What Edge Can You Expect if Playing a Perfect Strategy Low Stakes Poker?

Posted in poker strategy on 01. Jun, 2009

What’s this week’s poker strategy question? Let’s dive straight in…

Question: Im thinking that if you play low stakes poker (Im not sure if it would work for no limit or just limit?), and you play a perfect strategy then you wont have to think as the players at lower limits are not good players gernally, and you could even get a bot to play for you.

Anyone one know what kind of edge you can expect on average doing this?

Answer: There are too many variables to answer this. Poker is not like Blackjack for example. In Blackjack there is always a mathematically correct play to make based on the dealer’s exposed card, your cards, and if you are tracking it, the ‘count.’

With poker there are unknown variables that you cannot know. Is your opponent bluffing, would be one major example.

So your edge is going to vary by the game you are playing, and if you always play the same way, smart players will pick up on that.

As far as a bot goes, I’ve yet to be convinced of any real life success with them. If someone wrote a killer poker bot, why would he or she not simply use it himself to make money? Why reduce his edge by giving it away or selling it?

You also have to consider that even with a great bot, if you are caught using it, you will have your account suspended. So now you just lost your winnings.

In any case, I’m not going to entrust my hard earned bankroll to a computer program.

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