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

Time Link to 00:14:32

Again one of the common spots you were talking about. You say most regs wouldn't cbet Jx on KJXr and the KJJ adds audacity to his air. From the perceptive of the regular against unknown regish looking TAG, would you recommend going ahead and cbet JX, and does it depend on the strength of the kicker?

It feels like when I check it turns my hand face up, and when it gets showed down my cbets lose a lot of credit in a decent reg's eyes on similar boards, and I am left with a decision whether I check (turn+rvr) or bet (raise where he reps nothing+river when it goes bet check and he bets). What would you say is best until we get reads?

Time Link to 00:16:09

On the J32s with 33, you say you don't want him to check back a Jack on the turn. Is call flop lead rag turn an option, and why do you think it isn't?
Would you agree that unknown regs are more inclined to fold to a c/r than to a call-lead line?
Are there any other hands that you would take that line with (flush draws, Jx etc.)?

I never do it, and it would be fun to know if I should

Time Link to 00:18:11

Wow now you were squeezing OOP with A5o to $6 into 2 people against the same $1.5 raise PF, and earlier in the video you squeezed a $1.50 iso raise to the same size also oop. Is there any reason why using these sizes or you just 3bet to $6 as a standard oop (I thought the small iso-re pop was quite big, and this size would be standard for me when squeezing).

When I re-pop iso raises, and I do it a ton I just make it 3x+1bb usually, as their range is so weak I think I don't have to bake it bigger even oop, is that wrong thinking?

Hey Grindcore, I am sorry for not commenting earlier, I didn't have time because of uni, I might have lost my status as your no1 fan

This discussion comes up so often in micro stakes forums, an unknown or someone we don't have not completely stellar reads, but has a fullstack, autorebuy and decent VIP level on on opens in CO or OTB, and we find ourselves in the blinds, without a squeeze happy villain in BB, or let's say we are in the BB ourselves.

I am a huge fan of flatting mid strength hands like KQo AJo KJs ATo... and AQ too if the villain seems pretty tight and 3bet not much and when we do do it with a polarized range as we have a totally clean image (and there is 0 emotional attachment towards us as we are totally unknown). Then basically with out pretty much always 6+ outs I go ahead and check raise a decent amount of flops and float oop some small % of the time (like on obvious KXXr boards that people cbet and c/f with weak hands a ton on turn+ river). Because he is unknown reg but so are we people usually give us credit and 3betting will not get us a ton of value with those hands, but also when we attack him in single raise pot when his range is weak it should work a lot more than when we have history or villain has any reason to have an emotional intuitive response towards us.

I think with this approach I am open to a ton of mistakes and can bluff people that can't be bluffed at NL50 which happens a decent amount and am forcing play oop , but then again I find out right there and build an image and when e.g. someone re-pops me when I don't rep much on a dry board when I c/r and I snapfold I will be able to shift my range strongly towards value and if he does give me credit, great I got myself a weak spot (again with added complexity of estimating when he will feel threatened by our actions and will get pissed and start playing back).


Would you agree with this a lot less straightforward approach that seems optimal to me but that doesn't allow us 3bet, cbet and be done with the hand and avoid making mistakes, or would you say it's best to just 3bet unknown regs with these mid strenght hands and avoid making mistakes?

TY for your answer in advance I hope you see this after such a long time <3

If you think checkraising is +EV vs the average unknown, go for it. If you think it's not, then don't. Obviously vs some unbluffable players it's gonna be horrible. Vs others it's gonna be great. You don't know it yet. So just do what you think is best based on the way you feel unknowns play on average.

If you're gonna play fit/fold with strong hands postflop you should just be 3betting pre though imo. And aside from that kinda making intuitive sense, it also makes sense when you think about it. The only reason to play fit/fold post is if you think the guy hates folding. And if you think the guy hates folding, you can 3b for value pre instead of flatting.

I copied your note taking style pretty much, but I found out it gets complicated a lot when you have a ton of notes so I split it into 3 categories, e.g:


1) How do you manage to keep up when you have large amount of notes? I know you do a lot of refining and put the notes together and generalize patterns when you have blank periods, but I find a lot of the time that I am left with too many notes on various spots clumped together and I just ignore them.

2) Would you say this is good/logical categorization (PRE, 3B, POST) and would you add/refine some categories or add turn and river possibly once I move up to higher stakes where I have 5k+ hands on frequent regs?

Again I hope you see this
http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lbgb1qcr6o1qafrh6.png

Have a clear distinction between observations and conclusions. I seperate them with a line. When in a spot, you only have to look at the conclusions in general, which won't be much. Anytime you write down a new observation, instantly compare it to the rest and see if there's a conclusion to be drawn based on the new info. As soon as you've drawn conclusions from observations, you can delete the observations to keep your notes clean. Re-watch TRL episode 3 if this isn't clear.

Again one of the common spots you were talking about. You say most regs wouldn't cbet Jx on KJXr and the KJJ adds audacity to his air. From the perceptive of the regular against unknown regish looking TAG, would you recommend going ahead and cbet JX, and does it depend on the strength of the kicker?

It feels like when I check it turns my hand face up, and when it gets showed down my cbets lose a lot of credit in a decent reg's eyes on similar boards, and I am left with a decision whether I check (turn+rvr) or bet (raise where he reps nothing+river when it goes bet check and he bets). What would you say is best until we get reads?

