A poker journey, now complete.

Originally Posted by Micro2Macro

another thing to add

overbets are the fucking nuts.

Yea if they aren't super spazzy these players don't know how to bluff.

Quick hand analysis.

Donk limps in LP, we iso raise w/ATs. For our purposes he's only limping low PPs here, so 22-77.

Flop is 54A. Villains range is 36 combos pflop, down to 30 after the flop. Of those, 6 are sets and 24 are marginal/bad. That means he's folding ~80% of flops here. That means we can bet < 1/3 of the pot profitably.

I run bad with AK/AQ consistently, but I run awesome with AA/KK go figure.

AQ this week = least profitable hand by far. Mostly bc I've gotten all in with it 5 times (Being at least a 70% favo on the flop) and losing. Mostly to AT for some reason.

I ran bad/good/bad/good today over 1600 hands to end +$60 and +30 in Bonus/RB so nearly a $100 day without really getting lucky at all. Played my biggest pot ever as well, which I will post below.

OMFG I may never play FR again. 6Max is so full of fish and FR is so full of bad 10/8 nits I can't stand it.

BIGGEST POT EVARRRRR. I was just glad he didn't have a set ldo.

$0.1/$0.25 No Limit Holdem
6 players
Converted at weaktight.com

Stacks:
UTG sw1989 ($13.26)
UTG+1 legallyblonde00 ($58.53)
CO sonicreducer ($57.70)
BTN QTcoatl ($51.27)
SB Grinder1989 ($32.14)
BB Hero ($48.80)

Pre-flop: ($0.35, 6 players) Hero is BB
sw1989 calls $0.25, legallyblonde00 calls $0.25, 1 fold, QTcoatl calls $0.25, 1 fold, Hero checks

Flop: ($1.10, 4 players)
Hero bets $1.10, 1 fold, legallyblonde00 calls $1.10, QTcoatl raises to $5.50, Hero raises to $18.70, legallyblonde00 folds, QTcoatl goes all-in $51.02, Hero goes all-in $29.85

Turn: ($101.77, 2 players)

River: ($101.77, 2 players)

Final Pot: $99.30
QTcoatl shows:
Hero shows:

QTcoatl wins $2.47 ( lost -$48.80 )
Hero wins $96.30 ( won +$47.50 )
sw1989 lost -$0.25
legallyblonde00 lost -$1.35

Shitty pot lost to total donkey. I can't fold river obv even though I'm never ahead. I may have played this bad I don't remember. Villain was terrible though...like stack off on river with A4 on AKQT board terrible.

$0.1/$0.25 No Limit Holdem
6 players
Converted at weaktight.com

Stacks:
UTG sonicreducer ($59.48)
UTG+1 QTcoatl ($50.10)
CO Grinder1989 ($7.02)
BTN Hero ($25.00)
SB sw1989 ($12.67)
BB legallyblonde00 ($43.19)

Pre-flop: ($0.35, 6 players) Hero is BTN
2 folds, Grinder1989 calls $0.25, Hero raises to $1.25, 1 fold, legallyblonde00 calls $1, Grinder1989 folds

Flop: ($2.85, 2 players)
legallyblonde00 checks, Hero bets $2, legallyblonde00 calls $2

Turn: ($6.85, 2 players)
legallyblonde00 checks, Hero bets $4, legallyblonde00 calls $4

River: ($14.85, 2 players)
legallyblonde00 checks, Hero bets $9, legallyblonde00 raises to $18, Hero goes all-in $8.75

Final Pot: $50.35
Hero shows:
legallyblonde00 shows:

legallyblonde00 wins $48.09 ( won +$22.84 )
Grinder1989 lost -$0.25
Hero lost -$25

Lol at poker right now.

17000 hands, +1 BI It's funny because it doesn't really bother me at all. I'm not playing THAT great, but I am playing pretty well. Some fun:

$0.1/$0.25 No Limit Holdem
6 players
Converted at weaktight.com

Stacks:
UTG MacCairn ($10.51)
UTG+1 pkduke ($57.89)
CO wellerWhite ($38.05)
BTN Hero ($25.46)
SB No Joke6669 ($8.69)
BB LieInOurGraves ($25.00)

Pre-flop: ($0.35, 6 players) Hero is BTN
MacCairn calls $0.25, 2 folds, Hero raises to $1.25, No Joke6669 calls $1.15, 1 fold, MacCairn calls $1

Flop: ($4, 3 players)
No Joke6669 checks, MacCairn checks, Hero bets $3.25, No Joke6669 goes all-in $7.44, MacCairn folds, Hero calls $4.19

Turn: ($18.88, 2 players)

River: ($18.88, 2 players)

Final Pot: $18.88
No Joke6669 shows:
Hero shows:

No Joke6669 wins $17.94 ( won +$9.25 )
MacCairn lost -$1.25
Hero lost -$8.69


This is the very top of his range, I am positive. AT/AJ are solidly in his range here, as evidenced by later hands.

