Home → Poker Videos → Real Life: Micro SNG Grinder → Episode Two
This series will air every other week. Tune in and watch vandweller take DC member and student veloblank and coach him into a solid winner. Get to know what it takes to be a “grinder,” including proper goal-setting, bankroll management and using tools of the trade to optimize your play. Then jump straight into SNG strategy – broad overviews of the stages of the game, live sweat sessions and deep replayer analysis. Guest appearances from Bones.
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In Episode Two, vandweller looks at veloblank's pre-coaching hand histories, diagnoses some of his more egregious errors, and offers some simple fixes. Discussed are pre-flop hand selection, when and how to play speculative hands, bet sizing, and the value of simplifying one's decision-making.
Posted 11 months ago
tags: vandweller real life micro sng grinder veloblank hh review 1-table sng mtt bet sizing hand selection ipod friendly
Micro/Small Stakes,
121 min long
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Home → Poker Videos → Real Life: Micro SNG Grinder → Episode Two
KefkaIIV
3 posts
Joined 01/09
I've been really excited with this series and I think Vandweller does an excellent job. I'm so glad this one came out before my subscription ran out.
Posted 11 months ago
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frey
1 posts
Joined 03/09
first
Posted 11 months ago
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vandweller
Producer
413 posts
Joined 12/08
Sorry about the length on this one guys, but I didn't want to end it arbitrarily at 60 or 90 minutes (since even if I did, John and I would have kept talking anyway, so why not get it all recorded.) Just think of it as a two-parter put out all on the same day. I think maybe the lack of a powerpoint is to blame. :-)
Also I realize that a lot of the hands may seem pretty basic to some of you, but as I indicated in Episode One, my priority is on helping Velo, while crossing my fingers that it ends up being interesting viewing to the lot of you.
Anyhow, with that out of the way, get a 6-pack of Red Bull, hit "Play" and enjoy.
Posted 11 months ago
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TecmoSuperBowl
Tribe Leader
1927 posts
Joined 01/09
If this one is half as good as the first, it will be epic.
Posted 11 months ago
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vandweller
Producer
413 posts
Joined 12/08
It's certainly longer than several epic films. It's probably 40% as good, though it's probably better than Waterworld.
I have to say that before I got involved with DC, I just released videos on my site, on my own schedule, and if people bought them, whatever, it didn't matter all that much; but here on DC, I actually get kind of antsy on video release day. Weird feeling.
Posted 11 months ago
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PeskyAustrian
288 posts
Joined 02/09
Please, no need to be sorry for how long it is. It's really useful infomation from the perspective of someone like me who has very little sng knowledge or skill at all.

It's series like this that cover the absolute fundimentals and take it from there which are completely solid and the most helpful. I really like the way you're taking your time over concepts and adding the building blocks, it works
As for powerpoint, don't worry about i was taking notes
Posted 11 months ago
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Acombfosho
1492 posts
Joined 06/08
thank you very very much
I will be playing more SNG's due to this series
Posted 11 months ago
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TecmoSuperBowl
Tribe Leader
1927 posts
Joined 01/09
So this video's range is somewhere between Waterworld and Field of Dreams, resting around Dances with Wolves?
If so, I'll take it. Just no Postman vids.
Posted 11 months ago
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rvtsteve
546 posts
Joined 01/08
NO POWERPOINT?! ...for shame!
Good video guys, solid coaching of a beginner for sure.
Good luck Velo, this is pure gold being shoveled your way, I hope you took some notes! It would be cool to hear from you in the tournament forum. Maybe a thread of your progress or questions. Hand Histories or questions are always welcome.
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hobiejuan1
14 posts
Joined 05/08
I swear to God this is classic. I'm sorry John but your thought process is completely backwards
Posted 11 months ago
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HighPockets
308 posts
Joined 06/08
Fail!
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jackh69
1 posts
Joined 03/09
Nice video. Thanks.
