TY. Have had chess.com diamond for roughly a week and am enjoying working through the puzzles.

Thanks for the tips man, that makes sense.

Good for now, but I appreciate it.

Feel free to comment in here anytime.

Okay well I’m the beginner here so please take anything I say about strategy with a grain of salt.

I typically 4bet 2.25-2.75x vs regs. This sizing range tends to put the 3-bettors range in a tough spot and “forces” them to defend a decent portion of their range.

The 2.25x sizing gives us the opportunity to 4b/fold comfortably as well. I’ll typically go larger than that OOP

In that specific hand, maybe I thought I was IP, had some other big hands going on simultaneously etc. as well. When V 3-bets 4x instead of the standard 3x I think we want to go smaller as well so that we can fold vs 5bet.

GL man

I stopped taking the tactics grind seriously when I was 16~, but want to reach 2900-3000+ on chess.com tactics trainer for lolz one of these days. Tactics used to fascinate me a lot.

Points are exponentially harder to come by as you climb the ladder though

Hey everyone,

This set of hands is mostly big pots/highlights. Change of pace from all the small/more instructional spots I tend to post, when posting online hands.

HH1: 200NL- Taking a combo draw to the streets multi-way

SB’s session stats, according to the app: 20-32% VPIP, PFR >15, and running normal.

BB’s session stats, according to the app: 33-50% VPIP, PFR >25, and running normal.

$200 effective with SB. $165 effective with BB.

OTTH

Pre-flop: Hero RFI $5 CO with 6 5 SB calls. BB calls.

Flop ($15): 7 5 3. SB checks. BB checks. Hero bets $12. SB x/r to $36. BB calls. Hero jams $183.




HH2: 200NL- AA>AK

Main V’s session stats, according to the app: 33-50% VPIP, PFR <25, and running cold.

CO’s session stats, according to the app: 33-50% VPIP, PFR >25, and running normal.

$200 effective.

OTTH

Pre-flop: V RFI $8 CO. Main V 3-bets BTN $26. Hero 4-bets BB $68 with A A. CO folds. Main V jams.



I sized up because of player type and OOP. Expecting V to rarely 3-bet/f.


HH3: 200NL- b/b/b with TPGK vs. nitty reg

Main V’s session stats, according to the app: 20-32% VPIP, PFR <15, and running normal. Nitty reg.

$200 effective.

OTTH

Pre-flop: Hero RFI $5 UTG with K Q. Main V calls BTN. BB calls.

Flop ($16): Q 10 10. BB checks. Hero bets $5. Main V calls BTN. BB folds.

Turn ($26): Q 10 10 4. Hero continues $18. V calls.

River ($62): Q 10 10 4 2 Hero continues $36. V raises to $108.




HH4: 200NL- We should be getting away from the second nuts here... right?

Main V’s session stats, according to the app: 20-32% VPIP, PFR >15, and running hot.

3 handed. $225 effective.

OTTH

Pre-flop: Hero RFI $5 BTN with J 9. SB calls. Main V calls BB.

Flop ($15): K 7 5. Checks around.

Turn ($15): K 7 5 Q. SB checks. Main V bets $10. Hero calls. SB folds.

River ($35): K 7 5 Q A. V bets $21. Hero raises $78. V jams $132 more. Hero tank calls. I’m not sure v has anything but the nuts here at any decent frequency, so bad r/c by me probably. Was actually planning to fold to jam when I raised. Oops.




HH5: 200NL- Turned Straight vs aggro whale

Main V’s session stats, according to the app: >50% VPIP and running cold. Aggro Whale.

$360 effective.

OTTH

Pre-flop: Main V open limps MP. Hero completes SB with J 9. BB checks.

Flop ($6): K 10 7. Hero checks. BB checks. Main V bets $6. Hero calls with the double gutty. BB folds.

Turn ($18): K 10 7 8. Hero checks. V bets $18. Hero x/r to $72. V calls.

River ($162): K 10 7 8 9. Hero checks(?).

This is a weird one. Didn’t want to bet/call because we were on the deeper side to start the hand but thought bet/folding vs inherently meh vs this player type (aggro whale).




Thanks for reading

Thoughts/Discussion Always Welcome!

H3 you really need to find a check somewhere. Turn and river are both pretty bad cards. I'm not sure what you're hoping to get value from especially vs. a nitty reg.

