[Study blog] Towards a more advanced poker strategy

[Thought: How poker is similar to slots]

In slots you play a lot of spins until you hit the Jackpot. In poker you play a lot of hands until you hit the nuts to get paid off. I feel like I am chasing the jackpot all the time.

[Thoughts: What is "playing my range"]

When I started my log, I wanted to learn how to "play range". Some people have been confused as to what I mean. That is, when I play, I consider the -theoretical] range of hands I could be holding from each position, and I base my decisions based on that, not only my hand. My range dictates what I should play, even if my hands haven't hit. I hope this clears out any confusion.

[Thoughts: A daily log]

Here is how my session went today...

I sat down at the tables trying to play the best poker I can! I am playing 2 Zoom tables NL5 at a time. Pokerstars is fairly busy, with over 25,000 players online. Before I started and every so often I reminded myself my mantras for playing, including to Stay aggressive.

I am running Hand2Note 3, although it does not work well and I should probably stop using it.

I am watching TV in the background, the Greek show Masterchef. Sometimes I am listening a long playlist with Iron Maiden, Crimson glory, Megadeth and Dream Theater.
I am drinking sodas and water, which I have close by.

My goal is to make 5xbuyins in each of my 2 tables. That's 500xbb and 500xBB for a net of 8xbuyins at NL5 ($40), which I will then use to play on Zoom NL10 again. The idea that I could win a monthly income by pressing buttons is intriguing me.

My strategy is based on Johnathan Little's and Doug Polk's courses.

I am constantly looking for the next big fish to make it Mayor of Valuetown.

I wait patiently for my big hands to come. But the grind is long and unhelpful. I watch my big hands taking a walk, and my pairs not hitting sets, again and again. The big hands can come anytime, and always catch me off guard.

When I win a big hand, I shake my fist in the air. This makes me feel great.

At last, my big hand has come: I get dealt KK vs an AQ who hit a Q on the turn, and donated all his stack to me! Super!!! My stack on one table just increased to 395xBB!

Soon after, I get another customer who tries to make a flush with T9 suited hen I have a full house with AK! A magic moment, and I take down a pot of 205xBB, making my table stack 363.6xBB!

My session ends breakeven, and I go to bed.

[Session results]

So, I just started my new session today. I loaded a new song playlist with pop music, a breath of fresh air after the hard metal I was listening to the last few days.

I started playing at 17:03. I played 2 Zoom NL5 tables at a time.

Luck is not with me!! People are overfolding to 3 bets! So many of my big hands went to scrap... I took a walk twice with AA, four times with KK, three times with QQ, twice with JJ, four times with AK, once with AQ, once with TT. I got Aces cracked once, and KK once by Q8s. I got beat once with QQ vs unknown hand.

I got beat by a higher set holding 44 against KK. Also had set of 99 outdrawn by AA
I had my QQs outdrawn by another hand twice. My AK got outdrawn by QQ.
I got a flush beaten by a higher flush. I got 2 pair AT beaten by a set of AA out of nowhere!

I reached my highest point having a 300xBB stack on both tables. I ended the session $8.61 down, $4.40 of which was in tournaments, and $4.21 loss on cash games.

I really need to think what I am going to do with the 3bets not being called.

[Session results]

Today I felt defeated right before I started playing. My dreams of becoming a pro and winning a steaky income every month went in the trashcan. I lost all my balance last session, and so I deposited 50 EUR (about $55). The site was very crowded with 54000 players online.

I am thinking of what the leaks in my game are. It seems I am doing well picking up pots, but I lose a lot in big pots. I just get destroyed very often.

I first fired up 2 x Zoom NL5 tables. I suffered a massacre!! Disappointed at my performance, I went down to NL2 to minimize my losses and try again. I ended the session with $32.16 for a loss of $22.46.

[Update]

I noticed that in NL2 and NL5 my 3bets get a lot of folds. For this reason, I decided to change my 3betting strategy.

I have a new 3betting strategy.
- 3bet 3x IP and 5xOOP: AA, KK, QQ, AKs, AKo
- 3bet light 2x: AQs, AQo, AJs, AJo, KQs-87s, KQo, JJ-66

I tried it and I am getting many more calls, which is what I want.

