Poker Strategies

This quote is one of the most famous Mike Caro. it is from the Excellent Poker Super System 2 that I spend my time reading, reading and rereading.

The idea behind these words is very simple. If you plan to jump from the fifth floor, you seems obvious that the end of the fall will be tragic!! But maybe not! Imagine that Superman goes through there, or a large pillow cushion your fall … Well stop dreaming a little, you know like me that the odds are that low. It’s your experience and your sense of observation that leads you to feel that intuition and allows you to evaluate your chances of survival as accurately as possible. But without this experience, without this information and your maturity, you’d have to conclude that your chances of survival are one in two!

This means, in poker work and experience pay! And yes, too bad for the lazy, but there are thousands of hands played, observed, felt that you go forward. As you gain experience you will know more accurately measure your chances. You’ll compile the information that is available, the tells, betting patterns …. This is the best player will succeed this year, which will make the fewest mistakes and who will win in the long term.

So go ahead and get to work!

… Buy as many things as you earn money!

All this seems obvious at first glance. And yet I am sure many of you forget when play!

The explanation of this concept is dévloppé by Mike Caro in some of these books.

Imagine that you decide to send your friends to visit the Grand Canyon for the day! This leaves you free rein to go sit at a table at the Bellagio and indulge in your favorite vice. By late afternoon, heading directly they exhausted, and so much more they will have less energy to spoof on your losses! You go have a drink together at the top of the Palms Ghost Bar. In the car you chew your loss: $ 3,200. What sticks in your throat is your last shot: You were semi tilt and have lost a $ 250 pot by paying an unlikely draw. Finally, to the point where you were, you were not close to $ 250! Especially since you had committed only $ 75 in it! You are a pleasure and you gamble! …. and you were punished! If you play well, the balance of the day was the loss of $ 3125! What else looks like George! Well George, would do well to think a bit before going to plunder the vaults of the Bellagio along with Matt Damon!

Indeed, if you had saved the $ 75 you could have a drink with your friends and become the star of the evening, or at least the drink is not bad!

And no matter if you lost money on the last shot. You could also lose $ 1 on each of the last 75 moves! It does not matter: The money is lost! That’s it!

The moral of this story is that you should always play your best poker! And that you’re winning or losing!

Never play out of spite. If you are not able to go visit the Grand Canyon and come back tomorrow! The results in poker can be counted on a lifetime.

This is true in the tournament: A “chip and a chair,” ca you talking about? But that’s another story!

… Does not matter!

I’ve talked a lot about the ratings. It is a concept essential to play well and be a winning poker player over the long term. Returns to calculate the odds against your making the pot. Regardless of who filled the pot.

Digression: You might think about what you put inside the pot as an excuse to leave at once, but never to continue. Basically, you have little invested in a shot that goes wrong or that requires you to make decisions that could be disastrous (You have just completed the BB with 77, flop was AKT “You can say” I not put much I left the event, if someone bets “). Let us close the parenthesis and return to our subject!

You must understand that once the middle of the table, that money is not yours! He partly belongs to the casino and (x) future (s) winner (s) of the blow. That’s why you should never consider your participation in the coup but rather what you put in it!

It’s like life every day! An example: You bought an apartment 2 years ago. You paid € 200 000. After the crisis, it is worth, according to various estimates you have done so, between 110 000 and 130 000 € €. One day someone knocks at you and you offer € 170 000. You can refuse the sale by telling you that you lose € 30 000 compared to what you paid! … But you can reason correctly by saying that € 170 000 is a good price for this apartment that does worth no more than € 130 000. In short, here is the right decision to sell! Of course do not sell if you do not have place to sleep, you could enter a downward spiral …. And winter is coming!

But that’s another story!

After these few days in Dublin, it is time to return to work!

I want to share an analysis of Dan Harrington on the bringing of all his preflop with QQ.

Many poker players believe (rightly so) that QQ is a very good hand. Furthermore, when we see the best poker players in the world to touch a hand like this they do everything to board their opponent in the game. But often you watch the end of a tournament with blinds and antes are high! It is also worth noting that if the table is shorthanded, your hand is still some value.

But what about the beginning of tournament poker on a full table with the blinds down?

