Can I suggest that every new section we read (or every 2-3 sections) gets a new thread? Kinda like Spoons 9 exercises he did recently.


Anyway I only have time for a quick comment on each one, kinda like an example:

-Manipulating the pot size
In its simplest form, raising preflop helps manipulate the pot and sets up a larger pot when you have good hole cards or hit the flop hard. This is a great scenario vs call stations who dont fold enough preflop or on the flop. I also try to practice pot manipulation when I have marginal hands by checking the turn, this keeps me from becoming pot comitted. I find having position usually gives the best control over the pot.
-Adjusting correctly to stack sizes
E.G. A player who is running 8/4/2 raises UTG and I am in LP w/ a small PP. I fold b/c his stack is too small to play for set odds. On the other hand if stacks are larger (100+bb) and a fairly aggro player opend in EP followed by a MP call, I can call on the BTN with SC's or even hands like J9, suited A's etc since the payoff potential is large.
-Winning the battle of mistakes
Hard for me to describe but I feel this has a lot to do with paying attention, knowing the players as well as possible and doing all the other keys found in this list. If you aren't doing them all, you are making a mistake.
-Reading hands
Putting opponents on a range and judging how you fair against that range to either make a call or to decide on betting or checking.
-Manipulating opponents into playing badly
You need to know their tendancies and let them hang themselves. My best example was in a 45 SNG where I made it HU. The opponent would bet every flop when oop. He would minbet with nothing and bet 2xbb with a hand of some strength. All I had to do was reraise his minbet to get him to fold but every once in a while I would fold my weakest hands so that he thought his strategy was still working and he kept doing it, the whole time. I erased the deficit and had a huge chip adv in no time.