{"id":21041,"date":"2020-03-19T12:13:53","date_gmt":"2020-03-19T17:13:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/blog\/?p=21041"},"modified":"2020-06-29T02:43:13","modified_gmt":"2020-06-29T07:43:13","slug":"reduce-variance-in-poker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/blog\/reduce-variance-in-poker\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Reduce Your Variance in Poker and Enjoy Bigger Winnings"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Poker variance \u2013 also known as poker downswings \u2013 is\nessentially a period bad luck. It\u2019s the difference between how much you expect\nto win based on your win rate over the long run, and the short term results.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even if you are a solid winner, and you should be averaging a $2,000\nprofit per month, you can easily end up in red due to the variance in the\nshort-term. Every player will go through these phases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Downswings are a part of the game and are inevitable. But the good news is\nthat you can actually reduce your variance, by increasing your edge in the\ngames. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe bigger win rate you have,\nthe shorter swings you will encounter, as simple as that.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, an obvious way to achieve bigger win rates is to study strategy\nand improve your game, but we will not get into that today. Instead, we will\ncover a few additional ways to increase your edge. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In reality, your goal is to play at your best as long as you possibly can.\nWhenever you deviate from your A-game, you start leaving money at the table and\nincrease your variance at the same time, which is something you want to avoid.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some top tips for increasing your reducing your variance in poker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Choose Your Games Wisely: Play When You\u2019re The Best Player<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you find yourself on a 9max table with eight good players, you\u2019re unlikely\nto win. However, if you\u2019re up against a line-up of passive recreational\nopponents, you are likely to crush such games and win a ton of cash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe difference in your win\nrate in good and average games can be astonishing.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, without changing your skill, finding better games is the\neasiest way to improve your win rate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to make more money, you have to play with worse players than\nyou. When your opponents are better or equally skilled, you will not be making\nmuch, if any, profit in the long run. So leave your ego aside, and concentrate\non maximizing returns. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even if you are not an extremely good player, you can still make a lot of\nmoney if you find good tables, casinos, or private games full of recreational\nopponents. This is why some celebrities can consistently win in poker, even\nwithout being top-notch players \u2013 they simply play in private games.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On top of that, there is always a limited number of tables you can play both live and at online poker sites<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you choose to play one game,\nit means you choose not to play another one.\u201c<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This statement changed how I see things. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you play on an OK table, it means you are not using this time to play\non a great one. So if you have 2bb\/100 hands on an average game, you are maybe\nleaving 15bb\/100 on a great table that you can easily join. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, this is a theoretical example, but it perfectly illustrates the\npoint. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is also true different casinos, online poker rooms, and even\ntournaments. You always have a choice where and what to play, so make sure to\nuse it to your advantage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do you judge where the good games are? I am glad you asked. <\/p>\n\n\n\n