Learning GTO - Beginning Poker Questions

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Learning GTO

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07-06-2017 , 12:00 AM

hpY

newbie

Join Date: Dec 2015 Posts: 27

Learning GTO, where to start?

I want to know something like the optimal cbet frequency on different flop texture.

What range of hand to check call? check fold?

What range of hand to cbet for value?

What range of hand to cbet for bluff?

Where can I get these information?

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07-06-2017 , 02:42 AM

sixfour

should be called sevenfour

Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 74,738

Quote:

Originally Posted by hpY

Learning GTO, where to start?

Once you are beyond this forum

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07-06-2017 , 06:35 AM

venice10

Referee

Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 25,855

I'd start at why do you want to know about GTO play? If a reason is that you think playing it is the most profitable way to play, you are missing one of the basic concepts of GTO.

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07-06-2017 , 09:53 AM

Bob148

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 11,972

Interestingly, you learn gto just as you would learn maximally exploitive poker, the only difference being that gto assumes the opponent knows the best possible counter strategy while exploitive poker does not.

So when you're studying, you should be looking to find the most profitable lines regardless of which strategy your opponent chooses.

Also, since folding is free, every single play you make at the table should have a positive expectation. If the plays available do not have positive expectation, you should fold.

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07-06-2017 , 10:47 AM

ArtyMcFly

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 13,256

Get both of Matt Janda's books, get the Post-Flop Engine course from Upswing Poker (currently $19 I think), become a regular in the Poker Theory forum, subscribe to PioSolver, or GTO Rangebuilder, or Snowie. After that, it's all about putting in the study time.

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07-06-2017 , 11:09 AM

hpY

newbie

Join Date: Dec 2015 Posts: 27

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArtyMcFly

PioSolver, GTO Rangebuilder, Snowie, which one is better and easy to use for beginner?

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07-06-2017 , 11:33 AM

SpewingIsMyMove

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Jun 2015 Posts: 3,529

Quote:

Originally Posted by hpY

PioSolver, GTO Rangebuilder, Snowie, which one is better and easy to use for beginner?

Before you go down that route, there were some questions asked (or alluded to) above that you should answer before you invest the significant energy in learning GTO play.

1. Why do you want to play GTO play?
2. What games are you playing (what limits, what location) etc?
3. How good are your opponents?

GTO is not best for exploiting unbalanced opponents. The vast majority of games, except at the highest levels, have exploitable, unbalanced opponents.

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07-06-2017 , 06:40 PM

venice10

Referee

Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 25,855

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpewingIsMyMove

GTO is not best for exploiting unbalanced opponents. The vast majority of games, except at the highest levels, have exploitable, unbalanced opponents.

One reason you see GTO play at high levels is often the table is built around 1 or 2 weak players. That's where everyone else sees their profits coming from. Since the weak player or players won't be in every hand and there will be times when two tough players will be up against each other. By playing GTO, you minimize the amount they can win from you (and you can win from them) waiting for the next hand where the weak players will be in.

At low stakes, everyone is a weak player. If you are at a table consisting of what you consider strong players, you need to leave the table for a weaker table or drop stakes.

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07-06-2017 , 09:34 PM

ArtyMcFly

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 13,256

Quote:

Originally Posted by hpY

PioSolver, GTO Rangebuilder, Snowie, which one is better and easy to use for beginner?

They are all quite complex and almost too powerful for beginners, which is why you should do some reading (e.g. the Janda books) first. If you don't understand some of the concepts before you look at the software, the ranges/hand matrices and suggested sizes won't make much sense to you.

To put it another way, you wouldn't get the most out of the full version of Photoshop if you didn't already have some experience with MS Paint. So learn the basics before splashing out a lot of money for software.

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07-07-2017 , 08:30 AM

#10

ToiletBowler

adept

Join Date: May 2016 Posts: 1,144

One of the best ways to get started with learning GTO without buying software (which as other posters said you will be overwhelmed with) is with an Excel sheet, something like Equilab, and a model poker game that you created.

For example look at the AKQ game (Google it); it is a game of poker played over one street with limited bet sizes with only three cards: A, K, and Q. This game is solved, I.e. The GTO strat is known. Create similar models, Extrapolate what you know, play around with ranges, and you've got a good start.

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