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

First let me say that overall I think these videos are solid, and I like how its not just watching you guys play live, so the hands are more focused on certain topics and there is less downtime.

About 42 minutes into this video, DJ Sensei has KcQc UTG+1 and calls an UTG raise, which is standard.
Then his analysis seems to get contradictory. On the flop of Js7sTc, the PFR leads into 3 other players and he says that the PFR likely has a very strong hand, which makes sense. The thing is that he then says 'chances are if I get there I can get paid off pretty well'. (I'm not advocating a fold here) but my reaction to that comment is that if we hit an Ace, and he has KK,QQ,KJ kinda hands, hes not going to want to play a big pot. In addition to this if a 9 hits, there will be a 4 straight on the board, so we may not get paid if that hits either. In fact, on the turn (8c) DJ Sensei comments that there are a fair # of hands that we can have that could have a 9 in them. So it seems like on the flop he was saying that if a 9 comes we can get paid, but then on the turn when an 8 comes he will slow down. IMO there are close to as many hands that we could have that had an 8 in them as there are hands with a 9 in them, so if a 9 were to turn, its unlikely that we would have gotten paid here.
So in summary, I'm not disagreeing with the idea that calling the flop is fine, but I don't really agree with some of the reasoning and analysis, mainly regarding our implied odds.

If DJ Sensei, or fslexduck could comment on this hand further it would be appreciated.

You make some solid points. Our implied odds here probably aren't quite as strong as if we had something like JT on a 982 board in the same situation. However, since we have position and two streets to go, we still stand to pick up some extra chips if we get there (and we really don't need to make up all that much, since the price is pretty decent in that spot anyhow). But lets say an A or 9 comes on the turn. Our opponent certainly can't fold his hands like KK/QQ to one bet, since that'd be so weak-tight. Especially on a board with other draws out there that I could well have. And if he's got a set or two pair or something (which do make up a pretty decent chunk of his range, of course) he may have to pay off twice. As it turns out we end up using the 8 as a scare card (which is something that we could have discussed during the flop action, since that possibility adds some equity to our situation, perhaps taking the place of the equity we lose from our '9' outs being a little tainted).

I think the most important thing to take from the hand is that us having position gives us so many options and the best chance to maximize what we get out of our draw, and when you've got a lot of possibilities for later streets and kinda medium equity, you're probably better off keeping it cool rather than raising and maybe getting stacks in.

On the first stop and go hand...77 on a K55 flop as the SB in a blind battle...what is the difference between making a stop and go and making a small 3-bet on the flop? DJ explained in the video that if he 3-bets on the flop, the BB will raise his better hands and fold worse ones...but isn't the same going to hold true on most turns as well? Or would the plan be to not stop and go unless such a good card comes on the turn?

WOW, this video is really good. Probably the one I've learnt most from including all videos on all training sites I've seen so far. Keep it up!

QFT

On the first stop and go hand...77 on a K55 flop as the SB in a blind battle...what is the difference between making a stop and go and making a small 3-bet on the flop? DJ explained in the video that if he 3-bets on the flop, the BB will raise his better hands and fold worse ones...but isn't the same going to hold true on most turns as well? Or would the plan be to not stop and go unless such a good card comes on the turn?

Some more advanced opponents will read a 3-bet on that flop as a bluff and 4bet over the top (why would you ever 3-bet a flop like that with a real hand, anyhow?). But the stop-n-go can definitely look like a king or trips trying to build the pot without scaring out his opponent.

So, against good hand-readers, the stopngo is the move of choice here. Against fish or weak-tight players you could certainly 3-bet bluff, but chances are you're better off just folding to their raise anyhow since their bluff ranges are smaller.

this series is really great, I am very impressed with the quality and presentation of these concepts

In that JJ hand vs the SS ers shove and the SB overcall, Vanessa mentionend something like Phil Galfond's ... concepts, right? Does someone have a link to that?

Much appreciated...

In that JJ hand vs the SS ers shove and the SB overcall, Vanessa mentionend something like Phil Galfond's ... concepts, right? Does someone have a link to that?

