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Poker Video: No Limit Hold'Em by BalugaWhale (Micro/Small Stakes)

what you means with 5/10 structure?

BB = $10, SB = $5, or any sort of situation where SB is 1/2 of BB.

Sometimes its not - like $2/$5 or $3/$5 or online NL .10/.$25

hey guys, just got back from a scuba trip and am just now looking at your questions here.

1) 3betting AJ is fine if a guy calls (expected at 50nl), but if we get 4bet a lot then its not as fine unless we're 5bet jamming it.
2) 3betting T8s is both A) fine in general against a guy who will call 3bets oop and c/f a lot of flops and B) great in that it prevents other players from playing pots with the fish, especially if theyre aggressive and likely to 3bet/squeeze.
3) i don't imagine that a 1/5 bb difference really affects our plan in the SB (wrt to 5/10 or 2/5 or 3/5 setups).
4) KcJc can't be "terrible" as a play in itself given that the equity is so good. However, the thinking can be terrible even if the play isn't. So, pushing a tiny edge into a strong hand unlikely to fold is terrible compared with pushing a huge edge later. And, if the bottom end of kristys c-betting range are top pair hands that she might fold to a raise (or might not, who knows really?) then her c-betting range is greatly reduced to do table dynamics--and correctly so.

probably missing a few q's, will try to get at them later.

Andrew

Just a thought but i think one of the reasons we can contribute as to why Kristy is getting 4bet so often is her 3bet stat on every table is pretty big. Its something i havnt heard you talk much about yet Andrew is our image on the table and how we should adjust , given Kirsty is playing very loose and aggressive with a much higher than average 3bet % i think we should expect to get played back at alot more.

Great video !

guys, she's getting 4-bet by different people most times. I hardly expect everyone to notice our activity/adjust super quick.
in general, i wouldn't give my opponents credit for adjusting unless i i experience it first hand. then, id start 3-betting/5-betting wider for value (hi AJ) and i'd stop 3-betting QJ etc.

Andrew

I think the "problem" is, Baluga, that you don't use stats and probably never did.
A lot of grinders at the lower stakes shouldn't look to 3-bet stats to much because of small sample size but in reality they do.
I also think people nowadays pretty much know a loose aggressive player like to 3-bet a lot with way more hand then just for value.

So I do think people will notice at some point that Kristy is re-raising a lot. Most will just look at stats, see a high %, and don't consider all the things you should consider when being 3-betted.

I think a lot of the time the thought process is just: He has a high 3-bet %. (ugh, stats, i know)

I also think if you start 5-betting for value, the range people will get it in with is still almost the same. It's like they know they can 4bet as a defense against somebody that 3-bets a lot but then if they get 5-bet they fold most of their range and get it in with the goods.

So, would that mean that a hand like AJ should also be called, just like QJ? or is that exactly the reason we are going to 5-bet for value with a hand like AJ? I can't see how, but that's why I am a member and you are a coach, I have no idea

Not even mentioning that I might outlevel myself into thinking that everybody is 4-betting me light.
a loose strategy is very nice to play and you get value in spots where a tight player never get value, but the skill level of observing needs to be very high to really understand the table dynamics. Atleast, that where I struggled the most with.

I also think if you start 5-betting for value, the range people will get it in with is still almost the same.

Yes I agree. However, if someone is going to 4bet light but still calling 5b shoves all in with his same regular 4b value range (JJ+ AK usually at 50NL, JJ not even always) it means you can start 5b shoving everything against his 4bets, right? The times you win because he folds offset the times he calls JJ+ and AK. That is what I'd think but didn't checked that mathematically or so.

