Shakedown
Some of you are probably aware of this controversy already, but in the Full Tilt Poker lobby, heads up tables are currently displayed in alphabetical order. What this means is that whoever is lucky enough to get Table Acre or other names that occur early in the alphabet have by far the best chance of getting a fish to come and sit at his table.
I don’t know how much big of a deal this is at the small stakes, but in high stakes games it is really freaking annoying. There are usually 25-40 tables with just one player sitting and waiting for action, with just a handful of games actually running. Most of these nits sit out against any remotely decent player who tries to play them and just wait for fish. That’s all fine and good and totally their choice, but I don’t think they ought to be able to squat the most valuable real estate.
The problem is that right now not only is there no way to kick them off the tables (they can keep sitting in and back out again to reset their “sitting out” timer), but apparently they can complain to FTP support and get me a warning for trying to run them off the table.
I’d heard about all this but never tried it out for myself. Last night, I was frustrated by my inability to get any heads up action, and I decided I was going to go give the guy at the top 10/20 table a hard time. It was some clown sitting with $700, and sure enough he instantly sat out against me and said “no ty”.
I ignored his chat and stayed at the table as he repeatedly asked me to leave. Occasionally he sat in, both to get my attention and to avoid getting booted. I always posted my blind but never acknowledged his chat. Eventually he started telling me he was going to report me, I would get a 3-day ban, etc. Still I ignored him.
Finally he sat in and posted his big blind. I raised my button, he folded, and then he sat out again. Now I’ve seen people play their button and sit out, but there’s not much sense in playing your big blind and then sitting out. The only thing I can think is that he was trying to bribe me to go away. Whether that was his intention or not, I took the $20 as sufficient payment to leave him alone, especially since he clearly wasn’t giving up anyway.
This morning, I did indeed get an e-mail from Full Tilt:
Hello Andrew,
This is a message from Full Tilt Poker Support about our heads up table policy.
Full Tilt Poker understands that game selection is paramount in heads up play. If the player first seated at the table does not wish to play the second player, they have the right to refuse the game, and ask the second player to leave the table and it is our expectation that they will do so. If you ask a player to leave and they do not do so, you may send a report to HU-Tables@fulltiltpoker.com, and we will review the issue.
On a little side note, please be aware that the Full Tilt Poker software is designed without any table volume restrictions. This means that there will always be at least one empty table of every type at every stake. You will always be able to find an empty heads up table at any limit at or above $.25/$.50.
We hope that this clarifies our heads up table policies. Should you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us.
Regards,
Chris
Poker Specialist
Full Tilt Poker Support
It’s pretty ridiculous that they’ve got a little unit or something dedicated to protecting table-squatting nits when their customer support is so notoriously slow and bad. If they would just either randomize the order in which tables appear in the lobby or, more fun in my opinion, allow “king of the hill” style competition for the most desirable tables, it would be a lot more fair and quite possibly encourage more action as well, which means more rake for them.
The Re-Squeeze
A commenter on yesterday’s re-squeeze hand remarked that even at high stakes he felt like Villain would pretty much always have AK when he overcalled the first pre-flop raise and then shoved over a re-raise and a call. Having just played this hand, I couldn’t resist posting it:
PokerStars No-Limit Hold’em, $4.00 BB (6 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from PokerSavvyPlus.com
SB ($400)
BB ($400)
UTG ($385.80)
MP ($484.40)
CO ($515.90)
Hero (Button) ($421.90)
Preflop: Hero is Button with K
, 10
2 folds, CO bets $12, Hero calls $12, SB raises to $52, 1 fold, CO calls $40, Hero raises to $421.90 (All-In), 2 folds
Total pot: $160 | Rake: $0
Results:
Hero didn’t show K, 10.
Outcome: Hero won $160
Granted I wasn’t an overcaller, which means I can rep a monster more credibly, but then the pot’s also a lot smaller, meaning my risk: reward ratio is greater and I shouldn’t be light as often.
Logan WiFi Works Good Too
Just as a quick follow-up to yesterday’s review of GoGo Wireless on AirTran, I thought I’d let everyone know that the free wireless internet at Boston’s Logan Airport is also quite suitable for poker playing:
Full Tilt No-Limit Hold’em, $80.00 BB (5 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from PokerSavvyPlus.com
BB ($5680)
UTG ($20005)
Hero (MP) ($8120)
Button ($11344.55)
SB ($16116)
Preflop: Hero is MP with Q
, Q
1 fold, Hero bets $240, 1 fold, SB raises to $880, 1 fold, Hero raises to $1888, SB raises to $16116 (All-In), Hero calls $6232 (All-In)
Flop: ($16320) A, J, 3 (2 players, 2 all-in)
Turn: ($16320) 4 (2 players, 2 all-in)
River: ($16320) 9 (2 players, 2 all-in)
Total pot: $16320 | Rake: $3
Results:
SB had 10
, 10
(one pair, tens).
