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

I really liked this one. Good explanations. Some kind of basic but I can see the benefit off keeping the things simple. And lol at "mubs" I like this term. For me the best video in this series so far.

Time Link to 01:03:46

Sure, but also not paying off, right?

I liked this format, some revision for the vol 1 book and one concept explained from a new angle which i hadn't thought of so it's all good.

Funny, I was calling out the right answers based on the book - it's all about having a coherent framework and not spazzing out, lol...

Will definately watch the following episodes, where as the previous Baluga versus Emil ones I didn't find the resolve to watch past 2nd episode.

Mark seems to be a more advanced student and knows the lingo and how to use it so very nice.

You have it spot on for me Ulkis.

I really enjoy BW vids, but I just couldnt do this season of parallels.

Was stoked when I saw the description of this one, def watching when I get home

Yea, I have to agree with Ulkis also. It just kind of seems like when two good players are critiquing each other's play they're trying not to offend one another since obviously they both know what they're doing, and I think it gets in the way a bit I dunno. When I read this season's lineup, I thought this would be a much better format.

I think in general the "coaching tree" style is really the best video format in terms of a sweat video, especially if there's two coaches of contrasting styles commentating so you get multiple points of view.

Yep very good stuff and interesting format. Only problem is I need to rewatch this atleast 3 times to get all info floating around. Value value value....

Love this format

What a waste to use two good mid/high-stake coaches for a vid on microstakes. I bet there are alot of low-stake coaches that can point out the same basic stuff.

It's like taking Tiger Woods to teach your 1-year old how to play golf.

What a waste to use two good mid/high-stake coaches for a vid on microstakes. I bet there are alot of low-stake coaches that can point out the same basic stuff.

It's like taking Tiger Woods to teach your 1-year old how to play golf.

fuck off

fuck off

Wow, that's constructive, congrats! Love it how you feel attacked just because somebody said they'd rather see a midstakes series continue being a midstakes series. I think so too, though on the other hand this video was quite good. And with how they selected members it was to be expected.

Time Link to 00:52:42

In the AKs hand, how does the fact that you're the PFRer and villain is donking this flop affect the raise size you'd choose here, considering he's much more likely to have a "polarized" range and, I think it's safe to say, tend to have more air than strong draws/made hands as when the positions are reversed and he's the PFR? (Obviously ignoring the fact that we probably wouldn't be in a single raised pot here with AKs if we're not the PFR.)

In the AKs hand, how does the fact that you're the PFRer and villain is donking this flop affect the raise size you'd choose here, considering he's much more likely to have a "polarized" range and, I think it's safe to say, tend to have more air than strong draws/made hands as when the positions are reversed and he's the PFR? (Obviously ignoring the fact that we probably wouldn't be in a single raised pot here with AKs if we're not the PFR.)

i mean, if its a HU pot and he's donking into us, that necessarily means that we were the PFR.

If it's multiway, on the other hand, then its much more likely that he's polarized, and in fact, very unlikely that he's bluffing.

Andrew

It's like taking Tiger Woods to teach your 1-year old how to play golf.

Not the most eloquent metaphor.

fuck off

+1 I don't care if people think this is wrong, KOTS comment was ignorant and unconstructive........I think this response was pretty sweet actually!

a lil constructive criticsm for the hero in the video, dont be defensive when baluga offers advice hes obv not attacking you in anyway. He's just trying to help you understand the game!

ya this is a great vid, 5 stars please keep this coming. very helpful

I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed this video. As a micro player, I got a lot out of it. I really enjoyed your summary at the end about trying to simplify our thought process. Also the MUBS discussion hit home with me too Thanks for the vid!

best video ive seen in ages

I think we should always be thankful that guys that get paid hundreds to thousands of dollars daily, have once again given us micro grinders more free help.

And if its not the money, its the time people take for us.

got to love it hey!!!

+1 I don't care if people think this is wrong, KOTS comment was ignorant and unconstructive........I think this response was pretty sweet actually!

+1

Best video I've seen for a long time and I think BalugaWhale offers a very different perspective to microstakes coaches (from a video perspective anyway). Sure some of the fundamentals are the same but Andrew doesn't focus on make it 3x here or 4x + 1 BB per limper when isoing etc as all that stuff is covered elsewhere. It's more about thought processes and how/what to be considering in certain situations. Keep it up - this is fantastic.

a lil constructive criticsm for the hero in the video, dont be defensive when baluga offers advice hes obv not attacking you in anyway. He's just trying to help you understand the game!

I agree but I think he understood that half way through and was a bit "holy crap this is gold" by the end. I was :-)

Loved it.

Good stuff. Way better use of BW's coaching skills. There wasn't enough interaction between BW and Emil in the earlier episodes. BW would comment "Yeah I'd do this differently. Emil's a good player so he has a good reason for doing this. It'd be interesting to hear from him." There'd be no response and it'd be the end of that.

