Hey people,
I would like to introduce myself. I`m Sasha, 22 years old IT student from Croatia. I `m playing poker now for 4 years. Hopefully it will be a nice and interesting course. Feel free to comment every hand that I will post because I love other opinions about a certain play.
Question 1: What is your motivation for playing poker?
My motivation for poker is no other that for most of the people, money! Not only it but all the privileges you get as a poker player: being your own boss, traveling and meeting new people etc. Regarding this course this is the only reason. Th other reason would be the competition in tournaments. Proving yourself that you can be the best in some area is for me always a challenge. I like the mind levels and tricks in poker but this is motivation because this things bring money and without it I don t know if I would play it. That is why I do not play chess for example.
Question 2: What are your weaknesses when playing poker?
I thought and think about this every day and I kinda believe that my 'Won Showdown' value is simple to low. When I take a look at my HM winnings graph I see that almost 75% of my winnings are 'Without Showdown' so I assume that the other 25% is simply too low.This is something I m aware and I m working on it. The other weakness is something I m not quite sure if it is a weakness. This is following my very large BRM. For example I have now almost 300$ cashier but I stick to my plan making 100 buyins of profit(which means covering a minus in some cases) on limits like 1/2.When I have a goal I stick to it but the point is do I waste too much time and in this case money on something that is recording to the coaching session irrelevant or should I say too much for this limits.I sometimes do hardly believe people and that is my problem with Hero calls. Any comments are very appreciated.
Question 3: What does it mean to play tight aggressive?
Tight aggressive for me represents a poker style.This style is based on a conservative selection of starting hands an the way that they are played which would mean aggressive. The aggressiveness is shown through the aggression factor and PFR. On the other side VPIP defines how often do you put money into the pot. Certain ranges in this statistical values create an image of a player and we perceive him as a tight aggressive player. Tight aggressive is in some sort of way the most easiest way to play poker but in same time the most EV positive way of playing poker.
Welcome to the Course and Best of Luck. Good job! Homework #1 Done!
Most of the weakness you wrote 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.
Well, having rather conservative BRM is really good actually. Rather get used to it, since on higher limits you will definitely use such a BRM as 50BIs+ while you will be withdrawing money for your living and stuff.
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. Some points earned.
Hey guys and coaches,
I wanted just to let you know that if you wanna follow my hand evaluation posts I will send some after every session . Every comment appreciated. TY
Facing cbet raise against very LAG OOP???
After my hand evaluation of session 1 I have to improve:
- If I raise for protection I have to raise bigger(Pot size I think)
- Always 3bet or ship it with AA or KK (means no post flop play even IP)
- Not always be result oriented
- Patience and choosing the right spot against maniacs
Question 1: What do you think you could play differently than suggested in the BSS Starting Hands Chart and why?
The most frequent definition of poker I got is "Poker is a game of information". So regarding this, writing a starting hand chart is very hard. But I most congratulate Pokerstrategy that they did it really great generalizing all the hands without information. This SHC is for begginners so I think it is quite perfect because it is based on what maths and experiences of coaches. From my experience I can say that it is very profitable to stick to this SHC game(Your spot are much more easier to master). I read that people answered on this question mainly that they would suggest widennig our range from the button which I do agree but not without certain experience. Of course I would add on the button to raise with j9s or 97s,86s,75s,Q9s and so on. But I can this only say because I have 100 000 hands of experience. I think this chart is mentioned to be for beginners and regarding this it should stay in the way it is. It can only be changed if you add some new parameters. Like for example one player called and mores players called. So if one player called you could raise from the button with KQs or 99 , but if more people limped just call. That way you would very early put an important value on discovering and using the button.This is my opinion.
Question 2: Do you have questions about your preflop play? Post your hand for evaluation.
Preflop play: QQ preflop 3bet/fold right line????
Postflop play: 88 good cbet call ???
Question 3: What is the equity of AKo against the top 5% range? 5% means 88+, AJs+, KQs, AKo.
