How are you doing btw pokerwise, and what do you play? I've seen you in a few PG&C's. And probably at the tables. I have really bad memory.

Just found and caught up in the thread, awesome work so far! I’m a rec player in the 10nl games, I don’t play exclusively on stars but I’m sure we must have crossed paths at some point.

I hope my results turn out half as good as yours!

Also caught up with the thread and seems like youre doing it right! I'm sure you'll be moving up quickly.

Best of luck!

I'm really happy to hear that. So thankful for the kind words! We probably have. I'll keep an eye out 8-)

Means a lot to hear from someone who regularly gives really good advice on here.

Thank you very very much!

Hey, mate.

I'm doing well. I play zoom at pokerstars as well and I just moved up to n16z. But I still play nl10z when I feel that I'm not able to play my A-game at that specific session. I'm going to create a thread this year in some moment.

Do you use this same nickname there? I probably saw you there, but as I don't adjust to my opponents, I don't pay attention to their nicknames so much, hehehehe.

My volume is very low, though. I only play something around 15k hands per month, as I don't have too much time available to poker and yet I save a lot of that time available to study instead playing.

Best regards. You're doing great!

My main focuses are:

1. Have a good mindset when playing
2. Avoid obvious blunders (so many stupid things you can do in one session when unfocused)

This way I don't have to rely on finding the highest EV play every time to outweigh my blunders, and can leverage my opponents mistakes instead.

It doesn't matter if you know all the theory in the world if you can't stick to those two points. It's difficult but it will pay off big time IMO. I know people who have a solid theoretical base but just throws it all away after a few pots going the wrong direction.

Oh congrats on moving up I still play 10z from time to time when I feel rusty. I look forward to your thread, sounds great.

Yes Shipnickle on stars. I have played some hands with you I'm sure.

Thanks again

I know what you're talking about. This discussion is very long and interesting... I have several reasons and considerations on this subject, but long story short I chose to my personal game to play only the theory, without adapting to my opponents. I don't even use a HUD. Maybe I'll change this decision after some long time (maybe years, who knows) playing only the theory, but that's my decision for now.

About "avoid obvious blunders" -> Did you see this video? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wA6tPijVS48

Thank you, mate! I hope to play more hands with you. Unfortunately I keep the chat disabled, but if I find you many times more I will enable the chat to say hi, hehehe.

I saw that you jumped the nl16z (went from n10z to nl25z). Could you talk me about this? I was thinking about doing the same when I moved up, but I didn't know what was better.

Played about 1k hands today. I've been really tired the last few days. Not enough sleep and I've broken my daily routines some days. Really have to get back to my normal routine really soon.

I've been playing decent anyway, but definitely not my best.

Today:


YTD:


Played 1 hand vs bossman and I flopped the nuts in a 4b pot lol. Good thing he found the fold.

I was tempted to try and pull off something crazy for a fun thread post, but glad I went for the disciplined fold then

Today's session:


Played A-.. Ran into a couple interesting spots.


HAND 1:

Felt this was an OK hand to x/jam with OTT. Ran a sim on this and this is done some of the time in equilibrium. JJ-KK does this very often whereas TT does it some % of the time.

PokerStars, Hold'em No Limit - $0.10/$0.25 - 6 players
Replay this hand on Upswing Poker

UTG: $25.10 (100 bb)
MP: $16.84 (67 bb)
CO: $26.32 (105 bb)
BU: $25.10 (100 bb)
SB (Hero): $48.01 (192 bb)
BB: $24.04 (96 bb)

Pre-Flop: ($0.35) Hero is SB with T♥ T♦
2 players fold, CO raises to $0.62, 1 fold, Hero 3-bets to $2.50, 1 fold, CO calls $1.88

Flop: ($5.25) 3♦ 9♣ 4♦ (2 players)
Hero bets $3.76, CO calls $3.76

Turn: ($12.77) 6♣ (2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $5.25, Hero raises to $41.75 (all-in), CO calls $14.81 (all-in)

