Strategy is one of the most fundamental aspects of any activity we undertake. But this is often misinterpreted: people who talk about strategy are often actually talking about tactics instead! This means that there is already a strategic consideration that has slipped their mind. In poker, the difference between strategy and tactics is significant. If you want to succeed and reach the Fedor Holz net worth, you need a combination of both; otherwise, you will get into trouble.
The Greek word στρατηγία (stratēgia, or art of troop leadership, command, or generalship) means that there is a plan to achieve your high-level goals when the conditions are not clear. This means that strategy development is an art that requires skills and training. What is the strategy necessary to be successful in poker? What strategies does Fedor Holz use?
Table of Contents
The Combination of Strategies
You can take advantage of various poker tips. Firstly, you need a poker master plan. What are you anticipating? If you are going to be a successful professional poker player, then this is already a good strategy. But then you have to decide on the other strategies, playing poker online, taking part in tournaments, or showing up in various events — which all depend on many factors.
But before that, you have to carefully develop a training strategy: how to train and for what reason; what kind of coaching you might need, and so on. And after taking part in the tournament, you have to think over the tournament strategy, the plan for this specific competition.
So, we are talking about a combination of strategies that have a significant impact on the tactics of the game that you prefer to use. Many poker players face a lack of connection between the strategies and the tactics, because they do not pay enough attention to the strategy, and focus too much on the actual game.
Fedor Holz’s Learning Poker Strategy
Fedor Holz’s poker strategies deserve careful attention. But he hardly developed them before he started playing poker with his friends just for fun. It was not a strategy, but rather a deep and growing interest in the game.
As he became interested in this issue, which resulted in a strong desire to learn it in detail, the first strategy was built up quite logically. It was to understand the hidden mechanism and inner winning scheme, paying attention to such factors as variance and randomness.
This first learning strategy can be called “learning, analyzing and understanding.” It is needed in any game, and not only for gaming. But in poker, it works the way that you would inevitably donk, sooner or later, if you did not study well. There are two methods of learning poker rules used by Fedor Holz: individual and networking.
It was also a strategy: Fedor understood that in live poker there could be many different opinions and judgments about practically every hand. That is why you need to discuss hands with the people you trust; as your analysis, no matter how profound it is, may be wrong or not good enough. Even if you are a young man with IQ of 155, like Fedor Holz!
Coaching Strategy
The “I Need Coaching” decision is also a strategic one. But the time is important. Fedor Holz had a profile and professional coach when he was active in online poker; and this was a perfect time for him, as he already had some experience. Besides, he had already been noticed as a prospective player, so he got to enjoy both coaching and staking; and his progress ever since then has come on a lot faster!
You may, of course, start taking lessons earlier; and this decision will be a part of your learning strategy, which may also work very well for you. But the experience of Fedor Holz suggests that the right time for a poker lesson is when you are ready to ask “good questions,” and not just “many questions” like newcomers. This part of the learning strategy called “When to Get Coached” could work better if it was planned in time to actually help you! And who knows, maybe Fedor Holz’s coaching offers will be available soon!
General Playing Strategy
The key issue is whether to play online or live; and when and how to choose.
Obviously, for beginners, playing online can be less stressful and more convenient; it can help you acquire new skills and confidence. This strategy was used by Fedor Holz himself. But he used to play a lot with his friends, which gave him an additional advantage in the development of some habits and behaviors that stood him in good stead when he participated in live tournaments later on.
Of course, this does not mean that you should start playing online and then switch to live! Fedor Holz’s world top-class results in both WCOOP and WSOP demonstrate the importance of continuing a professional career in online and live tournaments to help keep your skills up.
One of the most important strategic decision Fedor Holz once made was to play as many live high-roller tournaments as possible. According to him, it increased his chances of winning several major events in a row. It worked, as we know. Another strategic decision was to “retire,” continuing to play from time to time, concentrating on a few high-roller events — just to have more time for other activities. And it worked too. So, we must admit that Fedor Holz’s strategy is rather effective and can be an example of considered measures in regards of his career.
Tournament Strategies and Game Tactics
This aspect is one of the most significant. Even professional poker players make tactical mistakes, as they do not pay proper attention to the development of a gaming strategy for a particular tournament. This is the right way to choose the tactics of the game, by taking into account many factors: how close the final table is, the opponents’ behavior, the size of the stakes, the current situation, etc.
