The new age of Poker, can't be a one trick pony, mixed games

The days of specialists are over. Everybody is a specialist now; just look at all the limits 5-10 to 200-400, lines of people waiting for the fish to arrive. It is especially most rampant in limit holdem and no limit holdem.

As everything evolves, I have noticed many patterns of top notch poker players who at one time were specialists. A lot of very good limit holdem players who were losing their edge, quickly starting playing Omaha 8 or better. While all the young players who grew up playing only no limit have moved over to playing more pot limit Omaha. And now finally the worlds of limit players and big pot players are colliding. The age of mixed games is finally here in full blown fashion.

So who has the edge, the big pot players or the limit players? Some limit players are very strong in the flop games, some are much better in the stud and split pot games. Then you have your lowball players if 2-7 is in the mix. A lot of limit players have also moved on to dominate no limit holdem tournaments and these guys have become pretty damn good at post flop play specifically in reading hands from their experience of playing so many hands to the river in limit holdem. I can go on and on about the parallels of every poker variation and how you can use your strengths in one game to give you an extra edge to be competitive in another.

I have played a decent amount of big mixed limit games ranging from 200-400 up to 1500-3000 at the Commerce over the years. I was able to play these games very comfortably from all my winnings in limit holdem and no limit holdem tournaments. Of course I am willing to admit that I am a long, long way to becoming a proficient player in all the games. It goes without saying I have taken some very big losses along the way trying to learn them as well. It takes a lot of work, a lot of experience, and many hours and hands until boom one day everything just clicks. I remember the day that happened to me, in limit holdem. I remember that day in 2-7 triple draw, then Badugi, and now suddenly with a few other games. It is hard to explain, but once you feel that revelation when you think u have mastered a new game, you don't just think anymore you feel it. It is like you see the game through a magnifying glass, and everything becomes crystal clear. You can spot all your opponents mistakes and instantly take advantage of their leaks. And right away you just know you are about to win some big money.

There are a ton of subtopics in this blog that I can talk about in much more detail. If you read the last line in my first blog, specifically, the "taking you on a journey into the mind of a man on a mission", this is exactly what I will be doing much more often here at neverwinpoker.com, and this is just another taste on whats to become. I have been working very hard lately to hone my skills, study the specialists for each variation. I have also been playing games ranging limits 10-20 to 100-200, as well as some big pot games ranging from 5-10 to 10-20.

This is where the money is right now! By the end of 2012 people will begin to talk less about ‘who the best limit holdem player is’, or who the best tourney player, or no limit player is.’ The transition to the All Around Player has been occurring for some time now, and many players are emerging, some of the great specialists are thriving, while others are bleeding their bankrolls in new games because they have too many leaks. The path you take has an infinite amount of forks in the road, and the decisions you make will have a significant impact on which direction you and your bankroll will go.

Make a business plan, get organized. All the greats have been lucky to be blessed with natural ability, intelligence, and instinct. When poker was booming that is all that was required to make a killing, but those traits can only carry you so far. Those days are over. Hard work, studying, motivation, ambition....more than ever these will be the things that will separate you from the rest of the pack!

My inner drive to master and for now to just simply get better at my weaker games is kicking in, so it is time for me to get back to work. I appreciate all the nice comments people made under my most recent blog about my goals and rising up again into Poker's Elite. Mastering mixed games is just another goal on my list for 2010. To all my readers out there, keep the comments coming, or post any questions or other topics you would like me to blog about. I will try my absolute best to put a good blog up here once or twice a week. I really hate writing. Ironically writing papers and English class were the reasons I dropped out of college. So it takes me a while to write, reread, and proofread my blogs, luckily I don't have to depend on my writing to pay the bills. Good luck to everyone at the tables!

Dustin "Neverwin" Woolf