SNG analysis #1

Table ‘73664423 1′ 9-max Seat #8 is the button
Seat 3: kalle0406 (1390 in chips)
Seat 4: Suehsa (2435 in chips)
Seat 5: fischbo (1435 in chips)
Seat 7: GABONOV (5605 in chips)
Seat 8: tightbuthold (1470 in chips)
Seat 9: evo.com (1165 in chips)
evo.com: posts small blind 75
kalle0406: posts big blind 150
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to evo.com [3c Qs]
Suehsa: folds
fischbo: folds
GABONOV: folds
tightbuthold: folds
evo.com: folds
kalle0406 collected 150 from pot
kalle0406: doesn’t show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 150 | Rake 0
Seat 3: kalle0406 (big blind) collected (150)
Seat 4: Suehsa folded before Flop (didn’t bet)
Seat 5: fischbo folded before Flop (didn’t bet)
Seat 7: GABONOV folded before Flop (didn’t bet)
Seat 8: tightbuthold (button) folded before Flop (didn’t bet)
Seat 9: evo.com (small blind) folded before Flop

Hand 1 (Mistake 1): Was this a good fold? No.
According to SNG Powertools, I should be shoving with ATC here. My equity diff is $+1.43.
Ok, so lets discuss this further. Lets change the stack sizes and see how does it effect the EV if I were to push in this spot.

Change my stack size to 1500 (10BB) : EV diff = $+1.14 (still a +EV shove)

Change opponent stack size to 4000, my stack size remain the same 1165 : EV diff = $+1.13 (still +EV shove but down from before when it was $+1.43)

Change opponent stack size to 500, my stack size remain the same 1165 : EV diff = $+2.17 (huge increase !!!)

Change opponent stack size to 500, my stack size changed to 500 : EV dff = $+2.6 (even better !!!)

The less chips the opponent has, the bigger the diff in EV. The less chips you have, the more hands you should be pushing with as the EV diff is much greater.

Table ‘73664423 1′ 9-max Seat #4 is the button
Seat 3: kalle0406 (2900 in chips)
Seat 4: Suehsa (2210 in chips)
Seat 7: GABONOV (5830 in chips)
Seat 8: tightbuthold (1470 in chips)
Seat 9: evo.com (1090 in chips)
GABONOV: posts small blind 75
tightbuthold: posts big blind 150
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to evo.com [9h Kh]
evo.com: folds
kalle0406: folds
Suehsa: folds
GABONOV: folds
tightbuthold collected 150 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 150 | Rake 0
Seat 3: kalle0406 folded before Flop (didn’t bet)
Seat 4: Suehsa (button) folded before Flop (didn’t bet)
Seat 7: GABONOV (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 8: tightbuthold (big blind) collected (150)
Seat 9: evo.com folded before Flop (didn’t bet)
Hand 2 : Ok, so we have concluded that I should’ve pushed Q3os from the SB from the hand before. Now we are dealt K9s and we are CO+1 (UTG with 5 players remaining). Is this a good fold? Well we shall see.

According to SNG Powertools, if i shoved here it would actually be a -EV shove as the EV diff is $-0.12

So what hands should I be shoving here?

Push hands: 66+,AJo+,ATs+ (8.0%)

So what happens if I change my stack size to 600 chips?

EV diff : $+1.01 where my shoving range should be:

Push hands: 22+,A3o+,A2s+,K9o+,K2s+,Q9o+,Q4s+,J8o+,J5s+,T8o+,T6s+,98o,96s+,86s+,75s+,65s (42.4%)

Change my stack size to 1500 (10BB):

EV diff : $-0.95 Push hands: 88+,AQo+,AJs+ (5.9%)

Lets try to change the stack of the BB to 500 with our stack at 1090 :

EV diff : $+0.06 (too small of an edge to be considered a profitable shove) Push hands: 66+,AT+ (8.9%)

Now another interesting hand :

Hand 3 (mistake 2):

- Level V (75/150) – 2008/01/13 – 07:37:51 (ET)
Table ‘73664423 1′ 9-max Seat #8 is the button
Seat 4: Suehsa (2210 in chips)
Seat 7: GABONOV (8655 in chips)
Seat 8: tightbuthold (1470 in chips)
Seat 9: evo.com (1165 in chips)
evo.com: posts small blind 75
Suehsa: posts big blind 150
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to evo.com [3h 2c]
GABONOV: folds
tightbuthold: folds
evo.com: folds
Suehsa collected 150 from pot
Suehsa: doesn’t show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 150 | Rake 0
Seat 4: Suehsa (big blind) collected (150)
Seat 7: GABONOV folded before Flop (didn’t bet)
Seat 8: tightbuthold (button) folded before Flop (didn’t bet)
Seat 9: evo.com (small blind) folded before Flop

Should I shove here? Absolutely.

