1 reply to this topic

[KillerPanda]

hi guys and gals,i read the cardplayer article on layne flack (http://www.cardplaye....php?a_id=14585) and i wanted your opinions on something. in the article, flack says:"...I don’t read books. I don’t want to change my style; I don’t want to be influenced by what others do or say. I don’t discuss hands with other people."do you think this is a good idea? is it wise to be an "island", relying only on one's own experiences rather than learning from others' experiences as well? i'll admit that i agree with him to a certain extent, in that reading books tends to change your playing style (for better or for worse). but i don't see the harm in discussing hands, really. i think it offers some insight into other players' thought processes, and allows you the opportunity to develop a strategy against certain types of players. i feel that discussing hands may even help one to view the same circumstances in a new way. but again, maybe flack is on to something. although it's been documented that other greats such as brunson and sailor roberts used to discuss hand strategy, there are some "school of hard knocks" players who rely solely on their own experience and these players can be very good. perhaps being an "island" helps one to develop a unique strategy or to become very confident in one's decisions at the table. what do you think?panda :shock:

[rollito]

i've also heard men the master say he doesn't like to read books, but i think when they were coming up in the game there weren't as many good books on the game....i think today you might not have to apply everything you read...but if you read enough books you can pick up on certain plays people have developed over the years and apply them to your game.....its a cheaper way of doing it instead of trying all your plays at the casinos and figuring out some don't work, but it costs you a rack or two......layne flack is a world class player who makes his living playing and unorthodox style of poker that would be impossible to describe in a book because of the amount of feel and reads it takes to play that way.....i think for anyone coming up in the game today it would be foolish to pass up the oppotunity to at least, as you said about talking to other people, pick up on what has made these players successful over the years.......just my opinion