Much appreciated...

http://www.bluffmagazine.com/onlinefeature/gbucks.asp

Ok gonna bump this up, that hand where vanessa had JJ and lead out in a 3way pot when she was sb, i understand the logic behind it why button should have a strong hand so often.But i saw in chat that he won like 5 or 6 pots in a row, so im kinda wondering, if button is a huge callingstation that peels alot, wouldnt a fold be bad?Its not that im result orientated because he had ATs, but i see alot of donks make calls like that on boards like that.Besides he could have alot more in his range to make a call with a worse hand then ours.

Regarding why the SB just calling the flop raise rather than 3-betting it doesn't necessarily mean weakness, the pot is getting so big by that point that he doesn't really have to protect his hand quite as much against draws, plus since we coldcalled preflop its less likely that we have a drawing hand ourselves anyhow.

Regarding the JJ hand I think you are missing an important point. If the SB does have a big hand like an overpair he does not only have to be concerend about giving cheap cards to draws. More important is that a lot of turn cards might totally kill the action for him (if we choose to call the flop), like a flush card or four to a straight or an Ace. If he bets into this kind of board on the turn especially given that there is a side pot its obvious for us that he wont be bluffing at all and we can get away from our medium strength hands.
So in my opinion it doesnt make a whole lot of sense for the SB to call the flop with a big hand. Furthermore there is dead money in from the third player which I think we are ahead most of the time, so we are getting good odds for a shove also.
Thus you have yet to convince me that folding is the right play here.

Excellent episode. Really informative.

Some more advanced opponents will read a 3-bet on that flop as a bluff and 4bet over the top (why would you ever 3-bet a flop like that with a real hand, anyhow?). But the stop-n-go can definitely look like a king or trips trying to build the pot without scaring out his opponent.

So, would you actually suggest that we 3-bet in this spot with trip 5s, or pocket AA for value, vs. good hand readers?
To me it feels a little weird to value 3-bet on such a dry flop, but you are saying that 1) they'll bluff us a lot 2) they'd fold a lot to the stop'n go 3) (in the video you say) that if we call and check on the turn they could check behind a lot...so it makes sense?

Besides the other thing that bothers me about using the stop-n-go as a pure bluff is that we certainly lose some $ when the turn helps the Villain and he calls, why he'd have folded to a flop 3-bet, and I am not sure if that is compensated by the Villain being less likely to be bluffing into the stop-n-go, as into the 3-bet. (And are they really? I used to read stop'n go as complete bull***** on most boards. I dont fall into the good hand reader category though...)

I really regret not getting around to this series until just now, but better late than never. This should be required viewing for any micro to small stakes grinder.

So, would you actually suggest that we 3-bet in this spot with trip 5s, or pocket AA for value, vs. good hand readers?
To me it feels a little weird to value 3-bet on such a dry flop, but you are saying that 1) they'll bluff us a lot 2) they'd fold a lot to the stop'n go 3) (in the video you say) that if we call and check on the turn they could check behind a lot...so it makes sense?

Besides the other thing that bothers me about using the stop-n-go as a pure bluff is that we certainly lose some $ when the turn helps the Villain and he calls, why he'd have folded to a flop 3-bet, and I am not sure if that is compensated by the Villain being less likely to be bluffing into the stop-n-go, as into the 3-bet. (And are they really? I used to read stop'n go as complete bull***** on most boards. I dont fall into the good hand reader category though...)

I love to 3bet for value on boards like that because
1) People have a hard time believing a 3bet is a real hand because it seems like a good spot to slowplay a big hand and its hard to have a big hand!
2) If your opponent makes a mistake it will be huge ($-wise).
3) If you just flat their raise, they'll rarely put much more of their stack in unless you've coolered them and in that case they'd play for stacks no matter what you do.

As far as stop-n-gos work, I don't use them too often anymore but I expect that they work best against more weak-passive players who'll bluff these boards a lot but then just give up on them once you show a little resistance.

Time Link to 00:00:17

Question of handreading:
You say he'll have a lot of draws here. So, you mean flush draws and 34 but what else? I mean, he could have a lot of top pair-like hands like KTs,QT,JT,T9,T8 in his range. I feel like this combinations add up to more combinations than flush draws would do.

I mean, betting is fine, either way, but I felt that you meant flushdraws would be more.

Also, you c/c a river bet. Can't he just v-bet you with QT,JT,T9? I would've played the hand another way because of calculating the combinations another way.

Would be nice if you could get a bit in detail with that again or correct me if I heart something wrongly.

Your link doesn't point to the right spot in the video, can you tell me where it happens on the timeline or post a better link?