An example: Your stack is $ 1000, and the blinds are $ 5 / $ 10. Touching QQ UTG and decide to go all hoping to double your stack! Continue our case study with quick assumptions, which are fairly close to what might happen!

- If a poker player has AA or KK, you will!

- Let no one has QQ.

- Small pairs may move to avoid losing their carpet

I remind you that a player with AK is a serious competitor in your hand.

A player touches AA almost all 220 hands. It is the same for KK, so that the poker player touches AA or KK every 110 hands. Round off to 100 for simplicity. It is 9 players after you, and each has a 1% chance of hitting AA or KK. Rounding again (upwards this time), one can reasonably say that you will be facing AA or KK in 10% of cases. You will be underdog with almost 20% chance of winning only. That being said back to mathematics.

- In 90% cases you win the blinds ($ 15). Your expected gain is 15 × 90% = $ 13.5 +

- In 2% of cases, you beat AA or KK and double your carpet. you win, then $ 1000 + $ 15 = $ 1015. Your expected gain is 1015 × 2% = $ 20

- In 8% of cases, you lose against AA or KK. Your expected gain is: -1000 × 8% =- $ 80

The expected gain on this one is $ 13.5 + $ 20 – $ 80 =- $ 46.50.

You’re clearly losing in the long term. We could consider to be followed by AK (which will happen sometimes) or AQ (which is rare). Results will vary, but you will always lose. This is due to take risks at the low amount of the blinds.

To see if you understand, try to answer this question: This time it becomes profitable if the blinds increase? If yes, what should be the value of the big blind for that you return your costs over the long term? (With antes = 0)

Think about this next time you will discover … QQ.

… Or you’ll end up broke!

You know the poker tournaments and have understood, it remains only one player at the end! It’s a little trick of the principle! Well, I do not teach you anything! Ok? Then continue …

In fact, the famous player, beyond pocketing a tidy sum, holds all the chips of other poker players. He built a carpet and therefore used this power as the blinds increased. But what would have happened if the blinds do not increase? He might have won, or maybe not! In any event, the tournament would probably have lasted 3 or 4 times longer, and it would have been difficult to eliminate all poker players! It is for this reason that tunities organize tournaments with blinds that increase, but also Antes. This puts extra pressure and force a little more action.

If you have a small bankroll, you can make your own tournament. You start playing in cash games has low limits and increase every hour …. I’m willing to bet that you’ll end up broke at the end of the day! … In fact, only one remains and it will perhaps not you!

Many players are quick to assemble and process limits in their bankroll as a buy-in tournament. There are probably very good poker players, but their financial results were catastrophic!

So how? Well you need to assess the level at which you feel good! First, you must be willing to lose money is at stake! It is very important: It’s not worth you add extra pressure playing the rent money. A buy-in or a basement should be like a movie or dinner at the restaurant, the money is lost and you play … maybe you’ll increase your buy-in, but it will be the icing on the cake!

Here is a sample shot I played in Las Vegas 2 years ago … I will immediately give the end, it ended at the bar … .. Again. But first here is what happened:

I have a cellar of $ 80, and after several hours of play I had to almost $ 600 for carpet! Good performance, and I start to tell me, I’ll do a cash out shortly. An Irish player (you see the next bar, is not it?) Just sit on my left. The blinds are $ 1 / $ 2.

I touch with QQ UTG and I made a small raise standard 3BB. I raise to 9BB. I pay, placing it on AA, KK or AK! Maybe QQ, but I do not think too much. When to lower pairs, possible but unlikely. It looks like a serious player but not twisted enough for me to raise with JJ or TT or the connectors. In short, I remain in AA, AK or KK.

Flop: QT8 rainbow. Very good flop for me. I am a small continuation bet half the pot, just to be followed! I raise. Good thing I only waited for this!, I raise again, saying he decided not to let go of his hand. He reraised me, I’m a little comedy before restart again, telling him that I do not think (When in fact I’m too happy to believe it ….). He sent his carpet and I pay! He told me he was beaten, I played well and returns KK. The pot is over $ 1200.

