There are times where “poker is a struggle for the blinds/antes” and “tournaments are a struggle for survival” are in direct conflict.
Long Game, Small ball and the middle stages.
If I wish to be brilliant, then I can say three things. I always get my money in ahead, I control the size of the pot based on my hand, and I never take an action (bet, call, raise) without having a plan and an intention for which that action accomplished something.
Duh. But this is linear thinking. Since I am usually a 4-1 favorite when I get my money in ahead, and that +EV. If I do it 5 times all in, statistically I will be eliminated. Interesting. This is a concept I will return to at the end of this process, but for now, lets again visit our columbo-bot*. (*NOTE: I am not building a bot. please do not prosecute me. This is for example purposes because I think this way.)
It seems easy to calculate when you think you are ahead and avoid marginal coin flips. But its still hard to control the pot size. After all, your opponent has goals also. Before I finish that thought, let me jump again.
There are times that not playing a hand, regardless of the holding, is +EV. There are other times to play hands just with 2 live cards.
There is a tendency to believe that poker is all about fighting for pots. (that and making good decisions). BUT, there are times where it is in your best interest to fold the best hand. (this assumes you are not 100% sure you are the best hand). Why? Because like wolves, there are times you wish to “show your neck”. To let the table know you are willing to lay down (an action a bot does not take). It shows you are human and also that you are dangerous. Yeah, a big laydown does have a psychological impact on your opponent. Remember that.
How do we reconcile all of this. Well, it is not trivial. But, we make a case to our columbo-bot that we want to get our money in ahead during the long middle stages and avoid building large pots before we know where we stand in the hand. In addition to that, we have to identify EXCEPTIONS to everything we just said NOT to be unpredicatble, but rather to try and dodge the inevitable 1 in 5 times where we lose depite being a big favorite. In order to do that we must task well planned and well timed risks which allow us to build up a "defense fund". This fund is like suck-out insurance. And as we all know, you're gonna need it.
The Middle (long) Levels
a. Prey on WEAK players (blind pressure). This is where we pick up some extra money.
b. Use pressure points (but not against push monkeys) to create folding equity to avoid the use of your "defense fund". Avoid a river, avoid the 20% risk.
c. Project a tight image. Players are less likely to "test" you.
d. Use M and Q to know your place in the tournament.
e. Take risks if they will give you an opportunity to be table chip leader or to double up. Otherwise, you must survive. Being a chip leader at the table is the best "defense fund".
f. Get rid of dominated hands (KT).
g. All-ins are often NOT bluffs now.
h. You can’t limp and be perceived as tight. If you are the first to the pot, you must raise your way in. Some players will raise whenever they can be first to the pot at a big table... (see part e. then)
i. Try to avoid slow playing* for two reasons:
. Survival (you are usually 80% to win a hand you are AHEAD on)
. It continues to project the tight image, which in turn increases folding equity.
comments?
Monday, July 31, 2006
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Armchair psychology and Tournament poker – Part I
Supposition #1:
Being tight is valuable but the PERCEPTION of being tight is even better.
Chapter I: the value of being VIEWED as tight, non-aggressive.
We all understand poker strategy and the concept of TAG (tight-aggressive). You play few pots, and when you do come into a hand, you have decent cards and are going to fight for the pot regardless of most flops. You are better off in position for such a strategy and is the most fundamental of successful strategies. But what of your image? Does this play into the formula? If I as an opponent, perceived a robot as programmed to be tight, what advantages would that give THE ROBOT?
If you are not viewed as tight, is this a good thing? Interestingly enough, I think most players would expect that being tight aggressive, but being viewed as loose, is a good thing. The logic is that players will always pay off your good hands and since you only play quality cards, this is a positive expectation move (+EV). I think this is a big misconception (we are talking tournament play now).
The value in being tagged as tight is very important to winning tournament strategy. The psychology of poker says, “I only want to fold when I am behind”. Assuming that 99% of us do not use the “I am a luckbox” strategy, we wish to attack when ahead and withdraw when behind… And yet, even as I type that, I hear you yelling at the screen. “Poker is about aggression and beating your opponent with any two cards!!!”. Well, take a deep breath because I agree. At least on the surface.
If I am a tight player, my bets are going to invoke thought. More thought than if another player (especailly a loose one) makes the same move. This allows me to understand my situation better because I am going to INVOKE a reaction. When you force your opponent to react, you can take control of the hand. If you are in control of the hand, you can maximize your good hands and minimize your losses when you miss a draw or overplay middle pair. Being in control of the betting is KEY in NO LIMIT.
With that being said, let’s compare it to our strategy guide recapped above. In the long middle stage of a tournament, pressure points rule. They provide a guide for a hand like the M and Q provide a guide for your current round. Based on understanding when the maximum pressure can be applied to a given pot, you can control the hand better than your opponent. That pressure needs to be respected and a tight image accomplishes this.
Now a Counter argument from loose aggressive players: “I am a chip accumulator. I come out of the gate fast and I can come at you with any two hands. You can never put me on a hand and I am to be feared!” I agree. That is correct. But it is a more instinctual approach and harder to pull off. And it comes with great risk. For what I am trying to accomplish here, I can’t take that approach. I need a risk adverse approach so I can better gauge cause and effect in my rule-set. But I do agree that it’s always good to be the chip leader at your table and finding a way to do that maximizes your ability to control betting, control pressure and control the flow of the game. I will add that rule later.
Stealing in late stages. You just know what I am going to say here. How do you get away with stealing in the late levels without a) A chip lead big enough to scare people, or b) a tight image? A loose-aggressive player had better have the chip lead by the final stage or suffer challenges at every steal attempt.
So let’s review our first rule-set for a given MTT. For right now, just the early rounds.
1. Early Levels
a. Tight, as risk far outweighs reward.
b. Built a tight IMAGE
c. Watch the table for trends and get a table profile. You need to know who is weak and who is a (push) monkey and who is a (slow playing) snake. avoid being viewed as any of these by your opponents.
d. Anyone can play a set or a big pair.
e. It’s OK to fold the winning hand; it only helps your image. (its only a small error to fold to a raise, remember?)
f. Use position to see flops. dont get caught limping from EP and other weak player mistakes.
g. All-ins are often (not always) bluffs in early rounds. Especially river all-ins after a flush card does NOT come. (broken draw bluff)
Ok, here is our first set of rules. Next I'll float a theory on Long Game vs. Small ball and add our middle level rules. In the meantime, comment!
Being tight is valuable but the PERCEPTION of being tight is even better.
Chapter I: the value of being VIEWED as tight, non-aggressive.
We all understand poker strategy and the concept of TAG (tight-aggressive). You play few pots, and when you do come into a hand, you have decent cards and are going to fight for the pot regardless of most flops. You are better off in position for such a strategy and is the most fundamental of successful strategies. But what of your image? Does this play into the formula? If I as an opponent, perceived a robot as programmed to be tight, what advantages would that give THE ROBOT?
If you are not viewed as tight, is this a good thing? Interestingly enough, I think most players would expect that being tight aggressive, but being viewed as loose, is a good thing. The logic is that players will always pay off your good hands and since you only play quality cards, this is a positive expectation move (+EV). I think this is a big misconception (we are talking tournament play now).
The value in being tagged as tight is very important to winning tournament strategy. The psychology of poker says, “I only want to fold when I am behind”. Assuming that 99% of us do not use the “I am a luckbox” strategy, we wish to attack when ahead and withdraw when behind… And yet, even as I type that, I hear you yelling at the screen. “Poker is about aggression and beating your opponent with any two cards!!!”. Well, take a deep breath because I agree. At least on the surface.
If I am a tight player, my bets are going to invoke thought. More thought than if another player (especailly a loose one) makes the same move. This allows me to understand my situation better because I am going to INVOKE a reaction. When you force your opponent to react, you can take control of the hand. If you are in control of the hand, you can maximize your good hands and minimize your losses when you miss a draw or overplay middle pair. Being in control of the betting is KEY in NO LIMIT.
With that being said, let’s compare it to our strategy guide recapped above. In the long middle stage of a tournament, pressure points rule. They provide a guide for a hand like the M and Q provide a guide for your current round. Based on understanding when the maximum pressure can be applied to a given pot, you can control the hand better than your opponent. That pressure needs to be respected and a tight image accomplishes this.
