Heeding the data

I save all my poker data, and regularly query it looking for strengths and weaknesses. One of my recurring conclusions is that the most important poker decision a player can make is what poker variant to play to begin with. Before you've even been dealt a single hand, this decision can already have helped or hurt your chances for success. There are three main characteristics of a poker variant:

- style (examples: cash game, sit and go, MTT (multi-table tournament))
- flavor (examples: NLHE (no limit hold'em), PLO (pot limit Omaha), 8-game, deuce)
- maximum table size (examples: 6-max, 9-max)

Here's what my poker data tells me I should never play:

- sit and gos
- pot limit Omaha
- 9-max MTT NLHE

I've been well aware of the first two no-nos for a long time, but am only now becoming aware of the third. It's a hard one to realize, since I do very well in closely related variants. For example, I do fabulously well in 9-max MTT-R NLHE, and very well in 6-max MTT NLHE. I'm going to heed the data, and stay away from 9-max MTT NLHE from now on.

style flavor buy_in entry players hands entries paid place winnings

MTT   NLHE   174000 26000       6    61      94   24    30        0
MTT   8-Game  45000  5000       6   158      63   12     4   269000
MTT   NLHE   174000 26000       6   170      76   21     6   766000

delta: $585,000
MTT NLHE balance: $5,298,668
2019 balance: $18,306,850
balance: $64,891,110