Poker Video: Limit Hold'Em by DeathDonkey (High Stakes)

ooooo boy

ooooo boy

qft

Time Link to 00:17:25

SO... here was the ranges I gave your two opponents in this spot. Enons range was like top 16% and then i got rid of a bunch of junk that made no sense peeling. I also took out like AA and KK just because i figured he might raise those right away... I think he raises a lot of stuff right away, but it didnt actually affect our equity when i changed his range from 16% to something less than that.

Given we are going to have 5.4% or whatever to improve on the turn, this is a peeeeeel!


34.91% 33.85% 1.06% QQ-TT, 88, AQs+, ATs, K9s+, QJs, JTs, AKo, AJo, KTo+, QJo
10.73% 10.73% 0.00% 9d9h
54.36% 53.30% 1.06% TT+, AQs+, AKo

Yup! Though I think you can DEF give Enon KK there.

And again I have to apologize for my terrible pre-rehearsed questions Chris had me prepare. He told me none of the hands were interesting for a few specific stretches but he is a liar and this is a good video.

Yup! Though I think you can DEF give Enon KK there.

sure, we can give him lots of hands, and take away a lot of the hands that he would raise right away... but I just kind of randomly took away some of his hands.

.. very interesting video, good hand discussions. thx.

DD, you mention that you think some of the players are better than you. How do you come to that conclusion? From their results? Because they do things you don't understand (but that seem to work)? Or because they do good things you do understand, but for some reason don't apply yourself? What would that reason be?

This video is fantastic with many very interesting hands. Great job, guys.

In the videos menu it says the video is 6max, screenshot shows an FR table.
/nitpicky
Still looking forward to watching

WOW oh WOW - sick! Thanks for this guys, it's exactly the kind of vid I wanted to see. DC

.. very interesting video, good hand discussions. thx.

DD, you mention that you think some of the players are better than you. How do you come to that conclusion? From their results? Because they do things you don't understand (but that seem to work)? Or because they do good things you do understand, but for some reason don't apply yourself? What would that reason be?

I think its just highly crazy / egotistical to say I am as good as a few of them. I mean these guys play 100/200, 200/400+ in lineups that I would never consider playable. They have more experience dealing with the high levels of aggression and fairly well balanced play at these limits. They probably have stronger reads on the other regs as well as the fish compared to me.

Probably they are a little bit better balanced in some spots than me, as well as able to more quickly see an imbalance in another player and exploit it. That's really all the game of poker is once everyone is competent. I do it better than most, but these are the best of the best we are talking about. I'd love to say we are all around equally good but once we are talking about shades of gray like this, what more do we have to go on than results and longevity? They have more of both and I would be silly to try to deny it.

Time Link to 00:54:52

Thought this was a great conversation about range building and the merits of it based on ur history(or lack there of) with valesco. Personally I know I would probably be raising my non-showdownable gutshots that have bd flushes. That puts a tad more in your bluffing range to balance your value(if that is needed).

Time Link to 00:57:16

Good vid!

Atm I'm obsessed with in session, mental apsects yada yada. On that topic do u think ur turn 3-bet with KJs was affected by ur missed value raises earlier with AQ, Q9? I know this is something I do. When I make a misstake (sometimes based on results) I like (subconciously) to get revenge by proving to myself that I can do it right. So for example if I miss a couple of value-raises I (subconciously) look for a spot to make a "good" raise. The problem is that sometimes I overcompensate and the spot is really not that great. Just thinking out loud here. I mean u certainly did have a rational for ur play (and it's very close either way), so I dunno.

I guess a player with a good feel for the game could read this type of behaviour and act upon it. Like after watching a good player miss a couple of value-raises he won't make the mental note "misses value-raises", but instead "is likely to value-raise thin in the near future".

Time Link to 00:07:47

I think your urge to 3b this river might be a little results oriented. You have only seen a couple hands and you admit even though you think he is the fish, you don't know how this translates into his actual play. Now that you have seen what he had, going forward 3 betting should be the play, however, in the moment I would say his range is polarized between a pure bluff and a passively played J or maybe a thin raise that may fold to your 3 bet. I think seeing his hand here is worth more than eeking out an extra bet and possibly finding out your read is wrong and losing more.

That being said, I don't play these stakes and I am sure you have a better feel for what is going on.

Time Link to 00:23:57

Do you think villain could have AJ no spade of QQ no spade here? Seems like those hands are both consistent with his line, and that he would/should take a stab with a bet/fold line on the river with them when you check to him? Do you agree? If so are you not worried about it because those hands are such a narrow part of his range, which is crushing you overall?

