SNG Tools

[chisness]

I just got the SNG Tools and have been fooling around with it a little bit.

I see that for HU, as far as I can tell, it's +EV to push EVERY time! Does this mean not everything should be pushed, even if the program says it's +EV (in HU and non-HU situations)?

It seems that if I've pushed the first four hands in a row, then I pick up 23o and I have 8k to his 2k, a push is going to almost guarantee a call and most likely a double up. Can I get some insight into when to listen to the program and when to step back a little bit?

[eastbay]

[ QUOTE ]
I just got the SNG Tools and have been fooling around with it a little bit.

I see that for HU, as far as I can tell, it's +EV to push EVERY time!

[/ QUOTE ]

No, it isn't. Pay careful attention to all the variables. I'm sure you can come up with a scenario where it's very wrong to move all-in HU.

The inexperienced may be surprised at how often it is correct, but it's not always correct.

eastbay

[Blarg]

In eastbay's tutorial itself, there's an example where he assumes the opponent's range is a little wider, and you don't have quite as dominating a stack, and you come up with a +EV of only 0.5%. eastbay's tutorial notes he doesn't like to push on that close an edge because you give up some of your table image if you get caught.

If you run push scenarios, you'll often come up with pushes at 0.5 which have his little "push arrow" recommendation even though the EV is only 0.5, but so far I think I have found that, when setting up 109 tourneys as a parameter, he withdraws his push arrow validation if the $EV difference down at the bottom right comes out at less than $5.00 -- except for once, I think.

Anyway, your +EV changes a lot depending on the size of your stack vs. villain's, and the size of the blinds too, and the guessed-at calling ranges. Try putting different blinds in and you'll see how what's a push at one level with, say, a jack will become a push only with a queen at a higher blind level.

Once you get a dominating chip lead, of course, these situations are much more rare. But a truly dominating chip lead heads up, at X or Y blind level, is only one small look at all the potential situations you'll find yourself in when heads up or in the money.

Puzzling through all the variations is actually a fairly herculean task, but it's very enightening to try.

[Nick B.]

[ QUOTE ]
I just got the SNG Tools and have been fooling around with it a little bit.

I see that for HU, as far as I can tell, it's +EV to push EVERY time! Does this mean not everything should be pushed, even if the program says it's +EV (in HU and non-HU situations)?

It seems that if I've pushed the first four hands in a row, then I pick up 23o and I have 8k to his 2k, a push is going to almost guarantee a call and most likely a double up. Can I get some insight into when to listen to the program and when to step back a little bit?

[/ QUOTE ]

It very well might be +EV to push everytime. But it is even more +EV to make other decisions besides pushing everytime.

[chisness]

Great point. But does this mean a 1%ish edge should ever be folded?

With fairly even stacks against a tight player, a raise would seem like the best play easily. On the short stack, a push against anyone seems very profitable. With a big stack and him having a short stack, I'm definitely questioning whether a push with 52o is going to be beneficial even though the program says its +EV. Maybe I should tell it to give opponent an even wider calling range, since when he's very short he'll probably call with just about any two if he's smart.

[Blarg]

He just might, especially if he thinks you push on thin edges or just because of your stack size and could easily have nothing.