Thats true, I guess. I am just a bit sceptic to use a 3b/4b/5b strategy on a level where most don't really know what they are doing.

you guys are thinking about this in a way thats kinda backwards


i dont like 3-bet 5-betting light cause they always have the goods!

buuut... dont you think they're 4-betting us light all the time???

either way they either have it or they dont, make your choice.

by the way, the vast majority of teh value from 3bet-5betting AJ is that they fold off some 28bb w/o variance. You do that a couple times you can get it in vs KK and have a big smile on your face

in short, id still keep 3-betting in general cause i expect people to call OOP, and if theyd on't, you either 3-bet 5-bet a lot or you call a lot, or if you're a true sicko, you do both

Andrew

Time Link to 00:43:29

Why are we 3betting the 77 there on table 2, against the so far tight player, wouldnt it be much better to call there?

It was asked on the previous video before, where 77 was 3bet 200bb deep vs I believe an UTG raise, but there was never a response.

I am not as confident as you Baluga, when I am playing and I have to find out if somebody is light 4-betting or for value,
it's very easy to copy the language but it's way harder in the heat of the battle and I have been 4-betted 5 times already.

I am not good enough to remember that villian a has 4-betted me 5 times, and villian b zero times. For me, I have been 4-betted for the 6th time once villian b 4-bets me and "grrr.. !!!, I have such a sick image!!! lets go with AJ!!!"

Why are we 3betting the 77 there on table 2, against the so far tight player, wouldnt it be much better to call there?

It was asked on the previous video before, where 77 was 3bet 200bb deep vs I believe an UTG raise, but there was never a response.

Nice point because i always tought pocketpairs we call a raise set mind?

But 3 betting for value you do that when villain not go to fold your 3 bet otherwise it is better to call his raise, then is my quuestion how do you know that when plays without hud?

You know how he responds to 3bets without a hud by 3betting him a few times , or by paying attention and seeing how he responds to 3bets from other players. Also remember that a good player will act different if he's being 3bet IP vs OOP, so don't forget to pay attention to villain's position when he's getting 3bet and how he reacts in each situation.

that is clear ... but 3 betting is sometimes very complex

Hey! You guys are awesome. I was thinking a lot of about what a few of you said about players recognizing my three-bet frequency, so I put all my thoughts down in my DeucesCracked blog...

http://www.deucescracked.com/blogs/snaptress/20531-Computer-Got-Effed

Baluga:

You were in middle of a thought process about the equity discount of playing OOP.
Specifically, why we should not be calling very much out of the small blind despite perhaps be getting the 'right price' to do so.
i.e. the difference between hot and cold equity and realisable equity.
And you were continuing on your mantra of thin value and passive dead money creation exploitation with a 3-bet/c-bet strategy.

Whilst I have understood the concept throughout your many videos - I have a couple of questions.
Specifically in late position vs blinds OOP and IP.
Given Pokerstars now has 100-250bb min tables:
With anywhere from 250bb to 500bb effective
How should we adjust our thin value bet range?
How should we view the metric of 3-bet/c-bet dynamic vs regulars where now we are exposed to alot more floating/ thin bluffs given stack depth?
In another words how do we adjust so we do not begin to create too much of our own passive money?

On a different note:
I realise that some of this is within your e-book - just from what I have heard from friends who have bought it.....

But is it possible that you could do a theory only video - where you are less constrained in time - to be able to expand on your ideas and thought process - so viewers can get a more in-depth less hurried perspective on your concepts surrounding these types of spots.

Finally - I think alot of us - would like to hear more thoughts on the effect of stack depth in 200bb effective scenarios in general - to the architecture of alot of your strategic thinking outlined across all your series.

Thanks in advance.

bump for baluga....

Baluga:

You were in middle of a thought process about the equity discount of playing OOP.
Specifically, why we should not be calling very much out of the small blind despite perhaps be getting the 'right price' to do so.
i.e. the difference between hot and cold equity and realisable equity.
And you were continuing on your mantra of thin value and passive dead money creation exploitation with a 3-bet/c-bet strategy.

