2012. november 17., szombat
2012. november 15., csütörtök
Odds Oracling
Honestly, I have some kind of a bizarre feeling in me for coding macros in Odds Oracle. Since there is little action this time of day, I put together some (=67) Stud hi range macros, so I feel satisfied with my work today, and just after figuring out some steal/resteal range macros, my 3rd street ranges will be complete, and I will be able to use Odds Oracle to Stud hi as I can use Combonator for Holdem. I'm a bit of a weirdo, I know...
Anyway, I want to play a game. If you can figure out what the 'translation' stands for (after the 'more' button), and tell me in one term, I'll send you my macros.:)
Anyway, I want to play a game. If you can figure out what the 'translation' stands for (after the 'more' button), and tell me in one term, I'll send you my macros.:)
2012. november 14., szerda
End of an era, start of a new one
Yep, yesterday I left PokerStrategy as a coach and freelancer. Had my time there, and it definitely was a worthy experience, but I think it's time to move on. I'd love to say that it wasn't an easy decision, but all in all it was. I applied for English LHE coach position, but "they have enough content and coaches at the moment", therefore I'm not needed. Well, their loss IMO. For the Hungarian part it's a bit more complicated than that, and since it's all fresh, I should probably not write anything about it until I clear up my head and have the kind of second, more thought through perception on it.
Also, I've been kind of fed up with LHE lately. For one, the action is either seldom or bad. Maybe not on my main limits, but on higher limits definitely. And I'm not that type of player that will conservatively stick to his main game, or whatever, meaning I don't want to try and rakebackwhore myself to higher stakes, or anything like that. I'm just not motivated by it, I just burn out way too fast and tilt my ass off if money has to be my main motivation. That's why I'm never gonna be rich, but whatever. And although I can see that most of the 'regulars' are straight up awful in todays midstakes games, it - for some reason - doesn't give me the satisfaction I need to play poker without being hugely results-oriented or focused on money. I'm not sure why that is, and in the near future I have to and will think about it a lot, but with all the changes coming to my poker (and possibly real) life, I'm gonna have to review my whole perspective of the game.
After deciding that I'm gonna leave PS (about 3-4 weeks ago) I decided that with FTP coming back, I'm gonna focus on the non-mainstream games, first of all the 7 'other' games in the 10game (7.5 counting that PLO is still an interesting game and worthy to learn IMO). For one, better highstakes games are running in mixed and 'other' games, so the perspective is kind of better for a wannabe highstakes player I think, but also I believe if it comes to that, I can easily get myself to the level to jump back into LHE if needed. However, currently I see little chance of that in the upcoming future. For anyone interested, I still offer coaching for LHE, I feel I know the game well enough, that being a bit out of practice wouldn't affect me that much, and at least 1/10 of the hands I play will still be in LHE.:) Also, it's the method that counts, not the result, and I think I'm more than familiar with the methods.
So just a few words on the present. Since I have little experience learning multiple games at once, and kind of didn't know where to start, I thought it might be the best to accelerate the process by hiring a coach. If you have enough money when you start a new game (especially with very limited learning material available), I'd definitely suggest you to hire a coach to start off and form your learning curve. Of course, for most of the beginner players that's unaffordable, and so they have to stick to the somewhat awful education out there.
So my choice was one of the best ever mixed players I know of, CeeGee. (If you don't know him, check out his Triple Stud series on DC, and his vids on CR - super mega awesomeness!) Honestly, I was very lucky I found him playing on FTP at HU tables, cause I couldn't find any contact info on the internet. He's a great guy, and has such a deep understanding of the games, I really admire it.
Ok, so that's it for now, I'll definitely post more often and a bit more strategy in the future.
Also, I've been kind of fed up with LHE lately. For one, the action is either seldom or bad. Maybe not on my main limits, but on higher limits definitely. And I'm not that type of player that will conservatively stick to his main game, or whatever, meaning I don't want to try and rakebackwhore myself to higher stakes, or anything like that. I'm just not motivated by it, I just burn out way too fast and tilt my ass off if money has to be my main motivation. That's why I'm never gonna be rich, but whatever. And although I can see that most of the 'regulars' are straight up awful in todays midstakes games, it - for some reason - doesn't give me the satisfaction I need to play poker without being hugely results-oriented or focused on money. I'm not sure why that is, and in the near future I have to and will think about it a lot, but with all the changes coming to my poker (and possibly real) life, I'm gonna have to review my whole perspective of the game.
After deciding that I'm gonna leave PS (about 3-4 weeks ago) I decided that with FTP coming back, I'm gonna focus on the non-mainstream games, first of all the 7 'other' games in the 10game (7.5 counting that PLO is still an interesting game and worthy to learn IMO). For one, better highstakes games are running in mixed and 'other' games, so the perspective is kind of better for a wannabe highstakes player I think, but also I believe if it comes to that, I can easily get myself to the level to jump back into LHE if needed. However, currently I see little chance of that in the upcoming future. For anyone interested, I still offer coaching for LHE, I feel I know the game well enough, that being a bit out of practice wouldn't affect me that much, and at least 1/10 of the hands I play will still be in LHE.:) Also, it's the method that counts, not the result, and I think I'm more than familiar with the methods.
So just a few words on the present. Since I have little experience learning multiple games at once, and kind of didn't know where to start, I thought it might be the best to accelerate the process by hiring a coach. If you have enough money when you start a new game (especially with very limited learning material available), I'd definitely suggest you to hire a coach to start off and form your learning curve. Of course, for most of the beginner players that's unaffordable, and so they have to stick to the somewhat awful education out there.
So my choice was one of the best ever mixed players I know of, CeeGee. (If you don't know him, check out his Triple Stud series on DC, and his vids on CR - super mega awesomeness!) Honestly, I was very lucky I found him playing on FTP at HU tables, cause I couldn't find any contact info on the internet. He's a great guy, and has such a deep understanding of the games, I really admire it.
Ok, so that's it for now, I'll definitely post more often and a bit more strategy in the future.
2012. szeptember 5., szerda
Tax poker and chinese stud...
