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Poker Video: No Limit Hold'Em by Grindcore (Mid Stakes)

I'm not calling because of a skill that's making up for the weak hand. I'm calling because I think it's theoretically correct to do. I'd call T4o vs a 10/20 reg min raising 100% too. Sure if I thought the reg had an edge on me I'd play tighter. In HU you can defend 50-60% or so (I think) vs a 100% button minraiser. In this case theres an additional dead SB in the pot to give better odds. When both our ranges are 100%, the only thing going for him is position. Since you're getting insane odds, you can play more fit/fold and therefore have a stronger range than him on the turn to make up for his positional advantage.

Yeah defending wider vs a 100% btn min raiser certainly makes sense, but are you advocating defending 100%? Why don't HU specialists defend anywhere close to 100% vs a BTN minraiser? In 6max it's probably true that you can defend even a bit wider than in HU because 1) there's the extra sb in the pot which you mentioned, 2) the general play is a bit tighter/less bluffier than in HU, so you will probably get barreled less often and be able to bluff a bit more effectively than in HU, and 3) 6max regs in general probably aren't as good at using their position in BTN vs BB play as HU regs, but unless you plan on defending 100% don't you think you can choose some better hands with more post-flop potential/playability than T4o, at least something suited or semi-connected?

And if you are going to defend 100%, is the odds you are getting and being able to play more fit/fold and therefore having a stronger range on the turn your whole argument? It just seems like there's got to be more to it than that, given that I've never seen any top HU guys defending over 75% vs a BTN min-raiser.

thanks for the discussion GC

It's mostly the added SB. Maybe 100% is too lose. I think it isn't so I defend 100%, especially when villain cbets too much. I'm just giving my thoughts on things, I'm not saying they're right. Take away from my videos what you agree with. Never take anything anyone says for granted. Think critically about it yourself.

I'm just giving my thoughts on things, I'm not saying they're right. Take away from my videos what you agree with. Never take anything anyone says for granted. Think critically about it yourself.

Yeah I understand completely and appreciate the discussion

Great series.

You haven't forgotten about the donk betting video I hope.

Great series.

You haven't forgotten about the donk betting video I hope.

No, but I might use the content for a possible upcoming series. I'm waiting for the higher ups to discuss things

Hey,

I really like your approach and your great series, good work.

I'd like to ask for your advice about one specific area i struggle a lot at the micros. How to play against limper fishes? I just hate playing against them and now reached a level that i play more pleasantly against regulars as i can outplay them (thanks to your vids)
They play 50/5 or similar, limpcall a lot, slowplay a lot. There are passive ones who will call until showdown and slowplay their monsters when they hit. There are trickier ones, who will miniraise, minicheckraise, donkbet a lot.
When we have a good hand it's easy to play. BUT.

- But what about the situation we have AK in the blinds and flop doesnt hit us. Should we cbet here at all? How much? So we make a cb and fish calls. Turn is a brick and we check, fish bets and we fold. Or, should we make a 2nd barrell, even a tripple barrel. Or only VB them?

- Or we have 99, there are overpairs on the board and fish starts donking. Or we have TPWK, a draw. How should we react to donks? Raise it up, can we make them fold ever?

I'd be happy to hear your advices, that would be awesome.

Thx

No offense, but you're way overestimating your own skill level. If you feel you can beat the regulars by outplaying them thanks to my videos but struggle vs fishes you have some massive leaks and are definitely not capable of outplaying the regulars. It's way more likely that you just copied some tricks you saw in my videos without understanding them, and you've actually developed leaks by doing that (even though your results have been good so far). My videos focus on building reads and then exploiting them. The more leaks your opponent has, the easier it's gonna be to beat them. Fish should be the easiest by far to beat. I've also stated at several points throughout my videos that you shouldn't be watching them if you don't have down the fundamentals yet. I could write up an answer on how to beat fish by explaining the entire fundamentals of poker, but there are tons of videos on this site going over it already so I'm not gonna waste my time on it. Stop watching my videos right now if you haven't watched all of them yet, and instead watch videos more relevant to your own stakes. Again no offense, just the harsh truth.

Thanks for your frankly speaking and absolutely dont mind your harsh words.
Maybe I seemed to be cocky stating that i can outplay regulars, that was not my intention. I'm apparently still at the micros and i've got several leaks (like in my post) I'm working on. I just wanted to say that i play more confidently against regulars than against these type of fishes.

