At what level does HPFAP come into play?

[1C5]

I have read and am now rereading SSH and playing .5/1. I have HPFAP sitting on my shelf but have never read it yet.

At what stakes can I begin to use some concepts from that book and when do you suggest I start reading it?

As far as moving up, I used to play limit months ago but have changed to tournaments so I have a nice bankroll but in terms of limit I want to start again at .5/1 and only move up with the money I make from limit. I like to pay my dues. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[numeri]

As most of us are still playing the Micros, I'd say we're all fine with SSH. There are certainly concepts in HEPFAP that apply, but many of them imply thinking opponents, and that certainly won't occur very often at 0.5/1.

Maybe others with more experience can be more specific.

[Reqtech]

I was able to start applying concepts when I moved to 6max...beyond the shorthanded section of HPFAP, too.

SSHE did not include a lot of info about bluffing, which is very important in 6max, IMO.

I'm a beginner playing penny tables, where HEFAP definitely doesn't apply in general. But I do have one specific thought: there is nothing in SSHe about playing heads-up or even with three players at the table.

You can always avoid such situations by leaving the table. But unless you are going to completely avoid them, you might read the section of HEFAP about heads-up. I have no idea if it's the best intro to heads-up but at least it's something.

Even if you don't play heads-up, the section is is extremely interesting, IMO, and might improve your overall thinking about poker. If you've read SSHe, you should be able to understand it just fine standalone (without reading the rest of the book I mean).

[deception5]

As others mentioned it's great when you are in a game when you are often heads up after the flop. "Weighing the odds" is good for this as well.

The most common type of game where this happens at our limits is shorthanded.

[jaxUp]

I was fine not having read it until 3/6 6max, but there certainly are concepts applicable at any 6max game.

[Shillx]

Read the "When it goes 3-bets preflop" part now and follow it when you are playing pots against better players. The rest can be applied at any time really.

[Ray Zee]

the basics of it apply to higher limits but the thinking applies all around. the higher the level you think the more you win. i do agree you dont get to use alot of it every hand but you get to elevate your game which in turns makes you more money. plus the more good books you read the faster you get better. good luck.

[Alex/Mugaaz]

[ QUOTE ]
the basics of it apply to higher limits but the thinking applies all around. the higher the level you think the more you win. i do agree you dont get to use alot of it every hand but you get to elevate your game which in turns makes you more money. plus the more good books you read the faster you get better. good luck.

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I tried to follow this advice, and it may be true that it speeds up your overall learning, but I really have no way of verifying that. However, HPFAP does not help at all at nano/micro play, and only a small amount at SS play. HPFAP really makes you play overly tight postflop by giving too much respect to aggressive action, which in typical nano/ss games it's correct to draw. Also most of the technical plays absolutely do not work against these sort of opponents and try to have you doing things like bluffing and semi bluffing in spots where its clearly incorrect, but the reader/player will be too inexperienced to understand why. I would recommend not reading it at all until you move to 5/10 full or 3/6 6m. There is no reason to read this book early, SSHE is such a good book for these games that it's all you need.