If you would know me pretty well, you could figure that Toma was here. I don't think I've ever thought of new games or game variants when he was not around, but when he is, I think we're just brainfarting. We start to play standard 10game, that gets boring (well it doesn't, just becomes monotone) after a while, and then we move on to idiotic games. Here's tonight's new games:
1) Tax poker
I think we kind of proved that this game doesn't make sense game theory-wise, but still, it's pretty fun to figure out why, and also tells you a lot about the game I think. So here we go: you play standard HU limit hold'em, however you cannot see your cards, unless you pay the other guy 1/xth BB (that can depend on the structure etc, we did it with 1/4 BB, but that's too big). When you pay the amount (before every action of yours, you have the possibility to do so, even on the river), you can both watch your hole cards, and the game goes on as usual. However, until then you have to play face down.
Pop-quiz: what is the problem with this game? What is the optimal strategy for the IP and OOP player.
Real question: how could you modify the rules so that it would be a game with real strategy? Can you even change this idea into a real game? And how small the 'tax' should be so that the optimal strategy for 'large tax' wouldn't apply anymore.
2) Chinese stud
If you know Chinese poker, you may find a lot of similarities here, however it's a bit more complicated, and a lot more fun IMO. You and your opponent get 9 cards each face down, and 3 cards each face-up. Now you have to divide your 9 cards into 3 groups with 3 cards in each, matching them with a door-card. If you did it both, you have to name, which pile is for which of the 3 stud games (all 3 has to be assigned to different games), and then you just deal out the rest, better cards by the rule of the game win.
Question: how could you maybe improve this game? Would it be more fun, if for example you deal just 6 cards first, create the starting hands, and deal the 3 river cards face-down after all the other cards being dealt, then you can again assign those cards? I think it would be more skill, less fun, but not necessarily.
3) Double-game
It is a pretty strange idea, and since we didn't play a lot of hands, I'm not sure if it's good. The main element of the game, is that you and your opponent(s) get 2 different starting hands in two different games, but in the same hand (of course the structure must be similar, possibly flop-games only). Also the board cards are shared. In every decision you have the following opportunites: make an action with both of your hands (e.g. raising both, or calling with both), you can make an action with one hand, and fold the other, or fold both. If you fold one hand, but not the other, half of the current pot is your opponent's, other half is still up for grabs.
I'm not sure if it was really understandable, but let's assume a game, where we mix LHE and LO8 at 20/40 limits. Same structure, so it's applicable (we couldn't do it with LHE and PLO for example, because of the different structure). You both get dealt a holdem and an omaha hand. SB has the following options: folds (BB winds 20+10), folds either the holdem or the O8 hand, but calls or raises with the other, then BB gets half the pot (10+5 for the folded half), and they continue playing the other game on 10/20 limit. And obviously he can call or raise both hands together (but he cannot call with one and raise with the other, cause that would be like playing 2 tables LDO). Let's say SB raises.
Then the BB has the option to fold both, fold either the O8 or the LHE hand and continue with the other, or call/raise/3bet with both hands. The same applies postflop.
Variant1: you could make the rule that folding only works together and you cannot fold individually, but that kind of simplifies the game into a general split-pot game with very complex hand ranges.
Variant2: the game format is maybe not that good in games where folding is a big part of preflop strategy, for example PLHE/PLO, so there you could enforce the rule that the folding works together preflop, but you can fold individually later (or maybe just on turn and river or stg).
Playing NLHE/NLO8 in this game would be awesome IMO. Basically playing a split pot game in a split pot game. Yo dawg would approve.
Anyway, that's the rambling for today, I think you'll find these enjoyable, and probably can try it out with someone, I think all these games are really cool (except for the tax holdem, cause it's easily solvable).
1) Tax poker
I think we kind of proved that this game doesn't make sense game theory-wise, but still, it's pretty fun to figure out why, and also tells you a lot about the game I think. So here we go: you play standard HU limit hold'em, however you cannot see your cards, unless you pay the other guy 1/xth BB (that can depend on the structure etc, we did it with 1/4 BB, but that's too big). When you pay the amount (before every action of yours, you have the possibility to do so, even on the river), you can both watch your hole cards, and the game goes on as usual. However, until then you have to play face down.
Pop-quiz: what is the problem with this game? What is the optimal strategy for the IP and OOP player.
Real question: how could you modify the rules so that it would be a game with real strategy? Can you even change this idea into a real game? And how small the 'tax' should be so that the optimal strategy for 'large tax' wouldn't apply anymore.
2) Chinese stud
If you know Chinese poker, you may find a lot of similarities here, however it's a bit more complicated, and a lot more fun IMO. You and your opponent get 9 cards each face down, and 3 cards each face-up. Now you have to divide your 9 cards into 3 groups with 3 cards in each, matching them with a door-card. If you did it both, you have to name, which pile is for which of the 3 stud games (all 3 has to be assigned to different games), and then you just deal out the rest, better cards by the rule of the game win.
Question: how could you maybe improve this game? Would it be more fun, if for example you deal just 6 cards first, create the starting hands, and deal the 3 river cards face-down after all the other cards being dealt, then you can again assign those cards? I think it would be more skill, less fun, but not necessarily.
3) Double-game
It is a pretty strange idea, and since we didn't play a lot of hands, I'm not sure if it's good. The main element of the game, is that you and your opponent(s) get 2 different starting hands in two different games, but in the same hand (of course the structure must be similar, possibly flop-games only). Also the board cards are shared. In every decision you have the following opportunites: make an action with both of your hands (e.g. raising both, or calling with both), you can make an action with one hand, and fold the other, or fold both. If you fold one hand, but not the other, half of the current pot is your opponent's, other half is still up for grabs.
I'm not sure if it was really understandable, but let's assume a game, where we mix LHE and LO8 at 20/40 limits. Same structure, so it's applicable (we couldn't do it with LHE and PLO for example, because of the different structure). You both get dealt a holdem and an omaha hand. SB has the following options: folds (BB winds 20+10), folds either the holdem or the O8 hand, but calls or raises with the other, then BB gets half the pot (10+5 for the folded half), and they continue playing the other game on 10/20 limit. And obviously he can call or raise both hands together (but he cannot call with one and raise with the other, cause that would be like playing 2 tables LDO). Let's say SB raises.
Then the BB has the option to fold both, fold either the O8 or the LHE hand and continue with the other, or call/raise/3bet with both hands. The same applies postflop.
