A new month and I am running above EV



Ran some sims for 4bet pots. This is COvBTN (where CO opens, BTN 3bets, CO 4bets and BTN calls). I was very surprised to find that at a low SPR (1.6) the CO should overbet all in on this flop 6x3x3. The reason this is surprising is that 1) I wouldn’t have guessed this (maybe I don’t understand this situation properly though!) and 2) that I have not seen people doing this. Maybe my ranges for one or both players are way off? I realise people may not want to talk to much strategy on this forum, but if anyone has any comments on this that would be great.



Just one hand of interest.

1. Bluff gets through. Double checked this on PIO and it seems to be a good play—the blocker on JT and no diamond makes it a good hand to bluff on turn and river. Didn’t have many hands on villain, but think probably a reg. Tanked on flop, turn and river (didn’t like tank on the river!). Pleased that even though I am a bit worried I am bluffing off too much v regs, I managed to make the right play here.

PokerStars - $1 NL FAST (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4
BTN: 203.67 BB
Hero (SB): 106.4 BB
BB: 101.5 BB
UTG: 98.18 BB
MP: 104.56 BB
CO: 100.5 BB
Hero posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB
Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has T Q
fold, fold, fold, BTN raises to 2.22 BB, Hero raises to 10 BB, fold, BTN calls 7.78 BB
Flop: (21 BB, 2 players) 3 A Q
Hero bets 10 BB, BTN calls 10 BB
Turn: (41 BB, 2 players) K
Hero bets 22 BB, BTN calls 22 BB
River: (85 BB, 2 players) 8
Hero bets 64.4 BB and is all-in, fold

More hands.

1. River bluff gets through (maybe I had the best hand?)

PokerStars - $1 NL FAST (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BTN: 182.97 BB
SB: 111.33 BB
BB: 105.46 BB
UTG: 235.75 BB
MP: 47.56 BB
Hero (CO): 101 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has 6 6

fold, fold, Hero raises to 2.5 BB, fold, SB raises to 8 BB, fold, Hero calls 5.5 BB

Flop: (17 BB, 2 players) Q 7 9
SB bets 5.01 BB, Hero calls 5.01 BB

Turn: (27.02 BB, 2 players) 8
SB checks, Hero checks

River: (27.02 BB, 2 players) J
SB checks, Hero bets 22 BB, fold



2. Bluff failed vs reg. Think this was okay.

PokerStars - $1 NL FAST (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BTN: 102.02 BB
SB: 102.46 BB
Hero (BB): 159.64 BB
UTG: 55.01 BB
MP: 122.33 BB
CO: 137.34 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, Hero posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has A Q

fold, fold, CO raises to 2.5 BB, fold, fold, Hero raises to 10 BB, CO calls 7.5 BB

Flop: (20.5 BB, 2 players) 4 K 6
Hero bets 15 BB, CO calls 15 BB

Turn: (50.5 BB, 2 players) 9
Hero bets 36 BB, CO calls 36 BB

River: (122.5 BB, 2 players) 5
Hero bets 98.64 BB and is all-in, CO calls 76.34 BB and is all-in



3. What can you do? Lol

PokerStars - $1 NL FAST (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BTN: 100 BB
SB: 93.73 BB
BB: 71.34 BB
UTG: 100 BB
Hero (MP): 148.82 BB
CO: 100 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has A 9

fold, Hero raises to 2.5 BB, fold, fold, fold, BB calls 1.5 BB

Flop: (5.5 BB, 2 players) 9 T 3
BB bets 3 BB, Hero calls 3 BB

Turn: (11.5 BB, 2 players) 5
BB bets 5.46 BB, Hero calls 5.46 BB

River: (22.42 BB, 2 players) 4
BB bets 10.65 BB, Hero calls 10.65 BB

Nice journey. Thanks for sharing. Your a better player at higher stakes than me so take these comments for what that’s worth.

1. I’d worry you make enough better hands fold. Even if you do I don’t know is it much higher EV than taking your showdown value.

2. I’m thinking you could use smaller sizing and achieve similar results against missed draws and save chips when against a strong hand.

3. Like flop and turn. River seems depending on villain or the pool if they generally have enough bluffs with this line. I’d fold at my level but I’m a nit!

Gl,
Tom


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks Tom.

Hand 1 is the most interesting. I was unsure about my play after the hand, but I think it is a good line. He should fold AA and KK here (maybe he won’t, but I didn’t have any reads on him).

On hand 2, the sizing isn’t actually that big on the river (he had a smaller stack than me).

On hand 3, I think you need to call down v this type of player. I actually would have folded a few years ago as well, but I think at any level this is a mistake. Don’t try to rationalize villain’s line, this is a mistake I used to make.

Played the most I have in a single day for a while yesterday and it was a disaster. Very disappointed with my mindset, discipline (which I said in a recent post was so good, lol!), and level of play. Pretty bummed about this, the only silver lining is that I actually didn't lose that much.

