What is a capped range?
01-26-2014
, 04:18 PM
So I've been working with a friend of mine to help him to play better cash poker. He's a professional in the legal arena (not a lawyer), with a math background. He does fairly well in the donkament world, but does not seem to be able to adjust to cash games.
He has a bit of a tough time with what I feel are some pretty basic, but esoteric, concepts. One of them is the idea of "villain's capped range".
I hope iraisetoomuch will not mind if I grab the info from his recent QTs thread to use as an example.
We were discussing this HH and he mentioned that he thought that overpairs to the board were still likely.
I wonder if we might discuss a bit here about what we think our villains' ranges are capped at here.
IMO:
-- V1 is capped at [JJ-, AJ-, KQ-], but range is probably on the weaker side.
-- V2 is capped at [TT-, AJ-, KJ-], but range is possibly stronger as a whole then V1's
What info am I considering here?
1) Both players have some green chips. IMO, using bigger chips indicates more sophisticated poker skills, which implies something about hand selection and preflop aggression level.
2) Grinder appearance. These guys are not calling with premium A-big and PP to trap.
3) "Welcome to the table" preflop speech is indicative of a speculative hand.
4) Should I be giving either villain any credit for understanding the Gap Concept?
When you have precious little information about your opponents, how are you coming up with the top of someone's range?
Can you give some examples?
He has a bit of a tough time with what I feel are some pretty basic, but esoteric, concepts. One of them is the idea of "villain's capped range".
I hope iraisetoomuch will not mind if I grab the info from his recent QTs thread to use as an example.
Quote:
1/3 Friday night ~10:00
Hero: I just arrived at the table 10-15 minutes ago. I folded 2-3 hands. Bought in for $400 and I'm still at exactly that. Younger, wearing a hoodie. I made a few conversational remarks with a few players nothing special.
V1: Younger, $300-$350 some in red with 1 black and 2 green in there. Looks like he plays a decent amount (not to say that he's good or bad, just that be plays).
V2: Roughly the same as V2. But I get the sense that he's more the grinder type. Has some big heap phones on, ~$550 with $250 of it in green. I don't get the sense that either is a drooler, but no real data to back that up.
Pre flop:
1 limper
Hero raises to $15 with Q
T from the HJ
V1 says "welcome to the table" and calls from the CO
V2 calls on the button
other fold
Flop ($45) J 8
5
Hero: I just arrived at the table 10-15 minutes ago. I folded 2-3 hands. Bought in for $400 and I'm still at exactly that. Younger, wearing a hoodie. I made a few conversational remarks with a few players nothing special.
V1: Younger, $300-$350 some in red with 1 black and 2 green in there. Looks like he plays a decent amount (not to say that he's good or bad, just that be plays).
V2: Roughly the same as V2. But I get the sense that he's more the grinder type. Has some big heap phones on, ~$550 with $250 of it in green. I don't get the sense that either is a drooler, but no real data to back that up.
Pre flop:
1 limper
Hero raises to $15 with Q
T from the HJV1 says "welcome to the table" and calls from the CO
V2 calls on the button
other fold
Flop ($45) J
8 5
I wonder if we might discuss a bit here about what we think our villains' ranges are capped at here.
IMO:
-- V1 is capped at [JJ-, AJ-, KQ-], but range is probably on the weaker side.
-- V2 is capped at [TT-, AJ-, KJ-], but range is possibly stronger as a whole then V1's
What info am I considering here?
1) Both players have some green chips. IMO, using bigger chips indicates more sophisticated poker skills, which implies something about hand selection and preflop aggression level.
2) Grinder appearance. These guys are not calling with premium A-big and PP to trap.
3) "Welcome to the table" preflop speech is indicative of a speculative hand.
4) Should I be giving either villain any credit for understanding the Gap Concept?
When you have precious little information about your opponents, how are you coming up with the top of someone's range?
Can you give some examples?
01-26-2014
, 06:07 PM
Yeah, the top of a Vs range is not his capped range, sort of. For example, if the turn comes the 4 here, and hero checks and both Vs check, you can say they are capped at 2 pair, since it is unlikely that a straight would allow the turn to check through with the spade draw. Same goes for sets. If they were slowplaying the flop, once the spade draw comes in, and there is a straight on board, you would expect them to bet, even if it's a bet/fold.
Mostly you will "cap a range" OTT.
In the example you gave, you can't really talk about a capped range, since either V could have a set of Js (the nuts so far), and therefore both ranges are uncapped. If Hero leads and both Vs just flat call, you could tentatively start to cap their ranges at one pair, though a lot of people might slowplay a flop like this.
here, and hero checks and both Vs check, you can say they are capped at 2 pair, since it is unlikely that a straight would allow the turn to check through with the spade draw. Same goes for sets. If they were slowplaying the flop, once the spade draw comes in, and there is a straight on board, you would expect them to bet, even if it's a bet/fold.Mostly you will "cap a range" OTT.
In the example you gave, you can't really talk about a capped range, since either V could have a set of Js (the nuts so far), and therefore both ranges are uncapped. If Hero leads and both Vs just flat call, you could tentatively start to cap their ranges at one pair, though a lot of people might slowplay a flop like this.