Hero had Q, Q (one pair, Queens).
Outcome: Hero won $16317
Gogo Wireless on AirTrain
I’ll tell you up front that I hate flying AirTran. The flights are late, the seats are cramped, and the snacks suck. However, they offer wicked cheap flights even at the last minute, so I find myself flying with them from time to time. Since hearing that they now have wireless internet on all their flights, I’ve been curious to try it out. Yesterday, I got the chance.
It was just a short hop from Baltimore to Boston, but I gladly dropped $5 to get access to the WiFi for the duration of the flight. If it was actually reliable enough to play poker, it would be well worth the investment and could make future flights a lot more palatable (and profitable).
I found it to be quite quick, far better than the WiFi provided at most hotels. I had no trouble connecting to Full Tilt Poker and playing several tables of Rush Poker, and none of the flight attendants hassled me about it or anything. Not that there’s actually anything illegal about playing anyway, but I was prepared to tell a fretful attendant that I wasn’t playing for real money just to avoid some overly paranoid reaction.
Of course, sometimes it pays to be suspicious:
Full Tilt No-Limit Hold’em, $2.00 BB (6 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from PokerSavvyPlus.com
UTG ($111.80)
MP ($283.95)
Hero (CO) ($201)
Button ($246.65)
SB ($681.95)
BB ($200)
Preflop: Hero is CO with A, Q
2 folds, Hero bets $6, Button calls $6, 2 folds
Flop: ($15) 2, 6, J (2 players)
Hero bets $9, Button calls $9
Turn: ($33) 6 (2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets $33, Hero calls $33
River: ($99) 7 (2 players)
Hero checks, Button checks
Total pot: $99 | Rake: $3
Results:
Button had Q, K (one pair, sixes).
Hero had A, Q (one pair, sixes).
Outcome: Hero won $96
I was calling river too, obviously.
PLO-Style
PokerStars No-Limit Hold’em, $4.00 BB (5 handed) - PokerStars Converter Tool from PokerSavvyPlus.com
Hero (BB) ($400)
UTG ($400)
MP ($300)
Button ($414)
SB ($425)
Preflop: Hero is BB with 10, A
2 folds, Button bets $12, 1 fold, Hero calls $8
Flop: ($26) 6, J, 8 (2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets $20, Hero calls $20
Turn: ($66) K (2 players)
Hero checks, Button checks
River: ($66) 9 (2 players)
Hero bets $44, Button raises to $116, Hero raises to $368 (All-In), 1 fold
Total pot: $298 | Rake: $2
Results:
Hero didn’t show 10, A (nothing).
Outcome: Hero won $296
I called the flop thinking A-high would be good often enough, but by the river I felt like there was more value in turning my hand into a bluff by leading out.
I must say, the raise surprised me. I really had no idea what to make of it: could be a thin value raise with J9/89, could be QT, could be turning something into a bluff. I actually thought flushes were less likely since the turn is such a good double barrel spot (unless she has the Jd or 8d, I suppose), and anyways she can’t have the nuts (not that I expect her to fold any flush).
If you’re ever going to bluff here, and quite possibly you shouldn’t, but if you’re ever going to, then Adx is the hand to do it with. Come to think of it, Jdx and 8dx are good candidates too, though it’s not so likely you’d be bluffing the river with those.
Disciplined Check
My range for 3-betting an UTG raiser from UTG+1 isn’t going to be all that wide, and by the river, AK is probably closer to the bottom of it than the top:
PokerStars No-Limit Hold’em, $50.00 BB (6 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from PokerSavvyPlus.com
CO ($4925)
Button ($6246)
SB ($3023)
BB ($7794)
UTG ($5000)
Hero (MP) ($5000)
Preflop: Hero is MP with K, A
UTG bets $150, Hero raises to $450, 4 folds, UTG calls $300
Flop: ($975) J, 2, A (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets $650, UTG calls $650
Turn: ($2275) J (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero checks
River: ($2275) Q (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero checks
Total pot: $2275 | Rake: $3
Results:
UTG had 10, A (two pair, Aces and Jacks).
Hero had K, A (two pair, Aces and Jacks).
Outcome: Hero won $2272
This check also assumes Villain is a good hand reader and all-around good player, capable of a disciplined fold and of checking hands stronger than AK here. I didn’t know any of that for sure, but I thought it was likely. He probably would have called the river with AT, though that doesn’t necessarily mean I should bet. Frankly, I don’t think his pre-flop call is all that good, and while AT is obviously the most likely hand to pay off a value bet, I wasn’t at all sure he even had it in his range.
