Low variance poker

There's a bad beat thread in here where everyone is reiterating the mantra: "Don't let it affect your game!"

My problem is that it does affect my game. The worst poker I ever play is at the table where the crazy gambler is leaving up $600, all of those chips leaving in the hands of the guy I'm trying so hard NOT to be.

Since I credit a portion of my income to poker, I started trying to develop a playing style that limits the bad beats and lowers my variance while still turning a profit.

I play scared. I don't raise preflop with AK, AQ, AJ suited or not (its only ace high!!!). If I flop a set or two pair on a drawing board, and I don't know if someone is going to raise, I bet the pot. No half-pot bets, no slow plays, just predictable, solid, tight, scared poker.

Enough of my opponents are bad enough to let me turn a profit playing so predictably. Try it out some time!

One note though, I play mostly Foxwoods, bar tourneys and side games. In online games I'm slightly better than a break-even player. I tend to be distracted while I play, but my strategies also may not be as effective.

I think this style will while limiting your varience also limit your earning power alot. Whats wrong with raising AK and check/folding when you miss? Where's the variance there?

Variance is an intrinsic part of poker, the sooner you realise that and psychalogically overcome it, the better a player you'll be. And the more money you'll make.

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Originally Posted by dev

I'm slightly better than a break-even player.

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you would probably be quite alot better than a break even player if you bet harder with good, but not great hands like AQ. Just dont get married to them because you raised preflop.