$0.1/$0.25 No Limit Holdem
6 players
Converted at weaktight.com

Stacks:
UTG muckerfooker ($130.69)
UTG+1 sonicreducer ($56.67)
CO HoopscoachCR ($30.22)
BTN Hero ($25.01)
SB snuff6 ($17.69)
BB yoowho ($54.86)

Pre-flop: ($0.35, 6 players) Hero is BTN
3 folds, Hero raises to $1, snuff6 calls $0.90, yoowho calls $0.75

Flop: ($3, 3 players)
snuff6 bets $0.50, yoowho raises to $1, Hero raises to $5, snuff6 folds, yoowho goes all-in $53.86, Hero goes all-in $19.01

Turn: ($81.37, 2 players)

River: ($81.37, 2 players)

Final Pot: $51.52
yoowho shows:
Hero shows:

yoowho wins $78.80 ( won +$23.94 )
snuff6 lost -$1.50
Hero lost -$25.01

ITS ABOUT TIME

$0.1/$0.25 No Limit Holdem
5 players
Converted at weaktight.com

Stacks:
UTG Vakulada ($34.12)
CO oluking ($18.59)
BTN Hero ($65.35)
SB luckyyykat ($41.29)
BB Kyleg2527 ($12.75)

Pre-flop: ($0.35, 5 players) Hero is BTN
Vakulada raises to $0.85, 1 fold, Hero raises to $2.45, 1 fold, Kyleg2527 calls $2.20, Vakulada calls $1.60

Flop: ($7.45, 3 players)
Kyleg2527 goes all-in $10.30, Vakulada calls $10.30, Hero goes all-in $62.90, Vakulada goes all-in $21.37

Turn: ($112.32, 3 players)

River: ($112.32, 3 players)

Final Pot: $81.09
Hero shows:
Kyleg2527 shows:
Vakulada shows:

Hero wins $109.32 ( won +$43.97 )
Kyleg2527 lost -$12.75
Vakulada lost -$34.12

Unfortunately this was about 10 hands after getting stacked w/AA.

Originally Posted by Illfavor

Unfortunately this was about 10 hands after getting stacked w/AA.

lol

I'm sorry, but its funny how you just throw that lil bit there on the end. I lol'd irl. Its probably not as funny as it seems to me right now, but I just got off working the overnight shift so cut me some slack .

Keep your head up, play smart, and pwn the 25enel like the ez game it is. And judging from you HH's (I forget if you already mentioned it) but you play 6max? Have you ever tried out FR?

Originally Posted by dranger7070

Originally Posted by Illfavor

Unfortunately this was about 10 hands after getting stacked w/AA.

lol

I'm sorry, but its funny how you just throw that lil bit there on the end. I lol'd irl. Its probably not as funny as it seems to me right now, but I just got off working the overnight shift so cut me some slack .

Keep your head up, play smart, and pwn the 25enel like the ez game it is. And judging from you HH's (I forget if you already mentioned it) but you play 6max? Have you ever tried out FR?

Lol it's no problem. This is just negative variance and I can/am overcoming it np. I have never put in this kind of hand volume so I have never experience this much variance in so short a time. But things are getting better.

I played FR for the first 15K hands of this month (about 2 weeks) and switched to 6M 3K hands ago because FR is literally 7 or 8 bad nits, me, and 1 donk, while 6 max is 3 donks, 2 nits and me. Much more profitable and I am running much better at 6max than FR.

As I can use the EV calculator?

Ah ok, I wasn't sure if you had ever played FR. I started out playing 6max, but idk somehow I get more enjoyment "trading coolers" with other people. I could never get in much volume playing 6max as anything more than 4 tables was hectic. Yet somehow I can 12 table FR and be fine... :/ O wells, Ima stick teh nit ring.

yessss. i'm loving the new operation name. keep up the good folding!

AK<JJ in 3bet pot on AJx board.
AA<77 on a 977 board.
KK<33 in a 3bet pot on a 73x board.

I think it's starting to get to me. Mostly because I lost 4 stacks in a 20 hand span in situations similar to this.

BR: $1120.

Checked my HHs, and my stackoffs were all +EV. I do need to work on my bet sizing in lots of spots though.

I LOOOVE TEH EVVIIIIIEEEEES.

I'll be buying a headset soon so I can get some sweating set up. Nothing better than ppl helping ppl.

Short session. Played well, did my thang, +1.5 buyins. Bed time. Busy day tomorrow.

BR: 1250.

That's 10 BI's from 50 NL FOLKS

Mmmmmmmmm

Villain flats flop 3bet with nuts...as though I'm ever folding to the shove.