Variant1: you could make the rule that folding only works together and you cannot fold individually, but that kind of simplifies the game into a general split-pot game with very complex hand ranges.
Variant2: the game format is maybe not that good in games where folding is a big part of preflop strategy, for example PLHE/PLO, so there you could enforce the rule that the folding works together preflop, but you can fold individually later (or maybe just on turn and river or stg).
Playing NLHE/NLO8 in this game would be awesome IMO. Basically playing a split pot game in a split pot game. Yo dawg would approve.
Anyway, that's the rambling for today, I think you'll find these enjoyable, and probably can try it out with someone, I think all these games are really cool (except for the tax holdem, cause it's easily solvable).
2012. augusztus 28., kedd
Shame of poker education #3 - Game Theory Wisdom?
Poker education found a new buzzword for itself - just in the last week I heard it 3 times in videos and stuff: game theory-wise. (Not sure about the grammar tho.) Since jungleman's awesome (see one of the later editions of shame...) video about game theory, more and more people started to build this into their game. Also, since that video we can safely say, that most bigbet players have absolutely no fucking clue what game theory (optimal play) means, and misunderstand the concept.
Just an example: if you flop top set on a board, where it is the nuts (at least in your range) I'm quite sure game theoratically check/calling as a slowplay is awful, unless you for some reason decide to a) never have a cbetting range and b) never have a c/r-ing range (against a 1/4 potbet), which seems awfully wrong to me in a NL game with a potbet left on a wet board. I'm pretty sure since it's the nuts it has to be part of a polarized range that needs to be played in an agressive manner so that we could get the max from his bluffcatchers. Although I'm not a bigbet-GTO-expert I strongly believe that it is the case. (Also the main reason "it's not good game theory-wise" is that there is just a small part of his range that can call our check/raise.)
So please, if you're not sure what it means (or you think you're sure and you're an overconfident idiot - you know who I'm talking about), don't use game theory-wise. Cheers.
Just an example: if you flop top set on a board, where it is the nuts (at least in your range) I'm quite sure game theoratically check/calling as a slowplay is awful, unless you for some reason decide to a) never have a cbetting range and b) never have a c/r-ing range (against a 1/4 potbet), which seems awfully wrong to me in a NL game with a potbet left on a wet board. I'm pretty sure since it's the nuts it has to be part of a polarized range that needs to be played in an agressive manner so that we could get the max from his bluffcatchers. Although I'm not a bigbet-GTO-expert I strongly believe that it is the case. (Also the main reason "it's not good game theory-wise" is that there is just a small part of his range that can call our check/raise.)
So please, if you're not sure what it means (or you think you're sure and you're an overconfident idiot - you know who I'm talking about), don't use game theory-wise. Cheers.
2012. augusztus 26., vasárnap
First Live Experience - 8game MTT
It has come to this. I played live. I mean it never was my goal or dream or anything, to be honest, I kind of didn't (and can honestly say don't) like the live aspects of the game. The tells and slow hands and boring waiting time and stuff - that's just not for me. However this was the first ever Hungarian 8game open, and given that mixed games are not ever played live here, I decided to give it a go.
Despite my presumptions, I really enjoyed myself, it was a pretty new experience in poker, and I'll definitely go again - if there will be more. The dealers were as good as someone can be who deals stud games and triple draw first ever - sometimes there were small mistakes, but only(?) 2 really big fuckups. Thinking about it, in ~100 hands it's not that few, but whatever. (Once there was a 5-10 minute 'break' because the 7th card in stud was dealt face up mistakenly, and not even the floor could tell what is the appropriate decision here, and once in the bigbet games we played in the limit blind structure for a few hands.)
The tables were ultra-soft, I've only seen 3-4 players who seemed competent (or at least tight and not that passive) in most games, however I felt even they were a bit too passive and nitty sometimes. I came ~14th from 24, however given that I had at least 4 pretty huge coolers, 1 pretty huge MTT-cooler, and also was card-dead in my favorite games, it's a pretty good result IMO. I could have played better, but I feel I still played my A game (but not A++ as I should've) mostly, despite getting tired at the end.
From here on I'll tell some interesting hands, these were the most interesting hands, and some other interesting stuff. So if you don't care, that's it, don't read on.
I can't really remember any interesting hands in the first few orbits, I once coolered a guy in O8 with nut hi (no low) in a ~12BB pot, and coolered the same guy in 2 hands after that. There was a hand in stud where the highest card out there was 5 (I thin the board read 333455).
1st hand: Stud hi, I can't remember the board, but for some reason I completed 55s3s in MP or something, and I didn't doubt my play there, so the board was probably really raggy (I think I had a 2, 6 and the bring in 2 behind me). The very loose-passive guy calls with the 6 door, everyone else folds.
He gets a Q, I get the 6s. X-B-C. I get the Ts, guy gets a J (his board is pretty much rainbow. He checks, I bet, he tanks a bit, and calls. Turn is irrelevant on both boards, he checks, I bet, he calls (at this point there may be a reason to just check back, but given his tanking on the turn led me to believe that I can make him fold a better pair on the river if I bet constantly). River is a 6 giving me two pairs, he checks I check back hoping to be good against one pair, he tables Broadway... nice hand sir.
2nd hand, NL: I pick up TT in MP, raise it up to 3x I think, BB calls, who seems to be a NL player (also pretty angry at me, since I overnutted him in 2 hands in O8). Flop is A97r, I cbet half pot, he calls, turn is blank, check-check, river is a 6 of purple horseshoes, he bets out ~3/5 pot. I folded, but I'm absolutely not sure about it. It was probably easier than I thought at the time, but still.
3rd hand: PLO, I pick up AA73 single suited in the CO, pot it up (still 50-60bb effective), the same very loose player coldcalls from the small blind. Flop is Q96dd, I have a BDFD, I cbet around 3/5 pot, he calls. Turn is the Kd, he checks, I check. (I know it's the best barrel card, not against him, not in a million years.) So turn goes x-x. River is the Ad. He checks. At this point I think I have the best hand a lot, but can't see anything to get value from - not even from this guy, but I considered betting still. I think my check was fine here, but a little reassuring would feel good.