H4 I'd c-bet flop. HU it's a range bet and maybe it's not multi-way but this hand seems like a very good c-bet anyway. I guess you're on the apps but can 200NL villains really not find bluffs here, or have J-high flush or worse for value? Seems like a spot you just have to close your eyes and call.

H3 should probably be a check/fold on the river.

H4 is rough. I've done the same thing a hundred times before where I tell myself I'm gonna fold to a raise and then when the raise comes I just pay it off. Trust your instincts, know what you're going to do when faced with a raise (which you did) and then stick with it. That being said calling a 3bet all-in on the river with the second nuts is not the end of the world.

I pay it off sometimes when I think about how I would feel if I fold and get shown a bluff and if that would feel worse than calling and being wrong. This is the wrong way to think however. Make up your mind before hand, trust your instincts, and go with it. Right or wrong just move on.

H3

I would x/c flop and turn, and folding to a river bet. The reason for this is villain will have a tough time bluffing you on the river when he knows your flop x/c range contains occasionally a T. With the line you have taken, it's hard to find hands that will pay two streets considering you also block Ks flush draws.

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Flop check seems really bad to me. Are you scared of getting raised by bigger overpairs?

I just think all the overs that whiffed happily check back and get a free card to crack a vulnerable pair.

The next batch of hands all look standard to me.

Unless you have a very specific read in H4, I think I'm raise/calling with the 2nd nuts. It's a backdoor flush, the Ks would have to check the flop. Worse flushes or maybe even JT can absolutely be shipping

Why wouldn't KXss check the flop in hand 4? Donking from the bb with KXss is not very likely. Worse flushes may be shipping but never JT by anyone with half a brain. And even then most worse flushes just call the river raise. The pot is small on the river.

I think part of the reason why folding hand 4 makes sense is because would the naked king of spades ever take this line? Is he value betting one pair kings on the river? Two pair maybe but likely not one pair. King of spades already has showdown value with one pair.

Thanks for the feedback. Yeah, you’re right. Lost sight of the player description probably.

K-high boards are our bread and butter as the PFR of course.

Yeah, weaker players are weaker players but a lot of the regs are v capable (ime). Maybe 5/10 live skill level+ (?). I’m a below avg reg without question ainec. I also game select quite aggressively and am on waiting lists all the time. Tough stake for sure.

I think in that spot though it means a good reg is not overplaying and will just call my raise. I raised large intentionally so that a 3-bet would be like nuts or air. Bluffing there seems suicidal in V’s shoes because you’re targeting flushes and that’s fairly optimistic without too much history.

A spot where blockers would likely come in to play though if you wanted to probably bluff in V’s shoes I think.

With the 2nd nuts though I guess it doesn’t matter that often at this stack depth though. If I had a smaller flush I think it’s an ez fold. Kind of why I tossed it in eventually but of course don’t know.

Thanks for the input.

I like your analysis here man. I know pio pio pio is all the craze in 2020 and rightfully so (not everyone plays in soft ish games) but understanding psychological factors and thinking more intuitively has helped me a ton be less of a fish.

I think I should have trusted my gut, even though beginners luck that it was right.

Thanks for the feedback.

That’s a good point. Think I auto-piloted in that hand.

Thanks for the feedback.

With 99s specifically, I don’t like a flop check either. However, vs regs in the “online” streets as I move up I need to be fairly balanced. Not solver-esque but at least pseudo balanced. 99s is more vulnerable than say KKs but also loses to 10s-JJs that usually don’t 4-bet off when opening EP or MP.

AP iirc AI likes the turn x/jam a lot so happy I found that.

Also I’m big bet/checking on that board more often than not so protection/equity denial becomes less of a factor than when I bet small (what I do in most spots).

Hey everyone,

Feeling pretty good about poker. Just started taking the game super seriously when I started this thread in July and now holding my own vs 5/10+ live skill level (ime) regs. Feels good. Just getting started, but it's a nice feeling. And I've put in a ton of hours since starting this thread. Some hands...

HH1: 200NL- 4bet bluff doesn't get through

$235 effective. Main V’s session stats, according to the app: 20-32% VPIP, PFR >15, and running normal. Good, aggressive, reg. Has about $600 in front.

OTTH

Pre-flop: Folds to Hero in the SB. Hero RFI $6 SB with A 10 Main V 3-bets BB $18. Hero 4-bets SB $50. BB jams. Hero folds.


