My latest poker strategy article, How to Spot a Level 3 Thinker, has just been published in the April issue of 2+2 Magazine. The introduction describes the genesis of the article: One of my first articles for Two Plus Two … Read more…
It’s not really fair to call the Villain in this hand a nit, but he’s one of the tightest winning 5/10 regulars anyway. That’s part of the reason I bet the turn against him, rather than just check-calling the turn … Read more…
Verlyn Klinkenborg, who regularly contributes interesting and well-written little essays to the New York Times Op-Ed page, writes today about four-way stops and what a surprisingly successful tidbit of human cooperation they are: What a four-way stop expresses is the … Read more…
A commenter on yesterday’s re-squeeze hand remarked that even at high stakes he felt like Villain would pretty much always have AK when he overcalled the first pre-flop raise and then shoved over a re-raise and a call. Having just … Read more…
Villain, a decent reg, ridiculed my call here, but I think he was just tilted. I need less than 40% equity, and while he can maybe have QQ here, I’d say he has KK+ and AK pretty much never (note … Read more…
PokerStars No-Limit Hold’em, $4.00 BB (5 handed) – Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com Hero (BB) ($400) UTG ($400) MP ($300) Button ($414) SB ($425) Preflop: Hero is BB with 10, A 2 folds, Button bets $12, 1 fold, Hero calls $8 … Read more…
My range for 3-betting an UTG raiser from UTG+1 isn’t going to be all that wide, and by the river, AK is probably closer to the bottom of it than the top: PokerStars No-Limit Hold’em, $50.00 BB (6 handed) – … Read more…
My latest poker strategy article, now appearing in the March 2010 issue of Two Plus Two Magazine, explores the many nuances of continuation betting against tough opponents. Here’s an excerpt from Continuation Betting for Advanced Players: Poker is also a … Read more…
Versus a Scandi, no less! Full Tilt No-Limit Hold’em, $10.00 BB (7 handed) – Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com SB ($1507.85) Hero (BB) ($1405.25) UTG ($1047) MP1 ($1395) MP2 ($1000) CO ($808) Button ($1741.25) Preflop: Hero is BB with J, 5 … Read more…
I’m probably good here sometimes, and it’s close whether a call is better than a fold, but I think raising wins me the pot almost 100% of the time: Full Tilt No-Limit Hold’em, $10.00 BB (9 handed) – Full-Tilt Converter … Read more…
This one of his first 4-bets, but this guy was very aggressive with his 3-bets pre-flop, and I had an inkling he was light. My hand isn’t a bad one to jam pre-flop, but I decided just to call and … Read more…
PokerStars No-Limit Hold’em, $20.00 BB (9 handed) – Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com BB ($1961) Hero (UTG) ($2651.50) UTG+1 ($2040) MP1 ($2474) MP2 ($3105) MP3 ($1027.50) CO ($2000) Button ($1857) SB ($2904) Preflop: Hero is UTG with J, A Hero bets … Read more…
Villain’s flop bet, representing 75% of the pot and about 15% of the effective stacks, puts me in an awkward spot with my whole range (and is therefore a good one). Actually, I can play good draws pretty easily by … Read more…
I played this guy bawaa heads up on a couple of tables the other day. He played well and it was a wild match, with me taking an early lead, then getting stuck 6-7 buy-ins, then clawing my way back … Read more…
Full Tilt No-Limit Hold’em, $8.00 BB (3 handed) – Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com Button ($816.20) Hero (SB) ($2062.85) BB ($2710) Preflop: Hero is SB with A, 6 1 fold, Hero bets $32, BB calls $24 Flop: ($64) 5, 6, 5 (2 players) Hero … Read more…
The thing about these professional short stackers is that they suck at playing post-flop. That’s why they buy-in short in the first place, after all. So my strategy is to make small pre-flop raises against their blinds. They win less … Read more…
This is a blatant example of a guy who is thinking about my hand and what he wants me to do but not about what I will be thinking or what his hand will look like to me: Full Tilt … Read more…
Edit: Sorry I didn’t have time to do commentary for this one when I posted it. I’ve added some discussion below. PokerStars No-Limit Hold’em, $6.00 BB (5 handed) – Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com Hero (SB) ($685) BB ($768.15) UTG … Read more…
The player that I ended up sucking out on yesterday was the reason I was sitting in this 40/80 game. I didn’t recognize his name, so I sat in and started playing a bit. It quickly became apparent that he … Read more…
I’m a little late in mentioning this, but my latest poker strategy article, “Thinking Ahead”, is now appearing in the February issue of 2+2 Magazine. I’m a little frustrated that I couldn’t find a way to express myself quite as … Read more…
PokerStars No-Limit Hold’em, $10.00 BB (8 handed) – Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com Hero (BB) ($1274.50) UTG ($955) UTG+1 ($824) MP1 ($1508) MP2 ($1042) CO ($1015) Button ($1230) SB ($490) Preflop: Hero is BB with J, K 2 folds, MP1 bets … Read more…
Full Tilt Poker recently introduced some new small stakes tables in a format they call “Rush Poker”: Available exclusively at Full Tilt Poker, Rush Poker* is the ultimate high-speed poker experience. This new poker format is designed to minimize your … Read more…