Now a Counter argument from loose aggressive players: “I am a chip accumulator. I come out of the gate fast and I can come at you with any two hands. You can never put me on a hand and I am to be feared!” I agree. That is correct. But it is a more instinctual approach and harder to pull off. And it comes with great risk. For what I am trying to accomplish here, I can’t take that approach. I need a risk adverse approach so I can better gauge cause and effect in my rule-set. But I do agree that it’s always good to be the chip leader at your table and finding a way to do that maximizes your ability to control betting, control pressure and control the flow of the game. I will add that rule later.
Stealing in late stages. You just know what I am going to say here. How do you get away with stealing in the late levels without a) A chip lead big enough to scare people, or b) a tight image? A loose-aggressive player had better have the chip lead by the final stage or suffer challenges at every steal attempt.
So let’s review our first rule-set for a given MTT. For right now, just the early rounds.
1. Early Levels
a. Tight, as risk far outweighs reward.
b. Built a tight IMAGE
c. Watch the table for trends and get a table profile. You need to know who is weak and who is a (push) monkey and who is a (slow playing) snake. avoid being viewed as any of these by your opponents.
d. Anyone can play a set or a big pair.
e. It’s OK to fold the winning hand; it only helps your image. (its only a small error to fold to a raise, remember?)
f. Use position to see flops. dont get caught limping from EP and other weak player mistakes.
g. All-ins are often (not always) bluffs in early rounds. Especially river all-ins after a flush card does NOT come. (broken draw bluff)
Ok, here is our first set of rules. Next I'll float a theory on Long Game vs. Small ball and add our middle level rules. In the meantime, comment!
Armchair psychology and Tournament poker – Preparation
I want to explore why a player can be fundamentally sound, understand the math, and still never be better than a “zero sum player”. Or stated another, more entertaining way, if I were programming a robot (with artificial intelligence) to play poker, what would I program if I wanted the robot to play NO LIMIT instead of limit? This is a LARGE topic and I do not wish to write a dissertation, so the flow of the articles may not be perfect. So be it. What do you want for nothing, rubber biscuit?
Let’s start with a solid foundation of play. With that, just assume we have all read the post “Absinthe revisited” . Sets, bigger pairs, flops that ‘hit a suited connector over the head’. These are your money winners. Dominated holdings, skill moves against push monkeys, races. These are your leaks.
Also, note from DoubleAs, As the tournament gets to the long middle stage, finding pressure points is important.
And from any good poker book and many poker forums, At the end stages, stealing and catching is paramount.
And from my post on “rules of engagement” a set of clichés that help your play (such as “Don’t eat the peppered beef”).
After each chapter, except this intro, I will attempt to update the rule-set for my mythical NO LIMIT robot. Discussion and counter arguments HIGHLY encouraged...
Let’s start with a solid foundation of play. With that, just assume we have all read the post “Absinthe revisited” . Sets, bigger pairs, flops that ‘hit a suited connector over the head’. These are your money winners. Dominated holdings, skill moves against push monkeys, races. These are your leaks.
Also, note from DoubleAs, As the tournament gets to the long middle stage, finding pressure points is important.
And from any good poker book and many poker forums, At the end stages, stealing and catching is paramount.
And from my post on “rules of engagement” a set of clichés that help your play (such as “Don’t eat the peppered beef”).
After each chapter, except this intro, I will attempt to update the rule-set for my mythical NO LIMIT robot. Discussion and counter arguments HIGHLY encouraged...
Monday, July 24, 2006
Danger Will Robinson, Danger
I am warning you now. I have a EIGHT part post coming.
Psychology, poker, and you. Be afraid. It might make you think... and it may even (god forbid) invoke the desire to post a comment...
Expect chapter 1 in the next 48 hours...
you have been warned.
Psychology, poker, and you. Be afraid. It might make you think... and it may even (god forbid) invoke the desire to post a comment...
Expect chapter 1 in the next 48 hours...
you have been warned.
Saturday, July 22, 2006
Home Game Woes
Interesting night last night. I played to cash and not to win. I sometimes do this, and I am not sure why, but I finished just inside the bubble in 4th.
There was some minor controversy when a player who came by before the game and said to blind them off until level 2 (30 minutes), was still not here at level 4 (90 minutes). Reluctantly, and after 2 phone call attempts, we picked up the chips. He walked in 10 minutes later.
When the blinds got big, and we were playing 7 handed and the UtG+1 raised it 3xBB. He is a tight player, and I was confused as to what to do with ATs. I did not want to see a flop out of position to such strength, I did not want to call, and I did not want to raise. After mulling it over, I made a tight fold. Anyone? comments?
You think THAT was bad? listen up.
we are now 6 handed and the same player does this again from the exact same position. (I realize now that he was probably attacking my blinds every other round.) Rich, on my right, thinks for a while and goes all in. I look down at AQo. I read our first raiser as pot committed and Rich with a pair so I had a race... But I did not want AQ vs. two players so I fold. Then, the UtG plyaers surprising folds and I am left with my overly-tight fold to contemplate.
At the final table, I played very carefully. Bracelet is on my right in the SB and all fold to him. He pops me to 3xBB and I fold K9s. Again, very tight. Next round, exact same thing, and I look at KJ. I KNOW he has an Ace, I just can see it. He knows I might call because he raped me last round. Instead of pushing all in, I decide to run a stop N go. I call, and when the flop comes KJx I push all in on the bluff that is now not a bluff. He decides it just isnt enough chips to fold, but then folds anyways.
Because of that hand, I squeak into the money in 4th. Then, I get all in from the BB again against a UtG all in. I put him on a middling pair, so my 9To is a race. Plus, the BB was 30% of my stack, so I feel this is an easy call. He has 33 and I feel good about the call. But no cards helped either of us and I was out.
I dont feel my concentration was up to par. I was not remembering ranges that players would play, I noticed too late someone attacking my blinds, and twice I let my opponent create the pressure point. I feel lucky to have survived on basic poker 101. "Play tight".
There was some minor controversy when a player who came by before the game and said to blind them off until level 2 (30 minutes), was still not here at level 4 (90 minutes). Reluctantly, and after 2 phone call attempts, we picked up the chips. He walked in 10 minutes later.
When the blinds got big, and we were playing 7 handed and the UtG+1 raised it 3xBB. He is a tight player, and I was confused as to what to do with ATs. I did not want to see a flop out of position to such strength, I did not want to call, and I did not want to raise. After mulling it over, I made a tight fold. Anyone? comments?
You think THAT was bad? listen up.
we are now 6 handed and the same player does this again from the exact same position. (I realize now that he was probably attacking my blinds every other round.) Rich, on my right, thinks for a while and goes all in. I look down at AQo. I read our first raiser as pot committed and Rich with a pair so I had a race... But I did not want AQ vs. two players so I fold. Then, the UtG plyaers surprising folds and I am left with my overly-tight fold to contemplate.
At the final table, I played very carefully. Bracelet is on my right in the SB and all fold to him. He pops me to 3xBB and I fold K9s. Again, very tight. Next round, exact same thing, and I look at KJ. I KNOW he has an Ace, I just can see it. He knows I might call because he raped me last round. Instead of pushing all in, I decide to run a stop N go. I call, and when the flop comes KJx I push all in on the bluff that is now not a bluff. He decides it just isnt enough chips to fold, but then folds anyways.
Because of that hand, I squeak into the money in 4th. Then, I get all in from the BB again against a UtG all in. I put him on a middling pair, so my 9To is a race. Plus, the BB was 30% of my stack, so I feel this is an easy call. He has 33 and I feel good about the call. But no cards helped either of us and I was out.
I dont feel my concentration was up to par. I was not remembering ranges that players would play, I noticed too late someone attacking my blinds, and twice I let my opponent create the pressure point. I feel lucky to have survived on basic poker 101. "Play tight".
Thursday, July 20, 2006
because I have remiss
Because its important work that Huge Junk is doing, I respectfully suggest that you look at the HUGE Lot of Poker related autographed items being auctioned for a charitable cause!
Monday, July 17, 2006
Absinthe revisited
So if you have not read this excellent post on poker strategy (from a blogger who just won a seat into the main event) then go there now
http://www.absinthetics.com/blog/2006/06/15/sixty-minutes/
ok, now let's start from this standpoint. This is an optimal strategy to get to the money, but often often leaves you at average or LESS chips.
A quick recap: (with apologies to Ryan, my notes in parens)
1. Sets are good, but sets on a ragged board are GOLD. (you need to see flops with pocket pairs when at all possible. Call up to a 5xBB raise).