$0.1/$0.25 No Limit Holdem
6 players
Converted at weaktight.com

Stacks:
UTG Kuzenka ($25.00)
UTG+1 Epichigh ($94.57)
CO johnnycageTX ($20.98)
BTN scep99 ($25.76)
SB Dont B a Hater ($18.59)
BB Hero ($25.54)

Pre-flop: ($0.35, 6 players) Hero is BB
Kuzenka raises to $0.85, 4 folds, Hero calls $0.60

Flop: ($1.80, 2 players)
Hero bets $1.50, Kuzenka raises to $3.75, Hero raises to $13, Kuzenka calls $9.25

Turn: ($27.80, 2 players)
Hero goes all-in $11.69, Kuzenka goes all-in $11.15

River: ($50.64, 2 players)

Final Pot: $50.10
Hero shows:
Kuzenka shows:

Hero wins $48.14 ( won +$22.60 )
Kuzenka lost -$25


Villain is just a terrible donkey. Shoving most all non-A/K high flops. 3bets about half the hands he plays...wow is he exploitable.

$0.1/$0.25 No Limit Holdem
5 players
Converted at weaktight.com

Stacks:
UTG cj616 ($43.28)
CO Hero ($35.84)
BTN dourak ($1.21)
SB jjeck ($28.30)
BB auntiesmoky ($59.91)

Pre-flop: ($0.35, 5 players) Hero is CO
1 fold, Hero raises to $1, 2 folds, auntiesmoky raises to $3.10, Hero raises to $12, auntiesmoky calls $8.90

Flop: ($24.10, 2 players)
auntiesmoky checks, Hero goes all-in $23.84, auntiesmoky calls $23.84

Turn: ($71.78, 2 players)

River: ($71.78, 2 players)

Final Pot: $71.78
auntiesmoky shows:
Hero shows:

Hero wins $68.78 ( won +$32.94 )
auntiesmoky lost -$35.84

Yea...same guy.

$0.1/$0.25 No Limit Holdem
6 players
Converted at weaktight.com

Stacks:
UTG cj616 ($35.82)
UTG+1 Cank1 ($27.57)
CO Hero ($63.88)
BTN dourak ($9.25)
SB jjeck ($28.87)
BB auntiesmoky ($24.02)

Pre-flop: ($0.35, 6 players) Hero is CO
2 folds, Hero raises to $1, dourak calls $1, 1 fold, auntiesmoky calls $0.75

Flop: ($3.10, 3 players)
auntiesmoky checks, Hero bets $2.25, dourak folds, auntiesmoky raises to $9.85, Hero goes all-in $62.88, auntiesmoky goes all-in $13.17

Turn: ($89, 2 players)

River: ($89, 2 players)

Final Pot: $49.14
auntiesmoky shows:
Hero shows:

Hero wins $86.55 ( won +$22.67 )
auntiesmoky lost -$24.02
dourak lost -$1

BR: $1340 Got ~ $40 in RB and another $40 in bonus to be made this week, so I might JUST MIGHT make it to 50NL by the end of the month.

Nice work dude! Keep up the pwning and you'll be hittin up teh fiddy enel soon!

Good job Ill. Gotta love exploiting donks. Keep up the good work and you'll be at 50NL in no time!

BR management plans:

50NL shots very soon, (like 2 tables of 50 and 2 of 25)
Move up for good ~1600 if I feel comfortable, if not continue shots until 1750.

I mostly want to move up so I can clear my bonus faster and get my roll back on Pstars.

Played 60 hands at 50NL. -$68. I'll stick to 25NL until I reach $1500. I will not take another shot until then.

My AQ got 3bet by Q5s in the SB and he flopped TP+FD and I just flopped TP, and he hit on the turn. Queen Five suited.

About 3 other hands that I played for pot control/SD value and got rivered. Did not win a single pot at showdown.

Like...If I was winning 705 of the 70-30s I'm getting in, I would already be at 50NL.

You have a Ten and I have the nuts.

$0.1/$0.25 No Limit Holdem
6 players
Converted at weaktight.com

Stacks:
UTG TomB_FA ($50.60)
UTG+1 Hero ($29.81)
CO Money3301 ($25.49)
BTN sv53 ($25.91)
SB elyanos ($25.14)
BB HusseinFatal ($21.28)

Pre-flop: ($0.35, 6 players) Hero is UTG+1
1 fold, Hero raises to $1, Money3301 calls $1, sv53 calls $1, elyanos calls $0.90, 1 fold

Flop: ($4.25, 4 players)
elyanos checks, Hero bets $2.90, Money3301 calls $2.90, sv53 calls $2.90, elyanos folds

Turn: ($12.95, 3 players)
Hero bets $9, Money3301 raises to $18, sv53 goes all-in $22.01, Hero goes all-in $25.91, Money3301 goes all-in $3.59

River: ($82.46, 3 players)

Final Pot: $78.56
Hero shows:
Money3301 shows:
sv53 shows:

Hero wins $79.46 ( won +$49.65 )
Money3301 lost -$25.49
sv53 lost -$25.91
elyanos lost -$1

I need to play like 3K hands a day for a week to get my free subscription to Cardrunners, so....I will.

