In his first video for LeggoPoker Steve plays 2 heads up tables of $1,000 NL and $40,000 NL on Full Tilt. Steve talks about adjusting to opponents tendencies and putting together the story that tells how they play.
After checkraising J9h on KJ8hh, u make the small 4 bet from 330 to 550 or whatever, saying there's really no reason not to, and that he might shove a hand like 9T, etc. How is giving him good odds w/ T9 a good play, though? I agree he's not likely to just call w/ it, but still aren't u giving him an opportunity to play correctly? Also, I assume he's not folding T9 once he 3 bets, so why not just shove and allow him to make a mistake against you? Even hands like AQ/AT/Ah8, etc is now probably correct to call w/ 7 outs (7 for AQ, less for the others) against ur hand (although again, he's probably not 3 betting those here, so i guess it just doesnt matter).
Anyway, great vid. Great to have u here. Would love some further elaboration on the small 4 bet.
hey guys, glad the video was recieved well. As it was my first video I was still getting accustomed to the process of making videos and I think I will improve over the next few videos. I have recorded a bunch of sessions that I think have some really interesting spots so be on the lookout, I can confidently say my videos will improve over the next couple.
In response to siegfriedandroy question about the hand with J9hh, basically on that flop, pair and a flush draw is a hand where you want your opponent to get the last bet in, meaning you want to always be inducing from a worse hand as in a worse draw, exc. Giving him really good odds to peel isn't really an issue because we are committed with the hand anyways, and it would be a mistake for him to peel with his low-equity air as he wouldn't be getting odds even vs the very small 4 bet (random gutshot that he 3 bet the flop with).
I'm the villain on the 1000NL table. Not sure if anyone cares too much about that game, but I'll answer any questions if people are interested in what I had or was thinking in a few spots. I actually recorded a video on my side since I knew he was recording, which I plan to release in the member contributions forum (unless I get too much hate :().
Anyway, I figure I might as well comment on a few spots:
$5/$10 No Limit Holdem
[url=http://weaktight.com/ftp/]FullTiltPoker[/url]
2 players
Converted at [url=http://weaktight.com/]weaktight.com[/url]
Final Pot: $970
CantBustThis shows: 4:club: 3:club:
CantBustThis wins $1,699 ( won +$484.50 )
Hero lost -$485
TBH, this is me just having fps because I'm on video. It's a fine play under the correct circumstances, I usually toss this play in my game if I think my opponent is floating a ton. That being said, it's not a horrendous play. I felt at the time that he would fold anything without a J, but obviously had alot of J's in his range. I also felt he would bet here alot to protect any of his AXs or 2 pair hands, and would certainly be capable of folding them. I think it's close and I have to be right about too many things in order for it to be a +EV play. But like I said, this was just me getting fancy because I knew I was on video and couldn't resist making a play, fully intending to show the bluff. :D
Another interesting spot:
$5/$10 No Limit Holdem
[url=http://weaktight.com/ftp/]FullTiltPoker[/url]
2 players
Converted at [url=http://weaktight.com/]weaktight.com[/url]
Stacks: BTN Zugwat ($1053.00) BB Hero ($1269.00)
Pre-flop: ($15, 2 players) Hero is BB Q:spade: A:heart: Zugwat raises to $30, Hero raises to $100, Zugwat calls $70
Zugwat wins $1,402.50 ( won +$349.50 )
Hero lost -$350
First off, preceding this hand, Zugwat says something like, "He's 3 betting alot, but I'm not going to do anything about it because I know that he's expecting it." I found this statement to be very insightful. I believe at this point I was 3 betting all my small PP's intending to 5b shove, since I was anticipating 4b bluffs and to be flipping against AQ, AK very often too. He also made the comment that I might have had a hand like AK which I was debating to call with, and that I might have made my move without a clear plan for the hand. I had a plan... it was to fold, but then I started to change my mind once he shoved. That being said, not having a clear plan for the hand is a mistake I make all too often. Mostly due to auto piloting multiple tables or do to mental fatigue (I had already played about 2000 hands before playing Zugwat, so fatigue was a factor).
One more hand:
$5/$10 No Limit Holdem
[url=http://weaktight.com/ftp/]FullTiltPoker[/url]
2 players
Converted at [url=http://weaktight.com/]weaktight.com[/url]
Stacks: BTN Hero ($1781.00) BB Zugwat ($1163.50)
Pre-flop: ($15, 2 players) Hero is BTN K:spade: A:heart: Hero raises to $30, Zugwat calls $20
Zugwat wins $2,326.50 ( won +$1,163 )
Hero wins $617.50 ( lost -$1,163.50 )
I felt my play was pretty standard... and I'm very interested in getting a more detailed explanation as to why Zugwat didn't like it? The only other way I could see playing it would be to call the CR, then call any turn and re-evaluate the river.
