GTO vs Exploit? You need both
Bencb wants to put a stop to this long running debate once and for all with a gameplan on how to approach poker study.
It’s been a tried and true point of debate in the poker community for years now. Is it better to focus on understanding Game Theory Optimal play, or to focus on exploiting your opponent’s mistakes?
In today's games, this is like asking whether it’s more important for a house to have a foundation or a roof.
You need both. GTO is the basis of a high level poker strategy. Studying how solvers play teaches you how to play poker at its foundational level. You learn how to neutralize your opponent’s EV so that they don’t stand a chance of making money, while focusing on making your default gameplan unexploitable.
Can't I just learn GTO?
You will make money with a GTO “balanced” strategy at any poker table if you apply the principles correctly, but you won’t make as much money as you could if you also learn how to exploit your opponent’s mistakes. The first flaw with playing a strictly GTO strategy, is the solver’s calculations assume that its opponent is also playing perfectly. This will never be true in real scenarios, we’re all people after all.
So, it’s equally important to focus on developing an exploitative strategy. You have to learn how to spot different player types, exploit their leaks, and recognize their weaknesses and deviations. You take what you learn from the theoretical foundation of GTO poker, and work it into an exploitative game plan based on recognition of your opponent’s deviations from that GTO strategy.
For instance, if your opponents are calling down way more often than GTO suggests, you should make an exploitative adjustment to bet big for value, and shut down with bluffs.
How should I study?
As a general rule, 30%-50% of your study off the table should be developing the GTO foundation you need to understand the theory of poker. The other 50%-70% of your study should be spent learning about exploitative play, common exploits to make in different fields, and adjusting your ranges based on your opponent’s tendencies.
A high level player in today’s games will typically have a deep understanding of both poker theory and exploitative play. Stop arguing about whether it’s more important to study theory or exploits, and start building a solid understanding of both.
Ben's Tip: As a general rule, 30%-50% of your study off the table should be developing the GTO foundation you need to understand the theory of poker. The other 50%-70% of your study should be spent learning about exploitative play, common exploits to make in different fields, and adjusting your ranges based on your opponent’s tendencies.
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After an exemplary rise to the top of the poker world, starting out on low-stakes SNGs and grinding his way all the way to the top of six-figure buy-in tournaments, Benjamin 'bencb' Rolle launched his own poker training site Raise Your Edge, delivering world-class poker courses that can help anyone to get their own game to new heights.
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Pairrd App by Raise Your Edge
While checking out the most popular courses on our dedicated Raise Your Edge page, you should also have a look at their unique interactive studying tool Pairrd that is coming with engaging video quizzes, range drilling and hand review quizzes, all based on the most up to date GTO ranges out there.
An essential part when learning poker is the ability to think in ranges and understand the why behind them. Raise Your Edge does a great job of getting that across to their students, meticulously breaking down ranges and explaining the reasoning behind them.
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PokerStrategy.com editor Barry Carter has reviewed Pairrd and concluded about the merits of the innovative app:
"Pairrd is a unique interactive studying tool that provides something relatively new to the world of poker training, a way to practice spots without having to play them at the tables. It is essentially a dynamic way to make real poker decisions without risking money. Since most of us learn from experience, it's a natural way to memorise the theory from Raise Your Edge."
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You can get started with Pairrd from just $50 per month or save $100 with an annual plan for $497. What's more, if you join via PokerStrategy.com, you will get a discount of 10% when purchasing Pairrd. Just use our link below and the discount is automatically applied during checkout:
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Key Features of Pairrd by Raise Your Edge
- Interactive Weekly Quizzes: Comprehensive library of interactive training spots covering preflop, postflop, GTO and Exploitative. Train in-game scenarios so they become second nature at the tables!
- GTO Preflop Ranges: Preflop tournament ranges included that will immediately step up your game. Accompanied with built-in practice functions, Pairrd will make you a force to be reckoned with.
- Exclusive Video Content: To ensure you fully understand the concepts being trained, quick and easy to digest video explanations are included in the interactive quizzes.
- Study With Friends: Practice and compete with your friends using Pairrd, including sharing hands, private leaderboards and a built-in chat function!
Find out more about Pairrd by Raise Your Edge