I think the turn is a pretty clear check. I can’t expect to get three streets from AQ or AT, and I think if anything they are more likely to put money in on the river rather than the turn. I think I can value bet any river except a Q.
On the plus side, that hand may have helped me get paid on the river in this one:
PokerStars No-Limit Hold’em, $50.00 BB (6 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from PokerSavvyPlus.com
UTG ($4925)
MP ($6071)
CO ($3078)
Button ($7203)
SB ($5297)
Hero (BB) ($6565)
Preflop: Hero is BB with J, A
4 folds, SB bets $150, Hero raises to $400, SB calls $250
Flop: ($800) 2, J, 10 (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $555, SB calls $555
Turn: ($1910) Q (2 players)
SB checks, Hero checks
River: ($1910) 3 (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $1234, SB calls $1234
Total pot: $4378 | Rake: $3
Results:
SB mucked 9, 10 (one pair, tens).
Hero had J, A (one pair, Jacks).
Outcome: Hero won $4375
If he decides that I won’t make thin value bets on the river, then he can put me on a polarized range here and expect to see either a bluff or two pair plus, many of which would have bet again on the turn.
Test
| UTG | gdjbc | ($200.00) | |
| UTG+1 | Hero | ($417.45) | |
| CO | beartilt | ($87.30) | |
| BTN | Scarface0767 | ($221.50) | |
| SB | Nielsilein | ($228.55) | |
| BB | Mak1963 | ($269.35) |
- Pre-flop: ($3, 6 players) Hero is UTG+1
1 fold, Hero raises to $7, 3 folds, Mak1963 calls $5 - Flop:
($15, 2 players)
Mak1963 checks, Hero bets $12, Mak1963 raises to $34, Hero calls $22 - Turn:
($83, 2 players)
Mak1963 bets $54, Hero calls $54 - River:
($191, 2 players)
Mak1963 checks, Hero bets $175, Mak1963 goes all-in $174.35 - Final Pot: $539.70
Mak1963 shows:
Hero shows: Mak1963 wins $536.70 ( won +$267.35 )Hero wins $0.65 ( lost -$269.35 )
February
With another month behind us, it’s time to review my progress towards my Yearly Resolutions.
Goal 1: Average 15 Hours/Week Playing My “Regular” Games
I’ve found that 15 hours/week enables me to earn a pretty healthy income, far more than I could make at any real job I could get, without impeding too much on my lifestyle.I consider my regular games to be anywhere from 2/4 NL to 50/100 NL as well as big tournaments like the Sunday Majors, the FTOPS, and the WCOOP; time spent playing any of these will count towards my goal.
Ahead of pace by nearly a week!
Goal 2: Earn $X in NLHE Cash Games
It’s very tough to predict or control what I will earn playing tournaments. With cash games, though, it’s mostly a question of game selection and putting in hours. It’s not something I’m going to announce publicly, but I am going to set a target, and I am going to put in extra hours towards the end of year if I’m on pace to come up short.
Pretty much exactly on pace. February wasn’t such a great month, but getting off to a good start in January was a big help.
Goal 3: Earn Supernova status on PokerStars
My plan for this is to table select as usual in the beginning of each month, and then assess my progress towards the end of each month. If I’m on pace to come up short, I’m going to put in extra hours above and beyond my weekly goal just grinding 9 tables of $1/2 NLHE (or smaller) until I hit my VPP target for the month. Hopefully this is something I can do relatively stress-free, just an hour or two at a time, when I’m not in the mood to put in a proper session in higher stakes games. To be honest, my hourly rate should still be quite good multi-tabling SSNL, so hopefully this will incentivize me to make a little money in what would otherwise be downtime.
Well ahead of schedule. I’m almost 20% of the way there, with 19809.9 VPPs under my belt. I’d only need to have a little over 16K to be on pace, so that’s a nice little buffer in case I slack off later in the year.
Goal 4: Monetize This Blog
I know I keep saying it, but sooner or later I really am going to look into making money a little more directly from this blog. I feel like it’s right on the cusp of being pretty profitable. That doesn’t have to mean ads, though it might. Maybe I’ll…
Under discussion.
Goal 5: Write a Book
I’ve talked about this before, but this is the first time it’s ever been an explicit goal. I’ve already got some downtime sketched out in the next few months to work on this and have been kicking around some ideas in my head. Rather than trying to write one big, expensive e-book as a lot of people have done, I’m thinking of doing a series of smaller, modular works that could be purchased separately or as a set. Those of you who read this blog regularly are going to be a big chunk of the target audience, so keep an eye out for posts in the next few weeks soliciting your input about what you’d like to see in a poker book authored by yours truly.
Not much progress. I’m pretty good at churning out small writing assignments, but it’s tough to get my head around such a big one!