The more factors you can analyze and interpret correctly, the better you will get a playing poker. And that is exactly what Fedor Holz does. He knows when to fold, to raise, to bluff, when to play defensively or when to attack, what is the optimal size in a particular moment and so on — as his mind сan simultaneously consider all the factors. And he does that according to his developed tournament strategy.
But once he admitted that he had to adjust his overall game style and become a less aggressive player; because too much opening and three-betting is not good, although many players still do that needlessly.
Of course, Fedor Holz can lose. But the point is to win more often than to lose. For that purpose, it is important to interpret each situation correctly. Look at Fedor Holz — he is not a kind of “spectacular” player, he avoids the unnecessary risks and clearly defines the risks that are acceptable in a particular game situation. But in such a conceptual framework, you need to develop the strategy and stick to it.
Some people believe that Fedor Holz plays his ranges better than other players. Indeed, he is good at constructing and evaluating ranges. But it is not enough to become a poker pro such as Fedor Holz.
It requires the development and use of the full set of training strategies, the selection of the location and method of playing, as well as overall understanding of the best strategy for the particular tournament. And then — development of optimal tactics in a particular situation, with the maximum possible number of factors for making the right decisions. This is far beyond the scope of a game of cards.
Learning Poker Strategy Tips From Fedor Holz
Learn from Other People
Studying poker too deeply can lead you to lock yourself up away, and this can be damaging for your relationships. Although sometimes this may be the price you have to pay if you really want to concentrate on any subject, not only poker, you should still know where to draw the line with this one. One strategically important thing is that your surroundings can certainly be of great help: constant communication with good creative people can definitely teach you a lot. Learning from other people is not just a valuable opportunity for you: it’s of truly irreplaceable importance!
Take Your Ego Away From Your Focus
Stanislavski, a prominent theorist and theater practitioner, once said, “Love the Art in yourself, and not yourself in the Art.” This fully relates to almost every kind of activity, including professional poker. Many professionals suffered from focusing too much on the ego, which is a serious distracting factor! Fedor Holz has confessed that he has also found it difficult to ignore his ego, to clear up his head, to control his emotions and to concentrate on the game. Judging by his results, he has been pretty successful in this! However, it has required some serious effort and training.
Accept Your Defeats
According to Holz, if you want to become a good player, you need to learn how to be a good loser as well! The very mechanics of the game makes even the best players lose quite often, as poker is a game of chance with a huge part of variance and risks involved. Fedor has lost many games, but his mindset training has helped him to handle his defeats and to learn from them. The only thing that matters is that you should win more often than you lose.
Reflect on the Hands You Played
Fedor Holz recommends devoting a considerable portion of your time and efforts to the analysis of the hands you have played. This kind of analysis, with a lot of critical scrutiny, is very important for improving your skills. But the player’s ability to critically judge his gaming decisions and to see something he has missed at a certain point is somewhat limited. That is why Fedor recommends performing this critical review in the friendly company of other players or in online poker forums. At the beginning of his poker career, he used to send his hands to ten people to get their ideas and reviews.
Manage Your Bankroll Well
This is the advice usually given to newcomers, but you may be surprised to learn that high-roller professionals also need it! There have been some sad examples of the world’s top poker players losing grip and getting broke. Grinding too much, sleeping too little, and having to control too much money flowing in and out – under such circumstances, you can easily fail to manage your bankroll. Fedor Holz says it is very important to outline the right scope of the stakes you intend to play, and to never go above the limit you set to how much you can afford to gamble.
Take Your Rest
Although this may seem to be not “poker advice,” but it is indeed essential for a poker player. Your ability to play at your best is not unlimited and needs to be restored. You cannot do without recovery procedures, the most crucial part of which is good sleep.
Poker is a demanding game. Playing sessions might last too long. It is not a major problem if this happens from time to time; but poker pros stay up late too often, which is no good for their results, as it undermines their ability to make wise gaming decisions. Fedor Holz had been on a tournament grind for several years, and he knows perfectly well how important it is to have a good sleep and a good meal. He calls it “fuel.”
Another useful thing is a break from poker. You do need to devote enough time to exercise, fresh air, sightseeing – just to relax and de-stress. Don’t play too much! Playing too much leads to losing that passion for the game. That is what Fedor Holz has said about his “retirement from poker”: shutting off from poker helps you to retain your passion for the game.