Equity Win Tie
UTG 46.32% 37.92% 8.41% { AKo }
UTG+1 53.68% 45.27% 8.41% { 88+, AJs+, KQs, AKo }
Good job! Homework #2 Done!
In other words stealing from the BU. And of course I totally agree with you about the stealing ranges. They can be very easily be balanced with even wider range. Depending on the opponent you can as well put a wider stealing range. Against some tight opponents who give up their blinds either preflop or postflop, why not to adjust? Against some shorties you can even steal with smaller raise, for example 3xBB. But don't overdo the stealing situations. Sometimes you might just put yourself into too many difficult spots if opening with marginal hands.
In future you will widen up your hands anyways and not based to the Chart. Chart is good for the basic preflop/postflo play. 
Later on you will base or make your actions on stats/opponents and etc factors.
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. Some more points earned.
After my hand evaluation of session 2 add this elements on the improving list:
- Distinguish spots for protection and the ones for pot control
- Finding spots for a squeeze
- Using taking much more the line bet/fold in given situations rather then check
- Taking actions myself rather than induce from others
- Reevaluating the river ( check or thinny value bet which means again using the line bet/fold)
Question 1: You are holding KsQs. What is your preflop equity against an opponent who has 33? How does the equity change on this flop: Js5d3s?
Preflop:
Equity Win Tie
UTG 50.78% 50.40% 0.38% { KsQs }
UTG+1 49.22% 48.84% 0.38% { 3d3c }
This means that in the long run I would turn a smallish profit.
Postflop:
Board: J♠5♦3♠
Equity Win Tie
UTG 26.46% 26.46% 0.00% { KsQs }
UTG+1 73.54% 73.54% 0.00% { 3d3c }
As we see on the flop we become almost a 4:1 underdog with our K-high flush draw.
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 AcJc
5 folds, Hero raises to $0.08, BU calls $0.08, SB folds, BB calls $0.06.
Flop: ($0.25) 2c6d3d (3 players)
BB checks, Hero checks, BU checks.
Turn: ($0.25) 5c (3 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $0.22, BU raises to $0.44, BB folds, Hero...?
I believe here would be the best to take the worst case which means that we have to discount outs. Even he is also likely having a straight as a set. I dont think he would check if he had hit a set on the flop. This worst case consists of discounting 6c and 3c which would give him a full house. So we are left with 7 outs to the nuts(6:1 ). To call here break even we need 19,47% of equity. With his min raise on the turn we get 4,14:1 on call which means we would need 0,69 left in his stack and he has more than that(~1.5).
Now I put this range:
Board: 2♣3♦6♦ 5♣
Equity Win Tie
UTG 19.89% 17.05% 2.84% { AcJc }
UTG+1 80.11% 77.27% 2.84% { 66-22 }
With this pessimistic hand range that comes into play we are close to a call and close to a fold. So I think calling here is just because of the implied odds(his big stack left) but again we are out of position even if we hit the flush. So regarding that this is all the worst case scenario I would call because all other scenario gives as more equity to make this call profitable.
Board: 2♣3♦6♦ 5♣
Equity Win Tie
UTG 21.08% 18.36% 2.72% { AcJc }
UTG+1 78.92% 76.20% 2.72% { 66-22, A4s, 64s+, 54s, A4o }
I think that the key factor here are the implied odds and this are huge here so it is worth a risk. I would go for a call.
Question 3: Do you have questions about your postflop play? Post your hand for evaluation.
A9o battle of the blinds
After my hand evaluation of session 3 add this elements on the improving list:
- Better use of pot control
- Dealing with maniacs
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 ~$0,41 on river to make it profitable. If we expect the opponent being loose enough and being able to pay us no-matter what then we can do the Call here properly.
c) We might even have overcards as outs or even 4 as a out:
Although this kind of situation ain't that likely. I'd rather discount that one and either pick a) or b). Most likely towards Call.
You are doing great progress, keep going!
Question 1: Post a hand for evaluation in which you have the initiative postflop.