Turn: 2

River: K

And yes, that’s poker! And then he offers me a beer at the bar with fair play Anglo-Saxon that many French player would envy. Now back to the subject of this article.

I think I played very well this time! I had the nuts, I put all my carpet with more than 80% chance of winning it! EV makes a dream! Finally, I lost $ 80 on my session. It’s a shame but it is not death! And if you had to make that move, what would you do? No need to wait for your comments. Even the tightest of players never slept his set max. I do not know any pro who would have control of the pot. And if I had to replay this one, I’d play the same way, and I am sure you too! After all, they are only $ 80 at stake just about buy a ticket to go see a Cirque du Soleil at Treasure Island.

We can summarize this move to a draw. You take a ticket and have 80% chance to win double your investment! … The ticket price is $ 80! I buy it without hesitation. Even at $ 100 or $ 200. Why not a little over $ 600 even. Come on, I’m going up to $ 1000! You see where I am coming! Even with EV so strong, you’d play this shot at one million dollars? Normally yes! But in reality, many of us would sleep their hand …. wrongly! The problem is that this move is profitable in the long term! How many millions of dollars you have before you to allow this bet? This example illustrates the fact that you have to play at your level! Do not be afraid of losing the money you invest and have enough money before you to survive the bad beats!

In the Full Tilt Academy , Chris Ferguson recommends a buy-in that does not exceed 5% of your bankroll.

In any case, I’ll remember this one, beers that followed that night, the party in Las Vegas with a group of Irish … .. but that’s another story!

I continue my work on the tournament and I decided to make a few posts on the moves. Today I chose the “Squeeze Play”, well known professional poker players, and a little less amateurs.
The principle is very simple: The first poker player raises. He is paid by a second. At your turn to speak: You make a big reraise.
The first player, even if it has a favorable rating may be afraid of the reaction of his limper, and often lay his cards unless you have a bomb in hand. The limper, who has followed without re-starting player, often a hand too weak to support a re-raise his game and will also lay the squeeze principle is simple, but be careful not to abuse it and you impose a certain discipline.
- You think the first raiser has not so strong a hand he wants to believe. This is often an aggressive player who enters a lot of shots
- If the second player re-raises you, you throw your cards! It is probably on a drawing hand and he is willing to go through.
- You must have a solid and conservative image. In principle you do not show long bluff. Otherwise you risk not being believed! …. and you’re done!
- It’s a move which poker players remember, so do not do it twice in the same part.
If you stick to this discipline, you have great chance to succeed this time! You see, when this does happen, it’s quite enjoyable!
Train yourself to recognize the right situations and get started. It takes courage, sure, but do not think, attack!
Good luck and good poker.

When you play in cash games, you should be aware of your level compared to the table. Many players follow the rules read in books, assess the level of opposing poker players, their style, and confront all this with the position and value of their hand.

A notion often forgotten, is the assessment that we make its own level after the flop. Indeed, if you have trouble handling a flop, or other poker players at the table are stronger than you, you should avoid to the maximum of the face post flop. Then you have to raise more preflop often strongly to win pots, very early in the game.

If instead you get to leverage your hands, and are an expert in the exploitation of flops, most stick with your good hands. You will reap a greater financial return.

Do not overestimate yourself, and do not underestimate this notion. In the long term it can win or lose a lot of money. You must integrate it into how to vary your game

When in doubt about your ability post flop, stay conservative and try hard with your aces!

Fold equity is based on a simple principle: “If you have a hand that you’re ready to call a bet, you should build yourself. This gives you two chances to win. ”

It’s pretty simple to understand. You get along well with the best hand, but if your opponent folds.

It is difficult to accurately assess the chances of getting to bed a poker player. You must, however, accurately estimate the image he has of you. It’s the pressure you put on it that will increase your fold equity.

Fold equity becomes important at the end of the tournament when the carpets are small face to antes and blinds. It is often said that if you have less than 10BB, you need to push or fold mode. It is mathematically true of course, but no fold equity, mathematics will not be of much help.

An example: You are 4 at the end of the tournament, and you touch TT. 2 players must speak after you. The carpets are all equivalent (10BB), and only the top 3 players pokersont paid.