Goal 6: Average One Blog Post Per Day
I know it’s been a little quiet on here of late. Part of that is the holidays, and part of it is just laziness. I want to get back to posting once a day. There will probably be more non-poker content, and not all of the poker stuff will be equally in-depth, but overall you can expect to see more and better content here.
So close. 57 pots in 59 days. I’ll make it up by the end of the year, I swear!
Goal 7: Average Five Hours of Coaching Per Week
Coaching was extremely fun and rewarding for me last year. So far, except for my group seminars, I haven’t done much to market myself as a coach or actively solicit students. I’ve mostly just worked with students as they’ve come to me, and so so far that’s kept me just about as busy as I’d like to be with coaching. I want to ramp it up a bit this year by setting a monthly goal and actively soliciting students if necessary to ensure that I’ve got a regular stream of students.
I really fell behind this month, with the NAPT and related travel taking me largely out of commission for two weeks.
I’m in the process of lining up new students, so if you’re interested, check out my poker coaching information.
Goal 7: Average an Hour a Day of Dedicated Studying and Improvement
I’m going to be very broad about what this can include: reading books, watching videos, reviewing hands in Hold ‘Em Manager, talking poker with a friend, and even blogging (when it’s related to reviewing my play).
Falling further behind. I just bought Leakbuster for Hold ‘Em Manager, which should give me some impetus to review my game and also make it less of hassle. Look for a review of that in the coming month as well, once I’ve had a chance to play with it for a while.
Goal 8: Use Hold ‘Em Manager
I switched from Poker Tracker to Hold ‘Em Manager last year. PT2 is great, but HEM is just better. For the last part of the year, I was playing without it on my laptop. It does get in my way sometimes, but I’d rather learn how to work with it than insist on playing without it.
I’m getting better with this. There’s another HEM add-on called Hold ‘Em Vision Pro that might help me to use my HUD even more effectively, I’m probably going to look into that once I’ve got a handle on Leakbuster.
Goal 9: Finish the Year with a 4BB/100 Win-Rate at 5/10 NL and/or Higher
Same goal as last year, since I didn’t achieve it but still think it’s very viable. It might be cheating a little, but I’m going to allow myself to count my results from bigger games towards this goal or not depending on whether I do better in them than I do in 5/10 (this was the cast last year). Basically, if I am at 4 BB/100 over a big sample at 5/10, then I don’t care how I’m doing in bigger games. If I’m not doing quite that well at 5/10 but am at 4 BB/100 if I also count bigger games, then that’s certainly a fine result as well.
Now with about 27K hands played, I’m at 3.98 BB/100. So close! Unfortunately, that number only gets worse if I add in higher stakes games.
Goal 10: Play 50,000 Hands of Heads Up NLHE at 5/10 and Higher
Last year, my win rate at heads up was twice what it was at ring games. Plus, it’s a great way to improve poker skills in general, and at stakes above 10/20, it’s often the only way to get action.
Gross. Almost 10K hands, and -8.5 BB/100.
How did February treat you?
Continuation Betting for Advanced Players
My latest poker strategy article, now appearing in the March 2010 issue of Two Plus Two Magazine, explores the many nuances of continuation betting against tough opponents. Here’s an excerpt from Continuation Betting for Advanced Players:
Poker is also a math game and the best way to resolve those “But what if he knows that I know that he knows that I know…” paradoxes is to look for some mathematical grounding for your strategy. In this case, if you can make an educated guess about your opponent’s pre-flop calling range, and if you can honestly identify your own pre-flop range, then you can determine which of you a particular flop is more likely to help.
Please let me know what you think of it!
Turning a Set Into a Bluff
I’m probably good here sometimes, and it’s close whether a call is better than a fold, but I think raising wins me the pot almost 100% of the time:
Full Tilt No-Limit Hold’em, $10.00 BB (9 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from PokerSavvyPlus.com
UTG+1 ($1114)
MP1 ($1249.25)
MP2 ($1000)
MP3 ($1099.75)
CO ($1656)
Hero (Button) ($4392.25)
SB ($1693)
BB ($1205)
UTG ($1257.15)
Preflop: Hero is Button with 10, 10
6 folds, Hero bets $25, SB calls $20, 1 fold
Flop: ($60) 10, 8, A (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $44, SB calls $44
Turn: ($148) 9 (2 players)
SB bets $110, Hero calls $110
River: ($368) 7 (2 players)
SB bets $285, Hero raises to $1223, 1 fold
Total pot: $938 | Rake: $3
Results:
Hero didn’t show 10, 10 (nothing).
Outcome: Hero won $935
Villain can very easily have a straight here, most like QJ for a flopped double gutter, but he never has a flush unless it’s exactly QcJc. I, on the other hand, could very easily have a flush, and I don’t think this is a spot where Villain expects to see many bluffs.