You may have been playing free poker and heard the word ‘donk’ used. If you have wondered what this actually means, then here goes: a donk is a bad poker player who makes bad poker moves and is a weak player’. Donk is a shortened term for donkey. Traditionally, donk is a term that has a negative connotation to describe sub par playing techniques. Believe it or not, some people are actually proud to be the donk at a table. Does the term donk describe a player with a different style of play that is becoming more acceptable in poker?

Now that we have defined the traditional negative paradigm of donk, let’s explore a new emerging view of being a donk.

A player may be called a donk if they have won a big pot with a poor hand. If someone calls a big preflop raise with small connectors or suited cards to catch a flush or a straight, is this poor play? Or, can this simply been seen as an opportunist? Although statisticians confirm that playing superior cards in poker will yield greater profits, the donk often confirms that playing inferior cards can result in surprising profits.

The creed of donks is that every hand should be viewed as an opportunistic adventure. Donks often call large preflop raises with low cards hoping the board will result in low cards to produce a winning hand. After all, why should paint cards get all the respect? Donks consider themselves entrepreneurs in the world of poker by employing every hole card dealt to them with equal opportunity to be put into play. Basically, donks are hopeless optimists believing that every hand will result in a win and the more hands played the greater the odds of winning.

So what differentiates a donk player from a winning donk player, since donks will play every hand fast and loose? The difference is that a sly donk will play a hand in good position and know when to fold when the board materializes. If the flop is favourable and offers a glimmer of hope, a chase will ensue. If there is absolutely no hope in the flop then a clever donk will fold. A wise donk isn’t simply a poor player, but someone who finds opportunity in playing a wide variety of cards.

Whatever type of player you are playing against, its worth checking out free poker sites to see if you can improve your game and find a way to beat them.

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