[Session review]

Today I was trying to review my cash game strategy.

- I am somewhat confident about my preflop play. I am confused about 3betting and calling 3bets. I don't know what a good strategy is.
- I am confident about my ability to take down pots with bluffs. I take down many pots, and I bluff the flop and turn enough.
- I am not good at bluffing the river.

I kept track of some hands I played to determine what my leaks are. It is clear that I am losing on big pots.

- Took a walk: AJs x2, AA x2, KK x7, AKo, AQo x3, TT, JJ x2, KQo x3, AKs, AJo x2, QQ, 88, AQs, QJs

- Won a big pot: KJs, A9s bigger flush, AA vs AK all in pre, KK all in on flop vs AQ pair of Qs, 64s 2 pair vs pair of Js, KK vs AA hitting set of Ks, 99 hit a set vs AQo, A8s making a flush on river, QTs with a river flush, set of 44 vs KQ 2 pair

- Lost a big pot: KK vs QQ hitting a set on river, JJ on turn, 65s with a flushdraw, 55 hitting a set vs higher set JJ on river, 65s with a gutshot, AQo on the turn vs a raise, QQ vs a set of TT

I played 2 tables of Zoom NL2. I finished my session down $1.37! Live to fight another day!

[Session review]

I played 2 tables of Zoom NL2 for 04:07 hours. I finished $1.38 up.
I kept some stats to review my game....

- Took a walk: AA x6, KK x3, AJo, AKs x3, AKo x3, AQo x4, KQs, TT, JJ x2, AJo x3, QQ x2, AQs, KQo, KJs x2, 99

- Won a big pot: AQo with 2 pair vs Q9o, 87s, QQ vs JJ preflop shove, AA vs KK, KQs vs set of 88, KK vs QQ flop all in, T8o vs T9o with a straight, T9s vs AA with a straight on river, AQo vs 97o

- Lost a big pot: ATo vs JT made a river straight, AJs vs 75o, set of 66 vs a straight with 87s, JJ vs set of 66, AA vs AK straight, J8s vs A6s higher flush, AA vs KTs river flush, QQ vs AKs flush on turn

- Won a medium pot: QTo, ATo vs AQo, JTo vs Q8s, AJo, AQo vs QJs, KQs vs KJo, AJo vs KQo, 99 vs 88, QQ vs AJs all in pre, ATo full house on river, KK vs A3s, KK with set of Ks, 99 with turn bluff, KQo

- Lost a medium pot: KQs vs KK, QQ vs 44 river set, AJo vs QTo, 88 vs possible flush, AK vs AJ pair of Js, QJo vs KQs

- Bluffed river: 5

What do you miss about playing mtt? What have you gained playing cash?

[Session review]

Today I played 2x tables of Zoom NL5. I have decided to not bother with NL2 so as to move up faster. I had a net loss of $25.97!! Pokerstars had over 50,000 players online.

One thing I found out is I'm vulnerable in the first hands after I have joined, as I am not yet focused. I need to watch out those first few minutes that I am still adjusting to the game. Indeed, I lost my first big pot in the 3rd hand, when i was dealt JJ vs AA on a low board.

I am watching out to not become a "check-call zombie".I attack on all pots to take them down without a showdown. I am constantly alert in finding situations and reasons to bet. I am doing well in that. But my biggest problem is losing the big pots with big hands.

It takes ages to build my stack with small and constant wins. It also takes ages to get and win a big hand. But suddenly, I come across a big hand where I lose everything!!! It feels as if I am cursed to never keep my gains and always lose!

How I lost:
1. I got destroyed in one hand with a set of 6s vs higher set of AA!!!
2. I lost a big pot with QQ vs AA.
3. I lost another big hand with QJo vs AKs where I made 2 pair and villain made a flush.
4. I lost a big pot of 86xBB with AK vs J6 on a river flush.
5. I folded AA in two different situations and once QQ after I bled a significant amount of chips.

I like the vibe of MTTs. I like taking down bounties in Bounty builders. I enjoy becoming chip leader early.

On the other hand, I become pissed watching my stack go down and not being able to do anything about it. I hate being stuck at 40xBB and praying for my chance to get a big hand and move up. I also am annoyed that I have to wait for other players to play. I usually play Backgammon to pass the time because I am bored. Finally, tournaments take ages to play. I need on average 6-8 hours of play to win one.

