Destroyed 3/6, time to move up (graph)
08-30-2008
, 08:29 AM
Quote:
Yes, there has been a few comments about the HUD. You might be right, perhaps it is time to try it out again. I think I might play my next 20 k hands or so using it again and see how it feels. Again, that picture is great.
08-30-2008
, 11:18 AM
08-30-2008
, 12:28 PM
08-30-2008
, 12:41 PM
08-30-2008
, 01:12 PM
Quote:
I go through a studious prep pregame, and I have papernotes around me that I use whilst playing. I have very specific tradition throughout the day. I always start, for instance, by reviewing yesterdays hands. I do take notes on players. Away from the table, even though i am not using a HUD, I will check on a players stats in PT. Do not get me wrong. The PT stats are very valuable, it is just that I personally feel they hinder me during gameplay and don´t allow me to form a complete picture of the regulars.
As for a check-lists, start small. Whenever somebody calls or raises you preflop, jusk ask yourself about his range of hands. You would not believe how many pros fail to ask themselves this one simple question (which they always used to when they were improving). We all know we should, and yet when we sit down we start autopiloting our usual abc game. We´re on the ball the first 5 minutes, and then go into droid mode. Just start out by doing this every time you have any preflop decisions. Then extend to the flop. Then extend to asking yourself about your perceived range (2nd level). If you have been autopiloting for the last 2 hrs, you will have no idea what he percieves your range to be, because you have no clue about your own image. You can add levels as you go on, but do not overdo it. And the absolute most important thing when faced with a big decision, is to first breathe and relax for a couple of seconds.
Have you ever noticed when you get sucked into a hand? Like you have an overpair and you get raised on the turn, you know you´re beat, and beofre you know it you have called anyway? Or what i call the bluff-vortex, when you start with small flop raise, and before you know it you have fired three barrells and you´re all in and get snapcalled by the nuts? What the hell just happened? A 200 bb pot lost out of nowhere!!? If, at any point, you would have just stepped back, taken a breath and realized how little sense your line makes or how narrow his range must be, you would have saved a stack. When you look at it in retrospect, it is very clear to you. This alludes to my earlier point; most of you guys are fine when it comes to the technical aspects of the game, but you need to hone some of the mental and emotional ones.
As for a check-lists, start small. Whenever somebody calls or raises you preflop, jusk ask yourself about his range of hands. You would not believe how many pros fail to ask themselves this one simple question (which they always used to when they were improving). We all know we should, and yet when we sit down we start autopiloting our usual abc game. We´re on the ball the first 5 minutes, and then go into droid mode. Just start out by doing this every time you have any preflop decisions. Then extend to the flop. Then extend to asking yourself about your perceived range (2nd level). If you have been autopiloting for the last 2 hrs, you will have no idea what he percieves your range to be, because you have no clue about your own image. You can add levels as you go on, but do not overdo it. And the absolute most important thing when faced with a big decision, is to first breathe and relax for a couple of seconds.
Have you ever noticed when you get sucked into a hand? Like you have an overpair and you get raised on the turn, you know you´re beat, and beofre you know it you have called anyway? Or what i call the bluff-vortex, when you start with small flop raise, and before you know it you have fired three barrells and you´re all in and get snapcalled by the nuts? What the hell just happened? A 200 bb pot lost out of nowhere!!? If, at any point, you would have just stepped back, taken a breath and realized how little sense your line makes or how narrow his range must be, you would have saved a stack. When you look at it in retrospect, it is very clear to you. This alludes to my earlier point; most of you guys are fine when it comes to the technical aspects of the game, but you need to hone some of the mental and emotional ones.
OP
08-30-2008
, 02:26 PM
08-30-2008
, 02:39 PM
08-30-2008
, 02:46 PM
And I completely agree with you. I believe the interest in this thread has very little to do with me or with my results, but the very fact that this can be done by almost anyone (I truly believe this), and yet so few are doing it. Why is that? And that´s where we return to the emotional control.
08-30-2008
, 03:27 PM
Thanks for the many PMs about strategy. I can not answer everybody, so I will try to at least discuss some of my approaches to the game in regards to the other regulars, which some of you guys have been asking about. This will be the first time that I have ever discussed or divulged strategy with anybody else bar an occassional casual conversation with non poker playing friends
When game selecting, I rarey look for tables with 2 or 3 fish (if there are any of those around anymore). When they do come along, they are a great blessing. But in developing my game I often try to target and have position on some of the weaker regulars, of which there are plenty. In this way I can sleep better at night knowing that i don´t have to worry about the eventual "demise" of online poker. If you can beat the regulars at your limit, and they refuse to improve or drop down (sometimes due to complacency, sometimes their egos), will you ever need to worry?