I love to see that people are calling a 4x raise from UTG+1 with 4Ts in the SB at 25NL. For some reason, I always feel the fish disappear at the later stakes.

And the title of your hand, "You have a ten and I have the nuts," is hysterical.

Originally Posted by BooG690

I love to see that people are calling a 4x raise from UTG+1 with 4Ts in the SB at 25NL. For some reason, I always feel the fish disappear at the later stakes.

And the title of your hand, "You have a ten and I have the nuts," is hysterical.

Nope. Tons of fish at 25NL 6max. Less so at FR, which is annoying.

Quit donking off your roll so you can get up here!

I lost a 650BB pot to 73s.

GG.

So poker sucks right now. Like M2M I'll be taking more time to study and I'm just going to 6 table some FR. I hope to playing around 13/10.

Goals for FR:
-Stop coldcalling raises. 3bet or fold 3/4 of the time. No coldcalling w/AJo in the SB of a LP raiser. Raise or go home.
-Take better notes.
-Fold when raised, in general.
-Fold more, in general.

So I need about 1600 FTPs in 4 days, which my math tells me is 500 a day. Unfortunately kinda can't play tomorrow. So, 670 a day. That's a shitload of hands, but dammit I want my free CR scrip and I'll clear about $120 in Bonus/RB in the process. So honestly if I just b/e and make the other cash I'll be happy. But it's like 16K hands I think, so I'll be 16 tabling to try and get this done. God help me, but I think it might be like 5 hrs a day of poker, so I can only hope the scrip +EVness outweighs the overall omfg im playing pro hours every day -EVness. Luckily school is easy for me all the time and the only other thing I have to do is practice my musical instrument, but I do that 5 hours a day as well!

Wish me luck!

Originally Posted by Illfavor

So poker sucks right now. Like M2M I'll be taking more time to study and I'm just going to 6 table some FR. I hope to playing around 13/10.

Goals for FR:
-Stop coldcalling raises. 3bet or fold 3/4 of the time. No coldcalling w/AJo in the SB of a LP raiser. Raise or go home.
-Take better notes.
-Fold when raised, in general.
-Fold more, in general.

do it up m2m style yo

we should have a study prop bet or something lol

good luck getting those hands in

GL

Tonight's verdict:

HP: 2500 (16 tabling 25NL @.@ Longest session evar)
$W: $65
Stats: 12/10 <<<<<<HOORAY I'M OFFICIALLY A NIT!!!!!

Ran okay, got coolered/bad beat a bunch (KK<AA being one) but played really well and still ended up. On top of that, I made $40 in bonus so that's my second three-figure day.

Finally, I began the day 65% complete towards my free Cardrunners subscription, and am now 77%, so 12% increase. That over 3 days time = goal attained. So I'm about 5K hands away. This will be unbelievably easy to clear at 50NL.

One last thing: This was very easy for me. I told my gf what I had to do, she was nice about it and left me alone, and I just played and played well. Recipe for success imo.

BR: $1380

Ill is poundin' down Red Bulls and working hard towards that Cardrunners subscription. Good luck my friend! Even if some money is lost in the process, it will end up to be +EV.

Originally Posted by Illfavor

-Stop coldcalling raises. 3bet or fold 3/4 of the time. No coldcalling w/AJo in the SB of a LP raiser. Raise or go home.
-Take better notes.
-Fold when raised, in general.
-Fold more, in general.

wicked good advice, especially at my juncture. *scribbles on notepad*

Gogogogo Ill

tytytytytyty everybody!

Update:
So I didn't think I'd get to play tonight but I did. I can't tell how many hands I played but I think it was around 1300. +$30 or so bringing the BR over the $1400 mark. Also I got 6% closer to getting the scrip, so this should get done no problem. 750 FTPs away. Easy money.

I think I played okay tonight, but probably lost a buyin total in small pots that could have been avoided. Small mistakes REALLY add up over time.

FT hates me currently. Just played a 1K hand sesh, -3BIs.
33<AA on J43Ax board.
KK<Js9s on AsKsQs board
AcJc<Jh9h KcJd9c board

So I'm going to the unspeakable, __________, and try and clear the shit tonight. GL me.

you sound like you could be a candidate for running the worst around here

hope things turn around and you go on a sick heater and make like 20k at 25nl in 6 hours.

Originally Posted by Micro2Macro

you sound like you could be a candidate for running the worst around here

hope things turn around and you go on a sick heater and make like 20k at 25nl in 6 hours.