Anyway, i dont copy your play, i've just recently discovered your vids at DC and it opened my eyes in a lot of topics, I really appreciate your work. I've watched a fair amount of really good vids at DC which are fine to learn standard lines, strategies and obviously your vids are more advanced level.

Back to my post, I just wanted to get a different view on this issue i struggle with and was curious about your approach to this topic. How could your play and your image affect the play of fishes against you?

The answer to all your questions is it depends. Each fish is different. Each board is different. In general fish don't play much different because of my image. They just play their cards. Try to put them on a preflop range and go from there. In the first episode of the thin red line I talk about adjusting to your opponent's tendencies and give a general framework. Like with 99 and the fish donks when there are overcards. Does he usually c/f when he checks? In that case he's likely donking when he hits. Or does he mostly c/c when he checks? In that case his donkbets are likely air. There isn't a clear answer to any spot, it always depends on your reads on your opponent. You can post a specific hand you had trouble with if you want, that'd be easier to comment on.

Thanks for your reply, will rewatch the first episode. I know that you cannot give a standard reply which is suitable for every situations. So I'd have one hand:

Villain is 43/1 AFQ 49% 70 hands. He donks 33% vs PFR. I've got the following reads on him:
- he limpcalls w 24s, check back w trips, mini turn bet, mini river bet
- lc 32s, checkcalls 3x w 2 pairs
- sqz call w A2s IP, call w FD, call turn shove
In this hand should i just call and hope that i hit my outs? Or should i raise the flop? His turn bet is weak, just as his river bet, but i have only A high.

Poker Stars $0.10/$0.25 No Limit Hold'em - 5 players - View hand 1235074
DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History Converter

BTN: $26.37
SB: $27.55
BB: $27.35
UTG: $30.15
Hero (CO): $25.00

Pre Flop: ($0.35) Hero is CO with A 8
UTG calls $0.25, Hero raises to $1, 3 folds, UTG calls $0.75

Flop: ($2.35) 2 7 5 (2 players)
UTG bets $0.75, Hero calls $0.75

Turn: ($3.85) K (2 players)
UTG bets $1, Hero calls $1

River: ($5.85) K (2 players)
UTG bets $2, Hero folds

Like I said in my previous post, whether he donks for value or as a bluff is related to his fold to cbet. If he folds a lot to them, then he likely donks when he hits, and vice versa. If you think his donk is a bluff, call flop/turn and either call or raise river (probably call as you beat most bluffs). If he donks when he hits then either raise flop and bomb away to get him of his low pair (any overcard on the turn will probably be scary enough for him to fold by the river), or call down and either fold or raise river depending on how the board runs out.

Thanks for your helpful advices, that's the type of information i wanted to know

Time Link to 00:21:15

hey,
if he is smart why wouldnt he overbet with ax random 2 pair sets and draws? im my point of view his range is extremely wide in this spot

hey,
if he is smart why wouldnt he overbet with ax random 2 pair sets and draws? im my point of view his range is extremely wide in this spot

Overbetting balanced (as in both draws and monsters) there is not good. If he'd only overbet monsters/draws then the rest of his super wide range, the weak part, would be face up every time he doesn't overbet. He'd have to start overbetting for thin value too, as well as with pure air, and that would make him way too easy to trap (I can see the flop for the cost of 1bb and win overbets out of him when I make a monster). When he overbets here he's doing it to exploit me. If he thinks I'm gonna fold too much, he's never doing it for value. Draws? Maybe... If he thinks I'm not gonna fold, he's always doing it for value with 9x as weakest hand, maybe even a lower pocket pair. Draws? Probably not.

Whether he's doing it as a bluff or for value depends on my perceived range, and what he'll think I do with it. I discussed that in the video already so I'm not gonna type it out here, unless you have a question about it of course.

Time Link to 00:10:53

Hey GC, I wanted to ask about that 109s spot in the bottom right. As you are explaining your play in the bottom-center table and mentioning thatt "FastEddie" plays very loose and aggressive, you flatted 109s in the SB with FastEddie in the BB. Knowing that FastEddie is capable of squeezing fairly light in his spot, do you think it would be a good spot to 3bet the button raiser so that you can block a light squeeze attempt from the lag player next to you? It's a tricky spot for me when I want to play a suited connector in a certain spot but I have a very aggressive player to my left.