The last post in this blog covered playing a conservative adaptive player by switching gears.
It also mentioned how to play the conservative card player if you end up heads up against them. Usually this is only in free or very low buy in tournaments, as conservative players are too easy to play, so you don't usually encounter them late in tournaments.
However, sometimes you meet the opposite player heads up. A player who plays too many pots and is too aggressive. This player can mow a conservative field, but is slow to get out of hands when a tight player displays an obvious hit by calling their huge bets. They begrudingly respect huge raises.
When you meet this player, be prepared for a lot of large pre flop raises. Instant all ins to your pre-raises. Aggression.
The first thing I do is start keeping a mental tally of all ins, compared to hands played. If they go all in 1 in 4 hands, then I have a good idea that their range is at least any ace, most if not all pairs, any two face cards and 10s, possibly higher suited connectors. 1 in 3 and almost any single face card comes in.
Other than that, the name of this game is patience. For now only, switch back to playing the cards, remembering that heads up much lower hands are in play now, such as K 5.
If you are in 30 or greater bb range, you can afford to pick your spots. You loose the least on weak hands folding pre-flop in the small blind. Do so.
When you do get a strong hand, let the aggressor handle the raising pre flop.
So, with K 5 in the bb he raises to 5x bb from small blind. You call.
Flop 1. You hit the king.
When you hit big on the flop, you check. Allow the other players aggression to get his chips. Go all in to take the hand after their raise.
Flop 2. You hit the five, low pair.
Chances are, you are still ahead here, but no check raise. Bet immediately at the pot a bet that is close to pot size. They begrudginly respect big bets so most likely will fold unless they have hit.
Flop 3. You hit nothing.
Two choices here, use the same play as #2 for the bluff with the potential risk that goes along with a bluff, or fold to their raise.
Sometimes just a few of these hands can determine the match, as they loose way too many chips finding out that you actually have a hand.
Smarter aggressive players however will start to back off on bet size and raise size, because they don't get much when you fold, and when you do call, you are probably going to have a decent hand.
When they do tighten up in response to your tighter play, you can now start the usual analysis of determining current range, what they still raise with, what they call. Sometimes, behind all of this aggression, you find a weak player, and can take advantage of that fact.
Keep in mind that this type of player is just bursting to get out the big bet, so, even at this slightly slower pace, when they DO hit, they will go all in on the spot.
Unless they hit harder than top pair, which will most likely be slow played. A big hit can usually be spotted because a check to them on the flop will result in a check back, after a longer than usual time period.
As with all head up play, keep a constant eye on how often they go all in, and adjust your range appropriately.
So, when you do find yourself in heads up play with a maniac, picking your spots and using their predicatable playing pattern can deliver a few huge pots, if not the win.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Saturday, April 17, 2010
When to change gears
Changing gears is modification of your own play from playing one range of cards to playing a different range of cards, possibly along with a corresponding change in bet size and bluff rate.
But when do you change gears? When can you profit the most from a change in gear?
The answer, as it usually does, lies within the other players.
Generally speaking, you want to change gears when another player has adapted to your current gear.
But how do we know when that has happened?
One simpler scenario uses heads up play, since we don't have to worry about isolating the opposing player, just what they are playing with.
Quite often in the small tournaments I play, either because they are free or low buy in (1-5$) if I end up heads up its against this type of player:
Conservative adaptive.
This type of player typically does well in cheap or free tournaments because they play their cards well, usually only play strong hands, and will adapt their play to other players range.
So, how do you approach this player heads up?
I almost always kick into high gear heads up to start with to assess the other opponents reaction to my increased pre flop betting rate and size, post flop bets, etc.
The only caveat to that is that I fold about 1 in 4 starting hands, this lets the other player know that there is some selection going on within my starting cards, so they know I am not preflop raising with just anything.
If the player is conservative, non-adaptive, then, barring a run of strong cards, I am going to win. Because I win the vast majority of pots where they either have bad hole cards or miss the flop, and know easily when to get out when they call my big bets or make one themselves.
However, much more likely, I will have a conservative adaptive player on my hands who is going to CHANGE THEIR RANGE within short order of my new aggression.