When you have a non-flush hand on a four-flush board, are you generally just upping the requirements for hands you will take to showdown and cutting out the bottom 1/2 or more of the range you would showdown on a non-flush board?

I think your urge to 3b this river might be a little results oriented. You have only seen a couple hands and you admit even though you think he is the fish, you don't know how this translates into his actual play. Now that you have seen what he had, going forward 3 betting should be the play, however, in the moment I would say his range is polarized between a pure bluff and a passively played J or maybe a thin raise that may fold to your 3 bet. I think seeing his hand here is worth more than eeking out an extra bet and possibly finding out your read is wrong and losing more.

That being said, I don't play these stakes and I am sure you have a better feel for what is going on.

Well, that was my thoughts at the time too, I just think in retrospect I should have thought about it a little bit more, and I believe the conclusion I came to in the video is correct, results or not. I mean sure I'm not going to win this hand 100%, but I think I win it more than 50% when called, so its worth while. Also I disagree with you that he would find a fold to a 3 bet, people never do that

Good vid!

Atm I'm obsessed with in session, mental apsects yada yada. On that topic do u think ur turn 3-bet with KJs was affected by ur missed value raises earlier with AQ, Q9? I know this is something I do. When I make a misstake (sometimes based on results) I like (subconciously) to get revenge by proving to myself that I can do it right. So for example if I miss a couple of value-raises I (subconciously) look for a spot to make a "good" raise. The problem is that sometimes I overcompensate and the spot is really not that great. Just thinking out loud here. I mean u certainly did have a rational for ur play (and it's very close either way), so I dunno.

I guess a player with a good feel for the game could read this type of behaviour and act upon it. Like after watching a good player miss a couple of value-raises he won't make the mental note "misses value-raises", but instead "is likely to value-raise thin in the near future".

I agree with what you're saying (especially the last thing is a GREAT observation which is almost always the "correct" thing to think about when in a leveling war with another thinking player) - I just don't think in this case that's what was going on. I remember specifically during this hand, as soon as he called the flop I thought "this guy raises on the turn here A LOT", and so when he raised the turn I wasn't at all surprised, and was quite happy. It turns out later that my instinct that he raises on the turn there wide was probably wrong, but for this hand it was like I expected him to raise, he did raise, everything was great, oh shit he capped!

Time Link to 00:06:15

Chris, I think you're probably being a bit results oriented here (I assume you called and won). I would expect an unknown bad player--and although we have a feeling that he's a lag, we don't really know--to have a jack or like air here too often to make 3betting correct.

Do you think villain could have AJ no spade of QQ no spade here? Seems like those hands are both consistent with his line, and that he would/should take a stab with a bet/fold line on the river with them when you check to him? Do you agree? If so are you not worried about it because those hands are such a narrow part of his range, which is crushing you overall?

When you have a non-flush hand on a four-flush board, are you generally just upping the requirements for hands you will take to showdown and cutting out the bottom 1/2 or more of the range you would showdown on a non-flush board?

Well, I think those hands are possible, but just not likely. I mean first off he'd have to think pretty quick to just decide to turn his hand into a bluff vs KQ / AK / AQ (and I'm calling with AQ fwiw).

Obviously on the 4 flush board my hand goes down in value, but it is really important to have a plan for my full range in that spot considering I'll have some nut flushes there and all that good stuff. So I just need to make sure I am not playing in a way where my full range isn't logically consistent. The fact I'm check/folding here definitely implies I should have a checkraise range for instance.

Well, I think those hands are possible, but just not likely. I mean first off he'd have to think pretty quick to just decide to turn his hand into a bluff vs KQ / AK / AQ (and I'm calling with AQ fwiw).

Obviously on the 4 flush board my hand goes down in value, but it is really important to have a plan for my full range in that spot considering I'll have some nut flushes there and all that good stuff. So I just need to make sure I am not playing in a way where my full range isn't logically consistent. The fact I'm check/folding here definitely implies I should have a checkraise range for instance.

Sounds like you would C/R Asx and C/C AQo so it's probably not an exploitable C/F. Your reasoning for C/R Asx made sense, since villain will rarely raise worse than nut flush but will B/C many worse hands.

Cool vid with some interesting spots! Good job guys.

Time Link to 00:07:11

I'm with everyone else here in saying that early on in the match with all of 1 hand of history between you and villain I think betting and calling is better than bet3! purely from the fact that we just have no idea about villain's river play. Let this one BB go. A mistake early in a match is excusable, a mistake once we have more information later in the session is not.

