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It is practically impossible, but not totally, given the right experimental mindset. We could take any high volume, multi-tabling reg and ask him to perform an experiment on it: phase 1, raise 22-55 in UTG and UTG+1 for 100,000 hands; phase 2, fold the same hands in the same positions for another 100,000 hands; then analyze the hands and see how the data looks. Of course there can still be some variability and it's not exactly proof. But it's some kind of start.
Or if we don't want to do that, let's just say that image plays a role against opponents who are observant enough to know what your image is, and especially against anybody playing with a HUD. So making seemingly profitable decisions like tightening or loosening up in position X with hand Z might actually not be the insta-profit tweak in your game that you think it is. To cite another (and to me more likely) example, button-raising past a certain percentage is likely to turn back around on you and lose some of the big blinds you are stealing. There's probably a sweet spot for most players that aren't wildly talented at post-flop poker. And the same might be true of early position raising. I know if someone raises UTG and my HUD tells me he's an early position nit, I'm not giving him action, like, ever - except to set hunt.
At the same time, I don't want this to be perceived as an excuse for not tightening leaks. Far from it. I just think it's worth considering before we all convert to UTG rocks.
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