So, what am I looking for? I am looking for the player to start to call my big bets with lower cards, call those continuation bets on the flop with second pair or worse, or even better, call my post flop bets with two over cards.
This is when you change gears.
While the pre-flop bet action remains the same (I don't want the other player to know I have changed gears as long as possible), my post flop action changes.
I no longer bet first almost every time, I bet depending on the flop texture and likely hits, I bet depending on what I have hit, and most importantly, I bet when I have a strong hit. Its no longer a random "see how they react and continue if I'm getting their chips" scenario, now careful selection comes into place. I don't want the change to be too obvious, so if I have checked the last flop I played I will probably bet the next one so they don't detect my change in range.
The change is there, but its subtle.
The other player continues to expect your steamroller action to continue, so they will continue to call with weak hands.
So, you start to punish them with your strong hands. You start to reraise significantly when you do have top pair. Forcing them to fold their weaker hand and wonder if you have simply increased bet size further rather than modifying range.
Of course, this entire time, you are very wary of any aggression from them, at first you respect it, until a strong hand that you hold allows you to call. You are also keeping a close eye on what type of hands they do display aggression with. At first it should be solid, but their adaptive play, especially when you start reraising on your big hits, may mean they start getting aggressive on weaker and weaker hands.
At this stage you avoid their all ins all together by folding unless you have a strong hand. And this will also start to reinforce in there minds that all ins are an effective way to get you to fold. You want them to go all in on lower and lower holdings.
The point of all of this is to get them into a situation where they have put a lot of their chips down on a very marginal hand, and you have them beat.
So, the change in gears here is changing from basically a maniac mode, where, except for pre-flop hand selection (1 in 4 folds), you are raising almost every time preflop, and raising almost every time post flop, to one where you are actually raising with careful intention behind it.
The adaptive player will quickly start picking up on your maniac mode and adjust their calling range, this is when your calling range decreases, and more intelligent play starts.
As the other player becomes comfortable calling larger and larger bets with weaker and weaker hands, you use that against them to take their chips when you do hit.
As much as possible, you don't want to let them know your range has changed, so I will still continuation bet on ragged flops or flops with only one face card, flops that they were unlikely to hit, and play from there.
But when the big chips are on the line, you now have strong holdings to back that up.
Last night, the range of the adaptive conservative player had adjusted down to two over cards on the flop, calling my big bets. So, when the flop comes down 10 7 4 rainbow, and I have 10 6, I make a huge bet about half their stack size (which, considering my bet history, is not out of the range of normality in their eyes).
Last night this exact situation happened, afer about 20 minutes of play, and 4 so far successful all ins on their part, I make the big raise with now top pair, and they, after some time, move all in.
What is their range now? 20 minutes ago I would have been almost certain to loose, I most likely would have been outkicked if not more.
Now, their range is second pair, third pair, or possibly even two over cards so I call.
They show QK suited and I win the heads up battle. After they miss on the turn and river.
This combination of changing gears from maniac to carefully considered, combined with careful reads on the changes in the other players range, means you can manipulate yourself into a win.
The change of gears isn't as obvious as say, going from tight conservative to loose aggressive, but the point is to maximize the exploitation you gain from the gear change, and that is what you are trying to do here.
But when do you change gears? When can you profit the most from a change in gear?
The answer, as it usually does, lies within the other players.
Generally speaking, you want to change gears when another player has adapted to your current gear.
But how do we know when that has happened?
One simpler scenario uses heads up play, since we don't have to worry about isolating the opposing player, just what they are playing with.
Quite often in the small tournaments I play, either because they are free or low buy in (1-5$) if I end up heads up its against this type of player:
Conservative adaptive.
This type of player typically does well in cheap or free tournaments because they play their cards well, usually only play strong hands, and will adapt their play to other players range.
So, how do you approach this player heads up?
I almost always kick into high gear heads up to start with to assess the other opponents reaction to my increased pre flop betting rate and size, post flop bets, etc.
The only caveat to that is that I fold about 1 in 4 starting hands, this lets the other player know that there is some selection going on within my starting cards, so they know I am not preflop raising with just anything.
