My take on poker odds (and pot odds):
The beginners don't know the odds. They hope they are ahead (i.e.,
currently have the best hand), and hope if they are not that they'll get
lucky.
The dabblers can figure out that they probably don't have the best hand,
and are capable of folding that hand.
The regulars know the odds of their hand winning, and have a kind of
"Zen" understanding of pot odds ("If I call one more bet, I have a small
chance of winning a gigantic pot. That's worth it...")
The real good players understand pot odds pretty well. They can
calculate/estimate them on the fly, and can act accordingly.
The great players and pros are real good players with the OTHER poker
skills needed for that spark of something special, such as reading
players, betting to maximize profit, etc...
It is not uncommon for me to hear players discuss hands in terms of pot
odds, although that's still the exception rather than the rule. As more
"smart" people play poker, it occurs more often. But its hard work, and
a lot of people don't want to go to that trouble.
Give me a dabbler table any day...
-Scott
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Sunny Han [mailto:spiderman92 at comcast.net]
> Sent: Thursday, April 01, 2004 6:32 PM
> To: 'Mark A Mandel'
> Cc: 'Joshua Kronengold'; dragaera at dragaera.info
> Subject: Poker (was Vlad)
>
> I love to watch poker on TV. But like, at the table, do players have a
> just a feel of what chances they have, and just like uhm a mental note
> of what to do or do they really calculate those odds and compare?
>
> -S