game of luck, but in fact it is not.

This article compiled by well-known trainer micro and low limit Paul «Verneer» Nazarevich will be devoted to how experienced and conscientious players win money in the long term, and how to become a so . And the first item will be how different representations of good and bad players on the results.

Different ways of “keeping score.”

It is difficult to say exactly why some players play well and others badly. In football, for example, if someone scores a goal, then his team gets a point. In poker, such “ochkom" is won stack. But there are nuances.

Method 1: The player who wins the bank gets a “point.”

Paul won the pot. On the other hand, when they both went all-in hand Sergei was better. But if we're keeping score on who won, Paul only got $ 10.

Method 2: The expectation.

The king’s queens pre-flop 82 % equity. This means that if Paul and Sergei will play these hands equally 100 times , Sergei will win $ 20, 82 times , and Paul - 18 times .

Understanding of equity is very important in poker. If we do not take into account equity, then it is impossible to tell which hand is better or worse, until it was put river.

For example, the flop JspadesTdiamonds6spades Sergei KspadesQspades, and Paul 2diamonds2hearts. Whose hand is better? Pavel a pair of deuces, and Sergei only king -high. From this perspective, Paul the best hand. But considering the turn and river cards, Sergei 72% equity when Paul than 28%.

That's why much more important to consider in terms of hand equity, rather than the current force.

Let's get back to the first example with kings against women. Way to keep score by multiplying the size of the equity of the bank called expectation.

Sergey wins $ 20 x 82% = $ 16.40

Paul wins $ 20 x 18% = $ 3.60

This is a more equitable distribution of “points ", but still not the best way.

Let's look at another example: