I'm going to mix it up a little on this four-day trip to Vegas for the annual blogger gathering.
Most importantly, I'm not going to lose my ass playing roulette. I'll play, but I'm setting a stop loss. And I certainly won't spew off most of my cash as soon as I arrive, like I did last time.
I want to play more craps. I'll visit the locals casinos. I'll travel off-strip. I'll read by the pool. I'll eat at In-N-Out Burger. I'm thinking about seeing the neon graveyard.
I'll drink with other drunk poker bloggers. I'll win money playing poker. I'll eat good food and laugh with friends.
Hope to see you there!
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Sunday, December 06, 2009
Solution to Shortstacking Problem
Let's start with a few statements that reflect majority opinion:
1. No one likes shortstackers except shortstackers themselves.
2. Shortstackers are a problem for the game of poker because they reduce it to a preflop shove-or-fold game. They prevent postflop play.
3. Shortstackers harm deepstackers because they force them to play a 20 big blind game. When one player has 100bb and the other has 20bb, the effective stacks are 20bb. It's unfair that shortstackers can dictate effective stack sizes because deepstackers can't reciprocate.
4. Shortstackers generate plenty of rake for poker sites, but they may be bad for the game's longterm growth because they drive mainstream players away by making some tables unplayable.
5. Shortstacking is within the rules of the game.
My idea is to raise the minimum buy-in slightly, from 20bb to 30bb.
Increasing the minimum buy-in by 10bb isn't so dramatic that it will ruin shortstackers, but it deepens stack sizes enough that preflop decisions take a little more thought, and maybe there's even room for some play on the flop.
Full Tilt already has capped tables that limit possible losses to 30bb per hand, and this change in policy would simply create the possibility for the same shortstacking dynamic at standard 100bb buy-in tables.
I like the existing "deep" tables, which require a minimum buy-in of 50bb and maximum buy-in of 200bb. Some players have suggested making these deep tables the standard across the board, but I don't think that's realistic from the business perspective of the poker sites.
A 30bb minimum buy-in seems like a reasonable compromise. Yes, it is changing how the game is played. But that happens all the time in games, from instant replay to stricter rules on how a defender can tackle a quarterback.
Shortstackers are a problem, and a 30bb buy-in is one way it could be solved.
1. No one likes shortstackers except shortstackers themselves.
2. Shortstackers are a problem for the game of poker because they reduce it to a preflop shove-or-fold game. They prevent postflop play.
3. Shortstackers harm deepstackers because they force them to play a 20 big blind game. When one player has 100bb and the other has 20bb, the effective stacks are 20bb. It's unfair that shortstackers can dictate effective stack sizes because deepstackers can't reciprocate.
4. Shortstackers generate plenty of rake for poker sites, but they may be bad for the game's longterm growth because they drive mainstream players away by making some tables unplayable.
5. Shortstacking is within the rules of the game.
My idea is to raise the minimum buy-in slightly, from 20bb to 30bb.
Increasing the minimum buy-in by 10bb isn't so dramatic that it will ruin shortstackers, but it deepens stack sizes enough that preflop decisions take a little more thought, and maybe there's even room for some play on the flop.
Full Tilt already has capped tables that limit possible losses to 30bb per hand, and this change in policy would simply create the possibility for the same shortstacking dynamic at standard 100bb buy-in tables.
I like the existing "deep" tables, which require a minimum buy-in of 50bb and maximum buy-in of 200bb. Some players have suggested making these deep tables the standard across the board, but I don't think that's realistic from the business perspective of the poker sites.
A 30bb minimum buy-in seems like a reasonable compromise. Yes, it is changing how the game is played. But that happens all the time in games, from instant replay to stricter rules on how a defender can tackle a quarterback.
Shortstackers are a problem, and a 30bb buy-in is one way it could be solved.
Friday, December 04, 2009
Outliers
The relevance of Malcolm Gladwell's book "Outliers" to poker has been discussed at length, and I want to add my experience.
A primary theme of the book is that fortunate timing and 10,000 hours of experience in a field is often what it takes to become successful.
I often think about how I may not have ever become a profitable poker player if it weren't for lucky timing. I was lucky to be caught up in the poker boom created by hole cameras on the World Poker Tour and Chris Moneymaker; I was lucky to have friends who played in $5 buy-in home games; I was lucky to play poker in a time when frequent reload bonuses made it easy for a losing player to still turn a profit; I was lucky Neteller was still around at the time so that I could easily take advantage of those bonuses; I was lucky those good times lasted long enough for me to get the experience I needed to survive on my own.
I haven't reached 10,000 hours of poker playing time yet. I figure I've averaged about 2 hours of poker practice a day since I started playing online in spring 2004, meaning I still have seven or eight years to go before I reach that point.
But the practice I did get while clearing those bonuses in my first couple of years playing online is what gave me the time I needed to read, study, write, watch videos, listen to podcasts and think about poker enough to gain a proficiency in this great game. I'm forever thankful to have been caught up in poker during its largest expansion, which gave me the opportunity to reach my poker potential.
A primary theme of the book is that fortunate timing and 10,000 hours of experience in a field is often what it takes to become successful.
I often think about how I may not have ever become a profitable poker player if it weren't for lucky timing. I was lucky to be caught up in the poker boom created by hole cameras on the World Poker Tour and Chris Moneymaker; I was lucky to have friends who played in $5 buy-in home games; I was lucky to play poker in a time when frequent reload bonuses made it easy for a losing player to still turn a profit; I was lucky Neteller was still around at the time so that I could easily take advantage of those bonuses; I was lucky those good times lasted long enough for me to get the experience I needed to survive on my own.
I haven't reached 10,000 hours of poker playing time yet. I figure I've averaged about 2 hours of poker practice a day since I started playing online in spring 2004, meaning I still have seven or eight years to go before I reach that point.
But the practice I did get while clearing those bonuses in my first couple of years playing online is what gave me the time I needed to read, study, write, watch videos, listen to podcasts and think about poker enough to gain a proficiency in this great game. I'm forever thankful to have been caught up in poker during its largest expansion, which gave me the opportunity to reach my poker potential.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Extreme Discipline
Because poker is such a long-run game, the best players are able to continue making accurate folds even when it seems like it's impossible for their opponents to be running so good.
I'm inspired by players who are able to sit down at the table for countless hours, days, weeks and months while making endless impartial judgments on bad rivers. They resist the temptation to call down just once, to sate their curiosity with a showdown, to think that their opponent is trying to run them over with another big bet.
This discipline can be seen by Durrrr vs. Antonius in the Aussie Millions cash game, where Tom Dwan manages to make repeatedly correct laydowns and lose much less than he could have lost.
Or you can see it when Haseeb Qureshi folds flushes and full houses to river raises.
Or when Tommy Angelo discusses folding Aces preflop.
Or when Doyle Brunson talks on High Stakes Poker about how easy it is to lay down Aces when he's playing well.
This is what separates the great players from the rest of us. Relative hand strength means everything, and absolute hand strength means nothing. They're not attached to their premium hands, and they can throw them away even though look so good.
I'm inspired by players who are able to sit down at the table for countless hours, days, weeks and months while making endless impartial judgments on bad rivers. They resist the temptation to call down just once, to sate their curiosity with a showdown, to think that their opponent is trying to run them over with another big bet.
This discipline can be seen by Durrrr vs. Antonius in the Aussie Millions cash game, where Tom Dwan manages to make repeatedly correct laydowns and lose much less than he could have lost.
Or you can see it when Haseeb Qureshi folds flushes and full houses to river raises.
Or when Tommy Angelo discusses folding Aces preflop.
Or when Doyle Brunson talks on High Stakes Poker about how easy it is to lay down Aces when he's playing well.
This is what separates the great players from the rest of us. Relative hand strength means everything, and absolute hand strength means nothing. They're not attached to their premium hands, and they can throw them away even though look so good.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Back to Blogging
With the winter blogger gathering coming up in Las Vegas the weekend of Dec. 11, I became motivated to get back to posting.
The main reasons for my four-month hiatus were that I ran out of things to write about and felt when I did post, it wasn't any good. I got annoyed with the quality of the blog and burned out on a feeling of obligation to update. So I took a break.
My poker habits haven't changed in that time. I've been playing just about every day while also studying and reading about the game. I just haven't been writing about it.
I've always known that blogging helps make me a better poker player because it reinforces hand histories, provides a forum to get feedback and puts stray thoughts into concrete words. I needed to get back in the habit. I hope the content here is useful to readers as well.
Can't wait for Vegas. During the blogger tournament, Bayne, RecessRampage and I are forming a team to win the last-longer sidebet organized by Up For Poker and juiced with $2,000 added to the prize pool by PokerStars. See you there!
The main reasons for my four-month hiatus were that I ran out of things to write about and felt when I did post, it wasn't any good. I got annoyed with the quality of the blog and burned out on a feeling of obligation to update. So I took a break.
My poker habits haven't changed in that time. I've been playing just about every day while also studying and reading about the game. I just haven't been writing about it.
I've always known that blogging helps make me a better poker player because it reinforces hand histories, provides a forum to get feedback and puts stray thoughts into concrete words. I needed to get back in the habit. I hope the content here is useful to readers as well.
Can't wait for Vegas. During the blogger tournament, Bayne, RecessRampage and I are forming a team to win the last-longer sidebet organized by Up For Poker and juiced with $2,000 added to the prize pool by PokerStars. See you there!
Thursday, November 26, 2009
A misplayed draw
I made a big mistake in this hand when I flopped a flush draw and overcards. I didn't stop to think about the hand and just spewed my money in.
Because the pot size was still small, I would have been better off calling the flop. Then I could have decided whether to make a move on the turn when the pot was bigger and I'd have more fold equity against draws that dominate mine.
I also should have slowed down after my opponent put in the 3-bet on the flop. Instead, I went all in with no fold equity whatsoever. By that point, I had screwed up so badly that I had resigned myself to getting it all in.
Full Tilt Poker $2/$4 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players - View hand 392462
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter
SB: $842.50
BB: $416.20
UTG: $412.00
Hero (MP): $555.00
CO: $107.00
BTN: $400.00
Pre Flop: ($6.00) Hero is MP with J
Q
UTG raises to $12, Hero calls $12, CO requests TIME, 4 folds
Flop: ($30.00) 9 6
5 (2 players)
UTG bets $20, Hero raises to $74, UTG raises to $188, Hero raises to $543 all in, UTG calls $212 all in
Turn: ($830.00) 2
(2 players - 2 are all in)
River: ($830.00) 4 (2 players - 2 are all in)
Final Pot: $830.00
UTG shows K T (King Ten high)
Hero shows J Q (Queen Jack high)
UTG wins $827.00
(Rake: $3.00)
Because the pot size was still small, I would have been better off calling the flop. Then I could have decided whether to make a move on the turn when the pot was bigger and I'd have more fold equity against draws that dominate mine.
I also should have slowed down after my opponent put in the 3-bet on the flop. Instead, I went all in with no fold equity whatsoever. By that point, I had screwed up so badly that I had resigned myself to getting it all in.
Full Tilt Poker $2/$4 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players - View hand 392462
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter
SB: $842.50
BB: $416.20
UTG: $412.00
Hero (MP): $555.00
CO: $107.00
BTN: $400.00
Pre Flop: ($6.00) Hero is MP with J
QUTG raises to $12, Hero calls $12, CO requests TIME, 4 folds
Flop: ($30.00) 9
6 5 (2 players)UTG bets $20, Hero raises to $74, UTG raises to $188, Hero raises to $543 all in, UTG calls $212 all in
Turn: ($830.00) 2
(2 players - 2 are all in)River: ($830.00) 4
(2 players - 2 are all in)Final Pot: $830.00
UTG shows K
T (King Ten high)Hero shows J
Q (Queen Jack high)UTG wins $827.00
(Rake: $3.00)
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
State Taxes
States including Hawaii, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Ohio now prohibit deductions of gambling losses on state income taxes. These laws could make it difficult for even a winning player to have much money left over.
Fortunately, there's an alternative -- filing as a professional gambler.
Even in these states that bar gambling deductions, it appears that filing as a professional allows you to deduct losses on a Schedule C to the extent of winnings. Check with an accountant to be sure.
Filing as a professional comes with some disadvantages as well because you have to pay self-employment taxes, but that hardship is far less than the burden of paying taxes on gross profits.
Also check out Poker Cats' recent post on online gambling and taxes.
In other news, it looks like the Treasury Department has delayed enforcement of UIGEA regulations for six months, according to PokerNews.
Fortunately, there's an alternative -- filing as a professional gambler.
Even in these states that bar gambling deductions, it appears that filing as a professional allows you to deduct losses on a Schedule C to the extent of winnings. Check with an accountant to be sure.
Filing as a professional comes with some disadvantages as well because you have to pay self-employment taxes, but that hardship is far less than the burden of paying taxes on gross profits.
