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Poker Video: No Limit Hold'Em by blah234 (Micro/Small Stakes)

Prima Network $10.00 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players - View hand 1518765
DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History Converter

Hero (BB): $10.78 - VPIP: 21, PFR: 18, 3B: 7, AF: 4.3, Hands: 22248
UTG: $8.15 - VPIP: 44, PFR: 2, 3B: 2, AF: 0.8, Hands: 767
MP: $9.72 - VPIP: 38, PFR: 19, 3B: 4, AF: 11.0, Hands: 197
CO: $10.65 - VPIP: 12, PFR: 10, 3B: 6, AF: 4.1, Hands: 892
BTN: $3.50 - VPIP: 20, PFR: 17, 3B: 4, AF: 3.3, Hands: 259
SB: $21.63 - VPIP: 21, PFR: 17, 3B: 3, AF: 2.8, Hands: 620

Pre Flop: ($0.15) Hero is BB with J K
3 folds, BTN raises to $0.25, 1 fold, Hero calls $0.15

Flop: ($0.55) 4 3 4 (2 players)
Hero checks, BTN bets $0.25, Hero raises to $1

Final Pot: $1.05

This player opens 43% on the bu and he cbets 91%. I call preflop because Í'am a head of his range and with the intention to x/r a lot of flops, beacuse he cbets to much. I know I don't rep much on this flop but I think he will often fold.

I think he will often fold.

What's the questions if there's one? If you assume a play is +EV keep doing it until your assumption changes.

Time Link to 00:01:33

Didn't discover this series until now. Great one! It think it deals with important issues in a methodic way.

When you say that "initiative" is a myth and not a factor in CBetting, I'm not sure I agree. Initiative means that we were the last ones to apply aggression. Considering that most players will not slowplay the top of their range preflop, this basically means that their range is cut by the top, while ours is not.

For instance, let's say that we open in CO and BTN calls us. Now, BTNs range most likely will not contain any AA, KK, QQ, AK and JJ, TT, AQ will be discounted. If the flop comes Axx, since we have initiative, we can have top hands such as AK/AQ while villain seldom can, making it hard for him to stand a lot of pressure.
Also, with a low uncoordinated board, since we have initiative, we have overpairs in our range, while villain does not. With an uncoordinated board, there are no twopairs out there and villain thus have very few really strong hands, again making it difficult for him to stand a lot of pressure.

So, ... it seems to me like you can barrel air somewhat more aggressively with initiative. (Of course this does not apply anymore if Villain decides to get tricky and slowplay the top of his range preflop.)

Didn't discover this series until now. Great one! It think it deals with important issues in a methodic way.

When you say that "initiative" is a myth and not a factor in CBetting, I'm not sure I agree. Initiative means that we were the last ones to apply aggression. Considering that most players will not slowplay the top of their range preflop, this basically means that their range is cut by the top, while ours is not.

For instance, let's say that we open in CO and BTN calls us. Now, BTNs range most likely will not contain any AA, KK, QQ, AK and JJ, TT, AQ will be discounted. If the flop comes Axx, since we have initiative, we can have top hands such as AK/AQ while villain seldom can, making it hard for him to stand a lot of pressure.
Also, with a low uncoordinated board, since we have initiative, we have overpairs in our range, while villain does not. With an uncoordinated board, there are no twopairs out there and villain thus have very few really strong hands, again making it difficult for him to stand a lot of pressure.

So, ... it seems to me like you can barrel air somewhat more aggressively with initiative. (Of course this does not apply anymore if Villain decides to get tricky and slowplay the top of his range preflop.)

What you say has nothing to do with initiative. It has everything to do with perceived range. Initiative is the betting lead which means usually person without the initiative will not bet into the one with initiative. Doing so is called donk bet and considered fishy.

This thought process is also flawed in that perceid range is your whole range and good plays will not just consider parts of your range. For example, we open on the button, BB calls and flop is 8 high. We have all the overpairs in our range but since we're opening like 50% of button over pairs is a very small part of our range. If we mindlessly barrel away trying to rep the overpair BB will still not fold an 8 since we have so much air compared with overpairs. It does not mean we can get more credit or rep a stronger range just because put the last raise in. Also, consider a maniac player, he is always raising and betting which means he always has the initiative. Doesn't mean people give him more credit even if over pairs are in his range.

What you say has nothing to do with initiative. It has everything to do with perceived range. Initiative is the betting lead which means usually person without the initiative will not bet into the one with initiative.

Wow, that was a quick answer. Thank you!

Yes, you are right it has everything to do with perceived range. My thought was that who has initiative affects the perceived ranges of Hero and Villain. But you are of course right that if you adjust perceived ranges according to who showed aggression last, there is no additional information to be had from "initiative". Maybe it is a meaningless concept considering that. Fair enough .

Time Link to 00:14:03

You recommend CBetting polarized against opponents who are likely to raise/fold and check medium strength hands, using them as bluff catchers. I sometimes do this when I'm IP and in a few cases when I'm OOP against weak players. When I play OOP against good players, I am always CBetting depolarized. This may be a leak...

I just feel that if I check with a medium strength range, my hand is kind of face up. Playing a face up weak range OOP against a good aggressive player with two more streets to come puts me in very tough spots. How do you fight that? Do you blend in some premium hands in you checking-range or do you just make very tough calldowns?

You recommend CBetting polarized against opponents who are likely to raise/fold and check medium strength hands, using them as bluff catchers. I sometimes do this when I'm IP and in a few cases when I'm OOP against weak players. When I play OOP against good players, I am always CBetting depolarized. This may be a leak...

