The Poker Rock
Long term wining at poker means getting a share of money from the losing players. There are three categories of winning players: Random luck winners, the strategic and tactically thinking winning player and the “rock.” The “rock” is not even a good term to describe this last group of winners.
The rock is rigid. He sits professionally, but does little besides sit, all night. The “rocks” miss out on a great deal of potential profit because they sit static and give up to the strategic and tactically thinking players who want the rock’s money. Moreover, the Full Tilt rocks oblige because of their weak, tight one dimensional play style. They rock is a predictable, unimaginative player (PUP) are no real threat to a solid, sensible player.
PUPs thrive in any game where there is a rake or ante structure that does not punish them for sitting still for hours. In any other game, they are an endangered species. They can only profit in any game where the cost of sitting is less than the profit made from starting and showing down with the best hand.
The best players are not one-dimensional simpletons, nor are they robots who just repeat the same thing repeatedly. The best will read players, watch for tells, and take advantage of every weakness that a losing player makes – which can be a near bottomless pit. The best online poker player will take just enough from a PUP to keep them in the game, to keep bleeding them. The PUP will still win occasionally, because occasionally they will get a hand that they stay in on and see through to the showdown. The problem is that given their one-dimensional style of play, when they have something and start raising, everyone folds. The PUP plays one-dimensionally while other players will hunt for opportunities and play the game to win.
To be one of the winning players, if you are not already a top player, you need to find out and observe a role model or some reading. The giants of the game have written books on poker that will offer valuable insights in to both strategy and tactics. However, the best role model or partial role model -does some things great but not everything well – is the one to watch out for at your next game. Play but remember to watch and learn how they get the money, not just from rocks, but everyone. What these players do to win are the types of things you want to learn how to do for yourself.
The PUP or rock is not a source of inspiration. The poker star money flies around them and they do not know how to pick it up. They are willing to settle for less than any player who wants to win. You want to be one of the best, who wins, and exploits the PUP, so that you can silently thank them for putting so much extra cash first on the card table, and then in to your pocket.