{"id":24554,"date":"2024-08-09T07:43:13","date_gmt":"2024-08-09T12:43:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/blog\/?p=24554"},"modified":"2024-08-15T03:28:01","modified_gmt":"2024-08-15T08:28:01","slug":"gto-poker-strategy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/blog\/gto-poker-strategy\/","title":{"rendered":"GTO Poker vs Exploitative Poker: Which Is Better?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
When thinking about the best approach to winning poker, there seems to be a lot of confusion about what Game Theory Optimal (GTO) in poker is, and whether it\u2019s a better option than exploitative play in poker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In reality, you don\u2019t need to choose one of these options, but rather understand the basic principles of GTO play and when it should be applied. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this\narticle, I\u2019ll try to go over every important detail to clear up any confusion,\nand I\u2019ll start by explaining what GTO is and how it works in real-life\nscenarios.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s start with the basics: What is GTO poker?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Game Theory Optimal (GTO) is basically when you attempt to play mathematically perfect poker, so that your opponents make mistakes against you. This strategy balances your value hands and poker bluffs<\/a> in a way that leaves you unexploitable. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Since the phrase has the word \u2018optimal\u2019 in it, people often think that GTO in poker is a perfect approach that is better than anything else out there. But that\u2019s not always true.<\/p>\n\n\n\n First of all, the GTO poker model revolves around the style of play that makes you unexploitable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It means that if you were playing a true Game Theory Optimal<\/a>, your opponents couldn\u2019t find any way to take advantage of your style. No matter what they do. At best, they could break even.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On the flip side, though, the GTO poker approach is fairly rigid as it doesn\u2019t allow for any adjustments. You\u2019ll be following the same strategy against all opponents no matter what they do. So, while you can\u2019t be exploited, you won\u2019t be exploiting others, either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n GTO is often used in poker played in online casinos<\/a>, because games like live dealer poker<\/a> or video poker<\/a> makes it harder to read your opponents. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The best way to explain this is through a simple example. If the GTO poker model dictates that perfect 3-bet size in a certain scenario is 13 big blinds, you\u2019ll be 3-betting to that size regardless of who your opponent is. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Even if you\u2019re up against a loose maniac who\u2019ll gladly call a 30 big blind 3-bet when you have pocket Aces<\/a>, you\u2019ll not deviate from your standard strategy, and leave money at the table against that particular player.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So,\nclearly, there are some upsides and downsides to this approach, but before\njumping into the details, I want to address another topic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you hear the word \u2018optimal\u2019, you immediately think of something perfect. However, there is still no such thing<\/em> as a perfect poker strategy. No-Limit Hold\u2019em<\/a> is a game with many variables, and is yet to be solved, especially in non-heads up games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Besides, even if there were a complete solution to NLHE, it would be way too complex to memorize for a normal human being. There is absolutely no way you could learn by heart what to do in every single situation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you had\nthat kind of memory, you could probably earn much more money doing something\nelse instead of playing poker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, GTO is very\nuseful for learning basic principles and understanding why certain plays make\nsense. It\u2019s good for building a solid strategy that you can implement against\ntough opponents. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But it\u2019s\nnot necessarily the best way to play poker in every possible scenario.<\/p>\n\n\n\nNo-Limit Hold\u2019em Hasn\u2019t Been Solved Yet<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Main Issues With GTO<\/strong> in Poker<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n