2. Big pairs (AA/KK) well hold up 80% of the time against QQ and JJ. Yet, many players will NOT lay down QQ or JJ pre-flop. TAKE THEIR MONEY. (Just because you have not had a hand in an HOUR, does NOT mean that JJ is better than, well, JJ. TT is RIGHT OUT!)
3. A cheap flop with a suited connector may result in a huge flop for you. Especially if your opponent does not know what a re-draw is. This is pure dumb luck. (Often you will fold in EP and would have hit. C'est la vie. Pick your spots and expect dissapointment. But if you can get in for 1-2x, play a Suited connector from EP and dump it if you need to. Note: if you flop a DRAW, see #6 and #7.)
4. Kickers count more than donkeys will admit. Never play a weak kicker (TJ style). (make notes about players who play A-rag and poor kickers like KT or QT.)
5. If you are a decent player, dont be afraid of seeing cheap flops. Remember the GAP concept (and if someone raises, dont re-raise with middling cards just because Phil Gordon says so on TV. You need to outflop your opponent, you are not looing to make expensive draws!)
6. Don't play pressure poker in early levels. Playing people off of hands is HARD. Doing it early is IMPOSSIBLE. This is a great skill to have that pays off surprising little in online NLHE tournaments.
7. Races should be saved for when you have a below average stack. Say a Q of .5 or less. Take what you get. Feast of Famine. Since its ALL LUCK, save it for last. (But get those chips in PRE-FLOP with AK. Consider a stop-N-Go with a pair. Remember that heads up, he will miss the flop 60% of the time. And he may fold bottom pair to boot.)
So, what if anything, can I contribute to this. Precious little. Expect that I like to see flops from the cutoff with almost any playable hand if I can get in. I am in position to flat call a single better on the flop and then decide what to do on the turn based on my position and how tentaive he has. BUT, before you do this, see #6.
If there are alot of limpers and NO raisers, and you're in the CUTOFF, you can make a big RAISE ((3+N)xBB when N is the additional limpers) and get heads up not only with a player out of position (I assume the button folds here), but with alot of DEAD MONEY from the limpers to boot. This move, stealing from Scott Fishman here, may be the most positive EV move in poker in early levels. You are playing heads up with for a pot that is the size of 3 players.
Oh, and remember this is a tournament. Play a hit flop strong if you are willing to see a river. Unlike a cash game, getting outdrawn can be the end of the world.
And be prepared to fold the best hand.
http://www.absinthetics.com/blog/2006/06/15/sixty-minutes/
ok, now let's start from this standpoint. This is an optimal strategy to get to the money, but often often leaves you at average or LESS chips.
A quick recap: (with apologies to Ryan, my notes in parens)
1. Sets are good, but sets on a ragged board are GOLD. (you need to see flops with pocket pairs when at all possible. Call up to a 5xBB raise).
2. Big pairs (AA/KK) well hold up 80% of the time against QQ and JJ. Yet, many players will NOT lay down QQ or JJ pre-flop. TAKE THEIR MONEY. (Just because you have not had a hand in an HOUR, does NOT mean that JJ is better than, well, JJ. TT is RIGHT OUT!)
3. A cheap flop with a suited connector may result in a huge flop for you. Especially if your opponent does not know what a re-draw is. This is pure dumb luck. (Often you will fold in EP and would have hit. C'est la vie. Pick your spots and expect dissapointment. But if you can get in for 1-2x, play a Suited connector from EP and dump it if you need to. Note: if you flop a DRAW, see #6 and #7.)
4. Kickers count more than donkeys will admit. Never play a weak kicker (TJ style). (make notes about players who play A-rag and poor kickers like KT or QT.)
5. If you are a decent player, dont be afraid of seeing cheap flops. Remember the GAP concept (and if someone raises, dont re-raise with middling cards just because Phil Gordon says so on TV. You need to outflop your opponent, you are not looing to make expensive draws!)
6. Don't play pressure poker in early levels. Playing people off of hands is HARD. Doing it early is IMPOSSIBLE. This is a great skill to have that pays off surprising little in online NLHE tournaments.
7. Races should be saved for when you have a below average stack. Say a Q of .5 or less. Take what you get. Feast of Famine. Since its ALL LUCK, save it for last. (But get those chips in PRE-FLOP with AK. Consider a stop-N-Go with a pair. Remember that heads up, he will miss the flop 60% of the time. And he may fold bottom pair to boot.)
So, what if anything, can I contribute to this. Precious little. Expect that I like to see flops from the cutoff with almost any playable hand if I can get in. I am in position to flat call a single better on the flop and then decide what to do on the turn based on my position and how tentaive he has. BUT, before you do this, see #6.
If there are alot of limpers and NO raisers, and you're in the CUTOFF, you can make a big RAISE ((3+N)xBB when N is the additional limpers) and get heads up not only with a player out of position (I assume the button folds here), but with alot of DEAD MONEY from the limpers to boot. This move, stealing from Scott Fishman here, may be the most positive EV move in poker in early levels. You are playing heads up with for a pot that is the size of 3 players.
Oh, and remember this is a tournament. Play a hit flop strong if you are willing to see a river. Unlike a cash game, getting outdrawn can be the end of the world.
And be prepared to fold the best hand.
Saturday, July 15, 2006
Poker Drinking Game
columbo its the poker drinking game!
Easycure cheers!
* Easycure raises his Pacifico
DrizDrunk I need to refill
columbo win a race=drink, suckout = drink
DrizDrunk I can suckout, but I get sober if I wait for a race
Easycure Driz says something funny, spit out drink
DrizDrunk well you don't have worry about that
columbo oh yeah, min raise = DRINK
DrizDrunk Monks are better comedians then me
columbo double up = DRINK
columbo Double up on a suckout = 2 drinks
Easycure suckout at greater than 3:1 odds = shot of SoCo
DrizDrunk CJ would have to be hospitalized
columbo KK called on his all in by T6 sooooooted. That is an ALL DRINK!
* facty complies
* Easycure too
columbo recap - any caller to an all in who makes the call with 2 suited cards = all drink
Easycure anybody with a Rock avatar that calls an allin preflop without a Top 5 hand = all drink
Easycure cheers!
* Easycure raises his Pacifico
DrizDrunk I need to refill
columbo win a race=drink, suckout = drink
DrizDrunk I can suckout, but I get sober if I wait for a race
Easycure Driz says something funny, spit out drink
DrizDrunk well you don't have worry about that
columbo oh yeah, min raise = DRINK
DrizDrunk Monks are better comedians then me
columbo double up = DRINK
columbo Double up on a suckout = 2 drinks
Easycure suckout at greater than 3:1 odds = shot of SoCo
DrizDrunk CJ would have to be hospitalized
columbo KK called on his all in by T6 sooooooted. That is an ALL DRINK!
* facty complies
* Easycure too
columbo recap - any caller to an all in who makes the call with 2 suited cards = all drink
Easycure anybody with a Rock avatar that calls an allin preflop without a Top 5 hand = all drink
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Home, home again...
Well, I return to you both from surgery and from Vegas where the WPBT was recently held. It was my second WPBT and I was ay table 48:
me, Alan (not gay), Garthmeister (whos accent immigrated with him from Aussieland), Lori from FullTilt, Poker Princess, Cali April, Joe Speaker, Sox Lover, and Grubby. (Later seat 10 would be filled by Amy Calistri.)
It starts simple enough. Alan drops the hammer on Speaker, who folds TT.
It was the best of tables, it was the worst of tables. Everyone of us playing like it was the final table. We saw only 1 showdown in all of level 1 and a total of 3 by the end of level two. As we danced around, other tables busted out players and built stacks. By the 3rd break, we were forced into a position of recklessness. No a single player at the table "controlled" the tables. It sealed all our fates.
The first turn card was myself and Lori. I make a MP raise with KidRock (Cowboys, baby) and she calls on the button. The flop is T46. I bet 200 and she calls. The turn is a 3 and after I bet 500 she RAISES to 2000. This is half our stacks! I go into the tank, but in the end decdie that AT or JJ is just too probable and I move all in. She mucks AT.
The first offical showdown was Sox and I. We basically check down our Q7 vs. Q6 hands on a QJT board. The SECOND straight flush of the day is announced at another table. We just had our first showdown.
In level 3 the antes start. I must admit I was not prepared for this news. We ran out of time to maneuver and had to play even marginal edges. I knocked out Alan when he put me all in. I called (reluctantly) with AT, pleased to see 44. I won the race. Maudie raplaced him on my left.