EV diff : $+1.05 Push hands: 22+,A2+,K2+,Q2+,J2+,T2+,92+,82+,72+,62+,52+,42+,32 (100.0%)

Change my stack size to 1500 (10BB) :

Push hands: 22+,A2+,K2+,Q4o+,Q2s+,J4o+,J2s+,T6o+,T2s+,96o+,92s+,85o+,83s+,75o+,73s+,65o,63s+,54o,52s+,43s (75.0%)

————————————————————-

I hope the analysis of these few hands will help you guys understand more about ICM. It is said that with SNGs, all you need is to learn the optimal play and

Playing poker in a casino

I started out playing poker at my local pub poker league (this was when I did not even know the basic rules) and after about 2-3 weeks i began to venture into the online poker world where games are available 24 hours a day. Since then I have not looked back and much preferred playing online than live. This summer I decided to move back home to Auckland so I can save up on rent and other stuff. When I go there, after unpacking my stuff, the first place I went was the local casino (Skycity Auckland). After about 2 hours I managed to build my $100 initial buy in to $400. Holy jesus, I JUST FOUND MYSELF A GOLDMINE!!! In about 2 weeks I manage to win about 1.5k from playing 1/2 NL.

Now, I have been playing live at the casino for about 2 months and am a winning player. So here are my thoughts on how to adjust your game to suit live casino poker :

i) Hand Selection – Often you will see 6-7 players going to the flop, even if you raise it up to 6-7 times the BB. The key here is to raise your premiums only and make it 6BB+1BB for every limper. Also when considering whether or not to call with medium hands such as J9os, 54s etc, just follow the “2 / 3 rule” :

1) Does your hand consist of 2 high cards?

2) Is it connected ?

3) Is it suited?

Now if the answer is yes for 2 if the 3 questions above. CALL. These hands are generally more profitable in a multiway pot and will be +EV in the long run.

ii) Flop betting – Continuation bets are great. But their effectiveness is greatly reduced IF your opponents DON’T FOLD. More often than not you will notice that alot of players will be calling down with middle pair or top pair with no kicker. If you can’t chase them out, DON’T DO IT. However when you do hit, BET!!! No need to slowplay and try to represent weakness when the other players won’t even be putting you on a hand anyway. BET BET BET!!! They will be chasing their flush draws, straight draws, gutshots, overpair draw(lol) disregarding the pot odds or the implied odds. PUNISH THEM. Yes once in a while they will hit but they key thing is making them make mistakes (this has been discussed before in the Theory of Poker by Slansky). If they make mistakes, you profit. Do not be result orientated as in the long run you will be the one taking home the gold.

iii) Semibluffing – Semi bluffing is probably one of the best moves in poker. However the value of this move decreases as your fold equity decreases. Therefore, for the semi-bluff to be effective, it is best to use it on good players who are willing to lay down a hand. In the casino, you will see alot of players calling you down with 2nd pair and such. Because of this, it is best not to semi-bluff the donk unless you are sure he is capable of laying the hand down. These players will call you on ANY draw at ANY price. This you must not forget.

iv) Pot control/information bets- Rarely in online poker will you see someone making a 1/4 pot size bet, however this is actually quite a norm in casino poker especially at the 1/2 tables. Sometimes people make this bets because they are not confident in their hand and will lay it down to a raise but most of the players here do not see it as weakness as most online players do. Take this and use it to your advantage. Make continuation bets instead of the usual 2/3 pot size ones. Often you will be able to get the same amount of information making a small bet as oppose to a large one. Do not worry about people raising you with air just because they sense “weakness”, most of these players are not capable of that. Either they have got it and call/raise you or fold to ANY bet disregarding how much is in the pot. This is especially useful in the river when you are not sure whether or not you have the best hand. Just throw in a small blocking bet.

v) The occasional “squeeze”- Most players categorize their hands to :

1) normal limping hands – $2 worth

2) suited connectors/ small pair -$7.00 worth

3)premiums – $16.00 worth

I know this seems strange but when you play there you will see alot of players “juicing up the pot” with their $5 raise in the small blind after everyone had limped in. Some players do that and some don’t. Take use of this information and make squeeze plays. eg:

1/2 NL – fold, limp, limp, raise to $7, call, call, call, call, call, YOU, BB

If you have a semi-decent hand like KQ or 78s something like that, you should try to make a squeeze play and pick up all these dead money. Reraise it to $45, $55 and 80% of the time you will get all of them to fold. After all, if they had a hand to call a reraise with, why no raise in the first place right?

