Talking Zoom and Boot Camp with oblioo
We interview our No Limit coach 'oblioo' ahead of next month's Boot Camp for Platinum players.
"Most players don't 3-bet or defend their blinds enough"
PokerStrategy.com: You are about to coach in our Boot Camp next month, what did you think of the format?
oblioo: I think that part of being a poker player is deciding what to learn, but not everyone is going to know this. Maybe there is a concept that they otherwise wouldn't think about that they would be introduced to at a Boot Camp, so in that way it's effective.
PokerStrategy.com: What are the most common leaks you find in your students?
oblioo: There are pretty common preflop leaks: they simply don't 3-bet enough from all positions; they also don't defend their blinds enough to min raises. Getting familiar with 3-betting and cold calling ranges preflop is what they should be doing.
PokerStrategy.com: How important is independent learning, rather than from coaches and videos?
oblioo: Personally the vast majority of my poker learning is on my own, learning from myself. I don't play a ton of tables so I try and think deeply in every spot as it comes up. There are similar spots in poker but really every situation is different, so practicing a sound thought process is important. Trying to be as logical as you can and understanding what your opponents are thinking.
PokerStrategy.com: In your videos you really break a poker decision into its component parts. Is this the best way to learn?
oblioo: I think it's very important. One of the reasons I do videos like that is because I have found it to be very effective as far as private coaching goes. Let's say I find someone has a leak on the turn in 3-bet pots; that's a pretty specific situation and potentially a big leak if you are making mistakes there.
The best way to improve in that situation is not just to tell them they have a leak and what to do. What is more effective is filtering out for hands in that situation and hammering the point home and really emphasising a proper sound thought process.
PokerStrategy.com: Is it important to keep repeating the same lesson over and over, rather than expecting people to pick up on it right away?
oblioo: Yeah, that's definitely true. I've been doing a bit of reading recently on memory. The way people remember things most effectively is by visualising them. If you spend five to ten minutes discussing one hand, it will help your brain recall that concept more effectively when you are playing.
"Zoom is about making the best exploitative plays in a vacuum"
| About Boot Camp |
 Our December Boot Camp starts on Sunday.
Throughout the two weeks, we will be releasing a minimum of seven new videos for our Platinum+ members. The cornerstone of Boot Camp is a series of coaching sessions from our top coaches including Our Boot Camp sub-forum will be available to all Platinum members and higher. Members are encouraged to either continue their blogs from the last Boot Camp or start a new blog, though it isn't mandatory. Our coaching team will be active in the forums throughout the two weeks. |
PokerStrategy.com: You play a lot of Zoom. Is the key to fast-fold about making the best decision in a vacuum, rather than adjusting and leveling?
oblioo: Even more than making the best decision in a vacuum, it also applies to exploitative play. For example if someone is folding the big blind 60% of the time, if you are sitting at a regular table you might not want to open 100% of the time because the dynamics play into it, people will notice and start playing back at you.
At a speed variant you should open 100% of the time because that player doesn't have you on their right every orbit. It is more about making the best decision in a vacuum, perhaps especially for exploitative plays.
PokerStrategy.com: Does metagame still exist between the regs at Zoom?
oblioo: There is leveling at the higher stakes, like $1/$2 Zoom or $2.50/$5 Zoom. The player pool isn't that big and there are only so many regulars. Often you get very deep with the regulars and metagame has a big effect when playing deep. Most midstakes regulars are not that good at playing deep, so it is still an adjusting game.
PokerStrategy.com: Why do you play Zoom? Is it softer or is it because of the format?
oblioo: I don't think it's softer. I tend to prefer it because you don't have to worry about table selection, which is not a good answer, I tend to be lazy in that situation. I also like it because I can play fewer tables but get in the same volume. Because I am playing fewer tables, I'm able to focus more on every decision. Even though the games are probably harder, my hourly is probably higher at a fast-fold game.
PokerStrategy.com: Thanks Oblioo, we look forward to seeing you at Boot Camp.
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