If the player is conservative, non-adaptive, then, barring a run of strong cards, I am going to win. Because I win the vast majority of pots where they either have bad hole cards or miss the flop, and know easily when to get out when they call my big bets or make one themselves.
However, much more likely, I will have a conservative adaptive player on my hands who is going to CHANGE THEIR RANGE within short order of my new aggression.
So, what am I looking for? I am looking for the player to start to call my big bets with lower cards, call those continuation bets on the flop with second pair or worse, or even better, call my post flop bets with two over cards.
This is when you change gears.
While the pre-flop bet action remains the same (I don't want the other player to know I have changed gears as long as possible), my post flop action changes.
I no longer bet first almost every time, I bet depending on the flop texture and likely hits, I bet depending on what I have hit, and most importantly, I bet when I have a strong hit. Its no longer a random "see how they react and continue if I'm getting their chips" scenario, now careful selection comes into place. I don't want the change to be too obvious, so if I have checked the last flop I played I will probably bet the next one so they don't detect my change in range.
The change is there, but its subtle.
The other player continues to expect your steamroller action to continue, so they will continue to call with weak hands.
So, you start to punish them with your strong hands. You start to reraise significantly when you do have top pair. Forcing them to fold their weaker hand and wonder if you have simply increased bet size further rather than modifying range.
Of course, this entire time, you are very wary of any aggression from them, at first you respect it, until a strong hand that you hold allows you to call. You are also keeping a close eye on what type of hands they do display aggression with. At first it should be solid, but their adaptive play, especially when you start reraising on your big hits, may mean they start getting aggressive on weaker and weaker hands.
At this stage you avoid their all ins all together by folding unless you have a strong hand. And this will also start to reinforce in there minds that all ins are an effective way to get you to fold. You want them to go all in on lower and lower holdings.
The point of all of this is to get them into a situation where they have put a lot of their chips down on a very marginal hand, and you have them beat.
So, the change in gears here is changing from basically a maniac mode, where, except for pre-flop hand selection (1 in 4 folds), you are raising almost every time preflop, and raising almost every time post flop, to one where you are actually raising with careful intention behind it.
The adaptive player will quickly start picking up on your maniac mode and adjust their calling range, this is when your calling range decreases, and more intelligent play starts.
As the other player becomes comfortable calling larger and larger bets with weaker and weaker hands, you use that against them to take their chips when you do hit.
As much as possible, you don't want to let them know your range has changed, so I will still continuation bet on ragged flops or flops with only one face card, flops that they were unlikely to hit, and play from there.
But when the big chips are on the line, you now have strong holdings to back that up.
Last night, the range of the adaptive conservative player had adjusted down to two over cards on the flop, calling my big bets. So, when the flop comes down 10 7 4 rainbow, and I have 10 6, I make a huge bet about half their stack size (which, considering my bet history, is not out of the range of normality in their eyes).
Last night this exact situation happened, afer about 20 minutes of play, and 4 so far successful all ins on their part, I make the big raise with now top pair, and they, after some time, move all in.
What is their range now? 20 minutes ago I would have been almost certain to loose, I most likely would have been outkicked if not more.
Now, their range is second pair, third pair, or possibly even two over cards so I call.
They show QK suited and I win the heads up battle. After they miss on the turn and river.
This combination of changing gears from maniac to carefully considered, combined with careful reads on the changes in the other players range, means you can manipulate yourself into a win.
The change of gears isn't as obvious as say, going from tight conservative to loose aggressive, but the point is to maximize the exploitation you gain from the gear change, and that is what you are trying to do here.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
The proposal
Here is the set up. You are participating in a large poker tournament with a 10 000 buy in. After about 3 hours in, you are doing ok, about an average stack.
You take a bathroom break, and on the way back, a friend makes a proposal. He will give you direct odds on winning the next hand. If you win, you win $9000. If you loose, you owe him $1000.
As all players do, you think you are a slightly better poker player than most at the table, so you take the bet.
You sit back at the table, and wait to get dealt back in. Your the third to act, your hole cards are dealt to you.
They are 7 2 off.
Have you just lost $1000 dollars?
If you are playing the cards, or the odds, then it would certainly look like it.