I believe that we have to realize that many of the concepts which were once property of just the chosen few on this forum are now public property. Everybody understands pot control. Everybody understands not to go broke with one pair. Everybody understands preflop 3 and 4 betting, if not for immediate profit then for metagame and widening your overall ranges. What we have to understand, is that everybody else understands this, and that is where we begin our adjustments.
I believe that not only the pros, but even most of the recreational players these days understand preflop play to a greater extent than ever before. Just being a 22 / 19 will not automatically set you apart. The overall flop play (at least 100 bbs deep), as well, has improved dramatically. People know not to overextend. People now the value of checking A7s on a 3A9 flop. People know to continuation bet with a high frequency on dry flops and stay away from texture. They know about checking behind AJ on a 10 J 9 board against an aggressive opponent. They know about commitment thresholds, and will no longer necessarily get it in when raised a third of their stack with KJ on a J 10 6 board. And why shouldn´t people know? These are all simple concepts.
However, the turn and the river, are often misplayed. A lot of opponents can still be manipulated on later streets. I believe that leatherass has stated repeatedly that this is where most of his profits come from, and after watching a couple of his videos I believe that he is one of the regulars that plays the turn and river the best.
Many LAGS will be out of their comfort zone on the turn and river as far as relative hand strength goes, as they are used to reraised pots won without showdown, or bloated pots that have no choice but to get it in on the flop. Do not focus on constantly 3-betting their wide ranges, as this is within their comfort zone and many of them have a good idea of how to combat this. Instead, flat them. Make them play the turn and river. Make them have to fire 3 barrells over and over again. Realize that their hand strength, on average, will be weak. Raise draws on the turn and mix it up. When raised on the turn a couple of times, they will start to reconsider that second barell. Realize that due to nature of the LAG and the fact that his hand strength is, on average, weaker than yours he has to employ an agressive style and try to win his fair share of pots without showdown. If you would believe how many 3-6 LAGS I have check called my stack off to with 3rd pair or the nuts this year, you would be amazed. The key is, of course, the balance. Some of them never learn, and others give you too much credit to the point that they start avoiding you altogether. LOOK and OBSERVE as to who adjust, who does not, and how.
Many TAGS are so focused on controlling the pot size, and do this in such an obvious fashion, that they basically turn their hands face up by the river. When OOP, don´t let them always decide what size pot to play. Donk into the preflop pot-controlling aggressor now and then. Start by doing it with your strong hands so you can show down 33 on a 3A7 flop. And then start doing it in balanced way with nothing, draws and monsters. Do not let them play the two street poker that they love playing. This is their comfort zone. Realize that when you donk into a TAG on a 3 K 7 flop and he raises, that he is starting to adjust but incorrectly. His compulsive pot-control mania would not let him raise this flop with AK, perhaps even aces. he has KKK or nothing. He would otherwise flat call. He wants you to keep bluffing. Don´t be afraid to trust that read. Reraise. When he starts calling, which he eventually might, shut down and wait for a monster. Then checkraise the turn --- and so on and on. Realize that when they bet the turn, because of this manner of pot control that is so integral to their overall game plan, they will often have either air, a marginal hand or a monster. Exploit this lack of balance in their play. When being faced with the second barell on a K529 board, I am often looking at trips or nothing with a certain winning opponent. Another opponent will always check KQ/AJ type hands on a KJ7 flop, and bet his monsters and bluffs. Then he will make a 2/3rds pot bet on the turn, and he is never willing to go broke with one pair. I have checkraised this opponent more than anybody has checkraised anybody else in 6-max NL, and he is one of the players that I am up the most on. He is a good winning 22/18 player, he posts on this forum, and seem to be very respected by you guys (or the guys in MSNL). But he never reverts from this specific play, and he is not alone. Balance your play, and understand turn bets.
Many strategy tips given by someboy to somebody else may have little or no relevance to their game. Many of the strategies I use fit very well into my balanced play, but might be uselesss to you. This was the reason I adviced many of you to be careful about receiving coaching and paying good money for something that can end up being detrimental to your game and bankroll. Not only does the coach have to have a solid understanding of the game (which, im(humble)o, most do not), but also understand your game and your mentality.