Next hand: PLO, I pick up AK32ds in MP, raise it up, CO 3bets (he was a bit passive so far, but I know he's not awful), folds back to me, and I'm pretty sure this call sucks, but given that we would have an SPR of about 3 after the call, and I believed he's competent enough to 3bet a lot more than AAxx I decided to call - in retrospect I hate it a bit esp. OOP. Board is QT9 rainbow, I have a backdoor. I checks, he disgustedly checks. Turn is a low blank giving the flushdraw. I bet 2/3 pot and take it down. Sorry guys that I lied I had two pair, I just wanted to abuse your nittiness.:)
Next orbit I had 2 interesting LHE hands that are not yet to reveal, I may use them as video footage.
Next hand in O8: I get dealt 8653ds in the BB, there are 2 or 3 limps, BU raises. I shrug and call. Everybody calls around. Flop is some 55Tss, don't have a flushdraw, but have a pretty strong hand. BU bets out, I raise, loose-passive bro coldcalls two, folds to BU, who makes it 3bets. Ok then, I'm probably beat or in pretty bad shape, I call. Turn is an 8 giving me the effective nuts, I mean A2TT and A3TT, A2T5, A3T5 beats me, but that's all, BU bets I raise, bro folds, BU 3bets, I cap. River is an A... Fucking hell... worst card in the deck, I check, he bets, I call, tables TT with something. Mike L would've folded, and I wouldn't blame him for it.
Honestly, I can't remember any more interesting hands till I've been moved to my next table. We were just finishing up the PLO round at my table, when I had to move - to a table where the end of stud8 was played. Well, fuck, NL and PLO again, how I love that.
First hand at the table, I get dealt rolled-up fucking 8s, with 3 low cards and an A behind. Everybody folds. Second hand, I get dealt A4A, take it down on 5th with 2pair+3low.
2 hands later I pick up AQo in MP, I raise it up, chatty, but not that awful (probably live) player coldcalls, BU, who is an older guy minsqueezes with ~12k left (bb is .8k at this point). I smell nuts, but still 4bet so that I could fold to the shove of the CO and call the BU. CO folds that he admits is a worse A, and BU puts it in with 65s. Flop is QQx, guy walks out.
Next hand: PLO - I pot the BU with AQTTds, SB (chatty meh-player) coldcalls, BB folds. Flop is KQ3r, he hesitates, plays with his chips, but checks, I check back. Turn is the 2 of the 4th suit, he checks, I check back. River is the A, he bets pot. I had no fucking clue what he had, JTxx must bet the turn there to rep, maybe KJTx? Maybe AKxx? (I'm not sure he wouldn't bet that on the turn.) Anyway, given his flop tanking and river pot I should've folded, but fishy me calls, slowrolls me with JT9x... Well, fuck you sir.
New guys come to the table, the first table broke. There is a really cool older guy sitting next to me, I double him up in TD with a 6 draw, vs his flop pat, folding the river getting ~30:1 with a pair of sixes. Doubled him up again in LHE raising KTs from the CO, he 3bets SB, Txxx getting it in vs JJ. Nice hand.
We got to the first hand of O8, when I was asked to move back to my original table, where, surprise surprise, we play fucking stud8. I mean we played my 2 favourite games, okay, but playing NL and PLO (my 2 worse games) 3x in 2 rotation is just straight-up annoying.
So stud8, where I made a really debatable play, complete third with KTK, A behind me 2bets, LP bro calls, I call. Guy gets perfect 4, I get brick, bro gets a brick. A4 bets out, bro folds, I call. 5th gives him a 6, and pairs my T up. At this point, honestly, I feel I would fold HU probably, but given the dead money in the pot (and also the ante structure was awfully high, 500 at 3.6k bigbet), I decided to herocalldown him. 6th is brick brick, bet-call. 7th is brick for me, he bets, I throw up and call. He tables aces up no low, having 3 pairs with A64 in the whole. I'll never know if he sucked out on the river, or had it the whole time, doesn't matter.
I'm left with 19bb to the first hand of NLHE, where I pick up TT in the SB, BU (competent, nitty maybe?) asks me how much I have, and minraises the BU. I 3bet - and I leveled myself into not shoving here, because after his question I could resteal pretty wide (at least that's what I thought), so I 3bet to around 8bb. I mean if he knows I'm competent, it doesn't really matter, but I'm not sure he knew. BB cold4bets, I have to call, KK > TT. Bye-bye.
So basically this is the short summary of the 5 hours I played, it was pretty good experience, and even though after writing this review I feel I played quite bad, I still am sure I had a huge edge on the field.
And for Hungarian LHE players, be on the lookout for a short vid on 3 interesting LHE hands that happened and haven't been discussed here (and all 3 I fucked up pretty well).
If you got this far, you're awesome.:)
Despite my presumptions, I really enjoyed myself, it was a pretty new experience in poker, and I'll definitely go again - if there will be more. The dealers were as good as someone can be who deals stud games and triple draw first ever - sometimes there were small mistakes, but only(?) 2 really big fuckups. Thinking about it, in ~100 hands it's not that few, but whatever. (Once there was a 5-10 minute 'break' because the 7th card in stud was dealt face up mistakenly, and not even the floor could tell what is the appropriate decision here, and once in the bigbet games we played in the limit blind structure for a few hands.)
The tables were ultra-soft, I've only seen 3-4 players who seemed competent (or at least tight and not that passive) in most games, however I felt even they were a bit too passive and nitty sometimes. I came ~14th from 24, however given that I had at least 4 pretty huge coolers, 1 pretty huge MTT-cooler, and also was card-dead in my favorite games, it's a pretty good result IMO. I could have played better, but I feel I still played my A game (but not A++ as I should've) mostly, despite getting tired at the end.
From here on I'll tell some interesting hands, these were the most interesting hands, and some other interesting stuff. So if you don't care, that's it, don't read on.
I can't really remember any interesting hands in the first few orbits, I once coolered a guy in O8 with nut hi (no low) in a ~12BB pot, and coolered the same guy in 2 hands after that. There was a hand in stud where the highest card out there was 5 (I thin the board read 333455).
1st hand: Stud hi, I can't remember the board, but for some reason I completed 55s3s in MP or something, and I didn't doubt my play there, so the board was probably really raggy (I think I had a 2, 6 and the bring in 2 behind me). The very loose-passive guy calls with the 6 door, everyone else folds.
