Harrington's book

[RiverRider]

I just read the first half of "Harrington on Hold'em" book and there's two things that bugged me and that I would like if you could comment.

First : p.22
Section : Elements of a hand
10. What is your position at the table after the flop

If a world class player were to play a heads-up session against a player of mediocre skills, but the lessor player could act last every hand, the world class player would have the worst of it.


Second : p.132
Harrington's Law of Bluffing : The probability that your opponent is bluffing when he shoves a big bet in the pot is always at least 10 percent.

So, what's your opinion about those two points? Do you think those are true/false?

[Michael C.]

[ QUOTE ]
I just read the first half of "Harrington on Hold'em" book and there's two things that bugged me and that I would like if you could comment.

First : p.22
Section : Elements of a hand
10. What is your position at the table after the flop

If a world class player were to play a heads-up session against a player of mediocre skills, but the lessor player could act last every hand, the world class player would have the worst of it.


Second : p.132
Harrington's Law of Bluffing : The probability that your opponent is bluffing when he shoves a big bet in the pot is always at least 10 percent.

So, what's your opinion about those two points? Do you think those are true/false?

[/ QUOTE ]

I think both are intuitively true to me, and I also think Harrington would know. Put even the best player in the world in front of a lousy player like me, and I think I'd have a chance. It's pretty hard to read players heads up, and he'd have to bet into me every time, meaning I could get off hands cheaper than him and pound him when I do have something. Let's say he has a 4 on a 4-6-8 flop. He bets and I raise, what is he going to do? If I have an 8, I could take his stack. So does he risk it? If he goes over the top I can still survive, but if he's wrong, I knock him out or really injure him. If I were first he could probably figure me out and lose little.

As for bluffing, I think you have to bluff 10% of the time or else you're too easy to read.

Anyway, others on here know way more than me, but I certainly agree with both statements.

[cwsiggy]

Is the button really that important heads up??? I find it hard to believe that a world class player would have the worst of it if they never had the button against a crappy player. Someone please explain this one.

[Michael C.]

Sure it's important. He's always leading into you, while you always have the option of raising or losing the initial bet. Plus you are always in control of whether or not to allow a free card to fall when he checks. I imagine the best strategy for the pro would be to bet heavily pre-flop and turn it into a crapshoot, but that would kill his biggest advantage. But with position he has a tough decision about betting or checking every single flop, while you often have an easy one.

[amulet]

position , position, position. most players don't realize how IMPT it is. acting last is a huge advantage.

[SNOWBALL138]

If it weren't for position, casinos would never make a dime off of a blackjack table.