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Volume or quality of grind, that is the question!

Volume or quality of grind, that is the question!
A frequent question among some regulars is: should one prefer volume, or game quality?
by Academia   |   comments 0
Saturday, April 18 2020

We know that medium and high level poker requires time and volume. However, I often see some regulars with the following question: give preference to volume, or keep playing only while in my A-Game?

Although the questioning is simple, the answer seems complex.

Volume imposition is essential to obtain good results in the long run. However, with the gradual improvement of the field level, thanks to several factors, but mainly the ease and dissemination of instructional material, players have become better. Those very bad ones, now don't burn through so much money. Average regulars have become dangerous players and have a greater sense of play. And the good / excellent regulars have been battling each other much more often than five or six years ago. The poker food chain is becoming increasingly difficult to beat.

While all of this sounds extremely pessimistic and chaotic, it has to be said that there are still a lot of bad players. In fact, the vast majority of the field is weak. But an important question arises that each winning player must ask himself: do I beat the game if I'm not playing my A-Game?

This is a question that only you can answer, and it is extremely important that you are sincere. If you think that without your best game, you cannot win, you should rethink the imposition of volume on quality. Although it sounds obvious, it is worth praising: if you think you don't beat the game when you are not at your best, there is no point in playing for hours and hours. If you can keep playing your best game for long periods of time, then it's simple, do it. If you think you don't need to be at your best to beat those games you've been playing, keep going, at least until you notice that you're already too tired and are making unusual mistakes.

I was always a player who imposed a lot of volume. However, in recent times, I have given preference to quality. This does not mean that I am playing little or not playing 10-14hrs every day, as I did for a long time.

What I mean in this article is that there is no specific rule or recipe for thinking about the amount of time at the tables. You need to know yourself and know what gives you the most profit. And, after realizing this, remain disciplined, but changeable. Maybe tomorrow, you will be able to spend more time maintaining the best quality of your game. Maybe not. Self-knowledge is essential for success in this sport!

Finally, it all depends on you, knowing how your game works best, how you earn the most profit and, the main thing: getting to know yourself as a poker player.

Daniel Dornelles