He gets a Q, I get the 6s. X-B-C. I get the Ts, guy gets a J (his board is pretty much rainbow. He checks, I bet, he tanks a bit, and calls. Turn is irrelevant on both boards, he checks, I bet, he calls (at this point there may be a reason to just check back, but given his tanking on the turn led me to believe that I can make him fold a better pair on the river if I bet constantly). River is a 6 giving me two pairs, he checks I check back hoping to be good against one pair, he tables Broadway... nice hand sir.
2nd hand, NL: I pick up TT in MP, raise it up to 3x I think, BB calls, who seems to be a NL player (also pretty angry at me, since I overnutted him in 2 hands in O8). Flop is A97r, I cbet half pot, he calls, turn is blank, check-check, river is a 6 of purple horseshoes, he bets out ~3/5 pot. I folded, but I'm absolutely not sure about it. It was probably easier than I thought at the time, but still.
3rd hand: PLO, I pick up AA73 single suited in the CO, pot it up (still 50-60bb effective), the same very loose player coldcalls from the small blind. Flop is Q96dd, I have a BDFD, I cbet around 3/5 pot, he calls. Turn is the Kd, he checks, I check. (I know it's the best barrel card, not against him, not in a million years.) So turn goes x-x. River is the Ad. He checks. At this point I think I have the best hand a lot, but can't see anything to get value from - not even from this guy, but I considered betting still. I think my check was fine here, but a little reassuring would feel good.
Next hand: PLO, I pick up AK32ds in MP, raise it up, CO 3bets (he was a bit passive so far, but I know he's not awful), folds back to me, and I'm pretty sure this call sucks, but given that we would have an SPR of about 3 after the call, and I believed he's competent enough to 3bet a lot more than AAxx I decided to call - in retrospect I hate it a bit esp. OOP. Board is QT9 rainbow, I have a backdoor. I checks, he disgustedly checks. Turn is a low blank giving the flushdraw. I bet 2/3 pot and take it down. Sorry guys that I lied I had two pair, I just wanted to abuse your nittiness.:)
Next orbit I had 2 interesting LHE hands that are not yet to reveal, I may use them as video footage.
Next hand in O8: I get dealt 8653ds in the BB, there are 2 or 3 limps, BU raises. I shrug and call. Everybody calls around. Flop is some 55Tss, don't have a flushdraw, but have a pretty strong hand. BU bets out, I raise, loose-passive bro coldcalls two, folds to BU, who makes it 3bets. Ok then, I'm probably beat or in pretty bad shape, I call. Turn is an 8 giving me the effective nuts, I mean A2TT and A3TT, A2T5, A3T5 beats me, but that's all, BU bets I raise, bro folds, BU 3bets, I cap. River is an A... Fucking hell... worst card in the deck, I check, he bets, I call, tables TT with something. Mike L would've folded, and I wouldn't blame him for it.
Honestly, I can't remember any more interesting hands till I've been moved to my next table. We were just finishing up the PLO round at my table, when I had to move - to a table where the end of stud8 was played. Well, fuck, NL and PLO again, how I love that.
First hand at the table, I get dealt rolled-up fucking 8s, with 3 low cards and an A behind. Everybody folds. Second hand, I get dealt A4A, take it down on 5th with 2pair+3low.
2 hands later I pick up AQo in MP, I raise it up, chatty, but not that awful (probably live) player coldcalls, BU, who is an older guy minsqueezes with ~12k left (bb is .8k at this point). I smell nuts, but still 4bet so that I could fold to the shove of the CO and call the BU. CO folds that he admits is a worse A, and BU puts it in with 65s. Flop is QQx, guy walks out.
Next hand: PLO - I pot the BU with AQTTds, SB (chatty meh-player) coldcalls, BB folds. Flop is KQ3r, he hesitates, plays with his chips, but checks, I check back. Turn is the 2 of the 4th suit, he checks, I check back. River is the A, he bets pot. I had no fucking clue what he had, JTxx must bet the turn there to rep, maybe KJTx? Maybe AKxx? (I'm not sure he wouldn't bet that on the turn.) Anyway, given his flop tanking and river pot I should've folded, but fishy me calls, slowrolls me with JT9x... Well, fuck you sir.
New guys come to the table, the first table broke. There is a really cool older guy sitting next to me, I double him up in TD with a 6 draw, vs his flop pat, folding the river getting ~30:1 with a pair of sixes. Doubled him up again in LHE raising KTs from the CO, he 3bets SB, Txxx getting it in vs JJ. Nice hand.
We got to the first hand of O8, when I was asked to move back to my original table, where, surprise surprise, we play fucking stud8. I mean we played my 2 favourite games, okay, but playing NL and PLO (my 2 worse games) 3x in 2 rotation is just straight-up annoying.
So stud8, where I made a really debatable play, complete third with KTK, A behind me 2bets, LP bro calls, I call. Guy gets perfect 4, I get brick, bro gets a brick. A4 bets out, bro folds, I call. 5th gives him a 6, and pairs my T up. At this point, honestly, I feel I would fold HU probably, but given the dead money in the pot (and also the ante structure was awfully high, 500 at 3.6k bigbet), I decided to herocalldown him. 6th is brick brick, bet-call. 7th is brick for me, he bets, I throw up and call. He tables aces up no low, having 3 pairs with A64 in the whole. I'll never know if he sucked out on the river, or had it the whole time, doesn't matter.
I'm left with 19bb to the first hand of NLHE, where I pick up TT in the SB, BU (competent, nitty maybe?) asks me how much I have, and minraises the BU. I 3bet - and I leveled myself into not shoving here, because after his question I could resteal pretty wide (at least that's what I thought), so I 3bet to around 8bb. I mean if he knows I'm competent, it doesn't really matter, but I'm not sure he knew. BB cold4bets, I have to call, KK > TT. Bye-bye.
So basically this is the short summary of the 5 hours I played, it was pretty good experience, and even though after writing this review I feel I played quite bad, I still am sure I had a huge edge on the field.
And for Hungarian LHE players, be on the lookout for a short vid on 3 interesting LHE hands that happened and haven't been discussed here (and all 3 I fucked up pretty well).