I won the last hand before the break when Speaker raised from MP and I reraised from LP with KK. He thought a long time that I might have the hammer, but in the end he folded his TT.
So after the break it was hard to tell where we were at. the blinds DOUBLED to 400/800/100 so everyone at our tables had an M of 5 or less, even though we were average stacked (8000). It became a push fest :(
Speaker goes out. Then I do something HIGHLY questionable.
I bluff UTG with the Hammer for 2000 (mistake 1 this late, but it is a WPBT after all). I get raised to 3100 all-in from the button. Because I felt I needed the chips, I FOLD?!??!?! (mistake 2)
I am now in the BB and will have to go with any hand that is reasonable. Its folded around to the Button (grubby) who raises me all in. I folede the hammer so I could take this hand and I am forced to defend with K9o. I know now that Grubby pushed into me WITHOUT noticing I had to call because i was folede around to him and he had the blinds isolated. But with the M and blinds at this point, he could have any two when its folded to the button. Turns out it was KT.
Best Cash game:
Friday night mixed 2-4 Horse at the MGM was great. Is there a better run card room than the MGM? Ask and they spread. (insert good woman joke here)
Broken promises:
The tournament was run ok, but no cash games materialized for quite some time, the staff showed disinterest, and I think Ceasar's blew a golden opportunity to get 115 who write about poker to love them. Still, they fared FAR better than the Excaliber, who's "new" poker room sucks in so many ways I had to invent a new term "Tornadoing the trailerpark". The room is run like a storm, on the whims of whichever way the wind is blowing. And its smaller. And the wheel is not fun anymore. And the rake for the wheel is now noticable. And they take no game requests. And they treated us with total indifference.
I never thought I would say this, but "oh how I long for the IP".
Kudos to everyone who helped set up this event as it is always worth while! Any problems are because we got to have the event in the first place!
Time I laughed out loud:
Speaker pays off Shane for the THRID time (with his entire stack) with his BOTTOM PAIR when Shane had a SET. Speaker looks at Shane afterwards and just starts laughing. That's the way HE rolls.
Prop Bets:
Biggestron won the best prop bet of the weekend as we snuck out to Hoffbrau house for beer and sausage and bet on participants of the Stein Holding Contest. His scientific brain picked out one of the top two finishers and I paid him off.
More Surreal moment:
Iggy almost getting beat up by a fireman in a wheelchair.
Brush with greatness:
Screw the WSOP and the ton of poker celebrities I saw there. I ate dinner with the WPBT winner, F-Train. Words of wisdom for the night revolved mostly around anal-rape jokes (thanks HBO), so I will not post a list of who was at that dinner (StaticKling, Biggestron, Sox Lover, Mrs. Columbo, Dawn Summers, and Zeem). Oops. and we waited an hour for that table to boot.
Lord Admiral:
Great meeting these guys, but I was surprised they played ZERO cash games. What happened guys?
I now know how to play -EV games such as "Let it Ride". Bobby Bracelet's explanation of why he HAD to put the $1 on the sucker longshot payoff bet each hand was "because I am going to get a royal flush". Ah.
Before leaving for the airport, we took a quick trip downtown just to see the old strip. I wonder if one of those hotels would PAY us to stay and have our tournament down there in the winter?! Boring...
Thanks to everyone who let me introduce myself to them for the ump-teenth time.
me, Alan (not gay), Garthmeister (whos accent immigrated with him from Aussieland), Lori from FullTilt, Poker Princess, Cali April, Joe Speaker, Sox Lover, and Grubby. (Later seat 10 would be filled by Amy Calistri.)
It starts simple enough. Alan drops the hammer on Speaker, who folds TT.
It was the best of tables, it was the worst of tables. Everyone of us playing like it was the final table. We saw only 1 showdown in all of level 1 and a total of 3 by the end of level two. As we danced around, other tables busted out players and built stacks. By the 3rd break, we were forced into a position of recklessness. No a single player at the table "controlled" the tables. It sealed all our fates.
The first turn card was myself and Lori. I make a MP raise with KidRock (Cowboys, baby) and she calls on the button. The flop is T46. I bet 200 and she calls. The turn is a 3 and after I bet 500 she RAISES to 2000. This is half our stacks! I go into the tank, but in the end decdie that AT or JJ is just too probable and I move all in. She mucks AT.
The first offical showdown was Sox and I. We basically check down our Q7 vs. Q6 hands on a QJT board. The SECOND straight flush of the day is announced at another table. We just had our first showdown.
In level 3 the antes start. I must admit I was not prepared for this news. We ran out of time to maneuver and had to play even marginal edges. I knocked out Alan when he put me all in. I called (reluctantly) with AT, pleased to see 44. I won the race. Maudie raplaced him on my left.
I won the last hand before the break when Speaker raised from MP and I reraised from LP with KK. He thought a long time that I might have the hammer, but in the end he folded his TT.
So after the break it was hard to tell where we were at. the blinds DOUBLED to 400/800/100 so everyone at our tables had an M of 5 or less, even though we were average stacked (8000). It became a push fest :(
Speaker goes out. Then I do something HIGHLY questionable.
I bluff UTG with the Hammer for 2000 (mistake 1 this late, but it is a WPBT after all). I get raised to 3100 all-in from the button. Because I felt I needed the chips, I FOLD?!??!?! (mistake 2)
I am now in the BB and will have to go with any hand that is reasonable. Its folded around to the Button (grubby) who raises me all in. I folede the hammer so I could take this hand and I am forced to defend with K9o. I know now that Grubby pushed into me WITHOUT noticing I had to call because i was folede around to him and he had the blinds isolated. But with the M and blinds at this point, he could have any two when its folded to the button. Turns out it was KT.
Best Cash game:
Friday night mixed 2-4 Horse at the MGM was great. Is there a better run card room than the MGM? Ask and they spread. (insert good woman joke here)
Broken promises:
The tournament was run ok, but no cash games materialized for quite some time, the staff showed disinterest, and I think Ceasar's blew a golden opportunity to get 115 who write about poker to love them. Still, they fared FAR better than the Excaliber, who's "new" poker room sucks in so many ways I had to invent a new term "Tornadoing the trailerpark". The room is run like a storm, on the whims of whichever way the wind is blowing. And its smaller. And the wheel is not fun anymore. And the rake for the wheel is now noticable. And they take no game requests. And they treated us with total indifference.
I never thought I would say this, but "oh how I long for the IP".
Kudos to everyone who helped set up this event as it is always worth while! Any problems are because we got to have the event in the first place!
Time I laughed out loud:
Speaker pays off Shane for the THRID time (with his entire stack) with his BOTTOM PAIR when Shane had a SET. Speaker looks at Shane afterwards and just starts laughing. That's the way HE rolls.
Prop Bets:
Biggestron won the best prop bet of the weekend as we snuck out to Hoffbrau house for beer and sausage and bet on participants of the Stein Holding Contest. His scientific brain picked out one of the top two finishers and I paid him off.
More Surreal moment:
Iggy almost getting beat up by a fireman in a wheelchair.
Brush with greatness:
Screw the WSOP and the ton of poker celebrities I saw there. I ate dinner with the WPBT winner, F-Train. Words of wisdom for the night revolved mostly around anal-rape jokes (thanks HBO), so I will not post a list of who was at that dinner (StaticKling, Biggestron, Sox Lover, Mrs. Columbo, Dawn Summers, and Zeem). Oops. and we waited an hour for that table to boot.
Lord Admiral:
Great meeting these guys, but I was surprised they played ZERO cash games. What happened guys?
I now know how to play -EV games such as "Let it Ride". Bobby Bracelet's explanation of why he HAD to put the $1 on the sucker longshot payoff bet each hand was "because I am going to get a royal flush". Ah.
Before leaving for the airport, we took a quick trip downtown just to see the old strip. I wonder if one of those hotels would PAY us to stay and have our tournament down there in the winter?! Boring...
Thanks to everyone who let me introduce myself to them for the ump-teenth time.
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
why I am not posting too much lately...
ouch. Wrist surgery has left me numb for a week. Now that I can type, I do so in short spurts for the next two weeks.