Time Link to 00:30:57

agreed on Chuck's "yuck" here. Villain has proven himself to be a poor player so far and a raise here with the second nut flush is absolutely for value.

agreed on Chuck's "yuck" here. Villain has proven himself to be a poor player so far and a raise here with the second nut flush is absolutely for value.

I think everyone sees that this is a raise in hindsight. Question is why DD missed it. I know why I might have missed it, but I don't think DD reacts the same way (he is a sicko and all). Anyhow: When villain takes this flop/turn line huuuge alarm bells go off in my head screaming MONSTER, MONSTER. Yet I know villain to be irrational and I have a hand. Thus I'm cryingly (and therfore often quickly) heading towards SD.

So my mental state is defensive: I have to SD, I don't like it. Now the river is a special card since we are now ~only beaten by Ad. This takes some thinking to realize. The board changed in a more subtle way than if say it was a Q or 9. At the same time I want to get to SD quickly to get rid of the pain of getting owned. It's difficult IMO at this point in the hand to think rational. It's also unnatural to change mentality from being on the defence into atacking with a thin value-raise.

A lot can be gained on the big street if one is able to calm down and remain rational. I do realize DD is MUCH better at this than I am, so this post may also be comletely off when it comes to analyzing his play. However it is part of my overall plan to decrease the number of "in-session-mistakes" I make myself. Know thyself IMO!

I think everyone sees that this is a raise in hindsight. Question is why DD missed it. I know why I might have missed it, but I don't think DD reacts the same way (he is a sicko and all). Anyhow: When villain takes this flop/turn line huuuge alarm bells go off in my head screaming MONSTER, MONSTER. Yet I know villain to be irrational and I have a hand. Thus I'm cryingly (and therfore often quickly) heading towards SD.

So my mental state is defensive: I have to SD, I don't like it. Now the river is a special card since we are now ~only beaten by Ad. This takes some thinking to realize. The board changed in a more subtle way than if say it was a Q or 9. At the same time I want to get to SD quickly to get rid of the pain of getting owned. It's difficult IMO at this point in the hand to think rational. It's also unnatural to change mentality from being on the defence into atacking with a thin value-raise.

A lot can be gained on the big street if one is able to calm down and remain rational. I do realize DD is MUCH better at this than I am, so this post may also be comletely off when it comes to analyzing his play. However it is part of my overall plan to decrease the number of "in-session-mistakes" I make myself. Know thyself IMO!

This is an amazing post. I think that's exactly what happened.

Hey guys, thanks for adding the vid to sweeps week - I really appreciate that you guys got some LHE content out there as well as listened to some of the recent requests for more live play based videos.

DeathDonkey, one general question I had for you - I noticed you had PT3 running and know you have talked on several occasions about NOT using HUDs (except for mucked cards). You spoke about it briefly in the last minute or so, but I am curious why you were using specifically PT3. I'm asking especially because I have recently become aware of some features PT3 has that AFAIK HEM does NOT. I guess I just wanted to get your thoughts on the two trackers, though I realize that maybe it's just an anomaly that anything showed up in this vid.

Do you think villain could have AJ no spade of QQ no spade here?

LolDnkaments did NOT cap PF three ways so I think it's highly unlikely he has QQ here. That is, assuming this game doesn't play super super differently than games I'm familiar with.

Time Link to 00:32:32

I thought this was a really interesting hand between Enon and vitapur and would love to hear some analysis of it.

Time Link to 00:38:11

This is another hand I'd love to hear some analysis on.

I'm especially interested in what you guys think Enon is check/raising on this flop. Also, is valesco's peel with QJo standard? Would it be a fold without the Q?

Time Link to 00:45:00

DD, I know you talked about this a bit a minute or so later, but what is your plan if you check back this turn? I guess I'm not so much interested in an 'answer' like I would call blanks and fold K/Q or whatever (though if you want to give that too great), but what your thought process is. Like, when LolDnkaments bets the river after we check back the turn, what do you think his range is?

Time Link to 00:48:35

Alright, this is the final non-Hero hand I'd really like to hear some analysis on.

Time Link to 01:00:45

My first thought was that this turn 3b was actually pretty bad. I think we have a different impression about how often FMM can have Jx, 9x, pocket pairs, and draws (big flush draws, QT, etc.). I was surprised I disagreed so strongly with the analysis, so I had to go back and look at a few other hands.

Here's a hand where FMM x/c called down JT on a T22 board against a late position open. You guys kind of noted the river passivity but it seemed like you missed that he played the entire hand really passively.