River: ($52.89) 6♠ (2 players, 2 all-in)

Total pot: $52.89 (Rake: $2)

Showdown:
SB (Hero) mucks T♥ T♦ (two pair, Tens and Sixes)
CO mucks
CO wins $50.89



HAND 2:

Don't really know about this. I figured it was a good runout and we block AQ. I'm not used to go ahead and bluff with missed FD's, but this one seemed ok. I also ran a sim on this and it does this 100%, FD's that dont block the best TP's just give up. Still unsure if it's the best idea vs pool?

PokerStars, Hold'em No Limit - $0.10/$0.25 - 6 players
Replay this hand on CardsChat

UTG: $50.51 (202 bb)
MP: $25.00 (100 bb)
CO: $25.00 (100 bb)
BU (Hero): $25.00 (100 bb)
SB: $25.35 (101 bb)
BB: $25.00 (100 bb)

Pre-Flop: ($0.35) Hero is BTN with Q♠ T♠
2 players fold, CO raises to $0.57, Hero 3-bets to $2, 2 players fold, CO calls $1.43

Flop: ($4.35) 4♠ 2♦ 8♠ (2 players)
CO checks, Hero bets $1.37, CO calls $1.37

Turn: ($7.09) A♦ (2 players)
CO checks, Hero bets $5.08, CO calls $5.08

River: ($17.25) K♦ (2 players)
CO checks, Hero bets $16.55 (all-in), CO calls $16.55 (all-in)

Total pot: $50.35 (Rake: $2)

Showdown:
BU (Hero) mucks Q♠ T♠ (high card, Ace)
CO mucks
CO wins $48.35



HAND 3:

VS fish. I think a flop stab and big turn sizing is good. River I don't know about. Can we go bigger?


PokerStars, Hold'em No Limit - $0.10/$0.25 - 6 players
Replay this hand on CardsChat

UTG: $23.29 (93 bb)
MP: $7.57 (30 bb)
CO: $25.00 (100 bb)
BU: $36.64 (147 bb)
SB (Hero): $26.38 (106 bb)
BB: $105.54 (422 bb)

Pre-Flop: ($0.35) Hero is SB with A♣ J♠
UTG calls $0.25, MP calls $0.25, 2 players fold, Hero raises to $1.50, 1 fold, UTG calls $1.25, 1 fold

Flop: ($3.50) 3♦ 6♥ T♣ (2 players)
Hero bets $1.10, UTG calls $1.10

Turn: ($5.70) A♦ (2 players)
Hero bets $4.08, UTG calls $4.08

River: ($13.86) 5♥ (2 players)
Hero bets $4.37, UTG calls $4.37

Total pot: $22.60 (Rake: $1.02)

Showdown:
SB (Hero) mucks A♣ J♠ (a pair of Aces)
UTG mucks
UTG wins $21.58



HAND 4:

Actually don't know wtf happened in this hand. I basically thought he doesn't check behind AA/KK ever. But wanted him to herocall 99-JJ/65s/67s or even some AK. Suggestions on this one. Actual butcher I think.


PokerStars, Hold'em No Limit - $0.10/$0.25 - 6 players
Replay this hand on CardsChat

UTG (Hero): $29.56 (118 bb)
MP: $30.42 (122 bb)
CO: $30.52 (122 bb)
BU: $28.91 (116 bb)
SB: $25.10 (100 bb)
BB: $25.35 (101 bb)

Pre-Flop: ($0.35) Hero is UTG with Q♦ Q♥
Hero raises to $0.62, MP 3-bets to $2.10, 4 players fold, Hero calls $1.48

Flop: ($4.55) 2♥ 6♦ 2♦ (2 players)
Hero checks, MP bets $1.44, Hero raises to $4.50, MP calls $3.06

Turn: ($13.55) 3♥ (2 players)
Hero checks, MP checks

River: ($13.55) 8♣ (2 players)
Hero bets $22.96 (all-in), MP folds

Total pot: $13.55 (Rake: $0.61)
UTG (Hero) wins $12.94

How come you don't adjust at all? So you don't take any notes either?

