The 2013 Diary of a Semi-LAG Tilt Monkey

Two Plus Two is a strange place and seemingly full of every immature and arrogant dickhead out there. I’m not a poster on there (and probably never will be), but I’ve recently realised it’s a perfect resource for learning how to exploit every tag-fish reg like me out there.

Convential 2p2 and other “beat the micro stakes” wisdom is only fine up to a point in my opinion; the ABC play that is beaten into novices will always be valid for creating a foundation, beating the fish and building a bankroll, but it lacks creativity and edge once the majority of players are playing a similar strategy and congregate at levels like 50nl.

With this is mind, I’ve been trying to concentrate on thinking on Level 3 and being more aggressive in spots where 2p2 wisdom would advocate a fold, rather than the Level 2 nittiness that ABC seems to operate at. Two areas in particular I’ve been focussing on are:


1) Bluff jamming the river in good spots against 2p2-style regs, partly as a result of thinking through the advice in this thread:

http://www.flopturnriver.com/pokerfo...an-195187.html


2) Cold 4-bet bluffing the big blind versus a loose button opener and a 3bet from an habitually re-stealing sb, partly as a result of reading this thread:

http://www.flopturnriver.com/pokerfo...4b-195185.html


Both tactics have worked well so far the few times I’ve tried them (see below), but I think they could be high variance in the short run and I need to properly think through the range I'm doing this with (particularly in (2)). I also need to be careful in making sure the spots are good too, and that I don’t do either (1) or (2) too often against the same regs, particularly if I think they may be on tilt. If moves like the above can be successful more often than not however, they could make a huge difference to my win-rate.

Otherwise, my volume continues to be low and I’m still throwing in some horrendous 4-5BI spew in 1k hands after I make my first mistake in a session. I’m a chronic sufferer of what Jared Tendler refers to as “Mistake Tilt” and I think Jared’s book and I need to spend a lot more time together. I’m pretty much set on making this month a heavy learning month though, so I’m not worried about the bottom line too much.

tl;dr


(1) Example

I think villain's range is limited to overpairs and tptk given river sizing and I think can get a fold from a player I've tagged as a competent reg. This is more than 60bb that I would have previously left at the table!!

Button ($50)
SB ($82.84)
BB ($62.87)
UTG ($53.46)
MP ($47.75)
Hero (CO) ($50)

Preflop: Hero is CO with 9, 10
UTG bets $1.50, 1 fold, Hero calls $1.50, 3 folds

Flop: ($3.75) 6, 3, 9 (2 players)
UTG bets $2.50, Hero calls $2.50

Turn: ($8.75) Q (2 players)
UTG bets $6, Hero calls $6

River: ($20.75) 7 (2 players)
UTG bets $10.50, Hero raises to $40 (All-In), 1 fold

Total pot: $41.75 | Rake: $1.88


(2) Example

99 maybe not the best hand to do this with without blockers, but one to think through:

Hero (BB) ($50.75)
UTG ($42.53)
MP ($50.75)
CO ($50)
Button ($54.81)
SB ($50)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 9, 9
3 folds, Button bets $1.50, SB raises to $5, Hero raises to $11, 2 folds

Total pot: $11.50 | Rake: $0

Originally Posted by The Bean Counter

(2) Example

99 maybe not the best hand to do this with without blockers, but one to think through:

Hero (BB) ($50.75)
UTG ($42.53)
MP ($50.75)
CO ($50)
Button ($54.81)
SB ($50)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 9, 9
3 folds, Button bets $1.50, SB raises to $5, Hero raises to $11, 2 folds

Total pot: $11.50 | Rake: $0

I do like doing this, especially if BTN is stealing a lot and SB is starting to open up. However 99 has got to be a bad hand to do it with, only things like QJ and JT could be worse really as not only are we not blocking his range he will continue with, but we are blocking his folding range.

I'd be much more inclined to do this with stuff like weak Axs.

And for hand 1 I don't like looking at it as 60bb you'll have previously left on the table, it's either a +EV bluff or -EV. Don't forget some % of the time we get called and lose in this spot, especially the more we do it. Not that I'm saying it's not +EV, no idea if it would be or not tbh.

Originally Posted by TNreg

Hey Bean, thought I'd drop in to say I've enjoyed reading the blog thus far. Isn't it amazing how a simple thing like discipline can be a huge leak? Not surprising though as most guys have problem with self control.

I think your opinion on 2p2 a few posts above is spot on though. It's a very resourceful site but engaging in any worthwhile conversation over there generally turns to shit, not to mention all the 2p2 regs with 100k hand break-even graphs, who like you said, advocate that level 2 nittiness.

GL and get some #rungood at 50NL.

Thanks dude. I've come to realise that mental discipline and drive counts for so much in nearly everything competitive including exams and your career, but especially poker. I always liked to think I had strong discipline, but poker has highlighted that I have a long way to go.

There's a few good guys on 2p2 that post some really sound advice in amongst all the pricks and it's definitely a useful resource for working out how the regs are playing at the micros and small stakes. As long as you then use that to your advantage (i.e. you don't make money doing the same as the majority of your competitors), it's worthwhile sifting through the trash.

Originally Posted by ImSavy

And for hand 1 I don't like looking at it as 60bb you'll have previously left on the table, it's either a +EV bluff or -EV.

Agreed. I suppose I just wanted to make the point that we can miss spots sometimes that can make a huge difference to our win rate (even if we get called sometimes). Just one spot like this per 1000 hands can easily turn a break-even players into a perceived big winner. The key is working out where those spots are, which is where hh review and taking advice from good players is key. That's not to say small, consistent mistakes aren't even more important though: sizing one value bet 5bb too small per 100 hands can also make a huge difference.