Also check out Poker Cats' recent post on online gambling and taxes.
In other news, it looks like the Treasury Department has delayed enforcement of UIGEA regulations for six months, according to PokerNews.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Run it Twice
As Full Tilt's "Run it Twice" feature becomes available at a wider variety of stakes, I'm finding it to be a valuable tool in reducing variance.
The trend I'm seeing is that not many players are taking advantage of this feature at the 2/4 NL games, which is a shame. All players in a hand must agree before you can run it twice. Details about how it works are explained here.
Running it twice increases the maximum rake on a hand from $3 to $4, but it still seems like a good deal to me.
Isn't it worth that $1 to avoid 200bb swings every time you get it all in preflop with 100bb stacks?
Some people will say, "no," because why would you pay extra rake when your results tend to reflect your equity in the long run? What they fail to realize is that the long run can take forever to arrive, and I'll gladly hasten that process by seeing two boards when I get it all in.
Additionally, solid players should want to run the board more than once because they're more likely than their average opponent to get it all in with strong hands. When results more closely mirror equities, bad beats come along less often and the player with the best hand wins more often.
Most of all, running it twice is fun. I like seeing all those boards in hopes that I can scoop, or at least decrease the chances of a painful suckout for my entire stack.
The trend I'm seeing is that not many players are taking advantage of this feature at the 2/4 NL games, which is a shame. All players in a hand must agree before you can run it twice. Details about how it works are explained here.
Running it twice increases the maximum rake on a hand from $3 to $4, but it still seems like a good deal to me.
Isn't it worth that $1 to avoid 200bb swings every time you get it all in preflop with 100bb stacks?
Some people will say, "no," because why would you pay extra rake when your results tend to reflect your equity in the long run? What they fail to realize is that the long run can take forever to arrive, and I'll gladly hasten that process by seeing two boards when I get it all in.
Additionally, solid players should want to run the board more than once because they're more likely than their average opponent to get it all in with strong hands. When results more closely mirror equities, bad beats come along less often and the player with the best hand wins more often.
Most of all, running it twice is fun. I like seeing all those boards in hopes that I can scoop, or at least decrease the chances of a painful suckout for my entire stack.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Waiting till the turn
In this hand, the results would have been the same whether I got it all in on the flop or on the turn. But by waiting until the turn, I get the money in as a 73 percent favorite rather than a 54 percent favorite.
Full Tilt Poker $5/$10 No Limit Hold'em - 8 players - View hand 191939
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter
Hero (BB): $1015.00
UTG+1: $1202.00
Pre Flop: ($15.00) Hero is BB with K A
1 fold, UTG+1 raises to $35, 5 folds, Hero calls $25
I flatted here because the UTG+1 player was tight, I had a good idea of his range and a 3-bet would fold out all worse hands and induce a 4-bet from all better hands.
Flop: ($75.00) A 5 T (2 players)
Hero checks, UTG+1 bets $50, Hero raises to $150, UTG+1 raises to $370, Hero requests TIME, Hero calls $220
Waiting for the non-diamond turn before I shove...
Turn: ($815.00) 2 (2 players)
Hero bets $610 all in, UTG+1 calls $610
River: ($2035.00) 5 (2 players - 1 is all in)
Final Pot: $2035.00
Hero shows K A (two pair, Aces and Fives)
UTG+1 shows J A (two pair, Aces and Fives)
Hero wins $2032.00
(Rake: $3.00)
Bingo!
Full Tilt Poker $5/$10 No Limit Hold'em - 8 players - View hand 191939
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter
Hero (BB): $1015.00
UTG+1: $1202.00
Pre Flop: ($15.00) Hero is BB with K
A1 fold, UTG+1 raises to $35, 5 folds, Hero calls $25
I flatted here because the UTG+1 player was tight, I had a good idea of his range and a 3-bet would fold out all worse hands and induce a 4-bet from all better hands.
Flop: ($75.00) A
5 T (2 players)Hero checks, UTG+1 bets $50, Hero raises to $150, UTG+1 raises to $370, Hero requests TIME, Hero calls $220
Waiting for the non-diamond turn before I shove...