If you got this far, you're awesome.:)
2012. augusztus 10., péntek
The shame of poker education #2
Today's shame is gonna be from the same site as the last one, but it's just so difficult to find shameful stuff nowadays, cause poker education is so great... ok... I stop...
So same type of pop quiz, question is: you're playing live in the Bellagio 5/T with a 52k bankroll. There are 4 huge fish at the table. 2 of their friend come, and create a new 25/50 table. There are 2 seats left there. Do you want to join them, or stay at the table?
I mean first of all, what the fuck? Am I such a degenerate gambler, that I either have to play with 10 BI for a certain limit or stay at a reg-infested table? Why can't I just stand the fuck up and go look for another good (preferably FL or draw :P) table? Okay, let's assume that's not an option.
The official answer says it's close, but you probably should probably take a shot with 10 BIs (which live is probably should count for less, since the games are usually deep, or will get deep soon). I mean I don't even know what to say, this is just so obviously one of the worst advice I've ever seen... Poker is dead IMO.
So same type of pop quiz, question is: you're playing live in the Bellagio 5/T with a 52k bankroll. There are 4 huge fish at the table. 2 of their friend come, and create a new 25/50 table. There are 2 seats left there. Do you want to join them, or stay at the table?
I mean first of all, what the fuck? Am I such a degenerate gambler, that I either have to play with 10 BI for a certain limit or stay at a reg-infested table? Why can't I just stand the fuck up and go look for another good (preferably FL or draw :P) table? Okay, let's assume that's not an option.
The official answer says it's close, but you probably should probably take a shot with 10 BIs (which live is probably should count for less, since the games are usually deep, or will get deep soon). I mean I don't even know what to say, this is just so obviously one of the worst advice I've ever seen... Poker is dead IMO.
2012. július 13., péntek
The shame of poker education #1
Here we go, another column in the blog that will have a post once in a blue moon. Anyway, this one is about the terrible content, experience, posts etc. that you can find by reading forums, watching videos on educational sites, etc. Sometimes it's gonna be just a one-sentence fun stuff, like this, but sometimes you'll get a bit more out of it (I hope). I have a couple of ideas in my mind - well, let's be honest, I have shitloads of examples on this, trying to select the best ones. Oh, and I'm not gonna name the sites or forums where this is from, if you want to find them, you will.
Warning: since my only 2 spoken languages are Hungarian and English, these will be mostly examples from these two languages, but I don't really think it's that different in most other nations.
So here we go, pop quiz on a Hungarian educational site, let's say we have AK on a K992 board, what would we prefer in Villain's hand: 22 or 98? So far 25% (150 from 600) of the people said 98. Ridiculous.
Warning: since my only 2 spoken languages are Hungarian and English, these will be mostly examples from these two languages, but I don't really think it's that different in most other nations.
So here we go, pop quiz on a Hungarian educational site, let's say we have AK on a K992 board, what would we prefer in Villain's hand: 22 or 98? So far 25% (150 from 600) of the people said 98. Ridiculous.
2012. július 10., kedd
2012. július 7., szombat
GF learning poker #1
Yeah, long time no see... exams and shit, but I'm free at last. At least for the next 2 or so months.
So to cut to the chase, the Mrs made up her mind to learn a thing or two from me in terms of poker, trying to make some money in the process and be a consistent winning player. - Well, that's gonna be a loooong journey, but I put on my 'Challenge Accepted' face, and we dove into the deep sea yesterday.
I wouldn't write this post, if it wasn't for her fishiness accompanied with infinite cuteness. I noted some quotes from her, that I just literally cannot withhold from you, dear readers.
1) In the second or third hand of the session she made a quick decision on the turn with an A hi flushdraw, not letting me explain her the situation. After the end of the hand she was making the excuse that "she must be tilting right now".
2) She was wondering about the BronzeStar display at the bottom of the avatars on Stars: "It's like someone shat on it or something..." QFT
3) Talking about preflop strategy: "I have to rethink my position, because I sometimes forget that the table rotates around me."
4) After a guy sitting down, who we played yesterday with (.02/.04 FR): "He must think I'm a fish, so now he's sitting down to play with me again."
5) Derived from the last one: "Hey, what if we sometimes play like a fish, so we'd confuse other players."
Cutest girl EVER! She's gonna be a killer at the tables in no time! (Not sure if killer in a positive sense, or my bankroll's killer, but I love her anyway.)
So to cut to the chase, the Mrs made up her mind to learn a thing or two from me in terms of poker, trying to make some money in the process and be a consistent winning player. - Well, that's gonna be a loooong journey, but I put on my 'Challenge Accepted' face, and we dove into the deep sea yesterday.
I wouldn't write this post, if it wasn't for her fishiness accompanied with infinite cuteness. I noted some quotes from her, that I just literally cannot withhold from you, dear readers.
1) In the second or third hand of the session she made a quick decision on the turn with an A hi flushdraw, not letting me explain her the situation. After the end of the hand she was making the excuse that "she must be tilting right now".
2) She was wondering about the BronzeStar display at the bottom of the avatars on Stars: "It's like someone shat on it or something..." QFT
3) Talking about preflop strategy: "I have to rethink my position, because I sometimes forget that the table rotates around me."
4) After a guy sitting down, who we played yesterday with (.02/.04 FR): "He must think I'm a fish, so now he's sitting down to play with me again."
5) Derived from the last one: "Hey, what if we sometimes play like a fish, so we'd confuse other players."
Cutest girl EVER! She's gonna be a killer at the tables in no time! (Not sure if killer in a positive sense, or my bankroll's killer, but I love her anyway.)
2012. június 5., kedd
HU PLO is dead
Yesterday with Toma we were thinking about what could be a good second game, and we decided PLO was the ultimate choice for having a second game. And since I consider HU the purest form of any poker, I decided that I'll put a little bit of effort into learning the game. After watching some DjSensei and TwiceT vids, I hit the .25/.50 shallow tables ($25 max BI). Results are not bad. (The picture was just against 1 guy, I won ~5 more buy ins overall.)
2012. június 2., szombat
Hand analysis #1
Hey Everyone,
Here's the first 'hand of the day' type of analysis. If you can get through me having troubles with my English early in the morning, you may even be able to get some content out of it. Enjoy.
(To see everything clearly go to fullscreen and HD mode.)
