Instincts and Poker

[TightEnd]

To what extent does your "instinct" or "gut feel" inform your decisions at the poker table?

Are these instincts reliable?

are they a function of sub-conscious experience, or a token of a players "natural" ability, or both?


Do you ever ignore maths and fundamentals and take an action because your inner self is screaming at you to do so?

[AndrewT]

At the risk of over extrapolating from a statistically dubious data set, at DTD over the weekend I had one situation where the 'right' play (given the action) was to fold, but my gut feel was for LOL shoveaments.

I folded and that was the wrong decision.

Someone started a thread which veered onto this topic a couple of years ago - http://blondepoker.com/forum/index.php?topic=9245.0

And then there's this, shorter, one. - http://blondepoker.com/forum/index.php?topic=19032.0

[kinboshi]

Surely gut instinct is based on a combination of experience, tells and ability?  The same way as calculating pot-odds becomes second nature, so does the ability to 'read' situations.  Or so I'm told...

[TightEnd]

Its not "natural"? Something that some have an innate ability to do compared to others?

[kinboshi]

Its not "natural"? Something that some have an innate ability to do compared to others?

Partly it's natural ability, yes.  Same way as some salesman can sell better than others, and have a 'natural' flair for getting the customer to buy.  Experience and practice also comes into it though.

[jizzemm]

Ask Eccose about my Gut instinct....

He could not believe my fold... 

[Ecosse]

Ask Eccose about my Gut instinct....

He could not believe my fold... 

True, I hit trip 3's on the 3 8 9 flop.

Bet 500, Jizzem raises to 1000, I push all in for about 5k.

He folded after a good dwell with two pair, eights and nines

GOOD FOLD !

[TheChipPrince]

Ask Eccose about my Gut instinct....

He could not believe my fold... 

True, I hit trip 3's on the 3 8 9 flop.

Bet 500, Jizzem raises to 1000, I push all in for about 5k.

He folded after a good dwell with two pair, eights and nines

GOOD FOLD !

 >:?































 

[jizzemm]

GOOD FOLD !

Nit more like it........

[Solver]

Yes, instincts form a large part of my game, often get compliments with people saying good call or "how can you call that".

But I reckon gut feelings, instincts etc are often explained but just spotting something strange in the betting patten of the opponent on a subconscious level and are infact informed decisions.

Stu

[madasahatstand]

I think there are many variables that support gut instinct. For example a person that is highly cautious and risk averse might have good instinct but might not act on it because of the risk. A person who likes the risk factor might act more on it. Both players may use the maths in general to play and have the same kind of gut instinct but some would say player 2 has better reads and observational skills because they act on their gut more? Of course collecting information either consciously or unconsciously is the foundation from which our instinct kicks in I think.

I used to play with my gut much more than I do now but I was less successful in the game. Now I use the maths and try to keep my gut reactions in check unless I'm sure I can balance that reaction with the info I have on a player. This is is much more successful and reliable for me. Interesting if I have a few alcoholic beverages my gut takes over and it's all out aggression because I'm not keeping my 'gut' in check   Don't know if this is the same thing but alcohol is a variable in risk taking thus imo it's a variable on acting out on 'gut'.

In the live games I've played, my gut reaction works better but thats probably because I've built up more information about the players even if I didn't know it. Last week in a live game I did what you might think was a terrible call but my gut was screaming 'call that all in, call that all in'. I ended up winning and a couple of people said to me that it was a brave call. I just 'felt' I was going to win the hand....

[vegaslover]

Live, when playing regularly, my instinct or feel, is usually pretty good, acting on it one way or the other is another matter.

I think it's more learnt than natural i.e. sportspersons and gamers seem to make good decisions quickly, particularly the ex gamers who play god know how many at the same time online.

[celtic]

i've made some sick calls because of instinct. always wrong but never mind.

[M3boy]

I rely alot on instinct when playing live.

When I am on top form, my reads on people are usually correct - practise on reading people's hole cards when you are NOT in the hand.

The more you play, the easier it becomes.

[the sicilian]

Think the best have that indefinable something....u can teach most things but feel and instinct are natural.....