I can't say I'm running bad because I'm playing bad too. Though I counted the # of allins for 80+BB that I've lost in the last week and all but one involved me being a 80% favorite at some point in the hand, and 6 of 11 were downright coolers.

I have one more day of uber-nit 16 tabling for my subscription, 93% done.

So a 24/7 with a 14% 3bet 3bets my TT in LP, I shove he calls w/JJ. I guess that's a fold then.

End the day -5 BI having been coolered 5 times for BIs. Set<set, Flush<Flush, str8<FH/flush, etc. It's not like I can not care about the damn money b/c they are just pounding on my nuts over and over again.

BR: $1320.

I'd post some hands but weaktight is fucking up and I don't do the raw HH thing. Tomorrow I will grind my hands and get this done so I can learn how to play poker again. This has sucked mostly because I'm starting to feel as though my game has lost its direction. I'm looking forward to Friday when I can 4 table some 25NL and actually play well/think a whole lot/not be pressured to put in 4K hands.

Nearly 30K hands played this month. + ~$200. -80 in hands. +280 in Bonus+RB. I don't want to be destined to be a FPP Pro.

I know how you feel man.

Talk to me in the IRC next time you're in I can discuss some strategies with you for turning your game back around.

I have some readings to recommend - which aren't really endorsed by many players likely due to ignorance when it comes to poker material that does not allow them to think outsde the box but rather be told what to do - but have alot of value, imo.

Originally Posted by Illfavor

So a 24/7 with a 14% 3bet 3bets my TT in LP, I shove

sample size sir? what range do you expect him to call a 4bet shove with? I assume that by shoving you were hoping for a call?

if he 3bet you from LP does that mean you raised in EP? in which case his 3betting range is likely going to be tighter.

basically, there are far more things you should be thinking about other than "his 3bet stat is 14%".

gl dude, you'll turn it round.

M2M- I'll be sure to hit you up in the IRCs sometime later this week. I fully expect to hit a massive heater tomorrow but it's cool if I don't!

sil- Yea in hindsight my shove may have been marginal, but I haven't done the EV calcs on it and I just kinda shoved it. The vill had been extremely active since he sat down but I can't remember what he'd shown down. I haven't been focusing as well in addition to running bad in other spots.

It's all good though. Thanks for the support guys, and I know this'll turn around no prob. Thank god for Bonus/RB. While I learn how to beat this stake the hard way!

You'll turn it around soon dude. 16 tabling like a bot doesnt help, but like you said, its only for like one more day. And thank you for no raw HH's, those hurt mah brain.

WTF MICRO! I went on a 8 BI loss and you never gave me any suggested reading. *cries*

Originally Posted by dranger7070

You'll turn it around soon dude. 16 tabling like a bot doesnt help, but like you said, its only for like one more day. And thank you for no raw HH's, those hurt mah brain.

WTF MICRO! I went on a 8 BI loss and you never gave me any suggested reading. *cries*

you snapped out of it too quick lol

if you want though msg me in IRC next time I'm in and I'll find some

DONE. I've earned the Cardunners membership.

I played the best poker of my life today. I made about ten tough folds that saved me 5 buyins. I ended slightly down, but man did I earn that -$8!!!! I couldn't be happier to have been coolered for stacks multiple times again because I played great!

nice work illfavor

May is soon underway, you should own this month sir

Yea I'll make May my bitch. Enough of this BE thank god for bonus BS. I'm not terrible and should be able to beat this game.

A leak I instantly thought of before I started reviewing tonight was my play with 99-JJ when I'm not the PFR. These spots don't get much attention so I'll try to find some HHs.

Played some pokers. Started HU on this table with the biggest donk I've ever played. Needless to say I lost two buyins to him through coolers/gutshot straight+FD not coming in...Kept playing, playing 1600 hands total, ended up $17, plus $28 in RB and $20 in bonus, so it's a $65 day and I can handle that. Unfortunately Poker Copilot doesn't know about my bonus so it looks kinda bad, but w/e. I played really well and just never got a whole bunch of good things to happen. Also got stacked set<set, but I ended positive and I'm happy with how I played. Still having trouble with FTP and HHs, bc I have hands I'd like to post, but not so much that I'd go through 1600 hands to find them.

BR: $1400

Originally Posted by Illfavor

Played some pokers. Started HU on this table with the biggest donk I've ever played. Needless to say I lost two buyins to him through coolers/gutshot straight+FD not coming in...Kept playing, playing 1600 hands total, ended up $17, plus $28 in RB and $20 in bonus, so it's a $65 day and I can handle that. Unfortunately Poker Copilot doesn't know about my bonus so it looks kinda bad, but w/e. I played really well and just never got a whole bunch of good things to happen. Also got stacked set<set, but I ended positive and I'm happy with how I played. Still having trouble with FTP and HHs, bc I have hands I'd like to post, but not so much that I'd go through 1600 hands to find them.