However, if you have decent reads on the other players, their may still be a chance.
One of the most significant changes a poker player goes through when their skills increase is they stop playing there own cards, and start playing the other players.
W0uld you be able to win a hand if you didn't look at your hole cards? Would you be confident enough in your reads to know when there is opportunity?
So, let's run through one possible scenario with that 7 2 off.
Firstly, you are in early position, so, as long as your table rep is decently tight, you would raise 3 to 5x the big blind.
This is your first opportunity to win the bet.
However, this is a nine handed table with only two folders, so you are likely to get at least one caller.
So, what range would the other players call your big bet with? Your reads on their tighness or looseness are invaluable here, as well as your own table rep.
We are also looking at the flop texture, what are likely hits for someone calling the pre-flop raise?
The first step is of course to carefully observe the other players reaction to the flop. Did he hit, did he miss?
The flop comes down 9 Q 4 rainbow.
If you are positive on your read of weakness, then you can bet now and win the hand.
If you are not so certain, you should analyse the flop, and assess what bet size would accomplish the following two things?
1. Loosing the least money possible if they have the queen.
2. Betting sufficiently high so that any player with A 9 or A 4 would fold.
Once you have established that bet size, somewhere between half and all of the pot, you make the bet.
And there is your second chance at winning your buddies money.
I sometimes have to remember that the reactions of the other players to the flop, and the betting patterns they display, are actually MORE important than the cards you hold. In order to be successful at poker, which I am still working on, you need to win hands where you do not necessarily have the best cards.
By stopping the focus on our own cards, and putting the focus where it should be, the other players, you can win significantly more hands than playing the cards alone.
You take a bathroom break, and on the way back, a friend makes a proposal. He will give you direct odds on winning the next hand. If you win, you win $9000. If you loose, you owe him $1000.
As all players do, you think you are a slightly better poker player than most at the table, so you take the bet.
You sit back at the table, and wait to get dealt back in. Your the third to act, your hole cards are dealt to you.
They are 7 2 off.
Have you just lost $1000 dollars?
If you are playing the cards, or the odds, then it would certainly look like it.
However, if you have decent reads on the other players, their may still be a chance.
One of the most significant changes a poker player goes through when their skills increase is they stop playing there own cards, and start playing the other players.
W0uld you be able to win a hand if you didn't look at your hole cards? Would you be confident enough in your reads to know when there is opportunity?
So, let's run through one possible scenario with that 7 2 off.
Firstly, you are in early position, so, as long as your table rep is decently tight, you would raise 3 to 5x the big blind.
This is your first opportunity to win the bet.
However, this is a nine handed table with only two folders, so you are likely to get at least one caller.
So, what range would the other players call your big bet with? Your reads on their tighness or looseness are invaluable here, as well as your own table rep.
We are also looking at the flop texture, what are likely hits for someone calling the pre-flop raise?
The first step is of course to carefully observe the other players reaction to the flop. Did he hit, did he miss?
The flop comes down 9 Q 4 rainbow.
If you are positive on your read of weakness, then you can bet now and win the hand.
If you are not so certain, you should analyse the flop, and assess what bet size would accomplish the following two things?
1. Loosing the least money possible if they have the queen.
2. Betting sufficiently high so that any player with A 9 or A 4 would fold.
Once you have established that bet size, somewhere between half and all of the pot, you make the bet.
And there is your second chance at winning your buddies money.
I sometimes have to remember that the reactions of the other players to the flop, and the betting patterns they display, are actually MORE important than the cards you hold. In order to be successful at poker, which I am still working on, you need to win hands where you do not necessarily have the best cards.
By stopping the focus on our own cards, and putting the focus where it should be, the other players, you can win significantly more hands than playing the cards alone.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Real Life Poker Tells #2
Eyes wide open
There is one tell that is so hard to hide, even the pro's on TV occasionally show it.
It is most powerful when the cards they see give them sudden good news.
A recent hand I watched with Phil Ivey had Phil with 10 7 off, he had taken a stab at the stealing the blinds but was called by the big blind. Probably thinking that he was getting out of this hand pretty shortly with some wasted chips. However, after the flop, he had a clear tell.