You might be thinking that “oh, but i thought it is better to play 78s in a multiway pot?” Yes that is true but picking up pots like that is worth even more. The next time you play in a game like that, try making squeeze plays here and there and you will find your ROI will increase.

vi) Table selection – If you have a choice, choose the tables you sit at. This will greatly increase your profit/hour just by playing the right players. What you want is a loose passive game where there is very little raise and reraising going on and more calling. You don’t earn money from playing with people who only call you with pocket pairs and broadway cards. You earn money from people calling you with J5, T4, 92os etc.

Well I hope the above will be of help to live poker “noobies”. There is still much more to talk about but I think I’ll stop here for now

Once again, good luck at the tables !

evo.com

Staking

Buy a stake off me!!!

http://officialpokerrankings.com/pokerstars/player/poker/results/EE205014685E44B8A1F6D2BD2C562D3D.html?t=2

26% ROI at sharkscope.com after 500 games.

I usually don’t sell %’s of my action, however due to my small starting bankroll in this venture I believe this is the best choice for me. You can request to see some of my HH’s if you want or come watch me online when I’m playing a tournament.

leave your email here if you want a piece of me.

Cheers

Aussie Million event #5 runner up – Robert Wang!!

For the past 2 hours I have been following up online with event 5 of the aussie millions. Robert Wang, someone who’s game I really respect, just final tabled the rebuy event. Seems like he caught a few lucky flops and was able to take the chip lead when it got to three handed. From what I’ve seen, his aggresive preflop raises have been able to entice some action when one of the remaining 3 called an all in with K3 (WTF?!!) against the 77 of the shortstack. Of course a K flops and another one bites the dust Stack sizes were the same heads up with Micheal Pedley have a 1000 chip lead ( 396000 > 395000). The very first hand of heads up play Pedley moved all in from the button which Robert Wang made a great call with A9. Pedley’s A3 wasn’t looking too good until the flop came A 3 8 (rainbow) where he took the lead and a great chance to win $168000 AU together with a prestigious AUSSIE MILLIONS Trophy. The turn and river blanked for Robert and that was it.

It is such a sad thing that he had to settle for 2nd after making such a good call heads up. $99000 still is alot of money but I’m sure most of us who plays tournament poker knows that anything other than first is considered a defeat. That being said, I’m sure Robert must be celebrating with his fellow Kiwi mates atm

Till he comes back, I’ll send my congrats to him online for now

Good job Robert, NZ PRESENTTTT YOOO!!!

Useful links

http://www.pr0crast.com/2+2.NL.Anthology.v1.htm

- 2+2 collection of 6 max cash game fundamentals. Absolutely essential for those who wish to succeed in 6 max online cash games. Forget getting books. THIS IS ALL YOU NEED!!!

The 2+2 Forum Archives: MTTc Live PXF Directory! Now Open! 69 HH’s Hosted!

- Collection of MTT hand histories from some of the top online pros.

HoldemResources.net: ICM Nash Calculator

- SNG ICM calculator. Obviously a must for post game SNG analysis. Or if you’re too lazy to type it all in, get SNG Powertools instead.

Strategy Archives

-P5’s strategy archives. Lots of useful articles. Fox’s bankroll management article is in it as well.

First post

After playing online for about 9 months now, I’ve gone broke probably around 223144 times. This year, I have finally made up my mind not to go broke anymore. I am going to stick to Fox’s proper bankroll management article and try to build my account at Stars from $100 to $10000 in 12 months. My plan is to stick with the $4.40 180 man Sit n Goes at the same time playing a few $5 STTs. According to Fox’s bankroll management guide, at least 100 buy ins are required. However due the fact that I will only be starting out with $100, I’ll make this an exemption until I get to $300.

Schedule (for now):

$100 – $4.40 180 man SNG, $6.60 STT, $2 MTT

$300 – $4.40 180 man SNG, $6.60 STT, $5 MTT

$750 – $0.10/0.25 NLHE, $4.40 man SNG, $16 STT, $5/10 MTT

I will also be posting my hand histories and certain key hands which I think will help everyone improve their game.

WASSSSUPPPPSSS YOO

Pokerstars username : evo.com

Location : Auckland , NZ

Age : 20