Sunday, June 18, 2006
Crying in my beer
The blogger freeroll is over. Or it must be by now. I was unable to bring myself to watch the ending. I was devastated. Nearly 2500 entries and I played damn solid poker. I did not win any races all night because I never had to get in one. I got my money in ahead every time. I missed one pot for 10% of my stack because I called an all-in from a short stack with KJ and lost to his AQ. Other than that, I made one big weak questionable fold.
A player who was tight, raises big and another player gets all-in with him. He flips over JJ and wins to double up. He is suddenly more aggressive. I have AKs in the BB and when I raise it, he comes over the top all-in for ½ my stack. At this point in the tournament, I am DOUBLE average (Q of 2) and have PLENTY of chips and time. I make a very weak fold putting him on a BIG pair. He then starts going hog wild with the all in and about 30 minutes later is taken down by a QQ. He had 72o. Did he use his image to bully me off a potentially huge hand? Maybe, but I think it was a solid decision. Don't eat the peppered beef.
Then I go card dead. Fast forward to 125 left and I am stealing enough to survive. I play 56s in the BB and ESCAPE from the LP player who flopped a nut flush. I am freakin’ Houdini on that hand. But for the first time in the tournament, I am below average.
I may be on the ropes, but it gets worse as I am moved to a monster table that at one point has Absinthe, studio glyphic, Bill Rini, and is brutal. I make my way to 95th and can see a chance to squeak across the line drawn at 54. My Q is low, my M is brutal, but I have yet to make a large mistake in over 2 hours. After folding what was 7 hands in a row with a 2 in them, I get a gift. QQ in LP. Frank goes all in, but only has 1600 chips. Glyphic goes all-in and I have to assume that that since we both have about the same size stack (he was slightly larger) and our M is SO low, that he can do this with Any pair or big Ace. I feel I am good here and make the call to see his beautiful 66. The flop has not 1 but 2 aces, but I don’t care about the 1600 anymore, I need glyphic’s chips (and he needs mine). A 6 on the turn and IGHN and glyphic goes on to cash (I assume). I could not even speak. I walked away from the computer and spent the rest of the evening with the kids.
I thought it would effect me for quite some time, but despite the disappointment. DISSAPOINTMENT!!! !#$&(@#$@#$^ I am ok now. Anyways, despite the disappointment, I played some mean poker baby. And for that I can be proud
or content
or I take some solace. F**K.
Well, I refuse to feel sorry for myself anyways. 94th. Not much of a trophy eh? Biggestron set the tempo days earlier when he said “I am going to chip up early or go home early. I don’t want to bubble a freeroll.” Indeed. That was my goal too. But sometime after that first hand was dealt, I knew I was going to play like it was the freakin’ world series.
Mark my words (please don’t), ONE OF THESE DAYS I AM GOING TO WIN SOMETHING. And not in Moneymaker fashion either (not that there is anything wrong with that). By playing a mean game of poker and getting a break at the end.
I may not post for a few days as I need to get some wrist surgery. (Typing accident. No, really!) But you can rest assured that I am gathering thoughts and I’ll be back. Oh, you can count on that. I’ll be back. CURSE YOU POKER STARSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS...
p.s. I hope glyphic won it.
A player who was tight, raises big and another player gets all-in with him. He flips over JJ and wins to double up. He is suddenly more aggressive. I have AKs in the BB and when I raise it, he comes over the top all-in for ½ my stack. At this point in the tournament, I am DOUBLE average (Q of 2) and have PLENTY of chips and time. I make a very weak fold putting him on a BIG pair. He then starts going hog wild with the all in and about 30 minutes later is taken down by a QQ. He had 72o. Did he use his image to bully me off a potentially huge hand? Maybe, but I think it was a solid decision. Don't eat the peppered beef.
Then I go card dead. Fast forward to 125 left and I am stealing enough to survive. I play 56s in the BB and ESCAPE from the LP player who flopped a nut flush. I am freakin’ Houdini on that hand. But for the first time in the tournament, I am below average.
I may be on the ropes, but it gets worse as I am moved to a monster table that at one point has Absinthe, studio glyphic, Bill Rini, and is brutal. I make my way to 95th and can see a chance to squeak across the line drawn at 54. My Q is low, my M is brutal, but I have yet to make a large mistake in over 2 hours. After folding what was 7 hands in a row with a 2 in them, I get a gift. QQ in LP. Frank goes all in, but only has 1600 chips. Glyphic goes all-in and I have to assume that that since we both have about the same size stack (he was slightly larger) and our M is SO low, that he can do this with Any pair or big Ace. I feel I am good here and make the call to see his beautiful 66. The flop has not 1 but 2 aces, but I don’t care about the 1600 anymore, I need glyphic’s chips (and he needs mine). A 6 on the turn and IGHN and glyphic goes on to cash (I assume). I could not even speak. I walked away from the computer and spent the rest of the evening with the kids.
I thought it would effect me for quite some time, but despite the disappointment. DISSAPOINTMENT!!! !#$&(@#$@#$^ I am ok now. Anyways, despite the disappointment, I played some mean poker baby. And for that I can be proud
or content
or I take some solace. F**K.
Well, I refuse to feel sorry for myself anyways. 94th. Not much of a trophy eh? Biggestron set the tempo days earlier when he said “I am going to chip up early or go home early. I don’t want to bubble a freeroll.” Indeed. That was my goal too. But sometime after that first hand was dealt, I knew I was going to play like it was the freakin’ world series.
Mark my words (please don’t), ONE OF THESE DAYS I AM GOING TO WIN SOMETHING. And not in Moneymaker fashion either (not that there is anything wrong with that). By playing a mean game of poker and getting a break at the end.
I may not post for a few days as I need to get some wrist surgery. (Typing accident. No, really!) But you can rest assured that I am gathering thoughts and I’ll be back. Oh, you can count on that. I’ll be back. CURSE YOU POKER STARSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS...
p.s. I hope glyphic won it.
Saturday, June 17, 2006
Once again on the precipice
So, I played a 3 table MTT last night with an interesting twist. Up to ONE reuby in levels 1 and 2, then an add-on after level 2.
As usual, based on the fact that the add-on was the full 10k in chips at half the price, the mathematically correct thing to do (usually) is play very tight, finish even a bit above 10k and take the 10k add-on. Survival. In this case, however, you would also like to double up once or twice at no risk if you can.
I flopped 2 pair twice and took down small pots. I flopped sets twice and played them strong, only to chase away action. It may have been overkill, but I had decide to play strong on any flop I hit.
Let's review the rules:
1. Don’t eat the peppered beef (no calling all-ins in early levels)
2. Table tight, play loose. Table loose play tight. This table was loose pre-flop , tight post flop. So, I was tight pre-flop and looser post flop.
3. Don't plays drawing hands our of position.
4. When in doubt, tight
5. If you are FTA (first to act), raise or fold. I broke this rule about 4 times, and had to fold pre-flop about 4 times. like getting your hand slapped.
6. Its ok to fold to a raise. I got away from a big one this way. and was correct.
7. Don’t get caught with crumbs. (Don’t get caught with nothing but a draw)
8. watch stacks
9. watch patterns
10 find pressure points
11. big pots are for big hands
12. Gauge bets to drive out other hands or take advantage of worse hands.
13. Never stab at the dark (aka no dark tunnel bets)
14. Don't underbet a hit flop.
This is, for me, mechanically correct poker. And its how I played last night. And its how I bubbled.
I think the BIG difference from playing mechanically correct and playing creatively is not playing 85o pre-flop. Its letting a lesser hand see a turn card. Sometimes even a river card at the right price (for them). I NEVER did this. In fact I took very few chances at all. Each time I flopped a big hand, I hope someone had caught SOMETHING. ANYTHING. But each time, I was alone with my big hand, unwilling to give anyone any rope.
I played correct, but uninspired poker.
I did, however, get to witness first hand a "pressure player" that operated under the doubleas (see link) formula. I have a much better grasp of this now. "It's about relative stack sizes, not pot sizes", he told me. I think its starting to sink in.
I also got to congratulate Motown's own "ballgame" who final tabled the stars big event last week for $50k. Wow.
I remember something from my stand up days. The more thoroughly you have memorized your act, the more freedom you have to deviate from the path. Because you always can get back to your act at any time smoothly. Poker is the same way. Now that I have the base set of my rules established, I can begin to play more creatively.
Biggest change I wish to make: I wish to SLOW DOWN and think after a flop and decide “what is the best amount to bet here” instead of applying a formula or 1/3, ½ or pot.