BR: $1400

Don't you just LOVE Poker Copilot's lack of a replayer/easily navigated HH database lol. I'm either going to buy a new PC, or just using bootcamp to turn my mac into a PC and get HEM, cuz I'm about sick of this shit lol. Sorry to Steve, but damn, when I'm playing 8+ tables of FR I NEED to know that my HUD isn't gonna crash, and PCP () just isnt cuttin it anymore.

I made $1 today and Poker Copilot has me down $40. FML and my possibly horribly skewed statistics. I cant wait until 50NL and PC. Will be using my FTP deposit bonus to pay for it I believe.

Originally Posted by Illfavor

I made $1 today and Poker Copilot has me down $40. FML and my possibly horribly skewed statistics. I cant wait until 50NL and PC. Will be using my FTP deposit bonus to pay for it I believe.

I'm thinking about just using BootCamp (or whatever the hell its called) and just modding my Mac into a PC and saying fuck it. Cheaper + I can do it a whole lot sooner. I'm gonna start looking around about how well this works, cuz this shit is getting ridiculous.

Originally Posted by dranger7070

Originally Posted by Illfavor

I made $1 today and Poker Copilot has me down $40. FML and my possibly horribly skewed statistics. I cant wait until 50NL and PC. Will be using my FTP deposit bonus to pay for it I believe.

I'm thinking about just using BootCamp (or whatever the hell its called) and just modding my Mac into a PC and saying fuck it. Cheaper + I can do it a whole lot sooner. I'm gonna start looking around about how well this works, cuz this shit is getting ridiculous.

I think Badgers uses Parallels, but I'm just gonna go PC because my Mac only has 2 months of Applecare left (bought in '06) and if it breaks it's almost never cost effective to get them repaired after that, so I have to move all my files to a portable hard drive in prep for the inevitable break my machine will have soon after the warranty runs out. It's so annoying that Applecare cannot be renewed.

Study topic of the Week: 3betting

Last updated: May 5, 2009

Here I will post what I learn. Some expansion of the theory behind this has begun.

3betting

Definition of term
A 3bet is a bet that occurs after two other bets have occurred. In pre-flop play, the posting of blinds is considered the initial bet. After that, any raise would be a 2bet, and any re-raise would be a 3bet. Post flop, a 3bet is a re-raise made after a bet and a raise. Since a 3bet is only another form of a bet, we are essentially doing it for one of two reasons: for value or on a bluff.

3betting for Value
This implies that the hand with which we 3bet has greater than 50% equity against the villains continuing range. The bold part is the important one ldo. If the villain is 30/27/3 and opens from the button (so he is probably opening even wider) but you know he is only continuing after a 3bet with TT+ and AQ+, we cannot 3bet for value with AJo. Strictly speaking, we are not even 3betting for value with AKo in this spot. Get an idea of his 3bet continuing range (it is likely looser than this as micro-stakes players will often call 3bets with hands that are dominated like 88 and KQ) and use PokerStove to determine your equity against it so you know why you are betting.

For a value 3bet, or for any value bet, our equity edge needs to be significant enough to justify the action. If you are not sure of the villains continuing range or playing tendencies it is generally not best to blindly 3-bet AK 100%. If the villain is a nit, then it is almost certainly a mistake to 3-bet if he's continuing in an equally nitty manner. If a played is opening JTo+, 22+ and A7s+, but only continuing with TT+ and AK, 3betting would be a huge mistake. It's not a valuebet because we have less than the needed equity to make it. It's a incorrect bluff because we are never getting a better hand to fold. We'd need to add AQ to his range to make this threebet for value.

3betting as a bluff
This implies that we have less than 50% equity versus their continuing range. We are then 3betting because our opponents will fold often enough to make our bet have a positive expectation. We do this because 3bets represents great strength typically and our pre-flop equity, combined with the fold equity we receive from the bet, make it profitable. We can do a simple EV calc to determine how often the villain needs to fold for our 3bet to be profitable. TAGG opens OTB to 4BB, we 3bet to 12. There are 1.5 BBs in the pot already so 12/(1.5+4+12)= 68.6%

We can do some quick combo analysis on a small range and see what comes up. Say the villain opens 22+, Broadway and SCs 76+. 160 Broadway combos, 78 PPs, 16 SCs. That's 254 combos. If we 3bet, the typical TAG is only continuing with something like TT+ and AK. That's 46 combos. So he's folding 254-46 combos, or 208. Quick math tells us he's folding 81.9% of the time. Our 3bet bluff is +EV.

Who to 3bet
Ideally we want to 3bet players who have a wider opening range but a small continuing range. This means people in the 22/20 range. They are opening Broadway, high SCs, PPs and suited aces, generally, and we should have considerable fold equity versus them.

