Hero: Sat down an hour ago and have around 200. Haven’t been involved at all yet which may be giving off the impression of being tight.

Villain 1: Heavyset guy with a beard. Sitting with around a 700 so he’s beating the game at the moment. Seems like he plays often enough to know some players I remember are regulars in the room.

1-2 NLHE 300 Max:

A couple of limps in front of me including villain and I open in MP+2 for 15. HJ calls the 15 and everyone else folds. Pot ($37) Flop comes:

Kd5s6c

Villain checks, I bet 20 and Villain calls. Pot (77) The turn is:

Kd5s6c9c

Villain checks again and I bet 50. Villain check raises to 150. Hero says aloud “I think you have X, but how many outs do I have?” (already knowing the answer)

Hero?


Been away for a while. I want to make it clear that I am looking for advice on how to mentally change my decision making at the table. I can do math just fine, but thats not getting in my way as much as letting the moment get on top of me. If I was watching myself play I think I’d have an easier time making the decision than if I was involved in the hand. Just cant get my brain to separate from the moment.


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I dont understand the question. You mean you made a mistake knowing it was a mistake and looking for better self control ? Bc you say your math is ok ? Well it would be marginaly good to know if you have the A or K of club. Or You wondering if some physical tell would allow to take a decision deviating from math ? Ask the guy a question in a way that he has pressure on him. Not just throwing a question in the universe. Ask him if he has a straight. If he gonna show if you fold, what he wants you to do, if he show you one, why he do that, etc...

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I suspect this dude is struggling to make what is essentially a judgement call. He knows the math. He knows how many outs he has. But when he is caught in the moment and having to make what is essentially a guess he struggles to make the call.

If that's right. You're struggling to make your decisions because you dont know how to calculate the entire sum. Well, sum isn't the right word. This decision is not only about the math. It's not only about the number of outs you have. It's also about the cards the villain holds. This is where the unknown comes in, and the unknown can twist around in your mind and play all kind of tricks on you.

- You said that you know your outs. This is what is known as Level One. You clearly understand this bit.

- Level Two is all about the opponent. We need to assign him a range of hands.
When he is dealt his cards, before he makes his decision, we can assign him a 100% range. He could have anything. And from then on, every time he makes a decision we break his range down.
You haven't mentioned anything about his range, and so I suspect that you dont follow this range as accurately as possible when you're playing. This is essential information. When you learn to follow it you will find it far easier to make your decisions.

- Level Three. Not many people are consciously aware of Level Three. This Level, like all the others, is already built into our minds and people block off conscious access to this information. But, you seem to be open to it. You mentioned your table image. And this is what Level Three is all about.
When you are first dealt your cards you can accurately say that it looks like you can have any two cards. And from this moment onwards, whenever you make a decision, you can break down your perceived range.
Once you become capable of following your perceived range you will no longer feel daunted by decisions. You will understand all the major factors involved in making a poker decision and all of a sudden you will find it easy to guess the preferable play. You will certainly be able to walk all over those guys.

You can even learn the exact order that you need to consider these things in - First you consider your perceived range, then you consider the villains range, then you consider your potential winnings etc.
Once you know exactly what you need to think about and when, this problem will be well and truly overcome. You could play half-asleep. You could play drunk or whilst watching the footy. You could play whilst making sweet chocolate cookies. And you'd still be able to follow the thought-process and then make your decision.

Its easy when you know how.

Also I think you mess up the positions ? Bc if you re MP2 and he HJ he has position on you ? So is he one of the limper who limp-call ? Or he s the high jack and just flat called but he dont check first you re OOP ? Whatever... I dont understand well the hand.

If he s a strong player like you described he s not supposed to limp-call much. Aaahh whatever... he most likely has a pocket pair and flopped a set. if he s the strong player 87s 15$ he thinks is too Much while pocket pair are easier to play. He most likely see you as a fish and he dont think you re going to fold so he raise. But is it really the strong player who plays back ? I m confused

Bc he scare a 4straight or flush appear and je can t get paid

Yeah you need to know all about position too, this is Level One. Its not just about your outs.

You also have to understand how strong your hand really is, for example, if you hold AA, you hold the top 0.4% of hands.

I agree with yadoula hand strenght and position is level 1 but evidence suggest you good with hand strenght bc you raise AK.

Some will say position more important than hand strenght. But hand strenght in reality i think is more important. But it also depends the game which is more important. Bc if it goes limp limp call fold to cbet position is more important. Or fold fold steal the blinds. But if they call a bit too much hand strenght is important but in anyways both are level 1 it means very inportant.

But i think you can beat huge amount of game considering position & hand strenght. Level 1 is often good enough .

Do you agree yadoula that level 1 beat many games too ?

Yeah definitely, the thing is, we are all naturally capable of the higher levels and so Level One is the only one that needs to be learnt.

If you understand Level One you will naturally be able to consider all the Levels, but, to strategize perfectly without conscious knowledge of the higher Levels you would have to be some kind of vegan snake charmer or something like that. You would have to have the perfect mind. And so, for most of us, we want to become aware of the higher levels to make things clearer. To make it easier for us to concoct our strategies.