Here's the first 'hand of the day' type of analysis. If you can get through me having troubles with my English early in the morning, you may even be able to get some content out of it. Enjoy.
(To see everything clearly go to fullscreen and HD mode.)
2012. május 31., csütörtök
What is the past tense of dream
I originally wanted to title this post "A dream come true", but after the spell checker said dreamt is not an actual word (lol? native English speakers please confirm), I googled "what is the past tense of dream" - and it sounds way cooler. So here we go...:)
Now that after the hottest month of my poker playing life ever I can hesitantly say that I probably am settled at 5/T (mixed with 3/6, occasionally 2/4), that was one of my dream for a long time. I definitely think that was the dream that took the most time to achieve, and (once again, probably) here I am, at the edge of being a full-time 5/T player (even though I hate it when people say I'm a X/Y player - I just mean the highest stakes I'm willing to play regularly).
You know, everybody has to have dreams in poker I think. Without these goals, that you don't even know if you'll achieve or not, you just play without purpose and motivation. Of course it's not necessarily a higher limit, or something, but still something you can measure yourself to. I remember back when I was grinding .02/.04 and .05/.1 I was thinking how cool it would be to play on .25/.5 - and when I got there, it felt like I was a really good player to achieve that. And, to be honest, I was given the circumstances and what 'good player' means at those stakes. Then the next dream-step for me was playing 1/2, the gate of small stakes games, playing for dollars instead of cents. My first shots to 1/2 took place around early 2011 (I started playing LHE in February 2010 with $14 as my total bankroll, deciding I'll never ever deposit if I go bust). From there my only goal was to move up to 5/T. 1.5 years later here I am, playing the stakes I dreamt of for so long.
But the way to get here was not even close to clear. At February 2012 I went to Gibraltar to have my first ever job at PokerStrategy as Hungarian Community Manager. It was a really big setback for my game, I could hardly play after work, since I was tired and exhausted, and there were better things to do at the time. However in ~5 months time after being close to scoop the SCOOP FL event, and final tabling on some MSOP events, I was ready to leave work, come home and be a full time pro on 3/6, and maybe even higher until...
I was awfully tired in the morning going to work, as I was playing until 4AM in the morning getting 3rd place in the MSOP Triple Draw event. But however tired I was, I was happy - and not just because of my 3rd place finish, and the chance to move up to 5/T, but because I gave my boss the resignation letter the day before, I would see my girlfriend first time in 3 months and going home with her to leave the whole shit behind and start a poker carrier. I was walking into our office with a smile and the idea of telling my colleagues my 3rd place finish, but instead of it I heard the news. Full Tilt Poker shut down. The place where more than half of my bankroll was, and some of my stakers' money too, shut down.
I came home in August 2011 still being shocked by the news and by losing... khmm... half of my bankroll being frozen. I think I had a borderline bankroll for 2/4, but decided to start from 1/2, so that I could rebuild my game after the long break, and to get my confidence back. Honestly I ran pretty good for a while, being able to play (or at least take shots at) 3/6 again. If someone would've told me what was coming, I'd just straight up laugh at his face and ask him for a good HU battle.
But it came. Exactly at the time when it hurt the most - when I got my confidence back and felt I was playing well. Not to cry over it that much: I lost around 1100BB in the next 5 months. Although that might sound like a lot, part of it was because I moved to high rake networks with rakeback, so after rakeback it's 'just' around 450-500BB, but still. I was playing 1/2 at the end, and basically wrecked by that downswing. At some point, I was like if I have to step back another limit I just quit poker or something. The only thing that kept the hope living is that neither me nor fat better players than me couldn't find any huge leaks in my game, but after ~800BBs it's pretty hard to accept that there's nothing wrong, "it's just variance". Still, kept on playing, because somewhere deep I must have known that I'm better than most, and - at least in theory - I can beat the games.
If someone would've told me what was coming, I'd just straight up laugh at his face and tell him/her to fuck off. And now, just 3 months after the deepest point, I'm here. Living the dream. Playing the stakes I thought I may never play. And slowly realizing it is a great feeling - I fear I still can't believe it, but I made sure that this wouldn't effect my game. (It's funny, during today's session playing 3 tables I asked myself what stakes I'm playing at that moment, and I couldn't answer without looking at the tables.:) - They were all 5/T tables.)
And it all wouldn't have been possible without... but really, no kidding, it literally wouldn't have been possible! Without 3 people in my life, who are one by one made miracles in my poker game and in my life as well: Toma, who has been there for me when I was at the real bottom, and still being patient, help me to get through it, analyzing my play, and... just being there. Hood, my coach, who built my confidence from the absolute bottom to the healthy level (or maybe even a bit over healthy:P), and fixed ALL the leaks in my game, and showed me his approach to poker: keeping a balance between grinding and being a solid player. And last, but for sure not even close to the fucking least my girlfriend, who has always been there for me when I was down, and who gave me as much love as I could never imagine I could get from someone, and just accepting me for who I am, and... and for existing really.:) Thank you all!!!
Ok, so that's it, I'm not gonna be this emotional for a very long time now, so don't worry. Will go back to math and analysis instead of emotions and whining.:)
Now that after the hottest month of my poker playing life ever I can hesitantly say that I probably am settled at 5/T (mixed with 3/6, occasionally 2/4), that was one of my dream for a long time. I definitely think that was the dream that took the most time to achieve, and (once again, probably) here I am, at the edge of being a full-time 5/T player (even though I hate it when people say I'm a X/Y player - I just mean the highest stakes I'm willing to play regularly).
You know, everybody has to have dreams in poker I think. Without these goals, that you don't even know if you'll achieve or not, you just play without purpose and motivation. Of course it's not necessarily a higher limit, or something, but still something you can measure yourself to. I remember back when I was grinding .02/.04 and .05/.1 I was thinking how cool it would be to play on .25/.5 - and when I got there, it felt like I was a really good player to achieve that. And, to be honest, I was given the circumstances and what 'good player' means at those stakes. Then the next dream-step for me was playing 1/2, the gate of small stakes games, playing for dollars instead of cents. My first shots to 1/2 took place around early 2011 (I started playing LHE in February 2010 with $14 as my total bankroll, deciding I'll never ever deposit if I go bust). From there my only goal was to move up to 5/T. 1.5 years later here I am, playing the stakes I dreamt of for so long.
