What I'm reading today

[PygmyHero]

OMFG! You mean there's poker content online in places other than 2+2?

Indeed. Today's post has links to two of the most helpful sites I've found. Many people probably already know about them, but for those who don't, you're about to see what you've been missing out on.

I hope you read yesterday's post or have a good understanding of it since today's material builds on it to some extent.

Website: posev
Writer: Abdul Jalib
Link: Theory of Sucking Out

You won't find anything too revolutionary in that link, but I think its a great site nonetheless. I feel Abdul always does a good job laying things out clearly and concisely.

Website: Playing with the Fish
Writer: Izmet Fekali
Link: Rammin' and Jammin' on a Draw

There is some discussion about ram and jam on the forums occasionally, but it is rarely named so. At the least, I think its helpful to introduce this terminology. If you're unfamiliar with the concept...well, you're really losing a lot of EV+ if you play in loose games.

I have nothing to add for either of these links. Those two guys know their stuff and they convey concepts well.

Addendum: I tested both of the links and the one to Jalib's page works sporadically. Just keep trying it - it never took me more than a few tries.

[PygmyHero]

I recently started playing 6 max and have been spending a lot of quality time with MrWookie47's Baby Steps post. I can only get through so much in one day, and many time the threads have links to new threads, and so on...

So I'm just going to tackle it in little bits. Today I'm going to cover some hand examples.

(So just to be clear, these links can be found in Wook's thread)

Forum: HUSH
Poster: Guido
Thread: Some hands
Number:770085
Date: 6.21.04

Forum: HUSH
Poster: Guido
Thread: Some more hands
Number: 770087
Date: 6.21.04

[PygmyHero]

I thougt it would be appropriate to let NPA have the last word on flush draws (which I posted about two and three days ago).

Forum: Microlimit Archives
Poster: William Wilson
Thread: Conversations with Major on "charging" flush draws (long)
Number: 463571
Date: 1.3.04

Don't worry, it's not actually that long.

I'm sure most of you have read that, so here's another one:

Forum: Small Stakes Archive
Poster: laceratedsky
Thread: Some questions concerning flush draws...
Number: 370094
Date: 10.13.03

[PygmyHero]

Wow, I made the ML Digest!

That was actually going to be one of my November goals.

I lost my internet access for a week thanks to a wiring SNAFU, so I haven't been able to keep up with this thread. But making the Digest, plus some encouragement from a poster via PM (which I really appreciated by the way) makes me want to give this another go.

First of all, since I haven't been able to read online material, I took the opportunity to read most of David Foster Wallace's latest book, Oblivion.

I don't know how many people here are readers, but if you are, I probably don't need to tell you about DFW. For those of you who don't know of him, he's brilliant. I've read quite a bit and he's my favorite. But, you have to see for yourself. He has quite a few other good books too. If you want to read his most well known book, just go to a bookstore and obtain the largest book (excluding compendiums) in the fiction section. You are now holding a copy of Infinite Jest. It is long. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Anyway, here's today's thread:

Forum: THE Archives (that's Texas Hold 'Em Archives)
Poster: PDosterM
Thread: Just Calling with AK on the Big Blind
Number: 625596
Date: 4.11.04

This thread is extremely long, but I think there's some really good tidbits of information buried in it. Unfortunately, the thread kind of devolves into an argument between astroglide and John Feeney. Nonetheless, they both present compelling arguments in between not-always-so-subtle attacks on each other.

For the faint of heart, I will be posting a Cliff Notes type synopsis of this thread later tonight. I create Word files which summarize the parts of threads I found useful, and I want to mull this one over a little more before I do that. When I do, I will post it.

[PygmyHero]

So I've been having some trouble handling Ax in 6 Max games. You can see my thread here:

Forum: Microlimit
Poster: PygmyHero
Thread: A typical 6 Max hand that's giving me trouble...
Number: 3906600
Date: 11.10.05

deception5 referred to an earlier thread where he made some comments on this type of hand. It took me a little while to find it, but here it is:

Forum: Microlimit
Poster: numeri
Thread: Axo 6-max from CO
Number: 3883807
Date: 11.7.05

I also found this in Wookie's 6 Max Baby Steps:

Forum: HUSH Archives
Poster: econom1st
Thread: Request for hands: Ace high makes it to showdown
Number: 2214124
Date: 4.22.05

That's all I have for today. I know I said I'd post a summary of the AK in the BB situation, which I will still do at some point in the future.