Posted 11 months ago
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Hood
454 posts
Joined 08/08
yeah what the f*** is that all about i came on here expecting an hour long video and here i get double the value wtffff godamn DC has gone down hill recently, gonna cancel my subscription and go to The SNG Academy
on no wai-
Posted 11 months ago
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Jafeeio
129 posts
Joined 02/09
Watched it all, pretty basic stuff still of course due to the nature of the video.
I liked that you started asking velo what he thought about his play and what he was trying to achieve when making a move. I'd like to see more interaction by him in the future when he applies the concepts presented in this session.
Is there a way to get ahold of your earlier videos? I looked on your website and it says that it is being redesigned.
Posted 11 months ago
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THINK666
4 posts
Joined 07/08
Thank you both for this series. I will be taking van's guidelines for velo and apply them to my play for the next 2 weeks as well.
Posted 11 months ago
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sostegno
43 posts
Joined 09/08
Usually not watching STT vids, but just picked that one up before going to sleep.
And surprise surprise a very well done presentation of a look into fish mind and thoughtprocess.
Even pretty valuable for cashgame imo, to better understand why they do click buttons.
A+
Posted 11 months ago
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phobospad
12 posts
Joined 09/08
I`ve already played something like 6k SNGs and consider myself a somewhat solid player. But even given the fact that this was some kind of really basic stuff i totally enjoyed watching the full 2 hours and wouldnt mind if it were 3 hours also. I also feel hearing all that basic stuff again will have a positive effect on my game. Especially the things you said about speculative Hands were pretty usefull to me. I think i got a little to fancy with that lately. Hearing again that sometimes it just isnt worth it was exactly what i needed to hear. I am sure this will help me conserve a couple of chips in spots where i used to talk me into calling.

So please dont worry about the size of your videos, its worth every minute.
"This series is gonna get legend... - wait for it - ...ary"
as Barney Stinson would say
Posted 11 months ago
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borg000
21 posts
Joined 01/08
I want to know what books lead him to this strategy!
Posted 11 months ago
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vandweller
Producer
413 posts
Joined 12/08
I think that's fine, but I want you to keep in mind that my guidelines for velo are deliberately exaggerated and extreme for instructional purposes. Once we eliminate all the complications from his game and he gets a better feel for what to be thinking about, we can and will add in a few extra-curriculars as appropriate.
Someone with more SNG experience wouldn't really play as rigidly as my guidelines suggest, because even though it is a winning (or at least non-losing) style, it isn't a maximally winning style. On the other hand, if you are struggling and not feeling good about your game, these kinds of restrictions might serve as a good base to go back to if you are looking to "start over".
Posted 11 months ago
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pelerin
10 posts
Joined 02/07
Just wanted to say thanks for doing this series. I usually play LHE cash games and I've tried playing SnGs in the past but always got my fingers burnt. These videos are really inspiring me to give it another go and maybe make SnGs my main game.
Posted 11 months ago
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SootedNinjas
343 posts
Joined 09/08
It's like deja vu all over again. Just like the 2.5 hours of video HH review he did for me. Mind blowing. A lot of the basic stuff that I learn in this video and the aforementioned HH review, I've been using in my MTT-SNG 45 & 180 endeavor. It's somewhat applicable with some slight adjustments.
Posted 11 months ago
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SootedNinjas
343 posts
Joined 09/08
Don't mind this post. just trying out eMail notification.
Posted 11 months ago
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veloblank
350 posts
Joined 05/08
How embarrassing to watch these hands... Thanks to those watching the series. I'll be posting more in the future. Going out for the night...
Posted 11 months ago
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vandweller
Producer
413 posts
Joined 12/08
If it weren't embarrassing, you wouldn't be here. Nothing to be ashamed of.
w00t! 200th post!