I agree but I think he understood that half way through and was a bit "holy crap this is gold" by the end. I was :-)

There is nothing like being in front of the class. There will be less ummmm next week. I also have a better idea of what is going on and will be more prepared.

loooove Balugas "Yea, its a simple decision here, now explain WHY you did it" and everyone goes like "eeee..." Baluga should make another entire series in a "coaching tree style"..

Holy shift that's a lot of stats. Those can't possibly all be useful for the average number of hands you have on a player. I'd stick to just VPIP/PFR/3bet/Hands and put the rest in a popup. Just my 2 cents regarding HUDs. They tend to distract me too much when gameflow is more important.

Holy shift that's a lot of stats. Those can't possibly all be useful for the average number of hands you have on a player. I'd stick to just VPIP/PFR/3bet/Hands and put the rest in a popup. Just my 2 cents regarding HUDs. They tend to distract me too much when gameflow is more important.

Taken to heart. Check out next week.

wow! Thanks Mark for putting it out there. Awesome vid. Long live Baluga the MUB slayer!

Love it, love it, love it. Terrific video, very well done. I felt like a fly on the wall of the coaching session. Keep it up!

KOTS,

There are ways to give constructive feedback. Learn them. DC will keep getting better. You get a ton of valuable information for $29/mo, don't tap the glass.

xhgrising,

Behave.

Time Link to 00:40:25

Ok the turn is a nine. If we bet here all hands that beat us call and all hands we already beat fold. And since we already beat those hands we dont need to bet? I mean A high isn't good enough to bet to protect/ fold out thier equity share?

edit btw BW is the nuts

My comment was a bit rude, I admit. I apologize for that.

But I still think these two coaches are way too good for a microstakes vid. If this was a video on it's own, it wouldn't mind me as much as it is now, brought as a Parallels 2 episode: "Dive deep into the minds of two of our best instructors, whitelime and BalugaWhale, as they analyze each others’ play week to week."

Also consider that most lower stakes players like to watch vids on higher stakes, but that it doesn't work the other way around.

General tip: Try more to get coaches to make vids on their regular stakes or stakes they've recently played and moved up. To me it's more valuable to see you (KRANTZ) or whitelime play highstakes/nosebleeds than at midstakes.

I rather hear you guys say something like "I know this guy likes to checkraise c-bets alot, but won't follow up on the turn with crap, so I like to call here and stab when he checks the turn", than "I don't know this player so I'll fold until I find out more about him", knowing you won't pick up any decent reads in a 50 minute vid.

Guess this post is a little more constructive than my first.

KOTS-

Great post. Part of me feels guilty about getting this level of coaching at the stakes I am playing. Only part...

This may not be the series for the midstakes+, but it may help their coaching game.

I am very curious to hear what whitelime has to say to help bring me up...

Ok the turn is a nine. If we bet here all hands that beat us call and all hands we already beat fold. And since we already beat those hands we dont need to bet? I mean A high isn't good enough to bet to protect/ fold out thier equity share?

edit btw BW is the nuts

'Ok the turn is a nine. If we bet here all hands that beat us call '

Not all hands that beat us call , we actualy fold out alot of hands that are ahead of us , such PP , 3x , 4x.

'and all hands we already beat fold. '

Whats wrong with that ? we arent going to get future value from these hands so why not take the pot down now and provent us getting sucked out on

'I mean A high isn't good enough to bet to protect/ fold out thier equity share?'

If a 9 comes on the turn there are alot of hands that now picked up some sort of backdoor straight or FD , so our bet isnt just for protection its actually more for value.

Thats my take on it

Loved the video BW

If "all hands we already beat fold" isn't a check better or should we bet only for protection with A high? But I guess he will call with FD and will fold out some better hands 3x 4x and pp. And will fold some gutshots that have good equity agianst us. So its a value, bluff and protection bet? haha right?

I've got to agree with KOTS on many counts.

I think Baluga is probably a fantastic player, but this video did absolutely nothing for me. It was like "one word!" "eh...value" "YEAH!"

good vid looking forward to next weeks and seeing the player make less mistakes to see how he adjusted... also interested to see what you cut out from the monster HUD you had on

n1 BW your the nutz imo

edit : also really simple tip for forum members who post HH and reply to them right atthe end is gold for me and makes so much sense

I don't really mind high profile coaches making microstakes videos, but I don't understand why one episode of parallels series is wasted on playing NL25?

There has been tons of NL400-NL2k videos and now all of a sudden there's a NL25 episode? I don't understand why this one belongs to Parallels series.

At about 40 min in, the AJs hand can bet for value on a turn 9 for value against straight draws.

Is this correct?

Where is the follow up to this vid? Is it Mentor or Parallels? confused

Time Link to 00:51:37

Say we did make the raise to 6.50 and he called and the turn came a diamond or completed the straight draw. Are we still pushing all in on the turn or folding?

btw great video

great vid. very glad to see it.

lol krantz

Supsis, are you Mark?

I just had a look at Pokertableratings to see how you were getting on after the coaching but doesn't seem like ivalueyou has been playing. Any chance of getting your screen names, would be interesting to see what stakes you're at now!?