I just feel that if I check with a medium strength range, my hand is kind of face up. Playing a face up weak range OOP against a good aggressive player with two more streets to come puts me in very tough spots. How do you fight that? Do you blend in some premium hands in you checking-range or do you just make very tough calldowns?

cbet only depolarized is not a leak until someone starts to exploit you. You should have different cbettinf ranges vs each different villain to maximize your EV and become the apex predator.

what are they going to do about it if your hand is face up, bluff you? You got a bluff catcher and they're bluffing seems like pretty easy decision. People can only flop so many value hands so they can't put pressure on you all the time.

If someone is auto betting when check to then you should cbet only air and go for c/r with your entire value range. People can't see your hole cards so they will not figure out you only cbet air and you can change your actual range on the fly in case you're wondering about balance. Being balanced is 0 EV and we don't want to break even. We want to exploit unbalanced ranges with unbalanced ranges.

Excellent. That answers my questions.

Good point about not wanting to be balanced at all. I've been thinking too much about keeping a balanced range and making rather small adjustments to it depending on opponents. You made it clear in the video about 3bets that to really exploit other players tendencies, you need to adjust completely and then be prepared to re-adjust if you see them change their playing patterns against you. The same reasoning applies to postflop play of course. Time to step out of the sandbox, I guess .

Time Link to 00:20:26

How do i see, which range the villain is using (Depolarized/Polarized). Are there any tricks, do stats indicate those ranges a bit?
Or is it just possible to find out and make notes?

How do i see, which range the villain is using (Depolarized/Polarized). Are there any tricks, do stats indicate those ranges a bit?
Or is it just possible to find out and make notes?

stats doesn't tell how people construct ranges usually but they do give some clues. If someone is cbetting like 80% they must be depolarized since they can't miss the flop that much.

You should pay more attention and make notes instead of relying on stats.

Time Link to 00:11:24

On most euro sites, regs tend to auto cbet once you cheks the flop ( as said im So freash and so Clean Series). When i missed the flop ex AQo on K 7 2 rbow, he auto cbets and most of this regs dbarrel happy; What should be our plan vs this kind of players? Call one and fold if we dont improve? Fold on the flop? Or just cbet ourselfs?

Time Link to 00:22:12

So vs a depolarizes range , assuming that he will fire TP, SCdP, any draws, will we also raise TP?

On most euro sites, regs tend to auto cbet once you cheks the flop ( as said im So freash and so Clean Series). When i missed the flop ex AQo on K 7 2 rbow, he auto cbets and most of this regs dbarrel happy; What should be our plan vs this kind of players? Call one and fold if we dont improve? Fold on the flop? Or just cbet ourselfs?

raise alot of cbets or turn cbets and strengthen your turn range if villain likes to 2 barrel. never call one and fold turn if villain likes to 2 barrel.

So vs a depolarizes range , assuming that he will fire TP, SCdP, any draws, will we also raise TP?

yes

raise alot of cbets or turn cbets and strengthen your turn range if villain likes to 2 barrel. never call one and fold turn if villain likes to 2 barrel.

Ok. Thats when we face a cbet correct? My question was when we are the pfr and "When i missed the flop ex AQo on K 7 2 rbow, he auto cbets and most of this regs dbarrel happy; What should be our plan vs this kind of players? Call one and fold if we dont improve? Fold on the flop? Or just cbet ourselfs?"

Ok. Thats when we face a cbet correct? My question was when we are the pfr and "When i missed the flop ex AQo on K 7 2 rbow, he auto cbets and most of this regs dbarrel happy; What should be our plan vs this kind of players? Call one and fold if we dont improve? Fold on the flop? Or just cbet ourselfs?"

you mean they autobet when checked to or they donk bet? defintion of cbet is the preflop aggressor bets on the flop. If someone is auto betting when checked to you can c/r or c/c your entire value range/bluf catching range and cbet only air.

This video did not cover turn and river plays I might do that in a future video

Great episode blah. Really, really useful. Thanks

Time Link to 00:45:23

What do you mean exactly - We are in BB and Villian can be in any position and it's folded to us? Which positions from Villians, do you think is most useful in this exercise?

What do you mean exactly - We are in BB and Villian can be in any position and it's folded to us? Which positions from Villians, do you think is most useful in this exercise?

someone raises, we're in the BB and everyone folds.

every position is useful. Most useful obv vs villain when they have wide preflop range. Vs tight range not much we can do.

Time Link to 00:36:42

Another great video blah234!

You gave reasons for preferring not to 3 bet small pocket pairs from the blinds, but then you say that from the SB we should be more inclined to 3 bet or fold (unless BB is a nit), would this be an exception for not 3 betting small pocket pairs from the blinds, if BB is likely to squeeze?

Also, earlier in the video you said that cbetting a lot is exploitable but not a leak; is the difference between exploitable play and a leak that an exploitable play is only -EV when someone starts exploiting and we don't adjust, but a leak is always -EV?

Another great video blah234!

You gave reasons for preferring not to 3 bet small pocket pairs from the blinds, but then you say that from the SB we should be more inclined to 3 bet or fold (unless BB is a nit), would this be an exception for not 3 betting small pocket pairs from the blinds, if BB is likely to squeeze?

no, if BB squeezes too much we can jam the small pp

Also, earlier in the video you said that cbetting a lot is exploitable but not a leak; is the difference between exploitable play and a leak that an exploitable play is only -EV when someone starts exploiting and we don't adjust, but a leak is always -EV?

Yes.

Time Link to 00:36:00

How do you figure out as a general rule of thumb we should be playing back around half of villain's preflop range? The example you gave was if villain opens BTN around 60%, we should be defending around 30% of our range from the blinds, why not 35% or even 40% if he's opening that wide?

no, if BB squeezes too much we can jam the small pp

Yes.

Thank you for your reply