In cash games I am more aggressive, since I know I can rebuy if I lose, and Cash out if I want to. I like that I am not "tied to the chair" as in tourneys, as I can stop my game anytime I want.

[Session review]

Today I listened to BBC Radio 1 with the latest pop and dance music. I played 2 tables of Zoom NL5. I decided to skip NL2 completely.
I'm very confused about my 3bet calling range I have not decided what it should be.

I lost a huge pot towards the end of the session which made me feel so annoyed. Oh well, either way, I won $23.31, which is amazing!

My stats:

- Won a big pot: AQs vs 75s, TT vs 99, set of 77 shove on turn, AK all in on flop vs 2 players, A3s river flush, A9s vs A4o with nothing, 79s vs ATo with straight vs top pair, set JJ vs KK, AQo vs A3o top pair, 22 vs 65s full house vs flush, set 99 vs KK

- Lost a big pot: AK vs unknown that bet big on river, AQ vs AJ that made a full house, QQ vs AA to river, set of 33 vs set of 88 all in on flop, AQ vs unknown shove on turn, KQs vs unknown bet on river, 77 vs KK higher set, TT vs AA higher set, ATo vs J9 straight on turn, AKo vs T9o full house

- Bluffed river: 2

- Called river bluff: 1

[Strategy notes]

My strategy is to pick up all the small pots with aggression, win big on my big hands, and lose the minimum in my losing hands.

I put on pressure with every hand by attacking every weakness.

My big weapon is my C-bet. I C-bet almost 100% with either 1/3, 1/2, or 2/3.

My biggest weakness is if I get into a passive auto-mode that checks all flops without putting any bets in.

I play snug on 4-bets at this level people are not bluffing.

I fold to flop check-raises, giving the benefit of the doubt to these noobies that underbluff.

Some of my tactics:
- Tactic #1: 3bet light x2 and bomb the flop with a C-bet
- Tactic #2: check-call on flop and then donk turn
- Tactic #3: bet when a high card comes on turn

[Session review]

Pokerstars has 8,979 players. I'm playing against all the regs. I'm playing 2 tables of Zoom NL5 and the occasional tournament in the background. I managed to win 8xbuyins at NL5, or $48.71. I am now moving up stakes to NL10!!

- Won a big pot: KK vs AK all in pre, TT vs KJo river straight, A6s vs QJs higher flush on turn, AJs vs unknown fold on the river, A4s vs unknown who folded on turn A, KK vs A7o, Q9s vs KJ full house on river vs flop straight, 99 vs KT set vs pair, A5s vs T9s bluff on river, T7s flush vs AT straight, 76s straight vs set of 5s, QTs vs unknown shove on flop, KK vs 87s 2 pair, A2s with set vs unknown fold on river, QTs straight vs KJ 2 pair, JJ vs AKo to the river, A6s vs KJo flush vs straight, KK vs unknown shoved on flop, QQ vs AQ, trip KK vs 88

- Lost a big pot: KJs vs unknown fold on the river, AQ vs KK preflop shove, ATs vs AA chasing a flush, AKo vs KJo pair of Js, AKo vs unknown raise on turn, KQs vs TT

- Got saved with worst hand:

- Bluffed river: 3

- Called river bluff: 2

- Check-raise bluff flop: 1

[Session review]

I just started playing NL10. I finished my session $35 up! More importantly, I feel as if I can settle on playing at the level of NL10! This is amazing!! 😀

I won my first hand with TT vs 88 and I feel great. I won my first big pot with AA vs QJ.