Whilst I have understood the concept throughout your many videos - I have a couple of questions.
Specifically in late position vs blinds OOP and IP.
Given Pokerstars now has 100-250bb min tables:
With anywhere from 250bb to 500bb effective
How should we adjust our thin value bet range?
How should we view the metric of 3-bet/c-bet dynamic vs regulars where now we are exposed to alot more floating/ thin bluffs given stack depth?
In another words how do we adjust so we do not begin to create too much of our own passive money?

On a different note:
I realise that some of this is within your e-book - just from what I have heard from friends who have bought it.....

But is it possible that you could do a theory only video - where you are less constrained in time - to be able to expand on your ideas and thought process - so viewers can get a more in-depth less hurried perspective on your concepts surrounding these types of spots.

Finally - I think alot of us - would like to hear more thoughts on the effect of stack depth in 200bb effective scenarios in general - to the architecture of alot of your strategic thinking outlined across all your series.

Thanks in advance.

arghhhhh i wrote out a whole big thing, then typo'd writing "Andrew" at the bottom, and hit delete, and went back a page on accident, and lost it, wtfffffff.

cliffnotes:
1) depth is important but stops increasing significantly in value as you get deeper. this to be explained in a new chapter im working on for a book update.
2) in general you want to be more aggressive.
3) I expect the following mistakes to be made at the 250bb+ games:
3A) People will probably flat 3-bets OOP too much, and they probably won't play well enough postflop to make it profitable (they should probably induce value-ownage more than they should raise, yet they will probably raise too much).
3B) People will probably not adjust their 4-betting range, continuing to do Ax and Kx blocker type hands instead of adjusting to things like KQ or AJ.

about it for now

Andrew

Thanks Baluga.

I am also interested in hearing your thoughts here or in future videos of:
- the interplay between perceived ranges and thinness.
There are alot of FR guys I know who watch your videos and love your work.
And are interested in 3bet play vs overall tighter ranges. I realise that you have covered this sort of stuff in CT2 with Kai (i think) - but more stuff on it would greatly be appreciated particularly with 200+bb stack depth and OOP play....and turn/river board textures with that too much/too little equity balance you talked about this episode.
e.g. nutted draws facing raises or when to check/back - where if you start to shovel u get only nut reg ranges.

Hey great series, am really learning a lot from it. Quick question, anybody know what the session was with durrrr that is mentioned at the beginning? Is it the Aussie millions cash game v Patrick Antonius?

Hate to be negative but I think its a waste for BW to be doing a microstakes series, I think there are plenty of other coaches who could get the job done.

but i love his way to teaching very well

when i watch videosfrom him gave me more info then usually

Ya not sure why you'd complain about BW doing a microstakes series, he's one of if not the best DC coach when it comes to explaining his thought process. If you think that every coach who plays medium to high stakes can make a microstakes series and they'll all be exactly the same quality, you're kidding yourself.

Hate to be negative but I think its a waste for BW to be doing a microstakes series, I think there are plenty of other coaches who could get the job done.

Whilst I am sure this is true to a degree us micro guys still pay the same (and more relative to bankrolls ) and although other coaches could "get it done" we get different insights from Andrew's thought process than most other coaches.

Evilsky from LP?

I watch all my videos offline with downloaded videos. For some reason this videos WMV download is VERY low quality, hardly watchable, the mp4 is a bit better.

I watch all my videos offline with downloaded videos. For some reason this videos WMV download is VERY low quality, hardly watchable, the mp4 is a bit better.

What do you mean by "hardly watchable?" FWIW, the settings used for recording and producing vid were the same as always, so I'm curious what aspects are messed up (is it visual?).

Rob

Time Link to 00:18:17

Can you give examples of what type of poker writing you would be making to help improve your game?

I think this episode is one of the most valuable I've ever watched, just for the discussion about getting played back at. I really shouldn't worry too much about getting run over at the micros. Hearing you say it helped a lot. Thanks for the great video. Keep up the good work.