Turn: ($815.00) 2
(2 players)Hero bets $610 all in, UTG+1 calls $610
River: ($2035.00) 5
(2 players - 1 is all in)Final Pot: $2035.00
Hero shows K
A (two pair, Aces and Fives)UTG+1 shows J
A (two pair, Aces and Fives)Hero wins $2032.00
(Rake: $3.00)
Bingo!
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
Easy Money
It's easy to forget the hands we fold that save us a lot of money simply because we never played them. Money saved spends just as well as money earned.
In this hand, folding QQ preflop shouldn't be difficult against two players raising and reraising from early position. If I were on autopilot, I can see myself getting involved in this hand and losing a chunk of change. Instead, all I lost was the money I paid for the blinds:
Full Tilt Poker $5/$10 No Limit Hold'em - 8 players - View hand 176679
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter
CO: $2290.00
BTN: $872.65
Hero (SB): $2000.00
BB: $2671.50
UTG: $907.00
UTG+1: $2001.50
MP1: $1000.00
MP2: $1009.00
Pre Flop: ($15.00) Hero is SB with Q Q
1 fold, UTG+1 raises to $30, MP1 raises to $100, 5 folds, UTG+1 calls $70
Flop: ($215.00) 5 6 A (2 players)
UTG+1 checks, MP1 bets $100, UTG+1 raises to $315, MP1 calls $215
Turn: ($845.00) 4 (2 players)
UTG+1 bets $1586.50 all in, MP1 calls $585 all in
River: ($2015.00) T (2 players - 2 are all in)
Final Pot: $2015.00
UTG+1 shows 7 9 (Ace Ten high)
MP1 shows A A (three of a kind, Aces)
MP1 wins $2012.00
(Rake: $3.00)
In this hand, folding QQ preflop shouldn't be difficult against two players raising and reraising from early position. If I were on autopilot, I can see myself getting involved in this hand and losing a chunk of change. Instead, all I lost was the money I paid for the blinds:
Full Tilt Poker $5/$10 No Limit Hold'em - 8 players - View hand 176679
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter
CO: $2290.00
BTN: $872.65
Hero (SB): $2000.00
BB: $2671.50
UTG: $907.00
UTG+1: $2001.50
MP1: $1000.00
MP2: $1009.00
Pre Flop: ($15.00) Hero is SB with Q
Q1 fold, UTG+1 raises to $30, MP1 raises to $100, 5 folds, UTG+1 calls $70
Flop: ($215.00) 5
6 A (2 players)UTG+1 checks, MP1 bets $100, UTG+1 raises to $315, MP1 calls $215
Turn: ($845.00) 4
(2 players)UTG+1 bets $1586.50 all in, MP1 calls $585 all in
River: ($2015.00) T
(2 players - 2 are all in)Final Pot: $2015.00
UTG+1 shows 7
9 (Ace Ten high)MP1 shows A
A (three of a kind, Aces)MP1 wins $2012.00
(Rake: $3.00)
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
A time to show
I don't show bluffs often, but I'll do so when there's a good chance it could pay off later. In this game, the time was right.
First, the 4-bet bluff and the show (you can do it quickly by typing Control+M). This was a good spot for it because I could represent strength with another under-the-gun raise, and the player who attempted the squeeze can only call with premium hands:
Full Tilt Poker $2/$4 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players - View hand 175603
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter
SB: $402.00
BB: $771.20
Hero (UTG): $407.30
MP: $400.00
CO: $852.30
BTN: $1303.20
Pre Flop: ($6.00) Hero is UTG with 8 T
Hero raises to $12, 2 folds, BTN calls $12, SB raises to $64, 1 fold, Hero raises to $125, BTN requests TIME, 1 fold, SB requests TIME, 1 fold
Final Pot: $144.00
Hero shows 8 T (Ten Eight high)
Hero wins $144.00
Then a few minutes later, I make a similar move, get action in a coinflip situation and flop good. This opponent probably wouldn't have committed with TT unless I had shown my bluff a few minutes earlier. Even though we got it in on a flip, my range crushes his TT in this spot.
