PokerGreed Poker Blog - Sack - Strengthen The Weaknesses

Several years back during my ball playing days, I was having a conversation with a scout from the Mets. Even though he was a Mets scout, he still knew what he was doing (he he, cheap shot!). At any rate, here is a quick dramatization of and key part of the conversation:

Him: So what do you feel is the strongest part of your game?
Me: Probably my fielding I guess I’d have to say.
Him: So batting is your weak part?
Me: well, I wouldn’t say all that, I’m a good hitter, but a better fielder.
Him: Okay, okay, don’t get a big head. What would you say is your weakest part of your hitting?
Me: I think I have problems with the curve and off speed pitches.
Him: Alright, now we’re getting somewhere. Next question, what do you practice the most?
Me: I spend more time fielding in practice.
Him: And during BP (batting practice) what kind of pitches do you usually get?
Me: Fastballs.
Him: Now ask yourself “why?”
Me: Huh?
Him: You are already a good fielder, and already can handle a fastball just fine… but yet you spend the majority of time practicing on your stongsuits, rather than focusing extra time on your weaknesses…. Maybe that’s why they remain weaknesses.

Wow, that makes a lot of sense. Of course I was good at what I worked on the most. But continuing to put my primary energy into the things I was already good at did not help me improve on weak spots.

So now ask yourself who your poker style would be most modeled after. And when you watch TV to study the game, who is it you are paying closest attention to? If you are a pretty tight player overall, like a Dan Harrington, you aren’t learning a whole lot of new tricks watching him. But if you watch an almost total opposite, like a Gus Hansen, you may pick up an extra wrinkle or two in your game. This doesn’t mean change your game completely, it’s simply a way to learn new strategies to add into your arsenal.

So if you’re a weak pre-flop player but excel at reading other players post-flop and use that to your advantage, you’d do well to study up and work on your pre-flop play. Get multi-dimensional and well rounded, then soon you’ll find yourself comfortable in any game.

Deep in thought for days, Sack

sack@pokergreed.com

p.s. Wound up doing very well in the pool tournament last weekend, having two teams wind up in the money (one team got second)! Thanks for the support!

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