Also, you referenced a hand where FMM jammed 87s as a straight flush draw against fkhaz. That sounded wrong to me. I went back and looked and I think this is the hand you're talking about. It's actually fkhaz who jams the draw (really he only semi-bluffs and barrels) against valesco. I'm guessing what happened is you conflated that with a different hand (which I couldn't find quickly) where FMM 3b the turn with QQ against fkhaz.

Anyway, I guess I felt calling the turn raise and calling down was a better investment of 2 bets than 3-betting and folding to a cap (you get to SD if my read is wrong, can river a J, etc.).

Hey guys, thanks for adding the vid to sweeps week - I really appreciate that you guys got some LHE content out there as well as listened to some of the recent requests for more live play based videos.

DeathDonkey, one general question I had for you - I noticed you had PT3 running and know you have talked on several occasions about NOT using HUDs (except for mucked cards). You spoke about it briefly in the last minute or so, but I am curious why you were using specifically PT3. I'm asking especially because I have recently become aware of some features PT3 has that AFAIK HEM does NOT. I guess I just wanted to get your thoughts on the two trackers, though I realize that maybe it's just an anomaly that anything showed up in this vid.

I'm under the impression that HEM is not mac supported.

DeathDonkey, one general question I had for you - I noticed you had PT3 running and know you have talked on several occasions about NOT using HUDs (except for mucked cards). You spoke about it briefly in the last minute or so, but I am curious why you were using specifically PT3.

Because he's on a Mac and didn't know how to remove the stats showing up already. I told him I'd show him how but he shrugged it off.

I like PT3 for mac over Poker Copilot - I found the Copilot HUD stats a bit off.

I still prefer HEM to both BUT there is no HEM for mac yet as far as I can tell.

Time Link to 00:19:39

"No money in 10-handed, everyone's solid". Is that really that inaccurate though? I realize this is one of those lines that is always poked fun at but honestly, isn't it a valid point?

There have been sayings said in the past where I understand why it's being made fun of ("move up to where they respect your raises"), but in the case of the everyone being solid, I don't see what's so funny. People are much more solid than the past and making a lot less errors. At these high stakes, where a lot are winning regulars, where is the money coming from?

where is the money coming from?

fkhazh, FMM?

fkhazh, FMM?

But besides the occasional fish that shows up? Do the other 8 winning players really sit down and play each other with the expectation to win or are they mostly pushing money around?

But besides the occasional fish that shows up? Do the other 8 winning players really sit down and play each other with the expectation to win or are they mostly pushing money around?

Those games don't generally go without at least one marginal player

DD, I know you talked about this a bit a minute or so later, but what is your plan if you check back this turn? I guess I'm not so much interested in an 'answer' like I would call blanks and fold K/Q or whatever (though if you want to give that too great), but what your thought process is. Like, when LolDnkaments bets the river after we check back the turn, what do you think his range is?

I think it would mostly be Ax, sometimes 8x, and hopefully a few elaborate bluffs. It's definitely right to check turn there and then call or fold river is debatable I think.

I thought this was a really interesting hand between Enon and vitapur and would love to hear some analysis of it.

Ok, well vita's preflop play is obviously awful, and I think his postflop play is fairly silly as well. I think his best course of action is CR flop, bet/call turn, check/decide river. It's not a totally dry flop and with his image, Enon isn't auto folding ace high anyway. Once he check/calls flop and turn I think the river CR is good, his hand is clearly worth one more bet somewhere. I think Enon's play is standard / very good. His river call of the raise is the only debatable thing and vita took a weird line / is spewy, so I like it.

This is another hand I'd love to hear some analysis on.

I'm especially interested in what you guys think Enon is check/raising on this flop. Also, is valesco's peel with QJo standard? Would it be a fold without the Q?

I'd assume Enon has Tx, 2x, some flush draws, some mid pocket pairs, and maybe some airball type hands that have ways to improve (stuff like K8o with one heart maybe) but I don't know for sure. I think the QJo peel is standard with or without a heart, assuming you don't auto 3 bet all your overpairs / big hands here.

Alright, this is the final non-Hero hand I'd really like to hear some analysis on.

I think this one seems fairly standard. I mean it certainly just looks like Jag has an overpair and played it normally, and PokerSnoopy has a mid pocket pair, or 9x and played it standardly and then made a river laydown when Jag bet the Ace. It's not a board where he can have a ton of semibluffs, but she probably had something like T9 or 88 that had a gutshot too and was folding some rivers (could consider folding all non improving rivers IMO).