When some people unexpectedly hear or see something they really like, their eyes widen with an expression similar to surprise. Sudden good news causes their eyes to visibly open further for a brief period before going back to normal again.
One key way this tell can save you a lot of chips is when a set hits. A set hitting is very good news, on a board with no straights/flushes, only the highly unlikely higher set could have you beat. This is definitely a case where some players eyes will widen on when they hit.
Any powerful hand can can cause this reaction.
Phils eyes had registered surprise at a flop giving him two pair, you hit two pairs when you don't hold a pocket pair about 2% of the time, so his reaction makes sense.
This same reaction can occur in any poker game with players who are focussed and want to win. Its probably time to fold your hand if an opponents eyes suddenly widen.
There is one tell that is so hard to hide, even the pro's on TV occasionally show it.
It is most powerful when the cards they see give them sudden good news.
A recent hand I watched with Phil Ivey had Phil with 10 7 off, he had taken a stab at the stealing the blinds but was called by the big blind. Probably thinking that he was getting out of this hand pretty shortly with some wasted chips. However, after the flop, he had a clear tell.
When some people unexpectedly hear or see something they really like, their eyes widen with an expression similar to surprise. Sudden good news causes their eyes to visibly open further for a brief period before going back to normal again.
One key way this tell can save you a lot of chips is when a set hits. A set hitting is very good news, on a board with no straights/flushes, only the highly unlikely higher set could have you beat. This is definitely a case where some players eyes will widen on when they hit.
Any powerful hand can can cause this reaction.
Phils eyes had registered surprise at a flop giving him two pair, you hit two pairs when you don't hold a pocket pair about 2% of the time, so his reaction makes sense.
This same reaction can occur in any poker game with players who are focussed and want to win. Its probably time to fold your hand if an opponents eyes suddenly widen.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Playing as the big stack.
Careful play, good decisions, and of course luck can land you in the ideal position in any poker tournament, the big stack.
Having the big stack means the range of options available to you is at its widest, you have the most play, you have the least to fear from other stacks.
Some players, such as Phil Helmuth, actually don't recommend a significant change in playing style once you hit the big stack, his argument is that you must have been doing something right to get there, so continue with that same strategy to continue building your stack.
That just doesn't match my style, I am constantly checking my aggression, letting consideration rule over impulse, and playing my stack size and position. Once I have the big stack though, my intention, put simply, is to do the same thing I feel effective big stack players do to me. I want to crush opponents. I want every decision for the small stacks to be critical, I want them to fear entering a raised pot with me, I want to throw them off their game.
Put simply, I want my ubber aggressive play to have put other players off of their comfort zone, with two results:
1. Some of the small stacks will lower their range as they know that you must be bluffing at least part of the time. I want these stacks to start to call my big bets with weaker holdings, second pair, etc.
2. Other small stacks will turtle until they have premium starting hands.
The second result is easy to play, you call their pre-flop raise with any decent holding, and you normally bet the flop if they check, or bet if you act first. They predictably fold if they have nothing, and call or raise if they don't. The HUD will be the first indicator of this playing style as the number of hands they get involved in continues to decrease.
The key with the first type of player is to start to identify when they have lowered their range. Getting caught in a big stack bluff where they call you with second pair is one slightly painful way, but you can also see through hand histories or other information what their starting holdings are changing to, or what they start calling with. I will sometimes even call modest river bets from them with nothing just to see where their range is at. Only once though :) Once these players range lowers you take advantage of this by raising your own range when playing these players. By not adjusting your range for other players, and being specific to these players, they will not pick up so quickly on the range adjustment.
Large pre flop raises of around 5x the bb usually mean you are able to effectively isolate these two types of people and play them accordingly. In multi way pots the combination of playing styles means you won't be able to exploit them so effectively. This is why the pre-flop raise is so important. In multi way pots check your aggression to avoid loosing too many chips.
Another key to big stack play is all in range isolation. Smaller stacks start to engage in all in madness when they are frustrated with pre-flop raise sizes or lack of ability to generate chips. So small pairs and ace-anything start to come within range. Unlike almost any other stack size, I am more than willing to get involved in a coin flip with any smaller stack, I can afford the loss and keep increasing my odds of getting further in the tournament with every player I take out.