Even at midstakes a lot of regs don't adjust to you not cbetting Jx on those boards. Don't worry about being exploited. It just doesn't happen. If you think a check turns your hand face up, then check your air and go for delayed cbets instead. If he's putting you on Jx and is gonna bet, then he'll have to fire multiple barrels in his eyes, so his bluffing frequency n the flop will drop as people are less willing to bluff when it doesn't look like you're folding. If you feel he's betting a lot when you check to him, then just go ahead and c/c Jx and Kx+ even, and just cbet air.

Time Link to 00:27:31

The Ajo hand on KXXsX when the reg 2 barrels TT bu v sb and you call 2x, now that you have the read would you be inclined to turn the bottom of your range (A high?) into a bluff and c/c flop c/r turn and see how he reacts (assuming you do it say 100 hands later and he won't have many reasons to think you are spewing against him), or what is the proper adjustment?

Time Link to 00:56:07

Great video thanks Grindcore,
I don't know if there were less spots or if I became tired in the second half, I had just 4 hours of sleep last night . Thanks a lot for the replies I think I saw some already, and I will compose them later.

I hope you don't mind if I set up a stalker file on you just like on TalentedTom from Liquidpoker and Giggy where I write down and analyse everything you guys say or post anywhere on the internet. Having 24/7/365 for poker for the first time ever is fun

The Ajo hand on KXXsX when the reg 2 barrels TT bu v sb and you call 2x, now that you have the read would you be inclined to turn the bottom of your range (A high?) into a bluff and c/c flop c/r turn and see how he reacts (assuming you do it say 100 hands later and he won't have many reasons to think you are spewing against him), or what is the proper adjustment?

From a theoretical point of view: if a guy is 2barreling a lot, you should play a bit tighter pre (as the average potsize postflop will be larger thus postflop equity becomes more important than defending your SB) and play more fit/fold on the flop for the same reasons.

From an exploitative point of view: depends on what he'll do with his medium/weak made hands when facing heat. You can either wait for a strong hand and find out, or just do it with air and obtain the read faster + possibly trash your image which is always good if you plan to play tighter/more fit/fold vs a guy. If he doesn't fold the medium hands to heat, 3b him pre with your medium hands and only flat strong ones (including premiums) and just c/r and stack him with top pair.

It also depends on how he plays his air. OOP floating might still be fine if he just gives up on the turn and fires every pair (100% honest). If that's the case you can start getting incredibly out of line to exploit his honesty.

You're right, I was talking about a different hand so kinda just clicked a button there. A check is significantly better.

do you think that a triple barel could be good here ? because vilain would have check raised the flop with sets and his range is pretty much draw, pair+draw or some over pair. You dont think that a triple barel could make him fold all his pair+draw and draw that miss the river ?

I understand the point of checking back but I just want to know if it can be a good spot for 3barel.

(43:15 in the video)

Time Link to 00:43:27

table 4: QT

Can you explain your play ? Why dont you cbet this flop for protection/value ? and when the tight player bet, you expect him to only bet an ace and check all other pair, draw, etc. ?

Table 2: AK

why dont you cbet this dry flop ? is it a reason or its because your attention was on the table 1 action and you just click check btn? because even into 2 players, T42tt seems a good flop to cbet with 2 overs IP imo.

Time Link to 00:48:18

Table 3: J7o

Is there any read/reason to call turn and river with 3rd pair on a connected board ? Is it because you expect him to bet when he hits ? I tend to put player who limp/call on small-med PP, suited connector and random hand and I think this flop hits his range a lot. And him checking back the turn doesnt necessarily mean that he has nothing imo. Am I wrong ?

Table 4: 77

If his turn bet size was bigger (75-80% pot), would you call the turn bet ?

do you think that a triple barel could be good here ? because vilain would have check raised the flop with sets and his range is pretty much draw, pair+draw or some over pair. You dont think that a triple barel could make him fold all his pair+draw and draw that miss the river ?

I understand the point of checking back but I just want to know if it can be a good spot for 3barel.

(43:15 in the video)

What hand are you talking about? The AKs?

table 4: QT

Can you explain your play ? Why dont you cbet this flop for protection/value ? and when the tight player bet, you expect him to only bet an ace and check all other pair, draw, etc. ?

Table 2: AK

why dont you cbet this dry flop ? is it a reason or its because your attention was on the table 1 action and you just click check btn? because even into 2 players, T42tt seems a good flop to cbet with 2 overs IP imo.

QT is an extremely standard check. Cbetting there is a pretty big leak. There's no way I'm ahead when a cbet gets called. And there's only 1 overcard to my hand, I don't gain much by protecting.

AK is kinda like QT. Though their air has more equity vs me here, they might have dirty outs to compensate for that. I'd rather cbet a low pp than AK.

Table 3: J7o

Is there any read/reason to call turn and river with 3rd pair on a connected board ? Is it because you expect him to bet when he hits ? I tend to put player who limp/call on small-med PP, suited connector and random hand and I think this flop hits his range a lot. And him checking back the turn doesnt necessarily mean that he has nothing imo. Am I wrong ?

Table 4: 77

If his turn bet size was bigger (75-80% pot), would you call the turn bet ?

J7o sure him checking back doesn't mean he has nothing. But he's not checking 9x on the flop and then suddenly betting the overcard turn. Same for 8x. When he bets the Q he's way more likely to now be taking a stab with air than to have spiked a Q becuase his preflop limping range is mostly low cards. The fact that our pair is 3rd doesn't matter. Any bluffcatcher is the same there as he's polarized. There's no reason to bet the turn because he's folding everything we beat, so it's better to check and give him another chance to bluff.

77 yeah, probably fold. Raising turn and checking back river might have been better if I have the betsize tell confirmed as I get value/protection vs his likely draws/air.