HH2: 200NL- Misplaying overs in a 3-bet pot

$255 effective. Same V from previous hand at a different table. Good, aggressive, reg.

OTTH

Pre-flop: Main V RFI $5 MP. SB calls. Hero 3-bets SB $22 with K 10. MP calls.

Flop ($46): 8 3 2. Hero c-bets $17. V calls.

Turn ($80): 8 3 2 6. Checks through.

River ($80): 8 3 2 6 K. Hero checks. V bets $120. Hero folds.

Probably got owned there by A Q or something.


HH3: 200NL- 4-bet semi-bluffing flop

$220 effective. Main V’s session stats, according to the app: 20-32% VPIP, PFR >15, and running normal. Seems like a reg. Button-clicky type probably. No significant reads.

SB is a weaker player who covers.

OTTH

Pre-flop: Main V RFI $5 BTN. SB calls. Hero calls BB with Q 8.

Flop ($15): Q 7 4. SB checks. Hero checks. BTN bets $7.50. SB folds. Hero x/r to $27. V clicks it back to $55. Hero jams. V folds.

I was trying to get better to fold here, given that V probably clicked it back to 3-bet/fold flop. Thoughts on flop play? Probably a punt sometimes.


HH4: 200NL- What are you doing on the turn here?

$200 effective. Main V’s session stats, according to the app: 20-32% VPIP, PFR <15, and running normal.

OTTH

Pre-flop: UTG open limps. Hero iso’s BTN $10 with A Q. UTG calls.

Flop ($23): A 7 6. V donks $23. Hero calls.

Turn ($69): A 7 6 4. V continues $53. Hero?

V has $125~ behind after the bet.


HH5: 200NL- AA vs. unorthodox line

$275 effective. Main V’s session stats, according to the app: 20-32% VPIP, PFR >15, and running normal. Std. reg. No significant reads.

OTTH

Pre-flop: Hero RFI $5 BTN with A A. SB cold calls.

Flop ($12): Q 8 8. V checks. Hero c-bets $4. V x/r $17. Hero calls.

Turn ($46): Q 8 8 5. V continues $15. Hero calls.

River ($76): Q 8 8 5 4. V checks. Hero bets $44. V calls and mucks.


--------
On another note, I want to start logging my hours again. I stopped doing this for some reason. I think I'll go back to it. I just estimated at the end of each day. This helps me be accountable and is a way for me to partially audit my time as well. More != better, of course. Working both smart and hard .

Productive Poker Hours Week of 11/30: 67


---------------------
Thanks for reading

Thoughts/Discussion Always Welcome!

H2:

I would mostly size up on this texture and as a result not look to range bet. If you do bet w KT I actually don't mind continuing on turn, unblocking bd floats that will fold turn etc.

River is whatever, I wouldn't expect population to be bluffing enough w this line.

H5: Size up river.

HH3: seems like the best option, definitely better than calling. Folding is out of the question. You’re basically never in terrible shape against any hand he can have. Calling just makes turn and river play weird.

HH4: I think you can fold turn, these spots annoy me as well. I feel like these donk pot leads followed by a big turn bet are rarely just a Kh, but pokerbros games probably play different than the Stars games I play. Not really a spot to worry about either way in my opinion. If his vpip seems reasonable he’s probably limping more suited hands UTG than unsuited. He can also just have dumb two pair here hands, etc. Unlikely you’re good imo.

HH 2&5: I agree with bbissick takes.

How do you do this?

I use the "Poker Income" app myself.

Why do you suppose that is?

Thanks for the feedback & for dropping in.

Yeah, maybe should just be folding AK- no heart otf to be perfectly honest. I’m going to see a chunky bet on most brick turns and don’t really have a plan and little way to improve.

Did fold turn in that HH.

HH5: What sizing are you going with AP otr? Was targeting under-pairs to the Q which seem reasonable for V to arrive with given line.

Excel + Notes App.

I just take note of when I start and finish every session. Wrt all the other time I spent productively around poker, I’ve listed the criteria previously itt. Hasn’t changed too much. I estimate at the end of each day. It’s not exact or anything.