Full Tilt Poker $2/$4 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players - View hand 175610
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter
SB: $408.70
BB: $663.20
Hero (UTG): $607.90
MP: $406.00
CO: $852.30
BTN: $1273.20
Pre Flop: ($6.00) Hero is UTG with K A
Hero raises to $12, 2 folds, BTN raises to $42, 2 folds, Hero raises to $125, BTN requests TIME, BTN raises to $1273.20 all in, Hero calls $482.90 all in
Flop: ($1221.80) K 9 K
Turn: ($1221.80) 6
River: ($1221.80) A
Final Pot: $1221.80
Hero shows K A (a full house, Kings full of Aces)
BTN shows T T (two pair, Kings and Tens)
Hero wins $1218.80
(Rake: $3.00)
First, the 4-bet bluff and the show (you can do it quickly by typing Control+M). This was a good spot for it because I could represent strength with another under-the-gun raise, and the player who attempted the squeeze can only call with premium hands:
Full Tilt Poker $2/$4 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players - View hand 175603
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter
SB: $402.00
BB: $771.20
Hero (UTG): $407.30
MP: $400.00
CO: $852.30
BTN: $1303.20
Pre Flop: ($6.00) Hero is UTG with 8
THero raises to $12, 2 folds, BTN calls $12, SB raises to $64, 1 fold, Hero raises to $125, BTN requests TIME, 1 fold, SB requests TIME, 1 fold
Final Pot: $144.00
Hero shows 8
T (Ten Eight high)Hero wins $144.00
Then a few minutes later, I make a similar move, get action in a coinflip situation and flop good. This opponent probably wouldn't have committed with TT unless I had shown my bluff a few minutes earlier. Even though we got it in on a flip, my range crushes his TT in this spot.
Full Tilt Poker $2/$4 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players - View hand 175610
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter
SB: $408.70
BB: $663.20
Hero (UTG): $607.90
MP: $406.00
CO: $852.30
BTN: $1273.20
Pre Flop: ($6.00) Hero is UTG with K
AHero raises to $12, 2 folds, BTN raises to $42, 2 folds, Hero raises to $125, BTN requests TIME, BTN raises to $1273.20 all in, Hero calls $482.90 all in
Flop: ($1221.80) K
9 KTurn: ($1221.80) 6
River: ($1221.80) A
Final Pot: $1221.80
Hero shows K
A (a full house, Kings full of Aces)BTN shows T
T (two pair, Kings and Tens)Hero wins $1218.80
(Rake: $3.00)
Thursday, July 02, 2009
CardRunners video
My first CardRunners video is up! Check it out here.
The video focuses on hand ranges, barrelling and the importance of evaluating your play.
Please give it a look and let me know what you think. You need to be a CardRunners member to view the vid, or you can access it for free through Full Tilt and CR's Truly Free Poker Training program.
Thanks.
The video focuses on hand ranges, barrelling and the importance of evaluating your play.
Please give it a look and let me know what you think. You need to be a CardRunners member to view the vid, or you can access it for free through Full Tilt and CR's Truly Free Poker Training program.
Thanks.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Fish in the Sea
"Poker is about making money, not about being a good poker player. So it's kind of a Catch-22 situation. ... The No. 1 thing you're supposed to do in poker is play with people that are worse than you."
--Gabe Thaler on "Cash Plays"
I was trolling around the 2/4 NL 6-max games on Full Tilt a few nights ago, looking for a good game. Instead, I found a bunch of tables with three seats filled by CardRunners pro Taylor Caby, Full Tilt pro Steve Yea and solid regular Joe Forte.
Clearly, those games wouldn't be very profitable.
It was a bit frustrating because I had moved down from 5/10, where has been my primary game for 2 1/2 years now, after hitting a rough stretch. And then when I go to the lower limits, I found that the games are no softer than they were at the higher limit. I had been telling myself to accept the fact that I may not have much of an edge anymore at 5/10, and then I dropped down and still couldn't find much of a profit.
"Well, I guess it's time to learn PLO better," I thought to myself. "Or maybe I'll play some 1/2. Or I guess I could play later and hope the games are better then."
All of those were fine ideas, but it took me a few more days to see a solution sitting right in front of me: full ring. Most fish, especially those accustomed to playing live, aren't going to sit at shorthanded tables. Many of them will play full ring.
Sure enough, the slower 2/4 full ring games have been far easier to beat than the 6-max games. I've made the vast majority of my money over the last few years playing shorthanded, but that doesn't necessarily mean full ring is less profitable. It just means that I gravitate to the type of games I feel most comfortable in -- the games I perceive to be best. Those perceptions need to change as the poker environment evolves.
There are juicy games of many limits and types. Being willing and able to find them takes some effort. From a broad perspective, the important thing is to recognize games that will be profitable, and not let pride or ambition get in the way of finding where I can maximize my advantage.