One more hand:
$5/$10 No Limit Holdem
[url=http://weaktight.com/ftp/]FullTiltPoker[/url]
2 players
Converted at [url=http://weaktight.com/]weaktight.com[/url]
Stacks: BTN Hero ($1781.00) BB Zugwat ($1163.50)
Pre-flop: ($15, 2 players) Hero is BTN K:spade: A:heart: Hero raises to $30, Zugwat calls $20
Zugwat wins $2,326.50 ( won +$1,163 )
Hero wins $617.50 ( lost -$1,163.50 )
I felt my play was pretty standard... and I'm very interested in getting a more detailed explanation as to why Zugwat didn't like it? The only other way I could see playing it would be to call the CR, then call any turn and re-evaluate the river.
right, i think zugwat's point was that he's never c/ring a worse made hand, and his range has a lot of draws that yr flipping with if you get it in on the flop, so you should probably just call the c/r and wait for a blank turn to stick the money in.
I actually recorded a video on my side since I knew he was recording, which I plan to release in the member contributions forum (unless I get too much hate :().
I'm the villain on the 1000NL table. Not sure if anyone cares too much about that game, but I'll answer any questions if people are interested in what I had or was thinking in a few spots. I actually recorded a video on my side since I knew he was recording, which I plan to release in the member contributions forum (unless I get too much hate :().
I'm also really interested in how you play spots when you're expecting villain to be polarised and thus have you crushed or flipping like with the J9dd vs AK hand. In other words how do you play the AK hand if you were villain. I'm not sure if you play 6max -- but if you do how do play these situations when oop on a flop like this?
Something I've been trying to wrap my brain around is a comment you made where you said, "I don't value bet much when it's impossible for me to be bluffing". I think you were OOP at the time. This is a new concept to me and I don't fully understand it. I would love to hear why this is good game theory wise. From my own thinking on the topic is seems to have the following benefits:
1. This strengthens your checking range which will allow you to CR for value and credibly as bluffs.
2. This will punish villain for thin value betting.
3. This also serves as a bluff catcher.
Are my thoughts on target here, or is there different reason?
Cool, thanks for the response. Look forward to future vids.
-One more question about that hand, is that you say you're never really checkraising a hand like KQ on that board (thin value w/ top pair). I used to play this way, too, but now will sometimes open up my value checkraising range to include hands like AQ/maybe AJ on Axx drawish board, etc, or possibly KQ on the board in your hand.
Is this not a good idea? I think AE disucsses this in some of his vids, where he might checkraise w/ some good top pair hands, to balance with his air and draws, etc. Curious what u think of this generally (checkraising good top pairs on drawy boards, especially if u bluff checkraise often).
hey guys, glad the video was recieved well. As it was my first video I was still getting accustomed to the process of making videos and I think I will improve over the next few videos. I have recorded a bunch of sessions that I think have some really interesting spots so be on the lookout, I can confidently say my videos will improve over the next couple.
In response to siegfriedandroy question about the hand with J9hh, basically on that flop, pair and a flush draw is a hand where you want your opponent to get the last bet in, meaning you want to always be inducing from a worse hand as in a worse draw, exc. Giving him really good odds to peel isn't really an issue because we are committed with the hand anyways, and it would be a mistake for him to peel with his low-equity air as he wouldn't be getting odds even vs the very small 4 bet (random gutshot that he 3 bet the flop with).
Oh, and also w/ regard to the A3 hand at the end (u plan to c/c riv w/ 2pair 853 A x b/c you cut down ur value betting range when it's very difficult for u to be bluffing)
1) Ya, further elaboration on that (as cantbustthis asked as well) would be great. Like here, ya it's not too likely ur bluffing (although u could have 64, 67, etc - though i assume u'd checkraise mostly on flop?....or possibly some gutshots - would u ever c/c w/ them?). But at the same time, you're toward the top of your value range - why not at least try for some value from A2, 99-KK, any 8, etc that might check back on river?
2) And if you do check and he bets, why do u prefer check call instead of c/r? I'd guess you'd say that there really aren't many worse hands he can b/c with. But if so, then you should maybe be checkraise bluffing here often? And if you should be checkraise bluffing often, then shouldnt u have some value hands here (ie A3!)? (dr giggy talks about this on bluefire - that it's good to have some thinnish value hands on river checkraises) Curious why you like c/c best, and are you making plays like c'r bluffing river often?