But the way to get here was not even close to clear. At February 2012 I went to Gibraltar to have my first ever job at PokerStrategy as Hungarian Community Manager. It was a really big setback for my game, I could hardly play after work, since I was tired and exhausted, and there were better things to do at the time. However in ~5 months time after being close to scoop the SCOOP FL event, and final tabling on some MSOP events, I was ready to leave work, come home and be a full time pro on 3/6, and maybe even higher until...
I was awfully tired in the morning going to work, as I was playing until 4AM in the morning getting 3rd place in the MSOP Triple Draw event. But however tired I was, I was happy - and not just because of my 3rd place finish, and the chance to move up to 5/T, but because I gave my boss the resignation letter the day before, I would see my girlfriend first time in 3 months and going home with her to leave the whole shit behind and start a poker carrier. I was walking into our office with a smile and the idea of telling my colleagues my 3rd place finish, but instead of it I heard the news. Full Tilt Poker shut down. The place where more than half of my bankroll was, and some of my stakers' money too, shut down.
I came home in August 2011 still being shocked by the news and by losing... khmm... half of my bankroll being frozen. I think I had a borderline bankroll for 2/4, but decided to start from 1/2, so that I could rebuild my game after the long break, and to get my confidence back. Honestly I ran pretty good for a while, being able to play (or at least take shots at) 3/6 again. If someone would've told me what was coming, I'd just straight up laugh at his face and ask him for a good HU battle.
But it came. Exactly at the time when it hurt the most - when I got my confidence back and felt I was playing well. Not to cry over it that much: I lost around 1100BB in the next 5 months. Although that might sound like a lot, part of it was because I moved to high rake networks with rakeback, so after rakeback it's 'just' around 450-500BB, but still. I was playing 1/2 at the end, and basically wrecked by that downswing. At some point, I was like if I have to step back another limit I just quit poker or something. The only thing that kept the hope living is that neither me nor fat better players than me couldn't find any huge leaks in my game, but after ~800BBs it's pretty hard to accept that there's nothing wrong, "it's just variance". Still, kept on playing, because somewhere deep I must have known that I'm better than most, and - at least in theory - I can beat the games.
If someone would've told me what was coming, I'd just straight up laugh at his face and tell him/her to fuck off. And now, just 3 months after the deepest point, I'm here. Living the dream. Playing the stakes I thought I may never play. And slowly realizing it is a great feeling - I fear I still can't believe it, but I made sure that this wouldn't effect my game. (It's funny, during today's session playing 3 tables I asked myself what stakes I'm playing at that moment, and I couldn't answer without looking at the tables.:) - They were all 5/T tables.)
And it all wouldn't have been possible without... but really, no kidding, it literally wouldn't have been possible! Without 3 people in my life, who are one by one made miracles in my poker game and in my life as well: Toma, who has been there for me when I was at the real bottom, and still being patient, help me to get through it, analyzing my play, and... just being there. Hood, my coach, who built my confidence from the absolute bottom to the healthy level (or maybe even a bit over healthy:P), and fixed ALL the leaks in my game, and showed me his approach to poker: keeping a balance between grinding and being a solid player. And last, but for sure not even close to the fucking least my girlfriend, who has always been there for me when I was down, and who gave me as much love as I could never imagine I could get from someone, and just accepting me for who I am, and... and for existing really.:) Thank you all!!!
Ok, so that's it, I'm not gonna be this emotional for a very long time now, so don't worry. Will go back to math and analysis instead of emotions and whining.:)
2012. május 30., szerda
Long time no see...
Since it's exam season I had a little blank time in my blog, but it's gonna be updated more frequently from now on I hope.
I thought about starting a new "hand(s) of the day/week" type of section, where I'd go through some actual hands more in-depth, but we'll see.
Until then, let's listen to one of my newly discovered old favourites, the Diablo Swing Orchestra!
I thought about starting a new "hand(s) of the day/week" type of section, where I'd go through some actual hands more in-depth, but we'll see.
Until then, let's listen to one of my newly discovered old favourites, the Diablo Swing Orchestra!
2012. május 17., csütörtök
I'm evil too...
Sophie (aka girlfriend aka Woman with a capital W) sent me a link to this picture:
Me: Honey, you know why Good Guy Greg is a fictional character, right?
The real evil...
When someone sets the deadline of a compulsory homework in uni just to 3 days after Diablo III has been released... you get to know what evil really means.
2012. május 12., szombat
5/T here I come... yes
Ok, I wrote yesterday's post, then had a session, and found a benevolenter playing 80/60 with an empty left-hand seat, so I had to give him company. It led to a session where I was actively looking for 5/T tables too, and honestly I don't mind that, I played well, and found good tables. Also I played with Bryce!
2012. május 11., péntek
5/T here I come... not
Good news: I gathered the bankroll that I set to the absolute minimum to play 5/T - it means if good luck comes my way I may be able to forget 2/4 and introduce myself to the 5/T players in the very close future.
Bad news: With the volume I played in the last 1.5 months I can't comfortably move up any limits. I played a session today (first in 4 days), and felt I didn't even know the rules of the game. I was rusty and had to play ~100 hands to get back to the grinding mode. That's awfully frightening for me, I have to play more in the future, and not just more, but frequent too. After the fucking exams and end-of-the-semester shit go down I'll focus on this aspect of my game. I have to, sadly.
Bad news: With the volume I played in the last 1.5 months I can't comfortably move up any limits. I played a session today (first in 4 days), and felt I didn't even know the rules of the game. I was rusty and had to play ~100 hands to get back to the grinding mode. That's awfully frightening for me, I have to play more in the future, and not just more, but frequent too. After the fucking exams and end-of-the-semester shit go down I'll focus on this aspect of my game. I have to, sadly.
2012. május 7., hétfő
Vasorrú Rózsa
//English version
This woman right there is the Minister (Ministress? stress for sure...) of Education in Hungary, who is doing a pretty good job massively fucking up everything she can in education. (E.g. if you attend a university financed by the government you have to stay in the country to "work it back", or you have to pay it back, etc.)
Caption says: "I guess I believe in the witches again... they mostly hurt the kids."
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