First session was in the morning. Won a bit early on and the pool was super weak and then after losing a few hands had ‘entitlement tilt'—how can I be losing to these idiots etc etc. I only quit because I had arranged to go out to meet friends. Played another session later in the evening and my play was for the most part decent, but then I was getting tired and kept playing which I know for me is a big mistake. In the end, in one hand I actually misread my hand (I thought I had 99, but I had T9s—ironically I won the hand), and at this point I instantly quit.



A few hands.

1. Big call down from a reg. I actually think given he blocks JJ it is not too bad. 4bet pre is a bit weird though.

PokerStars - $1 NL FAST (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4
BTN: 151.72 BB
SB: 100 BB
BB: 113.31 BB
UTG: 201.85 BB
Hero (MP): 285.82 BB
CO: 270.04 BB
SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB
Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has A A
UTG raises to 3 BB, Hero raises to 11 BB, fold, fold, fold, fold, UTG raises to 30 BB, Hero calls 19 BB
Flop: (61.5 BB, 2 players) J 7 6
UTG checks, Hero bets 29 BB, UTG calls 29 BB
Turn: (119.5 BB, 2 players) 6
UTG checks, Hero bets 45 BB, UTG calls 45 BB
River: (209.5 BB, 2 players) T
UTG checks, Hero bets 181.82 BB and is all-in, UTG calls 97.85 BB and is all-in


2. Villian = weak player. Chose a very small sizing on river and he tank called. This doesn’t necessarily mean he wouldn’t call bigger sizing. Certainly, I think I must value bet the river, but not sure what best sizing would be?

PokerStars - $1 NL FAST (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4
Hero (BTN): 100.5 BB
SB: 76.33 BB
BB: 335.89 BB
UTG: 516.66 BB
MP: 100 BB
CO: 105.18 BB
SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB
Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has J J
fold, MP raises to 2.5 BB, fold, Hero raises to 8 BB, fold, fold, MP calls 5.5 BB
Flop: (17.5 BB, 2 players) T K K
MP checks, Hero bets 5 BB, MP raises to 14 BB, Hero calls 9 BB
Turn: (45.5 BB, 2 players) K
MP checks, Hero bets 10 BB, MP calls 10 BB
River: (65.5 BB, 2 players) 3
MP checks, Hero bets 15 BB, MP calls 15 BB


3. Not a great hand from anyone

PokerStars - $1 NL FAST (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4
Hero (BTN): 102.53 BB
SB: 355.14 BB
BB: 423.3 BB
UTG: 122.39 BB
MP: 116.87 BB
CO: 168.32 BB
SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB
Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has 5 6
fold, MP raises to 3 BB, fold, Hero raises to 9 BB, fold, fold, MP calls 6 BB
Flop: (19.5 BB, 2 players) K 4 5
MP checks, Hero bets 9 BB, MP calls 9 BB
Turn: (37.5 BB, 2 players) 6
MP bets 31.7 BB, Hero raises to 84.53 BB and is all-in, MP calls 52.83 BB
River: (206.56 BB, 2 players) 7

Sick thread! I'm also a rec with a fulltime job that would love to get to 100z. I'm currently at 10z on stars.

What did you study to improve and whats the timeline that you moved up?

Thanks for this. It's great that people actually read the stuff I post, I was really unsure if this would be the case when I started.

In terms of time, I think the number of hands is much more relevant. I have played about 700k hands on stars, obviously the amount of actual time this takes depends on how much time you have to play. Talking about my actual time lines I started playing seriously on stars at 25zoom about 4 years ago. I was already playing live at quite high stakes ~$10/25 and was winning. I assumed at this time this meant I was good at poker, but in hindsight the sample was so small, I might have just been running well I had already studied a bit at this point, watching training videos etc. I did acknowledge that online was much harder than live though, so started low. I only moved up once I was beating the games quite easily. 25zoom was quite easy if I remember, but it took more effort to move past 50zoom.

In terms of advice I could give: Take time to study and definitely use a HUD if you don't already do this.

Not going that well this month, but other than the disaster day I described above, feel I am playing okay. More hands.

1. Cooler vs reg. Happy with my turn sizing. Unsure about river?

PokerStars - $1 NL FAST (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BTN: 185.44 BB
SB: 100 BB
Hero (BB): 112.55 BB
UTG: 264.78 BB
MP: 138.02 BB
CO: 143.4 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, Hero posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has 2 2

fold, fold, fold, BTN raises to 2.64 BB, fold, Hero calls 1.64 BB

Flop: (5.78 BB, 2 players) 3 3 2
Hero checks, BTN bets 1.81 BB, Hero raises to 8 BB, BTN calls 6.19 BB

Turn: (21.78 BB, 2 players) K
Hero bets 25 BB, BTN calls 25 BB

River: (71.78 BB, 2 players) Q
Hero bets 76.91 BB and is all-in, BTN calls 76.91 BB



2. Tried to trap with AA vs two weak players. BB was 3b a lot, CO seemed to be passive weak player. Think flatting v 3b was a good decision. At least I won the side pot