We should also target those who have a high Attempt to Steal %, as they are clearly opening a wide range of hands in attack of the blinds.

Generally speaking, the closer someone's AtS% is to their VPIP/PFR, the more you should 3bet them, as their raising range is probably more unbalanced as you get closer to the button.

General Thoughts
People typically give you less respect the more you 3bet. That said, try and get in a 3bet bluff early on so that your bigger hands will get less respect later.

We must have some knowledge of their continuing range to be able to 3bet bluff. That being said, all of that information should be available to us in some form to some degree if we pay attention. Something I am learning is that in the beginning stages of play, it is far more important to understand the concepts behind our actions than having someone telling us "3bet these hands" and then doing it. If you ask yourself "why" after every poker decision you make and cannot come up with an answer, you need to be actively pursuing the answer through study and hand posting. Generally, us microstakes players need to spend less time playing and more time getting better.


The most important thing in practicing this is getting an idea of the opponents range for opening, and their continuing range. Keep in mind that we will often have a +EV bluff situation from FE alone if the villain isn't too loose. It is imperative that we get some idea of their continuing range!

Later I'll look at adding hands to our 3bet bluffing range that work as blockers to the villains continuing range (Suited Aces, Kings, Queens come to mind.) This involves Renton's Theorem and establishing my subranges, so I'll take a look at that too.

Nice post Ill. Helps with my trying to understand 3bets. Thanks!

Excellent post about 3-betting Sir!

GG

Thanks guys! That post will be updated for the next few days then I'll post it into the BC so we can discuss key concepts.

like 120 hands, +$65 in coolers of other ppl, and I took my money and ran. It was + 70 but I made a great c/r on a 8 high flop w/77 vs a nit and he of course had TT. w/e he folds there a ton. Back to studying. I need to pick a book to read.

BR: $1465. 2 table shot-taking starts in 2 buyins, ~ 1 of which I will make this week in RB and bonus hopefully.

Illfavor - great post on 3-betting, I'm sure you'll do great when you start playing 50nl

Excellent dude! Good luck on your shot taking man. I'm sure you will rape. 3betting post was great dude. If your looking for a good book to read, check out the Poker Mindset. Its obviously not a strategy book, but it really helps with getting into the right frame of mind for playing through downswings and stuff.

Have fun man!

BR: $1350.

-5 BI day. KK<Q4 on Q54 board against a donkey. (AA>KK)<8c5c on AKJT4 board w/the third club falling nicely on the river, again a donkey. I spewed one away big time, and then KK<99 on JJ9 board. He call's the 3bet OOP w/99. Wow he must be good to play that hand profitably. This guy was a TAGG FFS. Other buyin through random stuff.

I also ran mostly card dead, hit almost never with AJ+ (and made very little when I did), got 3 bet a lot, got my cbets raised a lot, got sucked out on a lot, put myself into bad spots a lot.......

So yea. I suck, and poker sucks for me currently. Like, I don't get it. I've stacked off for 80+ BBs 15 times and lost in the last week. In terms of hand strength, they were 6 Flushes/Sets/FHs (AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH), 4 huge combo draws/ two pair on flop, and 5 Overpairs that were setted on. TEN of them were hands YOU CAN NEVER FOLD and I can't win.

I'm going to not play/think/study/do anything poker for a few days. This is getting to be too much. I know I'm not any good, but I probably deserve more than a massive coolerfest.

take the break. don't wake up tomorrow either and change your mind. you'll thank yourself in the end.

Yea man, nothing wrong with steppin away from the game for few days. Obviously the BS is getting to you, which is completely understandable. Good luck when you come back dude.

So I didn't take a break, mostly because I wanted to play poker. The beats suck, but w/e it's the game.

I played great imo, stacked off once, hit top of range, lost pot, talked about it with M2M, felt like I played it mostly correctly and it just sucked but w/e. BR: $1320. The BR continues to fall but it's hard to care when you're making +EV plays.

Played two short session today. Played very well, maybe the best I have ever. +$23. I 4bet a maniac 4 times for value and he folded each time (so I guess I could have 4bet wider but we'll start with this lol). I'm just two tabling 6 max currently. I'll start 3 tabling soon, but will never be more than four for then next two weeks unless I really get the hang of it.

I'm actually going semi-pro later this month, so that's cool.

Net of like $35 today with RB. I 2 tabled some 50NL 6max and nothing happened. Got coolered at 25NL 6max (AQ<77 on AQ7 std) but it's all good. Played well I think. Not great, but still well. Missed some vbets, maybe some steal chances, but meh. I played 50NL bc I discovered that I actually left $170 of my roll on Pstars so I'm technically just at my shot-taking number. No harm in it either when two tabling.