As usual, based on the fact that the add-on was the full 10k in chips at half the price, the mathematically correct thing to do (usually) is play very tight, finish even a bit above 10k and take the 10k add-on. Survival. In this case, however, you would also like to double up once or twice at no risk if you can.
I flopped 2 pair twice and took down small pots. I flopped sets twice and played them strong, only to chase away action. It may have been overkill, but I had decide to play strong on any flop I hit.
Let's review the rules:
1. Don’t eat the peppered beef (no calling all-ins in early levels)
2. Table tight, play loose. Table loose play tight. This table was loose pre-flop , tight post flop. So, I was tight pre-flop and looser post flop.
3. Don't plays drawing hands our of position.
4. When in doubt, tight
5. If you are FTA (first to act), raise or fold. I broke this rule about 4 times, and had to fold pre-flop about 4 times. like getting your hand slapped.
6. Its ok to fold to a raise. I got away from a big one this way. and was correct.
7. Don’t get caught with crumbs. (Don’t get caught with nothing but a draw)
8. watch stacks
9. watch patterns
10 find pressure points
11. big pots are for big hands
12. Gauge bets to drive out other hands or take advantage of worse hands.
13. Never stab at the dark (aka no dark tunnel bets)
14. Don't underbet a hit flop.
This is, for me, mechanically correct poker. And its how I played last night. And its how I bubbled.
I think the BIG difference from playing mechanically correct and playing creatively is not playing 85o pre-flop. Its letting a lesser hand see a turn card. Sometimes even a river card at the right price (for them). I NEVER did this. In fact I took very few chances at all. Each time I flopped a big hand, I hope someone had caught SOMETHING. ANYTHING. But each time, I was alone with my big hand, unwilling to give anyone any rope.
I played correct, but uninspired poker.
I did, however, get to witness first hand a "pressure player" that operated under the doubleas (see link) formula. I have a much better grasp of this now. "It's about relative stack sizes, not pot sizes", he told me. I think its starting to sink in.
I also got to congratulate Motown's own "ballgame" who final tabled the stars big event last week for $50k. Wow.
I remember something from my stand up days. The more thoroughly you have memorized your act, the more freedom you have to deviate from the path. Because you always can get back to your act at any time smoothly. Poker is the same way. Now that I have the base set of my rules established, I can begin to play more creatively.
Biggest change I wish to make: I wish to SLOW DOWN and think after a flop and decide “what is the best amount to bet here” instead of applying a formula or 1/3, ½ or pot.
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
NL tournament Strategy from 1995 vs. 2006
To recap strategy from a DECADE ago:
Rule 1: Play only very good starting hands. (group 1 from EP, group 1-2 from other positions)
Rule 2: If you are the first one in, enter with a raise. (in early levels, raise preflop 5%-10% instead of 3xBB and post-flop make the raise % of stack instead of % of pot)
Rule 3: If there are other callers in before you, raise if you have a large pocket pair, otherwise call. (and by large pocket pair, the rules was QQ or better. Or if you’re TJ, KK or better. You did not CALL and all-in pre-flop with JJ).
Rule 4: Use caution in responding to a raise.
Rule 5: When you hit a flop you like, bet big and raise big. (you need to accumulate chips and because you are playing fewer hands, you need the hands you play to pay off)
Rule 6: When you hit a good draw, bluff if the conditions are right. Call only if the one-card draw odds are correct. (i.e. semi-bluff on the FLOP not the turn and give it up if the turn is a blank and the new odds are against you.)
Rule 7: Late in the tournament, fight for the blinds with big cards.
Rule 8: Treat your last few chips as though they were precious, because they are. (Note that using the modern day comparison, we are talking an M<2 or a Q of .1)
What is different a decade later?
Rule 1: Playing tight is a great way to go, but the fields are SO large now that waiting for group 1 hands creates a “slippery slope of Q”. Meaning that you win just enough hands to “chase average”. If your Q is always below 1, its going to be harder to get to the money in a large field of over 500. Something unheard of in 1995.
Adjustment: Play speculative hands from LP in the hopes of hitting a big hand or a big draw. You will need to push marginal advantages if you wish to accumulate chips against 1000+ players. You also need to get away from these hands quickly when you are up against tight players.
Rule 2: Players today are less likely to play for a big raise pre-flop in level 1 to win 3xBB chips. If the starting stack is 1500 and the blinds are 10/20 and you make it 75-150 to go, you may get no action at a tight table. (Interesting point though is that you would quickly find out just who is loose and who is tight.) If you flop MP or better, you are now going to follow up with not 200 (2/3 pot sized bet if you have 1 caller), but more like 400 (which is 30% of the remaining stack size). That is big pressure to try to apply at level 1. Many times this works out of the gate and you can get some chips. And many other times VERY LOOSE players call you and draw on you.
Adjustment: You must mentally tag which players will lay down hands and which will NOT and play your hand accordingly. Of course, if you correctly tag a loose player and flop TP and he calls you down while making 2 pair on the turn, you are going broke, but so be it.
Rule 3: Not much change here. Don’t play baby pairs up front, call from late.
Adjustment: I think we add suited connectors in late position, especially if they contain a 9 or a Ten.
Rule 4: This is still true in 1-2 or 2-5 NLHE live cash games in Vegas.
Adjustment: Not everyone is a fish. Despite the LOADS of bad play out there, I think you need to respect this rule. What was one of Steve Dannenmann’s rules? “It is only a small mistake to fold to a raise”.
Rule 5: The classic tight aggressive. Play few hands and when you hit make others calls as a dog. Too bad too many players are now “loose pre-flop, tight post flop”. This means that it’s less common to isolate to one opponent pre-flop.
Adjustment: Playing the speculative hands from late position adjusts for some of this in terms of expected EV, but you also must be able to figure out if you are behind vs. someone who just “feels” pot committed. Pros do this very well. You must do it well too.
Rule 6: As the tournament progresses, this gets more and more applicable. But I rarely bluff at all in the first half of a tournament. If it’s a 180, I wait until 90 or so are gone. At that point, the remaining players feel vested in the tournament and stop throwing chips around like water.
Rule 7: Late in the tournament, fight for the blinds with big cards. As good today as it was then. BUT, in today’s large fields, there are always loose players who accumulate large chips stacks by playing lots of hands and getting luckier than the other loose players playing lots of hands. When you run into that stack in the late stage, you need to up your base steal hand requirements from any 2 to something viable. That way, when he makes a big re-reaise with broadway, you can crush him.
Rule 8: I think the modern day equivalent of this is to understand your M and Q in relation to the field size. If your Q<.5 (even doubling up wont get you to average), you need to think about pushing very marginal edges. You can’t fold your way to the money in these large fields, nor can you double up just to live for another hour. That hour still won’t get you to the Promised Land.
Rule 1: Play only very good starting hands. (group 1 from EP, group 1-2 from other positions)
Rule 2: If you are the first one in, enter with a raise. (in early levels, raise preflop 5%-10% instead of 3xBB and post-flop make the raise % of stack instead of % of pot)
Rule 3: If there are other callers in before you, raise if you have a large pocket pair, otherwise call. (and by large pocket pair, the rules was QQ or better. Or if you’re TJ, KK or better. You did not CALL and all-in pre-flop with JJ).
Rule 4: Use caution in responding to a raise.
Rule 5: When you hit a flop you like, bet big and raise big. (you need to accumulate chips and because you are playing fewer hands, you need the hands you play to pay off)
Rule 6: When you hit a good draw, bluff if the conditions are right. Call only if the one-card draw odds are correct. (i.e. semi-bluff on the FLOP not the turn and give it up if the turn is a blank and the new odds are against you.)
Rule 7: Late in the tournament, fight for the blinds with big cards.
Rule 8: Treat your last few chips as though they were precious, because they are. (Note that using the modern day comparison, we are talking an M<2 or a Q of .1)
What is different a decade later?
Rule 1: Playing tight is a great way to go, but the fields are SO large now that waiting for group 1 hands creates a “slippery slope of Q”. Meaning that you win just enough hands to “chase average”. If your Q is always below 1, its going to be harder to get to the money in a large field of over 500. Something unheard of in 1995.
Adjustment: Play speculative hands from LP in the hopes of hitting a big hand or a big draw. You will need to push marginal advantages if you wish to accumulate chips against 1000+ players. You also need to get away from these hands quickly when you are up against tight players.
