When to test out an unorthodox strategy?

Thinking of trying a strategy outside of the game tree to make your opponents uncomfortable? Dara O'Kearney has some advice for you...

We had an interesting discussion on a recent episode of The Chip Race about whether it made sense to take your opponent out of the game tree by doing something unorthodox. For example limping, which is very rare in MTTs and as such a lot of players do not quite know how to counter it.

In poker I think we overstate the importance of ‘making your opponent uncomfortable’. It’s great if we can do something that leads them to make an error, but generally speaking sticking to sound fundamentals will win the day.

Having said that, you still might be thinking about experimenting with an unorthodox strategy like limping or using unusual bet sizes. It is certainly worth experimenting with, and there is something you can ask yourself to get an idea of whether it will work out or not. Because if you are diverging from the game tree you are also going to be in unfamiliar terrain, as well as your opponent.

Ask yourself “am I the sort of player who does well in situations where we don’t really know very much?”

How did you do when poker was new?

Think back to the start of your poker journey, how well did you do against the other new players? Did you crush from the start or did it take a lot of training? Some people took to poker like a duck to water at the start of their careers, others didn’t.

The biggest edges I have enjoyed in my career have been in unfamiliar terrain, like when a new format launches. For example I did really well when Flip & Go launched, because the discard stage of that format was something nobody knew how to adapt to. I am also well known for my acumen in satellites and PKOs, precisely because there was no good material out there for them for a long time.

Other players I know are terrible at new formats, but crush when the foundational strategy becomes realised.

If you are going to diverge from the game tree, poker essentially becomes a new game for you and your opponent. It really helps to understand the fundamentals you are diverging from, but it also requires you have more creative, reflexive thinking than your opponents.

Dara O'Kearney's new book Endgame Poker Strategy: The ICM Book is out now.