Posted 11 months ago
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mccainster
17 posts
Joined 03/09
2nd hand...
vand: "so, why did you make another $80 bet here?"
velo: "Uhhhhh...."
hahaha
thanks though, this series is great so far.
Posted 11 months ago
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TecmoSuperBowl
Tribe Leader
1927 posts
Joined 01/09
Don't worry about it Velo. We've all been there. Except JTP of course. And maybe the Tall man. But everyone else fo shizzle.
Posted 11 months ago
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veloblank
350 posts
Joined 05/08
If I wasn't thinking about winning before, I'm not sure what was trotting through my fish head. I fired away randomly.
This system is definitely better. I'm winning more, having more fun, and even taking the beats in stride. I played so tightly before that I didn't really dole out many bad beats either. Now that I'm shoving with Qs6s, shortstacked of course Van, it's Bad Beat City when I'm at the table.
I've been taking it more seriously too; scheduling time for poker, creating a separate folder for my sites and tools on the computer, and learning more about Hold' em. Glad to see the forums humming constantly with the next generation of poker. Good luck.
Posted 11 months ago
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poon8855
158 posts
Joined 08/08
about 1:27 in, (one hour and a half) with ace queen suited, is the standard play to shove all in preflop? Or is it better to call and see a flop?
Posted 11 months ago
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veloblank
350 posts
Joined 05/08
I'm done with turboes, again!! 1.) My ITM is better playing the regular games. 2.) I benefit from low blinds after a hit to the stack. 3.) and my shoving range improves.
Anybody else just do regular SNGs? And what kind of poker experience do you have? Is it because I'm just learning SNG play?
Thanks
Posted 11 months ago
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kondor101
927 posts
Joined 02/08
Talk to vandweller about exploiting fish when you have no fold equity. You may find you need a tighter hand range to shove, which does mean they can start to exploit us, but at this level I am not sure they will.
What your probably seeing is people folding more at regular sngs, which gives you more fold equity, which means looser shoves are not as sub optimal as it is in a micro turbo.
A looser shove is basically a defensive play, it prevents us from being exploited and that is why we have the shoving ranges we do. But it is very sub optimal in a game where no one is folding, and instead we can shove a much tighter range as long as they are not going to exploit us for doing this.
Fold equity is a large part of ICM, and the less fold equity we have the tighter an ICM shoving range is. As a result, if you see someone calling shoves light then you should be making a note on them asap. You need to know who these guys are, the last thing you want to be doing is shoving crap into someone that is going to call you with queen high.
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Mudizzle
1 posts
Joined 04/09
This student guy is dumb as a wall, easier to teach poker to a gorilla.
Posted 11 months ago
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PanchoStern
756 posts
Joined 02/08
Excellent video for beginners. It will be very interesting to see how Velo develops as a player as the series progresses. Looking forward to the future vids.
Posted 11 months ago
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vandweller
Producer
413 posts
Joined 12/08
That's neither true nor necessary.
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imnuts4u
149 posts
Joined 01/08
looks like im about a month behind, but i plan to catch up rather quickly. the one hand that surprised me was the AQs hand at the 87 min. mark. like a poster above, my instinct was to shove pre-flop. actually, though, when i plugged it into SNGWiz, i was pretty shocked to see that not only was it not a push... it was actually tremendous spew to push there (given reasonable expectations on opponents' calling ranges).
so, do you think that calling or folding is better? if calling, is it just for speculation with AQs? seems "weird".
Posted 9 months ago
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akaPeanutButter
331 posts
Joined 12/08
Nice first post.... Please keep these comments to yourself.
Posted 9 months ago
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mattcky2876
6 posts
Joined 08/09
Nice Video. Very basic stuff. Great video for the beginning player.
Posted 7 months ago
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lmagalhaes
506 posts
Joined 08/09
Great video, great gift, a fresh air on knowledge, congratulations.
Posted 7 months ago
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mamutek357
11 posts
Joined 10/09
Posted 4 months ago
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