SPeedFANat1c

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

Well, poker isn't a regular income either. You will never know when you win a big tourney or big cash month. ♦

Playing tired can cause a lot problems. Usually you are moody when tired and get easily angry. Which means you get easily tilty that brings towards you playing less your A-game. You have to find a way to adjust to that. For example against tilt:
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. Myself I would set a stop-loss for minimum of 2BIs.

Well, doesn't matter what limit you play, you can practice your reading skills everywhere.

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.

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

Play more loose from various positions, if I see its +EV move. For example steal more blinds if the players don't defend or fold a lot to cbets, also open wider range from MP and UTG if players in late positions are tight, because I will gain the position. Also 3bet with wider range when defending blinds and players fold to 3bets, especiallt with blockers (Kx, Ax) and suited connectors and pocket pairs because they have easy playabilyti post flop, because there is no domination problem as it is with Kx and Ax.

Also with PPs in 3bet pots I can use call15 rule since there is more money in the pot and more liklet that villain has decent hand with which he could more likely stack off post flop.

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

Improving steals: NL10 SH A6

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

I though its prety good, but it turns out that without dead money we cannot invest all our chips - we only have 46%. Probably its becasue our A and K blocks a lot of Ax, Kx combinations.

Good job! Homework #2 Done!

Totally agree with all the staff you have given hear. Guess we have had enough of hands in hand evaluation forums and you are a good player. No doubt that you understand the game more than beginner. Also I do like that you pointed out the 3bet Call15 rule.

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 }

Keep coming such hard work as you have done so far. Some more points earned.

Guess we have had enough of hands in hand evaluation forums and you are a good player.

Depends on what is good player ♦ At least not loosing and not depositing I am. But I cannot say I am making money yet.

Also I do like that you pointed out the 3bet Call15 rule.

watched the lesson 2 podcast right before writing there and you were talking about it a lot

Well, you were NL20 but just didn't manage to beat it. At some point it may take few tries. But at least you trying to fix the leaks.

You are holding KQ. What is your preflop equity against an opponent who has 33? How does the equity change on this flop: J53? (Tip: you can use the Equilab to help you with this task.)

about 50 %

What would you do in the following hand?

I would call, because I think BU has strong range here, straiht for example, so we have good implied odds.

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

NL10 SH JJ 3bet pot

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!

oh, didn't notice that in the first quistion I have to calculate after flop as well

Question 1: Post a hand for evaluation in which you have the initiative postflop.

I guess this is not a big problem if I don't do it now, (for those who don't know - I have posted already tons of those ).

Question 2: Evaluate one of the hands submitted by other members.

NL5 - JJo

Question 3: You are on the flop with KQ. The board cards are J, 9, 8, and your opponent holds 77. What is your equity in this spot?

41.43%

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 }

Hopefully this wasn't too easy homework for you. Some more points earned.

It wasn't dificult at all come on, which part there had to be difficult?

interesting thing is the formula, I didn't notice such earlier.

Oh, you probably prepared your texts and use them for everyone ♦

And BTW, are the points secret?

Points are somewhat for rather me and the same will be exam points. So was decided by PokerStrategy bosses. ♦

Sorry for delayed answer cause of the Christmas hurry.

No problem

Question 1: Post a hand for evaluation where you have based your decisions on the stats of your opponents.

NL10 SH KJ vs resteal

Question 2: Evaluate one of the hands submitted by other members.

nl5fr AJs

Question 3: What action would you take, and why?

I think we should raise and fold if the SB gets it in. SB could have been setminig and now having fullhouse. We beat 3x, top pairs, two pairs and BB could easily pay us. SB, should fold, unless he has fullhouse (I don't put SB on 3x, because he would bet the flop, and doubt that he is even calling with it preflop).
But if we put SB on very tight range - mostly PPs, then raising would be bad. We must put SB on Jx hands, and KQ. If we think there is no such hands, he is probably having a fullhouse. With small PP, he would often donk flop to see where he is at.

But at first - if we put SB on tight range like PPs mostly, we should bet the flop I think. We shoukd get lots of folds, and we still have outs and build the pot if fish has TP.

And, if we put SB on fullhouse, then.. fold? Even if it looks weak, but if we are sure he has fullhouse, there is not much to do.

But JJ SB should raise preflop or donk on flop, so he should not have it. TT - could slowplay, but its weak from him then - there are draws, he should bet for value. Probably SB is not on a strong hand.

Question 4: What action would you take, and why?

I think c/c flop should be ok, to catch his bluffs. And reevaluate the turn. If he bets again, we should fold, especially if there is overcard, because it could easily hit his range. But there really depends on BTN 3bet range, but wihtout knowing it, we should take safer line, to not stack of against QQ+.

BTW - merry Christmas to all who is reading this thread

Good Job! Homework #5 Done!

About Task #3
It's a very close decision: does protection or pot control weigh heavier here? Do you want to protect against hands like 3x or A:dx and K:dx? Or do you want to control the pot size and try to induce a bluff on the river in case there is no T, no J and no additional ♦?

Raise/fold is out of question - with the given pot size and the good made hand you have, it can't even be considered.

In case you decide to go broke, you can't really be blamed either. It's not a sign of weakness that the rather tight small blind decides to bet into two people here, though. I would say a call is to be slightly favored, while the many outs against you are annoying. The big blind who calls rather loosely speaks in favor of a raise/broke again. Both options are finally considered equal, which shows - all things considered - how close and full of variance these spots really are.