PokerStars - $1 NL FAST (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BTN: 100 BB
SB: 97.92 BB
BB: 102.72 BB
UTG: 132.28 BB
Hero (MP): 100 BB
CO: 66.8 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has A A

fold, Hero raises to 2.5 BB, CO calls 2.5 BB, fold, fold, BB raises to 15 BB, Hero calls 12.5 BB, CO calls 12.5 BB

Flop: (45.5 BB, 3 players) 4 3 J
BB bets 14.26 BB, Hero calls 14.26 BB, CO calls 14.26 BB

Turn: (88.28 BB, 3 players) 7
BB bets 73.46 BB and is all-in, Hero calls 70.74 BB and is all-in, CO calls 37.54 BB and is all-in

River: (267.3 BB, 3 players) K



3. Big fold vs weak player. I don't think passive, weak players bluff often here.

PokerStars - $1 NL FAST (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

Hero (BTN): 149.46 BB
SB: 100 BB
BB: 100 BB
UTG: 256.57 BB
MP: 165.48 BB
CO: 230.18 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has K J

UTG raises to 2.5 BB, fold, CO calls 2.5 BB, Hero raises to 10 BB, fold, fold, fold, CO calls 7.5 BB

Flop: (24 BB, 2 players) Q 2 2
CO checks, Hero bets 8 BB, CO calls 8 BB

Turn: (40 BB, 2 players) K
CO checks, Hero checks

River: (40 BB, 2 players) A
CO bets 31.88 BB, fold

More hands.

1. Value owned myself vs passive weak player. Think sizing is okay? Was tempted to fold in the end, but couldn't bring myself to do it.

PokerStars - $1 NL FAST (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BTN: 166.9 BB
SB: 258.97 BB
BB: 518.67 BB
UTG: 292.36 BB
MP: 117.2 BB
Hero (CO): 100 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has Q Q

UTG raises to 2.2 BB, fold, Hero raises to 7 BB, fold, fold, fold, UTG calls 4.8 BB

Flop: (15.5 BB, 2 players) 9 5 9
UTG checks, Hero bets 5 BB, UTG calls 5 BB

Turn: (25.5 BB, 2 players) 6
UTG checks, Hero bets 20 BB, UTG calls 20 BB

River: (65.5 BB, 2 players) T
UTG checks, Hero bets 50 BB, UTG raises to 260.36 BB and is all-in, Hero calls 18 BB and is all-in



2. Induced a pretty terrible bluff from a weak player on the river. I think this is a situation I often make mistakes in and blast the river when x is clearly better.

PokerStars - $1 NL FAST (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BTN: 89.4 BB
SB: 156.69 BB
BB: 63.5 BB
UTG: 106.65 BB
Hero (MP): 122.92 BB
CO: 165.51 BB

SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has 8 8

fold, Hero raises to 2.5 BB, CO calls 2.5 BB, BTN calls 2.5 BB, fold, BB calls 1.5 BB

Flop: (10.5 BB, 4 players) 5 T 8
BB checks, Hero checks, CO checks, BTN bets 4.99 BB, BB calls 4.99 BB, Hero raises to 17 BB, fold, BTN calls 12.01 BB, fold

Turn: (49.49 BB, 2 players) 9
Hero bets 25 BB, BTN calls 25 BB

River: (99.49 BB, 2 players) T
Hero checks, BTN bets 44.9 BB and is all-in, Hero calls 44.9 BB



3. Failed bluff vs villain I think is a reg. Need to stop blasting off in these spots, it doesn't work often enough.

PokerStars - $1 NL FAST (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

BTN: 116.36 BB
Hero (SB): 138.5 BB
BB: 100 BB
UTG: 155.78 BB
MP: 167.99 BB
CO: 100 BB

Hero posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.5 BB) Hero has K J

fold, fold, fold, BTN raises to 3 BB, Hero raises to 12 BB, fold, BTN calls 9 BB

Flop: (25 BB, 2 players) 3 Q Q
Hero bets 8 BB, BTN calls 8 BB

Turn: (41 BB, 2 players) 4
Hero bets 26 BB, BTN calls 26 BB

River: (93 BB, 2 players) 4
Hero bets 92.5 BB and is all-in, BTN calls 70.36 BB and is all-in

I don't understand how you have a read on villian in every hand you post. I've played Zoom since it started and I've followed some very sucessful Zoom and Fast Fold grinders and many (maybe the majority) of HH are versus unknowns.

In the AA/J9s HH you class villain as reg even though villian played it like a demented spazztard???

It kinda suggests your excusing some poor play on your part by making out they are exploits??

I'm not saying that is so, or criticising your play...I'm suggesting you be careful with your villain classifications. You don't post any hud stats, but a very very common tendency for many people on here is to over classify on absurdly low hand counts. Again, no idea if that is the case...just a raising an awareness issue for you.

Interesting thread, subscribed

I never understood calls like the one with 55 (which is probably why I never made it to the top). Maybe villain has a read on you. All in all I guess you're repping nothing but a queen because with any other hand other than a FH and a Q you're going to check somewhere. I dunno, I always feel stupid when calling in this spot. Would you've called?