When game selecting, I rarey look for tables with 2 or 3 fish (if there are any of those around anymore). When they do come along, they are a great blessing. But in developing my game I often try to target and have position on some of the weaker regulars, of which there are plenty. In this way I can sleep better at night knowing that i don´t have to worry about the eventual "demise" of online poker. If you can beat the regulars at your limit, and they refuse to improve or drop down (sometimes due to complacency, sometimes their egos), will you ever need to worry?
I believe that we have to realize that many of the concepts which were once property of just the chosen few on this forum are now public property. Everybody understands pot control. Everybody understands not to go broke with one pair. Everybody understands preflop 3 and 4 betting, if not for immediate profit then for metagame and widening your overall ranges. What we have to understand, is that everybody else understands this, and that is where we begin our adjustments.
I believe that not only the pros, but even most of the recreational players these days understand preflop play to a greater extent than ever before. Just being a 22 / 19 will not automatically set you apart. The overall flop play (at least 100 bbs deep), as well, has improved dramatically. People know not to overextend. People now the value of checking A7s on a 3A9 flop. People know to continuation bet with a high frequency on dry flops and stay away from texture. They know about checking behind AJ on a 10 J 9 board against an aggressive opponent. They know about commitment thresholds, and will no longer necessarily get it in when raised a third of their stack with KJ on a J 10 6 board. And why shouldn´t people know? These are all simple concepts.
However, the turn and the river, are often misplayed. A lot of opponents can still be manipulated on later streets. I believe that leatherass has stated repeatedly that this is where most of his profits come from, and after watching a couple of his videos I believe that he is one of the regulars that plays the turn and river the best.
Many LAGS will be out of their comfort zone on the turn and river as far as relative hand strength goes, as they are used to reraised pots won without showdown, or bloated pots that have no choice but to get it in on the flop. Do not focus on constantly 3-betting their wide ranges, as this is within their comfort zone and many of them have a good idea of how to combat this. Instead, flat them. Make them play the turn and river. Make them have to fire 3 barrells over and over again. Realize that their hand strength, on average, will be weak. Raise draws on the turn and mix it up. When raised on the turn a couple of times, they will start to reconsider that second barell. Realize that due to nature of the LAG and the fact that his hand strength is, on average, weaker than yours he has to employ an agressive style and try to win his fair share of pots without showdown. If you would believe how many 3-6 LAGS I have check called my stack off to with 3rd pair or the nuts this year, you would be amazed. The key is, of course, the balance. Some of them never learn, and others give you too much credit to the point that they start avoiding you altogether. LOOK and OBSERVE as to who adjust, who does not, and how.
Many TAGS are so focused on controlling the pot size, and do this in such an obvious fashion, that they basically turn their hands face up by the river. When OOP, don´t let them always decide what size pot to play. Donk into the preflop pot-controlling aggressor now and then. Start by doing it with your strong hands so you can show down 33 on a 3A7 flop. And then start doing it in balanced way with nothing, draws and monsters. Do not let them play the two street poker that they love playing. This is their comfort zone. Realize that when you donk into a TAG on a 3 K 7 flop and he raises, that he is starting to adjust but incorrectly. His compulsive pot-control mania would not let him raise this flop with AK, perhaps even aces. he has KKK or nothing. He would otherwise flat call. He wants you to keep bluffing. Don´t be afraid to trust that read. Reraise. When he starts calling, which he eventually might, shut down and wait for a monster. Then checkraise the turn --- and so on and on. Realize that when they bet the turn, because of this manner of pot control that is so integral to their overall game plan, they will often have either air, a marginal hand or a monster. Exploit this lack of balance in their play. When being faced with the second barell on a K529 board, I am often looking at trips or nothing with a certain winning opponent. Another opponent will always check KQ/AJ type hands on a KJ7 flop, and bet his monsters and bluffs. Then he will make a 2/3rds pot bet on the turn, and he is never willing to go broke with one pair. I have checkraised this opponent more than anybody has checkraised anybody else in 6-max NL, and he is one of the players that I am up the most on. He is a good winning 22/18 player, he posts on this forum, and seem to be very respected by you guys (or the guys in MSNL). But he never reverts from this specific play, and he is not alone. Balance your play, and understand turn bets.
Many strategy tips given by someboy to somebody else may have little or no relevance to their game. Many of the strategies I use fit very well into my balanced play, but might be uselesss to you. This was the reason I adviced many of you to be careful about receiving coaching and paying good money for something that can end up being detrimental to your game and bankroll. Not only does the coach have to have a solid understanding of the game (which, im(humble)o, most do not), but also understand your game and your mentality.
Last edited by boywonder; 08-30-2008 at 03:50 PM.
08-30-2008
, 08:52 PM