About Task #4
You've called pre-flop and then hit a good board. You basically have two choices now: either you assume that your opponent will go broke loosely or puts you on a bluff often and you thus check/raise - or you play check/call in the spirit of way ahead / way behind. The problem with the latter is that there are a lot of cards you don't want to see in the later course of the hand. All in all, it depends on your balancing as both lines make sense under certain circumstances.

A check/fold would be really pointless, of course. It's hard to say whether you should donk-bet here; donk/fold can be discarded as that would turn your hand into a pure bluff and your opponent would interpret this as weakness and start raising you out of flops with hands like AK/AQ/air. So, if you want to donk-bet, it has to be a donk/3-bet.

Good luck on tables and with the Course. Happy New year!

Lesson 6

1: Post a hand for evaluation where you have either a) freeplay, b) slowplay, or c) multi-way pot situation.

Multiway pot:

Nl20 Sh K9

Question 2: Evaluate one of the hands submitted by other members.

AJo 7.1.

Question 3: Consider the following situation:

Calling station could wake up with his flopped Ax top pair, so I think I am raising for value and protection. But if he 3bets, then, not good, I think the we are beat by sets, better two pairs, because with Ax he should just call a raise. Also he bets only half pot. If he would bet close to full pot, then at best I am caling and trying to control the pot.

Good Job! Homework #6 Done!

About Question #3:
Two lines can quickly be discarded here: fold and raise/fold; your hand is simply too strong for those alternatives.

It's hard to assess whether you should put in a raise here. When a rather passive player decides to bet into three players while being out of position, it does look strong. It's more likely an indication of a made hand than that of a draw.

A raise naturally protects, but you run the risk of isolating yourself against very strong range. Which weaker hands could your opponent possibly continue playing here?

The deciding factor finally comes in the size of the pot. This tiny pot simply isn't worth putting yourself into a tough spot where you could potentially end up risking your entire stack. A raise would be overplayed here and pot control takes the precedent over protection.

Best of Luck on the tables and with the Course.

Lesson 7

Question 1: Post a hand for evaluation where you have played on a 6-max table (short-handed).

NL20 SH QJ vs CO

Question 2: Evaluate one of the hands submitted by other members

NL2 SH JJ with overcard on flop

Question 3: Consider the following situation:

Easy call, even against top ranges we are doing good:

MP2 33.40% 33.40% 0.00% 5h4h
MP3 33.30% 33.30% 0.00% QQ, 33-22
CO 33.30% 33.30% 0.00% QQ, 33-22

But the question is if it is profitable to call preflop when we only have position on SB?

Question 4: Consider the following situation:

Just call because we don't need to protect, and we want to keep weaker aces. If they stop betting, then we ourselves then start.

Question 1: Post a hand for evaluation.

NL20 SH JJ stack off on flop?

Question 2: Evaluate one of the hands submitted by other members.

NL10 SH AJ OPP Multi-way pot

Question 3: Consider the following situation:

we want money in the pot, so bet for sure. There are worse hands that could pay off, JJ, 88 if he decided to play them pasively, we are not sure what his range is but even 33 or 66 might be if he is weak. Or slowplayer QQ+

BONUS Question 4 (optional question): Consider the following situation:
What factors and concepts that you have learned so far would you use in evaluating this situation? What would your action be?

This one is hard I have no idea how we are going to make profit in long run by calling OOP preflop with this hand against good players

On turn I would have bet to build the pot - but if they think that Kx is so scary for them, then maybe next time when we don't hit - we can donk bet bluff. But I doubt that this would work, so now I would bet for value.

On the river KK is not probably in his range, because he did not bet the turn. So only QQ beats us. So I am calling. he could slowplay KK, but how can we be sure? This also might be a bluff on these limits I guess. KQ I guess would not call on flop. AA migh be slowplayed maybe. A8 yet. I would not fold a fullhouse, don't know. But also I don't know with what range they do such things, so its like guessing. If they are only having QQ or KK here, then of course fold.

Good Job! Homework #7 Done!

About Question #3:
In this case, you decided to bet out yourself and two players behind you go all-in. You would have to invest $8.40 in order to participate in a $22 pot, which corresponds to an equity of 27.63%.

Board: Q:h 3:s 2:h
Dead:

Equity Win DrawLoss Hand
Player 1: 38.538% 38.538% 0.000% 61.462% 5h4h
Player 2: 14.540% 14.540% 0.000% 85.460% QQ+
Player 3: 46.921% 46.921% 0.000% 53.079% 22-33

You get the required odds even when you're exclusively up against very strong hands!

About Question #4:
Top pair / top kicker has been and will always be a hand that's tough to play, especially in a multi-way pot. In this case, you've hit a nice flop, but you're up against 3 opponents on a dry board which doesn't allow for any dangerous draws.

A fold on this board is, of course, too weak. You can't really hit much better and there might be worse Ax hands willing to pay you off.

If you think that your opponent(s) is/are often willing to go broke on the flop with worse hands, raising might not be the worst of choices. But one thing is clear: if you raise, you have to go all-in on the flop! Raise/fold with your top pair is absolutely out of question.

Even though this might leave a bitter aftertaste in a 4-way pot, you should play this like a way ahead / way behind spot here - by playing it passive, you will extract the maximum from weaker hands and bluffs while avoiding big losses against stronger hands.

But the question is if it is profitable to call preflop when we only have position on SB?

Being in such a multiway pot of course. Such SCs have good implied odds, obviously we would rather prefer to play rather higher ones but those are possible to play as well.

Best of Luck on the Tables.