A Key to Solid Poker: Sitzfleisch

A Key to Solid Poker: Sitzfleisch: "Most people who don't play poker have a seriously erroneous image of the game. And, alas, many people who do play poker have the same delusion. They all think that the game turns on three elements: the big hand, where you catch a monster and take all your opponent's money, the big session where you go on an extended rush and clean out the table, and the brilliant plays where your tricky bluffs or clever cold calls win big. Part of this image comes from movies written by people who haven't a clue about the game (like the notorious Cincinnati Kid). And, interestingly, part of it also comes from responsible journalists and poker writers who report tournament results by focusing on the big hands that decided matters. Rarely are readers told about the hours of grind that preceded the critical play--largely because rarely do readers want all that boring detail.

But poker isn't about big hands, it isn't about blockbuster sessions--and it most certainly isn't about tricky brilliant play. Sure, once in a while these things happen and they are great fun, but the essence of profitable poker is, to use the wonderfully expressive Yiddish word, sitzfleisch. Literally, sitzfleisch translates as 'flesh for sitting.' It refers to the capacity to sit there, hour after hour, and grind out the game. It means not losing your concentration, not falling into one of those funks where you start playing hands that should have been folded, and most importantly, it means making sound, well-judged plays on every hand.

The good poker player is only a little bit better than the average player. I know that sounds odd but it's true. The great player is a horse of a very different color but we're not concerned with them here. The good player--one who plays with positive expectation--does so because he or she plays basic, disciplined poker, has excellent concentration, and has sitzfleisch. These are the skills that give the edge. It is important to appreciate just how much money you can win in the long run if you hold a very small edge over your opponents. For example, in blackjack (a game where, unlike poker, we can get a good approximation of a player's statistical"