We could use a stickied Stats FAQ
 

This is something that Knoler mentioned in another topic and I completely agree. There seems to be quite a number of "look at my stats" posts these days with similar advice following. New players are frequently coming onto this forum so a sticky may help answer these questions.

Who wants to take a stab at it? I can try, but my writing is not the best!

Re: We could use a stickied Stats FAQ
 

i was considering it, but haven't had the time to gather the materials.. perhaps this weekend.

Re: We could use a stickied Stats FAQ
 

I think this should be more comprehensive than just stats though. a couple other common topics should be in there, like bankroll requirements, different sites to play at, etc.

Now just to write it...hmmm...

Re: We could use a stickied Stats FAQ
 

post a rough draft and we can all add/edit/suggest whatever.

I pm'd mat about this before and he told me go ahead and make one up, and when the final one is ready just pm him and he can stick it. sounded good, but i'm lazy and easily distracted by shiny things.

Re: We could use a stickied Stats FAQ
 

I think 1 post for just stats would be substantive enough without any additional topics. Additional topics could be included in a seperate grab-bag sticky.

Also, in addition to just a regurgitation of what the "accepted" stat ranges are, there should be a good discussion as to why those ranges are accepted, and what it usually means when your stats are out of range.

For example, it is one thing to know that the accepted range for W$SD is somewhere around 55%. But it is almost useless - and, I think, counterproductive - to know this without knowing why. Too high a W$SD usually means you fold too much on the end. Too low usually means marginal hands are taken too far.

General Micros FAQ
 

Aside from a stats-specific FAQ, we could use a more general micros-forum & beginning poker FAQ.

Here's a few questions that occurred to me might appear in this FAQ:

- Who is this FAQ for?

= POSTING GUIDELINES FOR MICROS =

- When should I start posting hands?
[this is a trick question: the answer is "now"]
- What kinds of hands should I post?
- How should a hand post be formatted?
- What's the difference between the micros forum and, say, the small-stakes forum? How do I know where I belong?

=== LEARNING RESOURCES & PLAYING BASICS ===

- I'm brand-new to poker. Where should I begin?
- I've decided to get serious about poker. What should I do now?
- What's PokerTracker? Do I need it?
- What books should I be reading, and in what order?
- What books should I throw away? (This question may be to incindiary for this FAQ)
- How much BR do I need?
- What books should I read?
- Where should I play? What limits?
- Can I trust online poker? Netteller?

= STRATEGY BASICS =

NOTE: The answers to these questions are intended to give a new player some basic giudelines on standard play.
For example: the answer to the "how do i decide to be passive or aggressive" question is to use pot equity edge as a guide. This is a very simple answer to a very complex question, and is only intended to point the reader towards the path. It's not intended to be the Ultimate Answer. The Ultimate Answer is found by posting hands, and that should be made very clear in the FAQ.

- What kinds of answers will I find here? (Ans: very basic standard play guidelines)
- Where should I get more in-depth answers? (Ans: by posting hands)
- What are pot odds?
- What is pot equity?
- What is a pot equity edge?
- How do I decide weather I should continue with a hand or fold? (Ans: pot equity edge)
- Assuming I decide to continue, how do I decide if I should be aggressive or passive?
- What kinds of hands should I start with?
- What is fold equity?
- How do I know if I should run a bluff?

Re: General Micros FAQ
 

I agree, we could use several stickies covering some Micro-limit basics and posting guidelines (like in Small Stakes) as well as general strategy ones (like Ajax's flush draw one).

Re: General Micros FAQ
 

just one sticky which would reference other posts if need be.

Re: General Micros FAQ
 

hi-
I am highly in favor of one sticky with link to multiple threads that cover various extremely common topics.
I am willing to help any in way...ie, by searching the archives and writing up desciptions of the threads?

PM me if you are spearheading the effort and want a hand.
-t

Re: We could use a stickied Stats FAQ
 

yeah i thought we were talking about a general FAQ like the small stakes one.

Re: We could use a stickied Stats FAQ
 

[ QUOTE ]
Who wants to take a stab at it? I can try, but my writing is not the best!

[/ QUOTE ]

My writing is the best, but my poker is not the best. lol I'll be happy to edit for grammar, etc. once a rough draft gets up.

Re: General Micros FAQ
 

Here are some links to posts which I find myself looking back at and referring others to often:

7:1 to call suited junk

Clarkmeister's Theorem

Ed Miller on crushing games

"Cleaning up outs" (not because I want to make it onto the FAQ, but because this one really bugs me).