Cantbustthis's line in the AK hand is not necessarily bad, and is certainly the optimal play vs a lot of players. Part of the reason I said I didn't like his play, is because I know my own ranges better then anyone else, and his play is certainly bad vs my range in that spot, although it was impossible for cantbustthis to know this at the time.
Basically, I generally don't check-raise strong top pairs on that board, like KQ unless, I get a read that my opponent is betting tons of pairs on the flop and bet calling all his pairs and draws, (float happy with gutters, exc.). If I was the villain in the hand I would flat the check-raise, and revaluate on the turn and river. This allows me to get value from draws or bluffs that will continue to barrel and also avoids getting stacked when crushed on the flop.
With the A3 hand, basically when i check call an 8 5 3 flop and it runs out A 6, there are practically no bluffs in my range to bet the river. All of my draws that i might check / call the flop with either picked up showdown value with a pair of 6s or made a straight, or turned a pair of aces. Also somebody asked if I would be check calling draws or check / raising. I would check / raise my draws if my opponent c-bets too much, as in a large amount of air and a lot of pairs that he might bet / call the flop with and fold to my later barrels. If my opponent wasn't prone to barreling and often bet once and give up, then I might check call and go for a river bluff when the turn goes check check. If they have a polarized flop c-bet range and also barrel effectively, I would probably strongly consider leading a lot of my straight-draws, and obviously balance that by leading value hands also. By checking the river, I induce either a bluff, or a value-bet from a worse hand that might fold if I bet myself. Thus in those spots where I cannot rep any bluffs, I do not value-bet as much and try to get value through other lines. Also because its very hard for me to be bluffing, it's a good spot to add some bluffs into my range. If i had check called the flop with a hand like 34s, its a good spot to turn my hand into a bluff and bet the river, to fold out hands like a middle pair or a rivered 6 like the villain did have in the hand. Even though this seems unbalanced since I'm advocating checking the river with two pair, this is ok, you just must be able to make proper adjustments based on what's gone to showdown and what you think your opponent is picking up on. If i had showndown bluffing with 34s in that spot, then i would be more likely to bet the A3 on the river.
Lastly on the issue of check / call vs check / raise, I do think check / raising is better, I'm not sure why I said check / call, I think my thought process at the time was more focused on checking and not on what to do vs a bet. I was just getting over being sick at the time I made the video and thus wasn't at 100% clear thinking abilities. The check / raise for value would be balanced with my medium pairs that I'm turning into a bluff, putting my opponent on thin value with a strong 8 or pocket 9s exc.
Also, I just wanted to let everyone know that I will be in the cage starting Friday. If you have any questions about anything for me, the thread will be here... http://www.leggopoker.com/forums/cage/
look forward to this as I think it will be fun and I'm interested to see what kind of questions you guy's have for me
you mentioned that you cbet a polarised range. The adjustment I make when I catch someone checking back 2nd pair etc consistently is to bluff raise their cbets relentlessly... this given that their cbetting range becomes heavily weighted towards bluffs. What are your thoughts on this both against you and vs some random?
about 30 min into the video you call a 3bet ip w QTo, check behind on AcJhTh, and fold to a pot bet on a 9c turn. Your commentary focuses on the all in hand on the right table. Out of position, villain should be hard pressed to play well with all the straight/flush/board pairing cards that could come on the river. Could you go into more detail on your perception of the opponents range and why you folded.
Groghead, im not a coach or anything, but im a HU player and for playing back at someone who has a polarized cbetting range and checks back 2nd pair I would try to employ overbetting the turn (and river if you get there). Since your opponent is checking back flops because he has 2nd pair he is trying to pot control therefore you should inflate the pot and make him do things he doesn't want to do. I don't mean overbet every turn he checks back, but when you have a strong draw or good top pairs or bluffs then employ some overbets to the turn and river.
You mention his flop betting range is weighted towards bluffs, but its also weighted towards strong made hands that you don't want to c/r. Don't know if this helps, but ashton mentioned it in one of his vids and its worked well for me.
You said you didn't like how he played the hand. How should it have been played? Although I agree getting it in on the flop is at best against a strong draw, what else could he have done? call flop, call turn, fold river?
You're definitely firing another barrel on the turn I'd imagine with the scarecard Q and added gutter. He would have to call I think because he picked up the nut gutter and still beats a draw. On the river Qh comes and his hand becomes a bluff catcher for maybe something like JTo?
I don't know... if your'e always on the defensive, it gets kind of hard to play, sometimes frustrating. I guess I'm too used to shoving and reloading. (I think he had Ah too, I may be wrong)
