Ask any newbie question here

[Dave G.]

Ah, I play NL SnGs. KJs is about the minimum hand I would raise from this position for value.

Thanks for the advice. I'd never really thought about pushing into the field like that from the BB until it gets short handed. I can see this would be profitable though. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Kama45]

Assuming a 40% ITM and a 30% ROI at the the $20's (my current goals), what type of place distribution would I need and how do I calculated it? Thanks!

[rydazzle]

Ok, have another one. I know Ive read this before in one of my many books...wish they came in PDF so I could search. crap.

Full table, early, so stack is >> BB. I am in the BB with TT/JJ so I am out of position after the flop. I have picked JJ and TT since they are the a b**** to play post-flop. 1 player raises early/mid 2-3xBB, folds to me in BB.

I would like to re-raise, pretty big, but I am not sure b/c of my bad position. do I see where I stand here with a re-raise or call hoping for a flop where the texture is favorable for a probe bet? How do I play this differently if I were on the button with position after the flop?

Thanks C, I know the newb posts are work for you...appreciated.

Thanks for the invitation for newbie questions.

One day I may know enough to ask an intelligent question about strategy, but for now....

What are the rules or limitations about the stuff one can wear at a live casino game? I am really talking about the stuff that attempts to hide one's appearance or reactions or distract one's opponent (funny glasses, masks, etc.)

What about limits on bringing electronics to the table? It may look like an I-pod, but maybe someone is whispering advice through those earplugs.

thanks.

[citanul]

ry,

jj and tt are tricky hands.

you can play them however makes you comfortable and fits your style, honestly.

reraising in heads up pots is going to put you in an awkward position post flop, as many (jj) and most (tt) flops will contain overcards that will make you have to play post flop out of position. at the lower stakes there's clearly something to be said for just pushing preflop, as you're often going to get called by worse hands even on the first level. most people i think like to just call in this spot, and get the money in post flop if it looks recommendable. additionally, jsut calling means that on say, a Q high flop your probe bet is going to be cheaper if you decide to bet out and slow down post getting raised or called.

if you're on the button, you can afford to play this more aggressively, and might want to in order to not offer great odds to the blinds to come in, espeically with the cheap blinds and raise sizes. some people still like just calling raises in LP with TT and JJ. it depends on how well you feel with your post flop play, and what you think of the original raiser.

citanul

[citanul]

Jedi,

I believe that clothes wise you're allowed to obscure yourself as much as you want at most casinos these days.

with respect to electronics, this depends on casino as well. Arieh was allowed to use a laptop and play online poker while playing recently... The WSOP disallowed all electronics this year... so as you can see, there's not much uniformity.

citanul

[microbet]

I could be wrong, but I think the push on hand 1 is better in a cash game than in a tourney.

As for pushing in a tourney, I think it is dramatically better to pwn limpers at the middle buyins than the lower ones. I don't know about the higher buyins. It's possible too many limpers are trapping, but I suspect there are still plenty of weak limps.

[citanul]

kama,

There's approximately a zillion ways to have a given ROI with a given ITM, so yeah, you can't exactly figure out what percentage you need, just one at a time, since there's different ways of accomplishing it. For instance, here's a formula for how to do it assuming equal 1sts, 2nds, and 3rds, that can also be a good way of figuring out how to look at this stuff:

Net Cash = - buyins + winnings
Net Cash = -[(stakes + rake)(# games)] + (Stakes)[#1sts x 5 + #2nds x 3 = #3rds x 2]

Net Cash/[(Stakes + rake)(#games)] = ROI
And let #1sts = #2nds = #3rds = M, 3M = #ITMs, #ITMs/Games = ITM%

ROI = -1 + (Stakes)[#1sts x 5 + #2nds x 3 = #3rds x 2]/[(Stakes + rake)(#games)]

ROI = -1 + (Stakes)[10M/(Stakes+rake)(games)]
ROI = -1 + (Stakes)(10/3)ITM/(Stakes+Rake)

For the lower stakes sngs, we can assume that (Stakes)/(Stakes + Rake) = 10/11

ROI = -1 + (10/11)(10/3)ITM
ROI = -1 + 100/33(ITM)

Which is very, very close, but not quite,
ROI = -1 + 3ITM, which is probably more intuitive than i gave it credit for, since you could have just come up with this using a whole lot less math... =(

So clearly the ITM that breaks even if you have a even distribution is 33%.

If you want to hit ROI = 30% with even distribution, you have to get to...
(1.3)/3=43.3%

You can use one of the top formulae and some of the assumptions that I listed here (like the 10/11 thing) to make a pretty simple formula like this one that is able to spit out numbers like this for different shapes. But in general, meh. It's not like you can "set a goal to have an itm % of 17%/15%/13%" or something you know?

citanul

[citanul]

micro,

i dunno, personally i wouldn't play a cash game where the deepest stack at the table is in the mid 20s in bbs. i don't think many people find such a game spread anywhere...

as for pwning limpers, yeah, i think it's less good at the lower stakes, but i think that at the lower stakes there's a good shot you just flat out have the best hand. if not, even though many times someone's going to call with like 44, you're getting a big overlay, and sometimes at the low stakes they somehow manage to find the fold button.

clearly at higher stakes and mid stakes games you have to be more wary of limp trappers, but that's sort of implied. i don't really feel like explaining all the details of a semi-PVS play everytime i recommend it [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

citanul

[illunious]

A couple questions:

1. Is it correct to steal with a minraise (I've been doing this around 50/100-100/200 blinds) if it doesn't pot commit you and the blinds are willing to fold to a minraise?

2. Is the format Party uses for SNGs, where blinds sometimes get skipped when someone is busted the correct way to do it in a home game? I think it's when the button gets busted and you would be BB next hand, you're SB instead, and sometimes there is a lone BB that gets button next hand.