Rule 2: Players today are less likely to play for a big raise pre-flop in level 1 to win 3xBB chips. If the starting stack is 1500 and the blinds are 10/20 and you make it 75-150 to go, you may get no action at a tight table. (Interesting point though is that you would quickly find out just who is loose and who is tight.) If you flop MP or better, you are now going to follow up with not 200 (2/3 pot sized bet if you have 1 caller), but more like 400 (which is 30% of the remaining stack size). That is big pressure to try to apply at level 1. Many times this works out of the gate and you can get some chips. And many other times VERY LOOSE players call you and draw on you.
Adjustment: You must mentally tag which players will lay down hands and which will NOT and play your hand accordingly. Of course, if you correctly tag a loose player and flop TP and he calls you down while making 2 pair on the turn, you are going broke, but so be it.
Rule 3: Not much change here. Don’t play baby pairs up front, call from late.
Adjustment: I think we add suited connectors in late position, especially if they contain a 9 or a Ten.
Rule 4: This is still true in 1-2 or 2-5 NLHE live cash games in Vegas.
Adjustment: Not everyone is a fish. Despite the LOADS of bad play out there, I think you need to respect this rule. What was one of Steve Dannenmann’s rules? “It is only a small mistake to fold to a raise”.
Rule 5: The classic tight aggressive. Play few hands and when you hit make others calls as a dog. Too bad too many players are now “loose pre-flop, tight post flop”. This means that it’s less common to isolate to one opponent pre-flop.
Adjustment: Playing the speculative hands from late position adjusts for some of this in terms of expected EV, but you also must be able to figure out if you are behind vs. someone who just “feels” pot committed. Pros do this very well. You must do it well too.
Rule 6: As the tournament progresses, this gets more and more applicable. But I rarely bluff at all in the first half of a tournament. If it’s a 180, I wait until 90 or so are gone. At that point, the remaining players feel vested in the tournament and stop throwing chips around like water.
Rule 7: Late in the tournament, fight for the blinds with big cards. As good today as it was then. BUT, in today’s large fields, there are always loose players who accumulate large chips stacks by playing lots of hands and getting luckier than the other loose players playing lots of hands. When you run into that stack in the late stage, you need to up your base steal hand requirements from any 2 to something viable. That way, when he makes a big re-reaise with broadway, you can crush him.
Rule 8: I think the modern day equivalent of this is to understand your M and Q in relation to the field size. If your Q<.5 (even doubling up wont get you to average), you need to think about pushing very marginal edges. You can’t fold your way to the money in these large fields, nor can you double up just to live for another hour. That hour still won’t get you to the Promised Land.
Monday, June 12, 2006
shame and redemption
Full Tilt does not have IP subnet blocking, so Mrs. Columbo challenged me to join her in a HORSE SnG. I said sure, figuring I could half pay attention and still do ok. As I watched net copies of SNL Celebrity Jeopardy, I bubbled twice. Lame of me to play without being fully engaged. So, last night I signed up for a FT HORSE SNG and fully engaged myself. I finished 2nd. Better.
I am concentrating on two events right now:
the $4-180 (20 table) MTT at Stars (when I have 3 hours)
[ROI since starting last week: 550%, 1cash/3)
and the FT HORSE $5 SNG. (when I dont have 3 hours)
[ROI since starting last week: -20% 1cash/3)
I am hoping for some P-HORSE at the WPBT, so I have been playing play money Pineapple at paradise poker for practice. I(s the P in P-HORSE high-low P or just high?)
My stud 8OB is better than my 7 card stud, but I took a sick beat when my 76543 failed to take EITHER the high (someone made a flush) NOR the low (lost to, get this, 76542). I refused to play that holding weak. Still, I finished 2nd overall and the winner of the SnG was the 76542 guy. Weird.
My WPBT strategy plan so far: Dont play any hands with the luckbox or STB.
I am concentrating on two events right now:
the $4-180 (20 table) MTT at Stars (when I have 3 hours)
[ROI since starting last week: 550%, 1cash/3)
and the FT HORSE $5 SNG. (when I dont have 3 hours)
[ROI since starting last week: -20% 1cash/3)
I am hoping for some P-HORSE at the WPBT, so I have been playing play money Pineapple at paradise poker for practice. I(s the P in P-HORSE high-low P or just high?)
My stud 8OB is better than my 7 card stud, but I took a sick beat when my 76543 failed to take EITHER the high (someone made a flush) NOR the low (lost to, get this, 76542). I refused to play that holding weak. Still, I finished 2nd overall and the winner of the SnG was the 76542 guy. Weird.
My WPBT strategy plan so far: Dont play any hands with the luckbox or STB.
Sunday, June 11, 2006
How does one donk off $30 bucks with the guys?
Ed's birthday was yesterday and we needed a fun activity that included cigars, gambling, yelling and about $30. So what do you think we played for 5 hours?!
It was quite a treat to come across something of that nature. It was like the first time you played poker. So fun, but you have no idea what you are doing. SO much fun!
It was quite a treat to come across something of that nature. It was like the first time you played poker. So fun, but you have no idea what you are doing. SO much fun!
Thursday, June 08, 2006
catching up
had to leave on business RIGHT AFTER the HORSE game. How does one lose at limit at LEVEL 1 - during the H?!
1. run into the luckbox(tm) on hand #1 (I'm talking about you CJ!)
2. Next hand, run TP into an overpair.
3. Next hand, have your aces cracked.
That's right, I lost $1250 of my $1500 in the "H" in level 1. I suck.
Ok, now for something I did WELL. A great decision...
the 180 $4.00+$0.40 Hold'em No Limit - Level IV (50/100)
JSFARM: posts big blind 100
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Columbo777 [Kc Kd]
mgpferreira: folds
rod-macedo: calls 100
gill36: calls 100
blauman32: folds
Columbo777: raises 300 to 400
Dominator197: folds
FLYBOYS: folds
hotpoppa: folds
JSFARM: calls 300
rod-macedo: folds
gill36: calls 300
*** FLOP *** [Td Jd 3h]
JSFARM: bets 500
gill36: folds
Columbo777: raises 500 to 1000
JSFARM: calls 500 <=drawing?!
*** TURN *** [Td Jd 3h] [9c] <=oh no!
JSFARM: bets 1685 and is all-in
[columbo goes into the tank!]
Columbo777: calls 1685
*** RIVER *** [Td Jd 3h 9c] [5c]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
JSFARM: shows [Qc Ad] (broken draw)
Columbo777: shows [Kc Kd] (a pair of Kings)
I was hard to put him on KQ when I had two of them. It was also impossible to put him on 78. No, I figured him for QJ and a bluff... well, eventually I did.
And the side effect of making a good decision? momentum!
Buy-In: $4.00/$0.40 180 players
Dear Columbo777,
You finished the tournament in 3rd place.
You earned 126.13 tournament leader points in this tournament.
1. run into the luckbox(tm) on hand #1 (I'm talking about you CJ!)
2. Next hand, run TP into an overpair.
3. Next hand, have your aces cracked.
That's right, I lost $1250 of my $1500 in the "H" in level 1. I suck.
Ok, now for something I did WELL. A great decision...
the 180 $4.00+$0.40 Hold'em No Limit - Level IV (50/100)
JSFARM: posts big blind 100
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Columbo777 [Kc Kd]
mgpferreira: folds
rod-macedo: calls 100
gill36: calls 100
blauman32: folds
Columbo777: raises 300 to 400
Dominator197: folds
FLYBOYS: folds
hotpoppa: folds
JSFARM: calls 300
rod-macedo: folds
gill36: calls 300
*** FLOP *** [Td Jd 3h]
JSFARM: bets 500
gill36: folds
Columbo777: raises 500 to 1000
JSFARM: calls 500 <=drawing?!
*** TURN *** [Td Jd 3h] [9c] <=oh no!
JSFARM: bets 1685 and is all-in
[columbo goes into the tank!]
Columbo777: calls 1685
*** RIVER *** [Td Jd 3h 9c] [5c]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
JSFARM: shows [Qc Ad] (broken draw)
Columbo777: shows [Kc Kd] (a pair of Kings)
I was hard to put him on KQ when I had two of them. It was also impossible to put him on 78. No, I figured him for QJ and a bluff... well, eventually I did.
And the side effect of making a good decision? momentum!
Buy-In: $4.00/$0.40 180 players
Dear Columbo777,
You finished the tournament in 3rd place.
You earned 126.13 tournament leader points in this tournament.
