As long as this thread is up, does anybody have a decent sample of this guys hands SINCE this thread started?
Interesting personal update... I have argued by stats that this guy is probably just lucky many times. Since then, I've had the pleasure of sitting with in a shorthanded 30/60 game with DERB and watching him play. I found him to be very reasonable, and while aggressive, a solid player. One thing I noticed him do often was folding the river for 1 bet in spots where I think most people would have paid off. If he's doing this based on player specific information, then I think DERB could in fact be a winner (though certainly still running well at the time this thread originated).
I know others have crazy hands for him, but I haven't seen anything personally to suggest he must be losing and is 4 standard devs away from his true win rate. 1 - 2 BB / 100 feels about right. He does get involved with the weak players a lot, and his aggressiveness pays off against the right opponents.
I don't think he's lucky or cheating. I thought he was a fish at first, but after enough hands with him I'd guess he's a very talented hand reader who gets away with loose pre-flop play because he's much better than average at post-flop. Plus, he plays the metagame well and adjusts his play to individuals. As Eric pointed out, he makes the maximum from weak players.
I'm betting he's one of those "naturals" and has probably written some custom PT-type statistical tools to help himself adjust to specific players.
I know he made considerable adjustments when playing against my girlfriend (who kills the party 30-60). She was thrashing him in the beginning but he changed his play against her just like you're supposed to. We thought he was just getting lucky until we went over the hands carefully. She'll get up from the table when he sits down now, and she's by far and away the best postflop player I know.
I don't think he's lucky or cheating. I thought he was a fish at first, but after enough hands with him I'd guess he's a very talented hand reader who gets away with loose pre-flop play because he's much better than average at post-flop. Plus, he plays the metagame well and adjusts his play to individuals. As Eric pointed out, he makes the maximum from weak players.
I'm betting he's one of those "naturals" and has probably written some custom PT-type statistical tools to help himself adjust to specific players.
I know he made considerable adjustments when playing against my girlfriend (who kills the party 30-60). She was thrashing him in the beginning but he changed his play against her just like you're supposed to. We thought he was just getting lucky until we went over the hands carefully. She'll get up from the table when he sits down now, and she's by far and away the best postflop player I know.
I call him the Borg.
On the other hand, maybe he's just a lucky fish.
I haven't found that he hand reads even remotely well. He usually horribly overplays his hand and then hits his miracle. But that's just against me, so I can't speak for other's experience with him.
ive said it before... derb is not a bad player... he is quite good... he wins alot, and i think he will continue to win.
he has one huge hole which is paying off the river with hands that could not possibly be good... like no way. it kinda funny.
Without going through the zillion threads and messages on this topic, could someone fill me in on the final consensus about DERB and did his numbers ever cool off?
The answer as to "how he does it" is just so obvious. I have previously posted about the need for software that identifies these players and the frequency with which they are at the same table with other players with "unexplainable" stats.
The software program should identify: 1. players with unusually high earn rate (BB/100); and who (2) play an unusually high percentage of hands; and who (3) also play an unusually high percentage of time at the same table with another player possessing qualifications 1 and 2.
The answer as to "how he does it" is just so obvious. I have previously posted about the need for software that identifies these players and the frequency with which they are at the same table with other players with "unexplainable" stats.
The software program should identify: 1. players with unusually high earn rate (BB/100); and who (2) play an unusually high percentage of hands; and who (3) also play an unusually high percentage of time at the same table with another player possessing qualifications 1 and 2.
Without going through the zillion threads and messages on this topic, could someone fill me in on the final consensus about DERB and did his numbers ever cool off?
Thanks
He disappeared from online poker awhile back. Soon after he got all of this attention here, IIRC.
Nice bump. My favorite quote from myself in this thread: "Floater and DERBS might be able to thrive up here [30-60] and certainly adds some dimension to limit holdem."