[PygmyHero]

I remember that when I started playing poker the most valuable tool to me were start charts. I used Krieger's, along with some WLLH guidelines. These were quite a bit more valuable to me than talk about implied odds and other concepts which were above my head at the time.

As I've been trying out 6 max, it occurs to me that maybe I should approach the game as if I know nothing about poker. Yes, I will still be able to calculate odds, make reads, etc., but the point is, maybe my game would benefit most by making sure I'm really solid on the fundamentals. If you're a sports fan, I think the way the Pistons and Spurs play basketball, or the way the Patriots play (maybe used to play, we'll see) football are apt examples.

As such, I'm currently concentrating on my starting hands and PF play.

Forum: HUSH
Poster: MEbenhoe
Post: Starting Hand Chart v2.0 (In Progress Update)
Number: 1897985
Date: 3.10.05

This is the oft cited start chart, and it is pretty good. There is a lot of discussion about it in the thread that follows, some useful, some not.

THIS WILL SAVE YOU SOME TIME:
While you can find Excel versions of the above chart, I think there is a better one, which is actually found in the thread, but here it is:

Forum: HUSH
Poster: mantasm
Post: Re: Starting Hand Chart v2.0 (In Progress Update)
Number: 2016845
Date: 3.27.05

I think this chart (available as an Excel file) has better formatting and better (i.e. more 'correct') information. The colors aren't as garish, the hand groupings are more logical, there are fewer actions (i.e. you're not overwhelmed with R, C, C2-3, RR, F, C2/R1, CC, R/F, etc.), and, maybe most importantly, it has a section on defending the blinds, which MEbenhoe's lacks.

And now, to borrow from Wookie, if you're looking for a little more advanced discussion of PF hands, check out these old davidross threads.

Forum: HUSH
Poster: davidross
Post: Back to Basics. What do you do pre-flop?
Number: 518462
Date: 2.9.04

And, something of a follow-up to the above thread:

Forum: HUSH
Poster: davidross
Post: The proper level of aggression ??
Number: 548714
Date: 2.26.04

[jaxUp]

[ QUOTE ]
I remember that when I started playing poker the most valuable tool to me were start charts. I used Krieger's, along with some WLLH guidelines. These were quite a bit more valuable to me than talk about implied odds and other concepts which were above my head at the time.

As I've been trying out 6 max, it occurs to me that maybe I should approach the game as if I know nothing about poker. Yes, I will still be able to calculate odds, make reads, etc., but the point is, maybe my game would benefit most by making sure I'm really solid on the fundamentals. If you're a sports fan, I think the way the Pistons and Spurs play basketball, or the way the Patriots play (maybe used to play, we'll see) football are apt examples.

As such, I'm currently concentrating on my starting hands and PF play.

Forum: HUSH
Poster: MEbenhoe
Post: Starting Hand Chart v2.0 (In Progress Update)
Number: 1897985
Date: 3.10.05

This is the oft cited start chart, and it is pretty good. There is a lot of discussion about it in the thread that follows, some useful, some not.

THIS WILL SAVE YOU SOME TIME:
While you can find Excel versions of the above chart, I think there is a better one, which is actually found in the thread, but here it is:

Forum: HUSH
Poster: mantasm
Post: Re: Starting Hand Chart v2.0 (In Progress Update)
Number: 2016845
Date: 3.27.05

I think this chart (available as an Excel file) has better formatting and better (i.e. more 'correct') information. The colors aren't as garish, the hand groupings are more logical, there are fewer actions (i.e. you're not overwhelmed with R, C, C2-3, RR, F, C2/R1, CC, R/F, etc.), and, maybe most importantly, it has a section on defending the blinds, which MEbenhoe's lacks.

And now, to borrow from Wookie, if you're looking for a little more advanced discussion of PF hands, check out these old davidross threads.

