Joined: Mar '09
Location: Portugal
Age: 57 (M)
Posts: 1703
Usually when playing against better opponents you can become better because you're learning from the stronger opposition and learning to play against tough situations Do you agree with that or playing against tough opponents does it make you more prone to losing money and putting yourself in bad situations?
Joined: May '12
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 38 (M)
Posts: 2064
I'll let you know when (or if) I ever play against anyone better than me
Just kidding of course - You're definitely right. With anything, you can only really improve by playing/competing against someone superior to yourself.
The trick is noticing what they are doing that makes them better... not just assuming it's down to luck.
Joined: Nov '11
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 67 (M)
Posts: 3361
What !!! so you mean all those lucky bastrds who have taken my money / chips were actually good players. i'd never have thought it. No i know what you mean,if someone who is better than you is showing you what to do,it can only benefit you if you can see that.
Joined: Mar '09
Location: Canada
Age: 36 (M)
Posts: 3207
What drives me is late in a tourney when u got a guy that raises 5-10 hands in a row to steal and u decide to push and they actually have a better hand then u lol. Never fails.
Joined: Aug '14
Location: Germany
Age: 43 (M)
Posts: 766
I agree that when playing against better opponents you can become better because you're learning from the stronger opposition. But I would not play against better opponents for big money. That would be just stupid.
Joined: Nov '09
Location: Canada
Age: 55 (M)
Posts: 2387
One of the biggest advances in my cash game play came about two years ago while watching the pros playing cash games on television. It is a tactic I have rarely seen discussed or mentioned in poker books. I have also had the opportunity to play against some good cash game players before they hit it big, guys like joeingram1, wobbly_au and kiwikaki among others, and learnt a lot from them.
Personally I think it's better to find tables with weak players (especially the loose ones), and learn how to take their stack before someone else does (learn from what they are doing, and spot their leaks quickly). Mostly it's bad for your winrate to play against strong players (it's not just that they can hurt you, but you get little out of them when you do have a good hand). The learning part is always limited by not getting to see most of their cards, maybe watch a video made by a good player instead, and let them explain what they are doing, and what their thinking is.
- You're definitely right. With anything, you can only really improve by playing/competing against someone superior to yourself.