Yes I've seen the video! Also the one that inspired me to focus more on blunders. Even if it should be obvious.

No reason really. I think 16z is such a weird stake so I just skip it.

This is a MASSIVE oversight of how to beat micro stakes! Playing just theory at anything below 200nl is giving up EV MASSIVELY. Fish play so badly and the regs are making significant errors that you can capitalize on!!!

I agree with this if Giovanni wants to capitalize to the maximum at the micros and move up faster. What's good about Giovannis approach is that he will have a much easier time when he finally starts playing higher. It's easier to move from a theorybased approach to an exploitative style than moving from exploitative to theorybased (assuming not having read up on theory while playing exploitative).

Playing lower you can expect most people to be unbalanced (unbalanced towards value, unprotected ranges, straight forward betsizings etc), and the exploits are quite obvious. When playing vs stronger players people start to be more balanced and you will be put in tough spots, and the exploitative knowledge wont be as valuable anymore and you will have to put a lot of work into theory to stay ahead.

That's kinda been my thoughts too lately, to an extent. But adjusting in spots to some opponents is still a good idea.

Some comments on your last hands:

Hand 2: I don't like 3betting suited connectors/gappers as much now, once I realized how often players call 3bets these days. I think it'd probably do better as a call if you were to play it. But what do I know lol? Flop, I think it would be a good check/call hand.

Hand 3: I think once you hit the A on the turn, your hand is too weak to get that much value. I think just checking the turn and betting the river once checked to might be better.

Hand 4: I don't know about raising the flop. Maybe let him continue value-towning himself/bluffing, and calling down.

Just thought I'd comment on those. You're probably a better player than me, so take my comments with a grain of salt lol.

Thanks for your comments dude

Today's sesh:


Really dull first couple hours but made some money at the end, which is nice. Feels like I made some mistakes. Will bomb thread with some hands towards the end of the month.

If things continue going well we might take a 50z shot next month 8-) Looking for atleast 22BI's for fiddy before firing up tables for a 2BI shot.

Hey man. Saw you at the tables today! glgl with the challenge.

Hope I didn't spew Thank you so much

Nice results. Seems you are aggro in shot taking. How much BI you need to win on stakes before considering moving up?

I am conservative so went with 50BI+ rule..

Thank you! Yes I am quite aggro when I feel like it. For 25z shot I had as much as 30BI's, because I figured I still want to work on some things before taking shots. A lot has happened to my game during the last 2 months.

The more I learn, the bigger my edge gets, the more confident I am to take shots.

I don't have a requirement of winning x amount of buy ins before I move up. I want to have atleast 30BI for 50z to play it as my main stake, and probably 40BI for 100z.

Yes, I know and I agree, or course. You're right. But my goal for now is not to just collect the most EV possible.

Yes, that's it!

^ i think you want to mostly bet turn in h4

nice thread gl

thank you!

I've played some with swingy results and done some solver work node-locking for pool tendencies.

What I found solving BB x/r vs BTN SRP (node-locked for less x/r):
- Our folding freq OTB goes up by ~50% (compared to equilibrium) in many spots
- We have to pitch a lot of top pairs without backdoor equity when we get raised.
- Often times second pair with backdoor equity is preferred to defend over top pair no backdoor.
- The adjustment we have to make vs pool is HUGE, bigger than I thought.
- The x/r range I gave OOP is not even unreasonable. People have no idea how much they should x/r, even I was surprised when I started working in solvers. Not many <50nl regs find x/r with second/bottom pair with backdoor equity, and this is done alot in equilibrium.

so... be a nit vs raises.