PokerStars No-Limit Hold’em, $10.00 BB (6 handed) – Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com CO ($2077.75) Button ($1181) Hero (SB) ($2208) BB ($1000) UTG ($1015) MP ($1491) Preflop: Hero is SB with K, K 1 fold, MP bets $30, 2 folds, Hero … Read more…
I’ve been writing a lot lately about the importance of understanding how much equity your hand has against your opponent’s range, and a lot of people have quite reasonably asked how to figure that out at the table, when Poker … Read more…
Happy Thanksgiving! I know I’m a few days late, but I do want to thank all of my readers, especially those of you who read and comment regularly. I generally enjoy blogging and am pretty sure that reviewing my thought … Read more…
PokerStars No-Limit Hold’em, $6.00 BB (3 handed) – Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com Hero (Button) ($618) SB ($1774.20) BB ($690) Preflop: Hero is Button with 6, K Hero bets $15, SB calls $12, 1 fold Flop: ($36) 2, A, 9 (2 players) SB checks, … Read more…
…because sometimes, you aren’t bluffing: Full Tilt No-Limit Hold’em, $20.00 BB (2 handed) – Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com BB ($14268.50) Hero (SB) ($4179.50) Preflop: Hero is SB with 7, Q Hero bets $60, BB calls $40 Flop: ($120) K, J, J (2 players) … Read more…
This isn’t going to work against a lot of opponents, but against very tough opponents, it’s essential: Full Tilt No-Limit Hold’em, $20.00 BB (6 handed) – Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com Hero (MP) ($4429.50) CO ($7120) Button ($2587) SB ($4449.30) … Read more…
$5/$10 NLHE 6-handed game. Villains have about $1000 each, I cover. MP opens to $35, BTN calls, I call 9h 7h in the BB. Flop Ks 6h 2d. I check, MP bets $70 into $105 pot, BTN calls, I raise … Read more…
I posted an admittedly under-explained bit of advice last night. I was cryptic for a reason: if I’m too specific here, anyone who reads this blog could exploit the hell out of a very common spot. But here’s a pretty … Read more…
Most players handle the turn far worse than any other street. In particular, when the pot is getting large, even very good players tend to revert to level two thinking on the turn. They are making the play that they … Read more…
I got a very good comment/question from Christoph on a recent post about a huge bluff that I averted when I rivered a pair: “I’ve been thinking a bit about this hand and I’m wondering about how you’d play it … Read more…
I just published what I think is a very interesting instructional video with Poker Savvy Plus. It’s actually the second in a series (I hesitate to call it that since it’s been months since the first part) called The Parable … Read more…
You might not know it from reading this blog, but I make some big folds. The key for me is thinking about my whole range. If I can think of a few hands that I could have in this same … Read more…
When trying to exploit a particular opponent, the most important question to ask yourself is, “What are the situations where his range is either tighter or wider than it ‘should’ be? When does he build pots with hands that don’t … Read more…
Edit: Made a mistake in the original post. Villain did not have two pair, he had Aces with a kicker that didn’t play. $5/$10 NLHE, $1100 effective stacks. Action folds to a decent TAG regular in the SB, he opens … Read more…
I recently made another appearance on Cardplayer’s “Run It Twice” feature, discussing a hand that regular blog readers will recognize: “I just don’t think he’s telling a consistent story on the turn and the river. On the river, now, all … Read more…
This hand from the 2+2 high-stakes multi-table tournament forum got me thinking about what it means to be “at the top” of a polarized range. Here’s a quick summary, for those who can’t/won’t follow the link: It’s a tournament, and … Read more…
Thanks to everyone who commented on my recent post “You Tell Me: How’d We Do?“. I’ll address a couple of the great questions and comments here and share my own thoughts. 1. The pre-flop 3-bet. I’m certainly not doing this … Read more…
Here’s a change of pace. Instead of telling you my reasoning and take on the hand (yet), I want to hear yours. What do you think of my play? What do you think of Villain’s? Obviously some streets will be … Read more…
Villain is Matt “Mattg1983” Graham. He’s got a bracelet from the 2008 WSOP PLO $10K, but I don’t know how his PLO8 game is. PokerStars Pot-Limit Omaha Hi/Lo Tournament, 15/30 Blinds (8 handed) – Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com SB … Read more…
The last two months have been pretty brutal. Certainly part of that was due to whiffing the WSOP and a few failed shots at 40/80, but even my regular games have not been going well. Unlike in past downswings, I … Read more…
I did a “Turning Point” segment today with Cardplayer’s Kristy Arnett about a key hand from Day 2A of the WSOP. Just to provide a little more detail about the hand: blinds were 300/600/75. I opened to 1500 with KJo, … Read more…
Forgot to mention this with all the excitement of the WSOP, but my latest poker strategy article, Capped Ranges, is now appearing in the 2+2 Magazine. Here’s a tantalizing excerpt: “On the turn or river, it is often possible to … Read more…
