sp3d01

Welcome to the Course and Best of Luck. Good job! Homework #1 Done!

Easiest way to fight against tilt is to set up stop-loss technique. Which means if you for example have lost more than 3BIs for a session then you just stop the session for some time. The BI amount is set up from your own results. Some may put it higher, some lower. Also after the stop you can spend some time with evaluation part to become better.

Most of the weakness can easily be fixed by posting hands (analyzing your session). We will start writing feedback to your play. Usually negative feedback will put you into thinking phase and trying to fix all those leaks. It's almost the same as you lose money, you will remember it more than winning part. By this situation it's gonna be that negative feedback you gonna remember and try to avoid them next time.

Tight style is usually called playing selected hands. Like following the Starting Hand Chart. Aggressive should be also pretty clear that already the word says how you should be playing. But the problem playing aggressively is that you have to watch that you don't play too aggressive. Find good spots, find good targets. About The tight-aggressive strategy you can read in this article: "What is the Big Stack Strategy?"

Hopefully you will enjoy the Course.

Lesson 2

Question 1: What do you think you could play differently than suggested in the BSS Starting Hands Chart and why?

Well, the first thing I might play differently would be to raise 88/99 in middle position rather than just call if it's folded to me. If I have some stats on the guys yet to act which suggest that they're pretty conservative players (ie don't like to call a lot) then I think 99 is definately a raise from the hijack. KQs might be a similar raise in middle position, again if I have reads on the guys yet to act.

Question 2: Do you have questions about your preflop play? Post your hand for evaluation.

NL10 - JQs - Preflop 3bet call

Question 3: What is the equity of AKo against the top 5% range? 5% means 88+, AJs+, KQs, AKo.

46%. (Whereas AKs is still only 49% - interesting statistic )

Good job! Homework #2 Done!

Those higher PPs are even possible to raise from MP. 99 is a strong hand so I'd even consider raising it from any position. The higher you go the more PPs you should raise since people will exploit your play if you just limp in with only PPs.

Also goes the same for KQs. The more confident you get in your game, the earlier you can play those hands.

About Question #3:

       Equity     Win     Tie
UTG    46.32%  37.92%   8.41% { AKo }
UTG+1  53.68%  45.27%   8.41% { 88+, AJs+, KQs, AKo }

Hopefully you enjoy the School so far.

Hi Veriz,

Thank you for the feedback

Yes I'm enjoying working through the lessons and working through the site in general! I'm also enjoying being at the tables again, it certainly helps you to focus when you're enjoying what you're doing!

One thing I haven't been able to do yet though is join in one of the coaching sessions. Both the times clash with other stuff I have to do but I'll make sure to attend one if I get the chance..

Looking forward to working on Lesson 3

sp3d01

Lesson 3

Question 1 : You are holding KsQs. What is your preflop equity against an opponent who has 3d3c? How does the equity change on this flop: Js5d3s?

The preflop equity is a little less than 51%. Postflop with those community cards the equity changes to about 26%.

Question 2: What would you do in the following hand?

No Limit hold'em $2 (9-handed)
Players and stacks:
UTG: $2.00
UTG+1: $2.08
MP1: $1.92
MP2: $1.00
MP3: $3.06
CO: (Hero) $2.08
BU: $2.00
SB: $2.00
BB: $1.24
Preflop: Hero is CO with AJ
5 folds, Hero raises to $0.08, BU calls $0.08, SB folds, BB calls $0.06.
Flop: ($0.25) 263 (3 players)
BB checks, Hero checks, BU checks.
Turn: ($0.25) 5 (3 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $0.22, BU raises to $0.44, BB folds, Hero...?

Considering the pure pot-odds I would be inclined to call in this situation I think. The pot after BU raise is $0.91, my call would be $0.22, giving me pot odds of approximately 4.13 : 1. The odds of me hitting my flush on the river card are 4 : 1. So...it's close but I would call his turn raise. We also of course have a gutshot straight possibility if the 4 comes out on the turn further improving the pot odds but the flush draw is enough for me...

Interesting that villain checks on the flop. This would indicate (to me anyway) that he likely hasn't got a big pair. I would think he would bet a big pair on this flop after two checks to protect his hand from the flush and straight draws that could be out there. I'm thinking he might have been set hunting preflop with 66 or 33 (even 22 as he's in position). If he's hit his set on the flop then a check would make some sense. But then again I could have been on a diamond flush draw and his check would be giving me a free card to hit it...so he's taking a chance there. He could also be on a diamond flush draw but his raise on the club turn card doesn't make sense unless he's bluffing at the pot in the chances that I'll fold, or in the chances I'll call and he'll hit his diamond on the river. My money would be on a set though. In which case a call is the way to go. If my club comes on the river, I'd be planning to check raise all in given the opportunity.

What do you think?

Question 3: Do you have questions about your postflop play? Post your hand for evaluation.

TJs vs 66

sp3d01

Good job! Homework #3 Done!

About Question #1:
Preflop Equity:

Equity Win Tie
UTG 50.78% 50.40% 0.38% { KsQs }
UTG+1 49.22% 48.84% 0.38% { 3d3c }

Postflop Equity:

Board: J♠5♦3♠
Equity Win Tie
UTG 26.46% 26.46% 0.00% { KsQs }
UTG+1 73.54% 73.54% 0.00% { 3d3c }

About Question #2:
There are several occasions on turn:
a) If we take just odds for the FD and we take into account that all our odds are clean. Which means:
Total Pot = $0,91 ; We have to Call = $0,22 -> According to that it means we are getting ~4,16:1 odds. For flushdraw we would need 4:1. Which tells us that we are getting perfect odds.
b) If we consider the opponent having sets here:
Which means we have to discount outs, for example 6:c and also 3:c. Which means we have 7 clean outs so that means we need 6:1 odds. That tells us that we need ~$0,41 on river to make it profitable. If we expect the opponent being loose enough and being able to pay us no-matter what then we can do the Call here properly.
c) We might even have overcards as outs or even 4 as a out:
Although this kind of situation ain't that likely. I'd rather discount that one and either pick a) or b). Most likely towards Call.

You are doing great progress, keep going!

If I get dealt AA one more time in the blinds and it gets folded around to me I'm quitting....

Originally posted by sp3d01
If I get dealt AA one more time in the blinds and it gets folded around to me I'm quitting....

That will definitely happen not just once but in the future a lot more. Just ignore it and continue playing, it can't always run towards your profit in poker.