TT is a very good hand preflop, especially reduced table, but can you risk jumping to the bubble and ruin all your efforts? You have 3 options.

1) You go to bed: This option seems to me timid, unless you have in front of you crazies who return every time. You can wait (but not too long) that one or the other jumps. This is relatively rare, I do not throw this game because you could be wary of very small or very large carpet, but carpet equivalent bubble freezes the heat.

2) You bet: The standard bet is to 3BB. If everyone folds, you pick up the blinds and it is a result which offers a free tour! If you are followed by the big blind, you are faced with a carpet of 6.5BB. Moreover, if a card higher than T comes on the flop, you’ll have a very difficult decision to take in response to a bet. If your opponent checks, you should make a continuation bet of at least half the pot or 4BB. Your stack drops to 3BB. Let me tell you that your power crumbles in As the course of the coup. You may be required to commit your entire stack against an opponent who shows a certain strength.

3) You send your carpet: This option seems the most profitable in the long term. Only 4 hands preflop beat you, but you’re favorite (57% against AK and 80% against a small pair or two connectors). Moreover, the bubble effect, will encourage players to fold. In most cases, once you win without a fight and when you get paid, you’re still ahead!

What will he happened if you had just paid the blind? You have only 9BB. A player raises you. What to do? You’re probably dealing with two over cards or a pair, and you will not fold your opponent. Even if you decided to pay a raise you lose your fold equity.

If you measure 25% chance that your opponent will fold to a $ 100 pot, your fold equity is worth $ 25. This amount must be added to your hope of winning. This example illustrates very well the interest to attack first and keep up the pressure. And finally, when you push your stack with TT, you do not force your hand, but to take advantage of opportunities as poker players go to bed!

I pushed A few days ago the excellent Dan Harrington Poker Cash. It discusses the key principles of the cash game and the fundamental differences between cash game and tournament.

It also analyzes the hands of a very methodical. But before analyzing it is important to get into a mindset that should lead you to make optimal decisions.

“This is a key principle of poker. You need to analyze the moves always starting from the assumption that your opponents may play rationally. That is to say, try to find what their bets mean, their raises and the fact that they pay if they do not bluff.

Once you’ve done that, you can take into account the likelihood of bluff and see if they change the way you play.

Remember that nobody plays consistently. In most cases, auctions are what they purport to represent. Analyze accordingly, especially when the pot becomes important. ”

Basically try to focus on a single poker and not looking 12:00 to 2:00 p.m.. It is also a vision advocated by Doyle Brunson in his “Super System Poker.”

Necessarily, you may need to be bluffed or bluffing sometimes, but beware of dirty tricks that can cost you a lot of money over the long term.

Be systematic in your analysis.

To help, here are some questions to review before a stroke player.

- How high is my carpet?

- What is the height of the belt of my adversary?

- What is the height of the pot?

- What is the strength of my hand against the action I have seen so far?

- Do I know something about my opponent that suggests to me he’s bluffing?

- If I bet, what would I do if it’s carpet?

- Is what I want checker hand to slaughter?

Of course, this list is not exhaustive, but should guide you and create in your reflexes.

It is experience that will make you better. If you are disciplined and that you review all these aspects of the sudden you’ll ever faster to make your decisions. This will become more relevant, so you will earn more money!

I continue my reading and I’ve found something intressant in the first volume of Poker Dan Harrington Cash. He discusses at length a fundamental aspect of the game of poker pot control. Here are his views on the issue.

Among other things, poker is a game of balancing conflicting objectives. You must deny drawing hands free card. You must also be sure you do not lose control of the pot compared to the strength of your hand. When these two objectives are in conflict, you must give priority to one over the other. Which takes precedence? Just wondering what the error is most likely to get hurt. If you over-bet the shot, you are guaranteed to build a pot that is too large for your hand fairly modest. If you fail to pay a random potential, two things must happen before you’re in an uncomfortable situation.

1) He must really have the drawing hand that you worry

2) He must have entered her circulation

Suppose the probability that your opponent is on a draw is 30%. The draw will be back in 30% of cases. The event has a 10% chance of coming true. However, you have 100% chance to build a big pot with an average hand,

So remember to keep your auction sequences. To think ….