Why The Wrong Game Is Right

Money is a great many things in poker; it is the entry fee, the prize, and the score; it is how we judge success and failure. Because it is so many things there are players, even ones with a great deal of experience, who will misjudge the value of finacial success in poker. Consider, how many times this phrase has been repeated:

If you are the tenth best player in the world, don't sit down at a table with the nine players who are better than you.

Now try applying that phrase to any competition other than poker and you will see how ridiculous it is. Would you advise a high draft pick, in any sport, to not more up to the pros because he won't be able to crush the pros the way he has college level? Would you advise a chess player to never play anyone higher ranked than him?

If you never played anyone better than you than you would never improve. This is as true in poker as it is in anything. If you never play against stronger players, you will never gain the skills those stronger players have.

The reason why the phrase mentioned earlier is so popular is because the shortest path to financial success is by playing weaker players. (and as mentioned earlier, many players mistake financial success for something it is not) Your best chance to make money right now, tonight, is to find the softest game you can and sit down. This is also the best way to make money this month. But when you start talking about years, things change. If you consistantly challange yourself, then eventually your skills will improve to a point that you can beat much stronger games (and as such be able to earn far more than you would have if you have just played it safe).

Also worth pointing out is that the tenth best player, whomever you judge that to be, has almost certainly sat down with the nine players better than him. Look at the "big game", look at "High Stakes Poker", look at "Poker After Dark"; at every session of everyone of these players are playing against competition much better than they have to (and theorectically, one of them is the dog every time). Why do they do it? Because you don't become a top player by seeking out weak competition. You become a top player by challenging yourself.

There was an article in Scientific American about 18 months ago about what it takes to become one of the best in the world at anything. Basically it takes a drive to become the best and about ten years. The thing that stops most people from becoming the best is that they reach a level where they are happy with themselves and so they stop investing in improvement. One example given was golf, where most people will stop trying hard to improve once they can compete with their friends; Tiger Woods is still not happy with his game.

So my point is that seeking out soft games can help your bankroll, and that is important in so far as you need a bankroll to play. But do not fool yourself into thinking that playing soft games makes you a great player. Greatness comes from challenging yourself, and if you are not challenged by the games you normally play (whatever level that may be), then you must seek out challenges or accept that you will never be great.