I’m assuming you’re more interested in my raw insight on this hand rather than my thoughts while looking at ranges/sims and getting very technical. (So take it with a grain of salt)

Since V opened in MP, and then called a 3-bet, V doesn’t have 4x that doesn’t flop two pair except A4s I’d imagine. V potentially has a lot of full houses depending on what V is doing pre but I imagine that in practice V bets OTF with 2p very often.

So this turn is quite nice. When we check twice, we are going to have a lot of over cards that are folding to a turn stab. Most good V know this, and will correctly stab wide-Ish. V’s sizing is probably bad but basically I’m treating it similarly to a 33% bet. Where as if V bet pot, I just call and check/evaluate rivers. V is probably going to call off with 88s-77s if he plays that this way along with 76s. V will fold out hands and probably heart draws that he gets here with as well that have decent equity vs our hand.

Hey everyone,

I’m really interested in your thoughts on something. Kind of random, but anyways. I like to keep it real in here so why not.

If you find some of this to be a little naive/don’t want to be constructive/don’t like me for w/e reason, just ignore please. No need to share. TIA

Everything below is an estimate ofc.... just go with it please

Winrate: Let’s hypothetically say my expected hourly in 2021 is anywhere from 25-50% higher live than online. No higher or lower.

Volume: let’s say 1800 hours, regardless of if online, live, or a mix of both. I don’t anticipate this to be easy at all. But I do think it’s reasonable for me.

Hands per hour: 30~/hr live, 200~/hr (4-tabling regular tables online)

Variance in results: Way higher for live, assuming equal win rates. Both are lol sample sizes, but live far far more so. 54,000 hands vs 360,000 hands let’s hypothesize. That’s assuming only one or the above with the above estimates. But even 10 months of live volume and 2 months of online volume = more hands online.

Rate of improvement: Way higher playing mostly online, even if I want to play live only in the future I’m sure.

Technically, I enjoy playing online more to date but I love both venues. Playing poker is more enjoyable than anything else I do during the day. Although, one week in the summer I played over 80 hours (just playing, not including other stuff) and that was way too much for sure.

Where should my focus mostly be? I think I want to be doing this ten years from now for sure, so this is really just pt. 1 of many parts. I think a good start will be crucial though.

Anyways more specifically, given the above- how many hours should I play online per month in 2021 and how many live? In a perfect world... which it most certainly is not :/

Your rate of improvement will be much higher online for many reasons. Then again if your goal is high stakes, and especially if your goal is big private games which I assume it is you'll need to play live and network. Conclusion, do both.

Game selection is often cited as one of the biggest regrets from players so I'd focus my decision around that. Also include a healthy portion of online for sharpness w/o needlessly chopping it up in reg battles.

Sent from my G8441 using Tapatalk

+1. There lies your answer : taking advantage of the rapidity of online and of a variety of resources to study/review ; of the soft live games while getting to socialize and leaving your house : I have always done both throughout my career (barring these restricting pandemic times). GL

Live winrates in terms of bb/100 are about 5-6x online winrates (5bb/100 online, 25-30bb/100 live if you're doing well at your stake), so live will have much less variance. Just wanted to point that out.

As a newer player I think putting in more online time to improve makes sense, but ultimately it depends on your own goals and enjoyment. I find it super easy to play 40 hrs of live a week and pretty difficult to play 25hrs of online a week so ymmv.

If you can make a living playing online you should be putting nearly all your volume in there.

I forget to factor into my reasoning that you are living in California which, by all accounts (and especially the DGAF thread), seems toxic af I have had the privilege in grinding live in numerous countries/locations, so if the enjoyment factor of live happens to be negative, that I would stick to the ultra-soft apps/Ignition games.

so so many other consideration to factor in other than $ev. $ev thrown around way too readily as if we're robots who can work indefinitely.

I haven't got the equation but the variables would include: $ev, possible burnout/need for breaks, lifestyle, the potential for forming true and meaningful relationships (sex life, friendships, partner etc), personal growth, physical health (diet, exercise, sleep etc). And likely a multitude of other factors I've missed.

I know you didn't ask for this answer so apologies, but that was what came to my mind when i read the posts before! glgl

+1, imo

I'm just a lowly purely recreational 550 hours/year, but a huge reason why I've lasted this long (enjoying casino poker since 2006) is properly fitting poker into my life. Your EV likely won't have nearly as much affect on whether you manage to not burnout in 10 years as these other variables do, imo.

GgoodluckG