Sunday, June 04, 2006
home game movie moment
Gets down to what it's all about, doesn't it? Making the wrong move at the right time. And I did. I became more bold in the second half as the blinds escalated and my chip stack did not. Each time I made a move with my entire stack I either got the fold I wanted (like TT vs KQ) or won the showdown. Now we are 5 handed, just before merging to the final table and I have A9d. The MP (a good player) min raises. fold to me and I think for a minute. I decide to call from the SB. The BB folds. The flop is A89. I check knowing that no one is going to credit me with an Ace here so I play it cool. The MP bets 1/2 pot. I come over the top. He quickly calls with his set of Aces, thinking I must have a straight draw. IGHN.
I noted that I took too many stabs at pots in levels 3-6 where I left myself exposed THREE times to a check -raise or a bet over the top. My one attempt to play a pot away from someone was aborted. The players were agressive post flop, almost to a fault, and I adjust to play with the grain instead of against it. BAD, but fixable.
I noted that I took too many stabs at pots in levels 3-6 where I left myself exposed THREE times to a check -raise or a bet over the top. My one attempt to play a pot away from someone was aborted. The players were agressive post flop, almost to a fault, and I adjust to play with the grain instead of against it. BAD, but fixable.
Friday, June 02, 2006
Thursday, June 01, 2006
a tale of 2 evenings
It's night number two for the 180 SnG at stars. Last night, I finished a dissapointing 24th, tonight a dissapointing 30th. But in baseball terms:
2 runs
2 mistakes
0 major errors
Which was not good enough to win.
Run #1 was when I called a raise pre-flop with Q9s. I was 4 flushing on the flop and I make a 1/2 pot bet in the hopes of disguising the draw. He comes over the top for twice that. Can you see where he made a mistake? He gave me odd to call that. (the raise was not big enough). BUT, we BOTH know that I am on the draw now. So when the turn is a non-flush card, I can attempt to continue the charade or check. I have a feeling that either way my money is going in and so is his. I check hoping he will make a mistake somehow and not put me all in. But in reality, his RAISE on the flop made the pot big enough that his all in on the river (or more to the point, putting ME all in) have given me 4-1 odds AND folding leaves me with a Q of .3 I CAN NOT see how he expects me to fold. The river is the flush card and I hit the break back at average.
I am about average after losing with AK and winning with AA. But after that, I tried only THREE "moves", they all failed. The last one is an old story. Folded around to you in the SB and you have KJ so you raise your shortish stack all-in and the BB calls with AK. "That's the third time this week"
So, I continue to soldier on. I did make a nice pot steal with middle pair once. And I did not make any MAJOR stupid moves. But I did make a dark tunnel bet with AK and I did overplay a hand. I had alot of BLOw hands (big-little offsuit) to contend with.
In the end, I was not aggressive enough to chip up where I needed to be at the bubble. I know to gear up at that point, but the chip leader was on my left and that really hinders your ability to steal. No excuses, but it was a tough challenge. I need to continue this crusade.
2 runs
2 mistakes
0 major errors
Which was not good enough to win.
Run #1 was when I called a raise pre-flop with Q9s. I was 4 flushing on the flop and I make a 1/2 pot bet in the hopes of disguising the draw. He comes over the top for twice that. Can you see where he made a mistake? He gave me odd to call that. (the raise was not big enough). BUT, we BOTH know that I am on the draw now. So when the turn is a non-flush card, I can attempt to continue the charade or check. I have a feeling that either way my money is going in and so is his. I check hoping he will make a mistake somehow and not put me all in. But in reality, his RAISE on the flop made the pot big enough that his all in on the river (or more to the point, putting ME all in) have given me 4-1 odds AND folding leaves me with a Q of .3 I CAN NOT see how he expects me to fold. The river is the flush card and I hit the break back at average.
I am about average after losing with AK and winning with AA. But after that, I tried only THREE "moves", they all failed. The last one is an old story. Folded around to you in the SB and you have KJ so you raise your shortish stack all-in and the BB calls with AK. "That's the third time this week"
So, I continue to soldier on. I did make a nice pot steal with middle pair once. And I did not make any MAJOR stupid moves. But I did make a dark tunnel bet with AK and I did overplay a hand. I had alot of BLOw hands (big-little offsuit) to contend with.
In the end, I was not aggressive enough to chip up where I needed to be at the bubble. I know to gear up at that point, but the chip leader was on my left and that really hinders your ability to steal. No excuses, but it was a tough challenge. I need to continue this crusade.
wot's, uh, the deal?
PS is running the 20 tables (180 players) $4s again! To me, this the BEST talent test for the money.
Last nights adventure was definetely a wake up call for me.
In level 1, I make a bad play. I made a push in level 1 (already a bad idea), but then checked the turn and so did the opponent. Had I put in a good bet there, he would have folded what turned out to be a 4 outer. He hit it on the river. And he bet. AND I called it. IF I WAS GOING TO CALL A RIVER BET, THEN I SHOULD HAVE MADE A TURN BET INSTEAD. Not only am I down half my chips, I did this in level 1 where you start in a position where you need to ACCUMULATE chips.
5 minutes later I double up back to the starting stack size. But I COULD have been chipped up. Instead I am "chasing average" (what I call it when Q<1) all the way to the break. At the break, the average is like 4000 and I have like 1800. I figure its a few more hands and I am out. BUT, I am making GOOD decisions now and about 90 players have eliminated themselves.
There are now 60 players left and I am 27th in chips.
There are now 50 players left and I am SEVENTH in chips!
There are now 40 players left and I am 5th in chips!
With 24 or so players left (18 pay), I am in the top 10. And then I bubbled. How did it happen? Was it bad luck? Was it suckouts? HARDLY. I played BAD.
How does one play so good and then SELF DISTRUCT?! Let me tell you!
Let's skip the hand analysis and skip to the BASIC breakdowns that directly contributed to my downfall. Since I was a big stack, I should AVOID confrontation with the ONLY OTHER BIG STACK at my table! Worse yet, HE was in position! When that flop came and I bet out and he called. I got suspicious. Why, because I watched him numerous times call on the flop and raise on the turn to steal a pot. And yet, I made the flop bet with a weak holding, which he called. Then I made a STRONG turn bet which he came over the top of. I had to fold. POOR PLAY.
Then I COMPOUNDED my mistake by trying the same trick he used on me on another player. He also took my chips. And suddenly, I was in RED (M=5) territory again. TERRIBLE PLAY. It pains me to see that after years of this, I can still be such a train wreck.
I need to train. I am back at the 180s until I can produce results.
Last nights adventure was definetely a wake up call for me.
In level 1, I make a bad play. I made a push in level 1 (already a bad idea), but then checked the turn and so did the opponent. Had I put in a good bet there, he would have folded what turned out to be a 4 outer. He hit it on the river. And he bet. AND I called it. IF I WAS GOING TO CALL A RIVER BET, THEN I SHOULD HAVE MADE A TURN BET INSTEAD. Not only am I down half my chips, I did this in level 1 where you start in a position where you need to ACCUMULATE chips.
5 minutes later I double up back to the starting stack size. But I COULD have been chipped up. Instead I am "chasing average" (what I call it when Q<1) all the way to the break. At the break, the average is like 4000 and I have like 1800. I figure its a few more hands and I am out. BUT, I am making GOOD decisions now and about 90 players have eliminated themselves.
There are now 60 players left and I am 27th in chips.
There are now 50 players left and I am SEVENTH in chips!
There are now 40 players left and I am 5th in chips!
With 24 or so players left (18 pay), I am in the top 10. And then I bubbled. How did it happen? Was it bad luck? Was it suckouts? HARDLY. I played BAD.
How does one play so good and then SELF DISTRUCT?! Let me tell you!
Let's skip the hand analysis and skip to the BASIC breakdowns that directly contributed to my downfall. Since I was a big stack, I should AVOID confrontation with the ONLY OTHER BIG STACK at my table! Worse yet, HE was in position! When that flop came and I bet out and he called. I got suspicious. Why, because I watched him numerous times call on the flop and raise on the turn to steal a pot. And yet, I made the flop bet with a weak holding, which he called. Then I made a STRONG turn bet which he came over the top of. I had to fold. POOR PLAY.
Then I COMPOUNDED my mistake by trying the same trick he used on me on another player. He also took my chips. And suddenly, I was in RED (M=5) territory again. TERRIBLE PLAY. It pains me to see that after years of this, I can still be such a train wreck.
I need to train. I am back at the 180s until I can produce results.
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