Forum: HUSH
Poster: davidross
Post: Back to Basics. What do you do pre-flop?
Number: 518462
Date: 2.9.04

And, something of a follow-up to the above thread:

Forum: HUSH
Poster: davidross
Post: The proper level of aggression ??
Number: 548714
Date: 2.26.04

[/ QUOTE ]

The biggest change you'll find from the starting charts from 6max as opposed to full tables, is that you will need to deviate from them more based on reads. With more blind steal opportunities, and way more LAGs, you'll need to be raising and 3-betting more liberally, as well as setting up future streets when you're HU vs thinking players. That said, the charts are a nice point of departure.

[PygmyHero]

WARNING: The threads I link to are long, as is this post.

DavidC recently made a post in which he linked to a few threads asking higher limit players to talk about their journey. I'm going to link to each of those threads individually as it will be easier to find them if they ever get archived.

Forum: Mid-, High Stakes Limit HE
Poster: DavidC
Post: How did you get where you current are? (sic)
Number: 3660099
Date: 10.13.05

Forum: Mid-, High Stakes PL & NL HE
Poster: DavidC
Post: How did you get to where you currently are?
Number: 3677370
Date: 10.14.05

deception5 also added this thread which details bicyclekick's astronomical rise as a poker player:

Forum: THE
Poster: bicyclekick
Post: My story
Number: 2318608
Date: 5.5.05

I really enjoyed all of these threads. It's really inspiring to read about people 'making it.' I don't know if many people here aspire to make a full-time career of playing poker, but if you do, this may provide you with some motivation.

Personally, that is not necessarily my plan. If it happens, great. If I just get some more discretionary income, that's great too. My goal is simply to improve, and wherever that leads me is fine. However, I don't do things half-ummm...way, so...you never know. I feel this may accurately describe a lot of people in the ML forum.

Besides the stories, there were 3 posts that stuck out to me:

Alex/Mugaaz: "I find it amazing how so many of the best posters in each forum made some of the worst decisions possible multiple times beforehand."

This was a comment on the number of people who seemed to take a shot (possibly under-BR-ed) and were successful. It seems like some got lucky at the higher limit. Others won a big tournament, allowing them to take a shot.

Lawrence Ng: "Taking good chances and good risks to move up and not fear losing (this is one the one obstacle that hinders a lot of poker players imo)."

I think the problem with Alex' post is that it ignores the selection bias that DavidC's OP created. That is, the post is in Mid-, High, so presumably the responses will be from winners (maybe big winners). DavidC's not going to get a bunch of posts from people saying they gave it a shot, lost $X (maybe taking a shot), went back to their normal job, etc.

Furthermore, it seems logical that people who had an spectacular journey (i.e. a big win, success in taking that shot), were more likely to respond, (correctly) thinking their story is interesting. However, even within the threads, there are indications that many people grinded it out (The Davester / sfer is an example), but aren't going to post their story, which they may perceive as boring or tedious.

In any event, I am led to the conclusion that maybe taking shots can be beneficial to a player's game and BR, if done correctly.

El Diablo: "BK's willingness to drop down is an important factor in his ability to take these shots and take advantage of lucky runs at higher limits.

Most guys who take shots like BK bust out because when they start to run bad, they keep playing high while way underbankrolled."

I've never seen much info on 'shot-taking,' but there, at least, is some advice. It seems like the amount with which to take a shot would be easy to determine (whatever you can afford to / stomach losing). But how do you know when the shot is over (when you bust)? What if you do well? Do you stay at that limit, or move back down with a padded BR and take another shot later? Or do you take that money and 'shoot' higher (which seems to me like the poker equivalent of the Martingale strategy)?

I guess the whole idea of shot taking intrigues me because I've never done it before, and I'm wondering if it is something I should seriously consider. As I said, if I did, I would want some more information and guidelines. I woner partly because my BR is actually large enough to play 5/10, but I play 1/2 6 max. I wonder if I am stunting my potential as a poker player by not taking a shot.

why not at least move to 2/4 if your br is big enough for 5/10???

[DavidC]

Post: How did you get where you current are? (sic)

-------

Out-nitted again!