BR: $1550

So my girlfriend and I are really lazy and out of shape, so we've been swimming and eating healthier and I must saw that little on this Earth is better than being surrounded by water. It's just sooooo good.

Originally Posted by Illfavor

I'm actually going semi-pro later this month, so that's cool.

interesting

Originally Posted by daven

Originally Posted by Illfavor

I'm actually going semi-pro later this month, so that's cool.

interesting

Probably less so than it sounds. I don't pay to live currently (in college, nice parents) and I'll be able to devote ~6 hours a day to playing/studying for the summer. With any lucky I'll be fully rolled for 100NL when the summer ends.

Poker Copilot ignored a $44 pot I won at 50NL and that pisses me off. Seriously how wrong are my statistics, because I know I'm missing at leat $100 in profit!!!!

Anyhoo, played a short 50NL 3tabling session. Immediately lost two buy-ins to the biggest donkey in the world. One I shouldn't have, because he c/r and that's just not a bluff line, that's the set line at the microstakes. The other was pair + FD<pair + FD. I had the higher pair but lower FD, and the flush hit :/. Ended +$25 so that's cool.

Won that $44 pot against a donkey who c/c to the river with AA while my QT on a JTT board improved to a flush randomly. Won another stack against a guy who flatted AK in the SB against my 99, and wanted to get it in on a A9x board. Cool with me. Starting next week I get to play a lot.

I'm going to start posting how much money I lost in a session by not folding in good spots/ and actually folding in good spots.

Money lost not folding ~ $60
Money won folding ~$40

Originally Posted by Illfavor

because he c/r and that's just not a bluff line, that's the set line at the microstakes.

lol so true. I'm writing this above my desk also.

Played a meh/okay session. Ended down less than half a buy-in. Got coolered more than my share, again. Lost a big pot with a set vs. a flush, etc. I'm playing so few tables that I should be able to make the perfect decision every time, but today I put myself in a position to fail because I was playing in poor conditions, wasn't paying that much attention and tried too hard to "make it back."

Money Saved:~ $10
Money lost not folding: ~$18

Went through my stats and I beat 25NL for 3.5ptbbs/100 for 45K hands or so. That's better than I thought (though I was beating it for twice that for the first 15K) but I should have been able to do much better. I'm an inconsistent player. Sometimes when I'm thinking, I can do really well. Other times...yea.

Current daily study plan:

1hr reading ToP
1hr calculating hand combinations
1hr of situational analysis and calculation

Things have been up and down this week. I was reviewing my biggest losses and one of them was a huge glaring error on my part, and the others I felt fine about getting it in. I have also barely played b/c the semester just ended and things were hectic (not with final exams, just other stuff). Next week I go semi-pro of w/e.

BR: Fuck if I know. like 1500 or something.

Got pissed that my big hands weren't getting paid off and went to FR and immediately made 1.5 buy-ins, so that was nice.

I ended the day + half a buy-in, and Poker Copilot showed me down over half a buy-in....I have no idea what is wrong with this program, but I cannot wait to get a PC + HEM. I can't believe I am excited about getting a PC, but that's the reality of having a Mac but no Windows.

BR: ~$1570.

FOOOOOOOOOLDIIIIIIIING TO 3.5 THOUSSSSSAND DORRRRRRAR!!!!!!!!!

BR: $1600

Congrats on the bankroll boost and the new goal.

Folding is fun innit?

I just read most of this op Illfavor.
Good shit yo
I'll read the rest later tonight.

Keep going hard

Originally Posted by nice_aiau

I just read most of this op Illfavor.
Good shit yo
I'll read the rest later tonight.

Keep going hard

Thank you sir. I'm going to start posting more hands b/c these things can get kinda dry without real poker content.

Yea, m2m. Folding is fuuuuun.

Hoping to get in about 2K hands today, maybe clear $40 in bonus and get half that in RB and ya know I dunno win some money making +EV decisions. Also, another lesson today oN RANGES.

FUUUUCK YOU FULLTILT GIVE ME MY MONIEZ BACK

Lolz, got sucked out on runner-runner twice for a 1.5 buy-ins, but it's cool. Then my computer froze while I was in like 4 raised pots. Ended +$57

BR: $1720

Playing poker, BR grows slowly/steadily. Today was so freaking nuts. Up some, down two buy-ins (KK<AA preflop and KK<QQ on a Q high flop) then back to even (AA>KK and other stuff) and then down a buy-in (spew) then back to even. I played meh.

BR: $1760

Edit: RB + Bonus put me at $1800 today. Let's do some math. If I run at 7BB/100 it will take me 50K hands to reach my goals. Playing 1500 hands a day, that's one solid month of poker (not including bonus and RB). I'd love to try and get there and I have exactly 5 weeks to do it (1 week off in June for music stuff) and I think I can. So, 5 weeks, 10K hands a week!