--Gabe Thaler on "Cash Plays"
I was trolling around the 2/4 NL 6-max games on Full Tilt a few nights ago, looking for a good game. Instead, I found a bunch of tables with three seats filled by CardRunners pro Taylor Caby, Full Tilt pro Steve Yea and solid regular Joe Forte.
Clearly, those games wouldn't be very profitable.
It was a bit frustrating because I had moved down from 5/10, where has been my primary game for 2 1/2 years now, after hitting a rough stretch. And then when I go to the lower limits, I found that the games are no softer than they were at the higher limit. I had been telling myself to accept the fact that I may not have much of an edge anymore at 5/10, and then I dropped down and still couldn't find much of a profit.
"Well, I guess it's time to learn PLO better," I thought to myself. "Or maybe I'll play some 1/2. Or I guess I could play later and hope the games are better then."
All of those were fine ideas, but it took me a few more days to see a solution sitting right in front of me: full ring. Most fish, especially those accustomed to playing live, aren't going to sit at shorthanded tables. Many of them will play full ring.
Sure enough, the slower 2/4 full ring games have been far easier to beat than the 6-max games. I've made the vast majority of my money over the last few years playing shorthanded, but that doesn't necessarily mean full ring is less profitable. It just means that I gravitate to the type of games I feel most comfortable in -- the games I perceive to be best. Those perceptions need to change as the poker environment evolves.
There are juicy games of many limits and types. Being willing and able to find them takes some effort. From a broad perspective, the important thing is to recognize games that will be profitable, and not let pride or ambition get in the way of finding where I can maximize my advantage.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Deepstacked with an overpair
In trying to improve my deepstacked game, I picked up a tip from an instructional video:
There's nothing wrong with not continuation betting an overpair out of position and check-calling down against an aggressive opponent. Many players in position when deepstacked will both value bet with worse and bluff when checked to.
If I were to continuation bet with the overpair when stacks are deep, there are many flops on which I'd be unnecessarily inflating the pot or setting myself up to get bluffed off the best hand on a later street.
When 100BBs deep, I'll continuation bet my overpair just about every time. But deepstacked, one pair loses so much value when the pot gets big, and I can't afford to be guessing when out of position.
Here's an example:
Full Tilt Poker $5/$10 No Limit Hold'em - 9 players - View hand 160019
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter
BTN: $1474.05
Hero (UTG): $2023.25
Pre Flop: ($15.00) Hero is UTG with Q Q
Hero raises to $30, 5 folds, BTN calls $30, 2 folds
Flop: ($75.00) 5 8 2 (2 players)
Hero checks, BTN bets $60, Hero calls $60
Turn: ($195.00) 8 (2 players)
Hero checks, BTN bets $155, Hero calls $155
River: ($505.00) 6 (2 players)
Hero checks, BTN requests TIME, BTN checks
Final Pot: $505.00
BTN shows 9 4 (a pair of Eights)
Hero shows Q Q (two pair, Queens and Eights)
Hero wins $502.00
(Rake: $3.00)
There's nothing wrong with not continuation betting an overpair out of position and check-calling down against an aggressive opponent. Many players in position when deepstacked will both value bet with worse and bluff when checked to.
If I were to continuation bet with the overpair when stacks are deep, there are many flops on which I'd be unnecessarily inflating the pot or setting myself up to get bluffed off the best hand on a later street.
When 100BBs deep, I'll continuation bet my overpair just about every time. But deepstacked, one pair loses so much value when the pot gets big, and I can't afford to be guessing when out of position.
Here's an example:
Full Tilt Poker $5/$10 No Limit Hold'em - 9 players - View hand 160019
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter
BTN: $1474.05
Hero (UTG): $2023.25
Pre Flop: ($15.00) Hero is UTG with Q
QHero raises to $30, 5 folds, BTN calls $30, 2 folds
Flop: ($75.00) 5
8 2 (2 players)Hero checks, BTN bets $60, Hero calls $60
Turn: ($195.00) 8
(2 players)Hero checks, BTN bets $155, Hero calls $155
River: ($505.00) 6
(2 players)Hero checks, BTN requests TIME, BTN checks
Final Pot: $505.00
BTN shows 9
4 (a pair of Eights)Hero shows Q
Q (two pair, Queens and Eights)Hero wins $502.00
(Rake: $3.00)
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