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To play (different poker variatopms) or not to play? This is the question many players ask themselves and there's no easy answer in sight. Mixing MTTs with 6max NLH, or PLO with HU SNG has its fair share of pros and cons. In this article, we'll explore some of the positives and negatives of playing more than one form of poker.
Opportunities
The main advantage of being proficient at many different poker variants has to do with one of the most important aspects of poker in general - Expected Value. There are some tournaments out there with such a high EV that you should consider playing them even if you're not a tournament pro (assuming that your bankroll is sufficient). WSOP main event and Sunday Million come to mind.
If you're good at both no-limit hold'em and PLO, you have more table selection options and you can ensure that you never have to play on a bad or even mediocre table. Are you waiting for hours at a no-limit HU table? Learn how to play HU SNG or Spin and Go's, and use that downtime to make some profit.
Variety
Being able to play more than one game can be very good for your mindset. Playing 6-max no-limit hold'em day in and day out for hours on end can become frustrating and while this won't be true for everyone, mixing things up with the occasional MTT session can be exactly what the doctor ordered.
Poker isn't always about the cold, hard EV, you don't want to be known as that one guy ruining your friends hopes and dreams for a friendly H.O.R.S.E home game. If your answer to the question "hey bro, wanna play some Badugi?" is "no thanks I play 6-max NLH exclusively" you might want to rethink your approach and allow yourself to have some fun with poker.
Lastly, one poker variant can offer you something that other's can't. This could be anything, from the fame that you can gain by winning a large tournament to the convenience of zoom tables allowing you to work around your busy schedule.Additional Insight
Learning something new about a certain game can enhance your understanding of a different variant or even poker in general. For example, PLO might help you realize the simple but powerful truth that you can't give your opponents odds worse than 2:1 when making a pot size bet post flop and you should adjust your sizing while playing at the no-limit hold'em tables based on that knowledge.If you're able to determine in a matter of seconds that you have a 13-out wrap and a backdoor flush draw, you won't miss your mundane no-limit hold'em backdoor draws ever again. Becoming good at MTTs can help you fight short stack players at cash tables. HU SNG's can greatly improve your blind defence strategy in any other form of poker.
Exit Strategy
While the rumors of no-limit hold'em demise were greatly exaggerated, poker (like every other competitive endeavor out there) is becoming harder and harder each year. That being said different poker variations become more difficult at a different pace (based largely on their popularity) and if you're proficient at more than one you might be able to soften the blow caused by the ever-increasing skill level of the average poker player.
What if Cristiano Ronaldo won a PLO WSOP bracelet? What if PokerStars came up with marginally profitable or even -EV form of poker so attractive to recreational players that it would completely sabotage the 6-max no limit hold'em traffic? What if PokerStars went bankrupt as a result of horrible management and you lost access to many mid and high stakes tournaments? In every one of those scenarios being skilled at more than one form of poker could make your life a lot easier.While those game-changing events aren't particularly likely, hyper-turbo HU SNG players learned the hard way that they are in fact possible with the introduction of Spin and Go tournaments, and while most regs were able to successfully transition to this new form of poker, initially people considered Spin and Go's to be an unprofitable crapshoot. Those big changes don't have to be sudden and dramatic either. If you were playing poker 5 years ago, I'm sure you can remember many of your friends making money at limit hold'em tables back then. How many of them are still playing this form of poker now?
Jack of all trades master of none?
There's no way around it, the time invested in one form of poker will cut into the time you're able to invest in another. While some players like Phil Ivey are able to stay on top of almost every poker game out there, you're most likely not Phil Ivey (and if you are, I'm honored that you're reading this Mr. Ivey, I'm a big fan)! Playing more than one form of poker isn't all sunshine of rainbows and in order to properly evaluate if splitting your focus is worth it, we have to look at the some potentially negative aspects of that decision:
- Smaller win rate - If you invest some time in learning 6-max no-limit, your ROI in multi-table tournaments can suffer as a result. You might be able to make up for that by playing cash games but with win rates in every form of poker being problematic to quantify, it will be hard to objectively and accurately evaluate if you're not, in fact, losing money.
- Inefficiency - By trying to be good at more than one form of poker, you're spending more time on the education and less time actually using your knowledge. While you can use some of the things that you've learned by watching PLO coaching videos at no-limit tables, this won't always be the case. Because of that, both your learning and playing take a hit and become less efficient.
Confusion - While flexibility when it comes to the choice of your game can result in some interesting opportunities and increase your EV it can also cause paralysis by analysis. "Should I play Sunday MMT's or those juicy cash game tables? What if I try to play both?" etc. - Giving away the edge - Poker is a game of small edges and your fellow 6-max regs can take advantage of your venture into the PLO realm if they decide to stay dedicated. The fact that you became proficient at PLO or MTT's can mean that you're no longer among the best regulars at your limit in 6-max NLH games.
- Price - Learning more than one form of poker can be expensive. The cost of sessions with two different coaches, monthly subscriptions to poker related websites and numerous pieces of poker software can add up fast and you should factor it into your decision-making process.
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