Re: General Micros FAQ
 

good links.
in my spare time, of which I have none, I will compile if for no other reason than to realize that your "Cleaning up outs" thread WAS ABOUT ME!!!! [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]
for the record - the "don't ask me why i thought this" is my shorthand for "while playing, i thought this. but upon reflection I realize that it was completely incorrect and i suck at poker."


but i couldn't agree with you more...

-t

Re: General Micros FAQ
 

We may also want a list of abbreviations. The general forum list on the left is pitiful. (The usual PT things like VPIP and PFR, also TAG, LAG, sLA-P, OESD, EV...)

Which reminds me...

Bison's notes on notes is another good link to have.

Re: We could use a stickied FAQ
 

Sup Micro-nauts,

Cool that this is kind of getting of the ground. Needless to say, I'd be happy to help in any way that I can. Though I have my aspirations, I'm certainly not the poker expert that some of you are. However, the sorts of stuff that'd likely go in the FAQ wouldn't be trade secrets to begin with. (What *are* pot odds, anyhow? j/k...)

Lots of stuff has already been mentioned, but here are some things I would hope would make it into our FAQ:

* What's the micro forum? (What gets posted here, what's the hand converter, what should you do as a new poster (answer: read alot, take part in discussion, POST HANDS), a little about our etiquette (or lack thereof!), etc.)

* Some real basic terminology. I don't think we need to go overboard here, but some key definitions and abbreviations could be helpful. Remember that this is probably where many 2+2ers make their first posts, if they're playing limit.

* A little bit about the search function and how it's kind of super-fly.

* PT stats -- why your BB/100 is less than meaningless after 3000 hands, and why we're going to make fun of you if you ask about it. A little bit about where some of the basic stats (VP$IP, PFR, WTSD, etc) should be and why.

* Links to some of the 2+2 classics. The Crushing Post, Notes on Notes, The Streaks Post (not to be confused with The Streaking Post, which will come later...), etc, etc...

I'm all for mentioning books beginners should read, but I have to admit that I'm from the SSHE-good WLLH-bad camp. I agree that WLLH will save you money if you're a loose beginner, but it's not going to make you a strong player. I claim that if you're reading the 2+2 forums, you want to be a strong player.

Also, we don't need to hit the ball out of the park with version 1 -- we can add stuff as we go.

Those are my thoughts at the moment, anyhow.
-Brian

Re: We could use a stickied Stats FAQ
 

bump

*bump*
 

This is an important thing for this forum -- I don't want to let it slip away

Re: *bump*
 

I agree, this is needed. BTW, is there a good link that explains which stats are significant and why? I am particularly interested in blind play, because I have a sneaking suspicion mine sucks.

Re: We could use a stickied Stats FAQ
 

SSHE Preflop Hand Reccomendation Chart

My Thoughts on improving the Micro-Limit Forum

Re: We could use a stickied Stats FAQ
 

Great idea. I'm afraid that my skills when it comes to the content of the FAQ (or the english language for that matter) are a bit limited but I have an idea that might ease up the work with it. Why not use a wiki as a tool in the writing process? (not sure if it has been suggested earlier in the thread, haven't read all the posts yet)
If you like the idea I could install one at my server, password protect it and then I could hand out passwords to those of you who want to contribute. When it is done we could post the work here at 2+2 or keep it somewhere else. What do you think?

Re: We could use a stickied Stats FAQ
 

[ QUOTE ]
use a wiki

[/ QUOTE ]

what?

i feel old now.
-t

Re: We could use a stickied Stats FAQ
 

[ QUOTE ]
i was considering it, but haven't had the time to gather the materials.. perhaps this weekend.

[/ QUOTE ]

well, i didn't do anything this weekend.. damn mitch hedberg and the eagles!

i may have some spare time this week.

PS: eagles rule!

Re: We could use a stickied Stats FAQ
 

Basically it's just a web page editable by anyone viewing it. Look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page (there source code is Open Source as well) for an example.
We might not want to allow anyone to edit, therefor you could password protect the site.

Re: We could use a stickied Stats FAQ
 

oooooooohhh.

well, if you have the time/energy/desire to host an editable page, I am sure a bunch of people will contribute writing and/or links as they have time.

i know i would try to contribute insofar as my experience/expertise allows.

at some point, it will reach a semi-finished product and could be stickied in the forum...?

-t

Re: We could use a stickied Stats FAQ
 

I love that page! It's basically an encyclopedia but you don't know if what you are reading is true. But it usually is true. It's pretty cool.

Re: We could use a stickied Stats FAQ
 

I have the time to do this and I would be glad to help out. It would be nice to have some feedback from more people before I go ahead and start it though.