I’ve recently received a few requests for old articles of mine that appeared in the 2+2 Magazine. First off, let me apologize that my archive is so out of date. The revamping of the website has proved far more complicated … Read more…
Even though I’m too sloppy/lazy/uneducated to work out the details of complicated problems, I’m quite interested in the mathematics of poker. I feel like I do have a broad grasp of the game theory that underlies many situations and can … Read more…
My latest poker strategy articles, Debunking Myths About Implied Odds, has just been published in the June 2009 issue of 2+2 Magazine. The article explores one of the most important and misunderstood concepts in big bet poker: “Calling a late … Read more…
My latest poker strategy article, Hand Reading Made Simple, is now appearing in the May 2009 edition of 2+2 Magazine: The basic idea behind this simplified hand reading technique is not to put an opponent on an exact hand or … Read more…
My latest article, “Making Quick Reads in Poker Tournaments“, is now appearing in the April issue of 2+2 Magazine. Here’s an excerpt that previews the article’s content: “This article will suggest several strategies for formulating preliminary profiles of new opponents … Read more…
OK, this has sparked a lot of interest among commenters, so I think I will offer a few of my own thoughts on the hand after all. In terms of what durrrr may have been thinking and why he was … Read more…
I’m not much for watching televised poker, but from what I’ve seen, if you’re going to watch anything, High Stakes Poker is the show to watch. Although I didn’t see this hand go down, I heard it discussed quite a … Read more…
This month I’ve got two publications to report. First, my latest article for 2+2 Magazine, titled Float On, is now appearing in the March issue. It’s an analysis of when, whom, and how to bluff-call, including an in-depth example: Suppose … Read more…
From yesterday’s Sunday Million: PokerStars No-Limit Hold’em, $200+$15 Tournament, 600/1200 Blinds 100 Ante (9 handed) – Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com Hero (BB) (t30683)UTG (t23180)UTG+1 (t69583)MP1 (t45234)MP2 (t42249)MP3 (t22891)CO (t38571)Button (t32005)SB (t14539) Hero’s M: 11.36 Preflop: Hero is BB with … Read more…
On my recent post, “Defining His Range Into Oblivion“, tce left a comment that I felt warranted a new post: This is a tantalizing post with some really interesting ideas that need more meat. Can you say more? In my … Read more…
Full Tilt Poker, $5/$10 NL Hold’em Cash Game, 2 PlayersLeggoPoker.com – Hand History Converter Hero (SB): $2,434.50BB: $3,954.50 Pre-Flop: T K dealt to Hero (SB)Hero raises to $30, BB raises to $100, Hero raises to $255, BB calls $155 Flop: … Read more…
My latest poker article, Calling for Information, is now appearing in the February issue of 2+2 Magazine. It’s a relatively low-level strategy article, compared to some of the stuff I’ve published, but even more advanced players may find parts of … Read more…
Weeks ago, I got a comment that I promised to answer in greater depth. Well, I’ve finally gotten around to it. Here was the question: I read with interest the blog in which you say that you use AQ as … Read more…
Until recently, I didn’t play HSNL very often on Poker Stars and consequently did not remember anything about this player. However, I had a note on him indicating that I had previously observed him fail to make a thin value … Read more…
It never ceases to amuse me when my mistakes make me money. Here I meant to bet $99 on the river and accidentally bet $9. The result was inducing a huge check-raise bluff from a hand that almost certainly would … Read more…
This is from my laptop, so sorry for the lack of converted HH. It was from a 5/10 deep game, people’s stack sizes are in parentheses after their names: UTG ($2000) raises to $40, UTG+1 ($2000) re-raises to $120, CO … Read more…
There are some hands that I almost always 3-bet (AA, KK) and some that I almost never 3-bet (72, 95), but in the middle are a whole bunch of hands and spots that are at least kind of close. What … Read more…
My latest poker strategy article, Creative Bet Sizing, is now appearing in the December edition of 2+2 Internet Magazine. The article examines underbetting and overbetting as examples of how to add unconventional plays into your arsenal. Here’s an excerpt from … Read more…
Eugene asked a great question about my recent post, A Random Call, which reminded me that I’d meant to post this hand as well. It happened not long after I snapped off a 2x pot river bluff with top pair, … Read more…
My latest poker article, Knowing is (Only) Half the Battle, is now appearing in the November issue of the Two Plus Two Internet Magazine. The article focuses on the way different betting lines taken in an otherwise identical hand can … Read more…
A triple barrel bluff will by definition involve at least three bets. Especially when dealing with a player who can read hands well, sizing these bets will often be the difference between success and failure. As I discussed in a … Read more…
Generally when we think of manipulating pot size, we think of playing pot control when we have a hand that we want to showdown cheaply or trying to inflate the pot when we have a monster. But there are times … Read more…