Of course, the larger the stack I am in the pot with, the more respect I give them and the more carefully I play. I am always willing to go head on with any stack if the cards are there, but less bluffs and less overbets while playing them. This change of gears when playing big stacks means they are not able to take advantage of your increased betting range, and, even better, they sometimes don't understand your playing habits are being catered to individual playing styles, so they will assume your range with them is also lower.
So, the keys I have learned so far to big stack play are:
1. Increased aggression pre and post flop.
2. Determine the effects of your aggressive playing style on the other players, adjust accordingly.
3. Be entirely willing to call all ins on coin flips.
4. Play other large stacks more conservatively.
5. Adjust your playing style to the type of players, don't just increase aggressiveness and range for all hands. By playing players individually, they will incorrectly read that your entire table gear has changed and make mistakes.
One small note. The micro stack play developed earlier in this blog was an attempt to counter this style.
Having the big stack means the range of options available to you is at its widest, you have the most play, you have the least to fear from other stacks.
Some players, such as Phil Helmuth, actually don't recommend a significant change in playing style once you hit the big stack, his argument is that you must have been doing something right to get there, so continue with that same strategy to continue building your stack.
That just doesn't match my style, I am constantly checking my aggression, letting consideration rule over impulse, and playing my stack size and position. Once I have the big stack though, my intention, put simply, is to do the same thing I feel effective big stack players do to me. I want to crush opponents. I want every decision for the small stacks to be critical, I want them to fear entering a raised pot with me, I want to throw them off their game.
Put simply, I want my ubber aggressive play to have put other players off of their comfort zone, with two results:
1. Some of the small stacks will lower their range as they know that you must be bluffing at least part of the time. I want these stacks to start to call my big bets with weaker holdings, second pair, etc.
2. Other small stacks will turtle until they have premium starting hands.
The second result is easy to play, you call their pre-flop raise with any decent holding, and you normally bet the flop if they check, or bet if you act first. They predictably fold if they have nothing, and call or raise if they don't. The HUD will be the first indicator of this playing style as the number of hands they get involved in continues to decrease.
The key with the first type of player is to start to identify when they have lowered their range. Getting caught in a big stack bluff where they call you with second pair is one slightly painful way, but you can also see through hand histories or other information what their starting holdings are changing to, or what they start calling with. I will sometimes even call modest river bets from them with nothing just to see where their range is at. Only once though :) Once these players range lowers you take advantage of this by raising your own range when playing these players. By not adjusting your range for other players, and being specific to these players, they will not pick up so quickly on the range adjustment.
Large pre flop raises of around 5x the bb usually mean you are able to effectively isolate these two types of people and play them accordingly. In multi way pots the combination of playing styles means you won't be able to exploit them so effectively. This is why the pre-flop raise is so important. In multi way pots check your aggression to avoid loosing too many chips.
Another key to big stack play is all in range isolation. Smaller stacks start to engage in all in madness when they are frustrated with pre-flop raise sizes or lack of ability to generate chips. So small pairs and ace-anything start to come within range. Unlike almost any other stack size, I am more than willing to get involved in a coin flip with any smaller stack, I can afford the loss and keep increasing my odds of getting further in the tournament with every player I take out.
Of course, the larger the stack I am in the pot with, the more respect I give them and the more carefully I play. I am always willing to go head on with any stack if the cards are there, but less bluffs and less overbets while playing them. This change of gears when playing big stacks means they are not able to take advantage of your increased betting range, and, even better, they sometimes don't understand your playing habits are being catered to individual playing styles, so they will assume your range with them is also lower.
So, the keys I have learned so far to big stack play are:
1. Increased aggression pre and post flop.
2. Determine the effects of your aggressive playing style on the other players, adjust accordingly.
3. Be entirely willing to call all ins on coin flips.
4. Play other large stacks more conservatively.
5. Adjust your playing style to the type of players, don't just increase aggressiveness and range for all hands. By playing players individually, they will incorrectly read that your entire table gear has changed and make mistakes.
One small note. The micro stack play developed earlier in this blog was an attempt to counter this style.
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