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Any ideas for bettering my study technique

Posted By: Phil Simborg
Date: Friday, 24 August 2012, at 1:50 p.m.

In Response To: Any ideas for bettering my study technique (smcrtorchs)

1. By bigger context, I mean that while it is essential to know the details of any problem, it is also important to know why you are learning those details and how you will use them. For example, if I were to give a new player the match equity table to memorize it would be difficult to do because he can't relate those numbers to anything. But if I first show him why you have different take points at different scores, and why it is important to know what that take point is, and how the take point is derived, and then I ask him to learn how to both calculate and memorize the take point, the number has meaning and practical use for him and is also easier to memorize and easier to recall over the board.

2. When I say that you need to compare the advantages and disadvantages of each candidate play, there are many ways to do this, and I am not about to try to give a full lesson on this subject on this forum, as it can become complex, as you stated, and there are different ways and shortcuts to getting to the best decision for different kinds of positions and plays. Some times it is nothing more than counting shots, or numbers that will make a key point or prime. Other times you have to estimate the wins and gammons for each play. Again, no matter how complex, there are shortcuts and reference positions and some key strategies to get to the bottom line more quickly and accurately. Whether you do a finite calculation or just rough estimates, either way you must find a way to weigh the comparative risks and rewards of each play in order to make an informed decision. How good your methodology and skill in applying it determines how well you will play.

I do not mean to be "mysterious" about these strategies and methodologies, there are simply too many and too much to explain in this forum, but you can and should learn them from books, articles, and teachers or mentors. You WILL NOT simply figure out most of them for yourself. You could play for 100 years and not come up with many of the concepts already developed by the great thinks (and even a couple by me as well!).

Messages In This Thread

• Any ideas for bettering my study technique
  smcrtorchs -- Sunday, 19 August 2012, at 8:17 p.m.
  • Any ideas for bettering my study technique
    Bob Koca -- Sunday, 19 August 2012, at 11:07 p.m.
    • Any ideas for bettering my study technique
      Smcrtorchs -- Monday, 20 August 2012, at 9:02 a.m.
      • Any ideas for bettering my study technique
        Timothy Chow -- Monday, 20 August 2012, at 5:14 p.m.
  • One of the very best: Kit Woolsey GammonU
    Klaus Evers -- Monday, 20 August 2012, at 8:56 p.m.
  • Any ideas for bettering my study technique
    Casper van der Tak -- Monday, 20 August 2012, at 9:10 p.m.
  • Any ideas for bettering my study technique
    Phil Simborg -- Tuesday, 21 August 2012, at 4:22 p.m.
    • Any ideas for bettering my study technique
      smcrtorchs -- Tuesday, 21 August 2012, at 8:10 p.m.
      • Any ideas for bettering my study technique
        Phil Simborg -- Friday, 24 August 2012, at 1:50 p.m.