About the topic "Having the initiative postflop" I selected this hand :
QJs Isolation Concerns
But I also want to add something about the "Stats" topic:
TT preflop 4bet
Question 2: Evaluate one of the hands submitted by other members.
set on river facing min raise
Question 3: You are on the flop with K Spade Q Diamond . The board cards are J Spade , 9 Club , 8 Heart , and your opponent holds 7 Club 7 Heart . What is your equity in this spot?
Board: J♠9♣8♥
Equity Win Tie
UTG 41.41% 41.41% 0.00% { KsQd }
UTG+1 58.59% 58.59% 0.00% { 7h7c }
After my hand evaluation of session 4 add this elements on the improving list:
-Using river block bets in right occasions
-Spots in which I should continue my aggression
(bets shouldn t be weaker to induce raises)
-Distinguishing spots were not to cbet
Hey guys,
If anyone reads this then this is an advice. Well overall I m very satisfied with the course. My biggest leak before the school was Showdown winnings and I fixed it in a great way. Most of my profits now are coming from this statistical value which is quite good. On the other side my non showdown value got leveled and does not grow anymore. I will provide you with a graph when I will be done with a certain limit(made 150$ profit on NL2 need 200$). Playing as an uneducated player put me more into thinking can this guy fold me TP or what kind of range would I made fold here with a reraise regarding my image. Is he aware of image?Does he put me on a hand? I was more capitalizing the dead money. I kinda think that the school teaches you great stuff but in the end it is everything to yourself to implement in your play. I would never say that this way you gonna get to the medium limits in no time. This here is hard work if you gonna watch every video and coaching but it helps you overall. The hand forum evaluation is a great tool but still it cant help you in certain situations because of the reads and table dynamics. So I would suggest learn and study everything and then add this to your database knowledge so you have new weapons to grind and exploit your play. I wish for you guys good luck at the tables and even it is still not the end of the course I would thank you Pokerstrategy to made this course possible!
P.S.Can wait for more lessons but have to study this week so really hard times
Good job! Homework #4 Done!
This weeks homework was a bit easier. But the idea of that is to help you go through last weeks stuff if you didn't go through everything. Or either way maybe even read some more articles, watch some videos and of course attend in the coaching. What will also help for your game is the evaluation part of other members hands and of course posting your own hands.
If you have interests you could try calculating the equity with a formula which you can use even on tables(either playing online or live poker):
(Amount of outs x 4) – (Amount of outs – 8) = Your Equity
About Question #3:
Board: J♠9♣8♥
Equity Win Tie
UTG 41.41% 41.41% 0.00% { KsQd }
UTG+1 58.59% 58.59% 0.00% { 7h7c }
My biggest leak before the school was Showdown winnings and I fixed it in a great way.
That's really good to hear and most likely there are people who read your text.
What kind of BRM are you using? Since if you have such a BR you could even think of moving up. Or you using rather conservative BRM?
Hopefully this wasn't too easy homework for you. Some more points earned.
Originally posted by veriz
What kind of BRM are you using? Since if you have such a BR you could even think of moving up.
I use a conservative BR which means having recorded 100 buyins(100BB) of profit(+even if it means covering the earlier made minus).For example fo NL2 200$, or NL5 500$. Of course as any poker player I m also attracted by the the higher stackes especially if you know that people like you advise me to move the limits. But I have a plan I should stick to it. Also this way I practice discipline which I quite improved. Here are positive the positive sites of a conservative BRM:
-improving your patience and discipline
-you master your tilt much more easier because It does not have a big influence on your BR as it is often a reason for triggering a tilt
-I can much more confidently multitable my 10 tables and not be afraid of downswings that I have to worry about moving down a limit because in my case I will on NL5 have about 65BI and I switch back to NL2 when I have 20BI so either I m good enough for a limit or I should move down
Leaks of conservative BR:
-The time needed to achieve and the slow progress that is regarded to your motivation
Also I m gonna say that I will now practice more because need to add this whole new material into my game and also in my thinking process. I m still gonna post hands so we can follow my progress.