I kept track of some of my stats:
- Won a big pot: AA vs QJ, QQ vs AJs, set of 77 vs unknown raise on turn, 99 vs 66 higher set, 99 vs A8s full house over flush, AKs vs unknown shove on flop, AKs vs unknown, J9s vs AKo, A5s vs A3s full house vs straight, set of 77 vs AQ with pair, QQ vs JJ al in on flop, AK vs AJ straight, QQ vs unknown shove on turn with set, QJs vs unknown pair Js, AJs vs 86s pair of Js, AQs vs A8s higher pair Qs vs 8s, KJs pair of Ks fold on river, AA vs 99 shove pre, QTs vs 76s pair of TT, 67s vs QJs with pair on turn

- Lost a big pot: 97s vs unknown chasing a flush to river, KQo vs unknown fold on river, AQo vs KJs K trips, AKo vs unknown shove on river, A6s vs unknown folded on river chasing a flushdraw, AJo vs Q9 trips, AQs vs 89s full house vs flush, AQo vs Q9s 2 pair on turn, 64s vs JJ chasing a flush, AQs vs Q9s 2 pair on turn, AK vs AQ pair on river, KQo vs unknown shove on turn, A8s vs K9s, T8s vs JJ on a 3-barrel bluff, QJs vs AJs one pair of Js, 77 vs 99 on river, set of 55 vs AQs flop flush, 87s vs ATs higher pair Ts, 97s vs unknown chasing a flush to river,9s vs set of 33 on flop, AQs vs AK high card on river, K9s vs JTs straight vs trips

- Bluffed river: 8

- Called river bluff: -

- Check-raise bluff flop: -

[Session review]

Today was a fantastic day! I finished $62.18 up in profit playing Zoom NL10 for 6 hours! That's a profit of $10.61/hour!!

My goal is to float on NL10 waters, and even move higher up.

I'm living the dream. I have been waiting for this moment all my life! I feel as if I have solved poker. I feel invincible. I feel as if I finally got hold of this game. I know how to win! I can finally compete like a strong, winning player. I feel as if I can finally fulfill my dream: to become a poker pro!! I AM A GREAT POKER PLAYER!!!

I'm a bulldozer.
Slowly and methodically I fill up my stack. This is how you win: You must pummel them like a hammer! Don't give up on pots straight away.

Some stats:
- Won a big pot: J7s trips vs AA on turn, 44 vs unknown full house, KK vs unknown fold on turn, AA vs KQs with pair of Qs, AQo vs KTs chasing a flush, AKo vs 66, ATs straight on river, TT set vs JT 2 pair, QQ vs unknown full house, AJ vs unknown 2 pair, TT vs unknown fold on river, Q3s vs A9s 2 pair, set of QQ vs 2 pair AT, 55 full house vs trips, JTs vs unknown straight, JJ vs unknown shove on flop, AK vs unknown raise on flop, QJs vs A5o flush, AQs vs Q5 suited top pair Q, J9s straight vs 68s, QQ vs 66, JJ vs unknown, 75s 2 pair vs AQ top pair, AJs vs 88 flush on river, A2s trip 2s vs 99, JTo vs AQo straight vs pair, 87s vs ATo 2 pair vs single pair, A9s vs A6s 2 pair vs pair, 77 vs AK

- Lost a big pot: AK vs QQ, A6s vs AJs pair of As, QQ vs unknown folded on turn, TT vs JJ, QQ vs AA all in on turn, AQo vs A8s pair of 8s, AKo vs AQo 2 pair, T8s vs QJs 2 pair vs flush

- Bluffed river: 11

- Called river bluff: -

- Check-raise bluff flop: 1

[Highlight: What a bad beat]

[Session review]

There were only 9,900 players on Pokerstars at 13:47. It's a reg fest!!! I started listening to BBC Radio 1.

Trying to dominate the Zoom NL10 tables and establish a presence. I am the bomb. I'll be no pushover. I am a maniac!

Unfortunately my session was bad. I lost $44.72 on the Zoom NL10 and ended my session at 19:13.

I am thinking how to pick myself up after losing for a while! I keep telling myself good messages but it sucks.

I've gotta stop this session to cut my losses, and live to fight another day.

[A bad beat]

A bad beat after an all in on the turn. I declined to Cash out and now regret it!

[Session review]

There were 20,911 players online when I started my sesh at 18:45.

I played 2 tables of Zoom NL10 and later 4 tables. I finished my sesh at 21:50, down $14.18.

I stopped my session because I needed to take a break and reconsider my play.

I am trying to establish myself as a force on Zoom NL10. Sofar I had 2 winning and 2 losing sessions.

I am trying to gear up so as to get results faster, so at first I wanted to move up to NL25, but I think the better solution is to play 4 tables at a time.

[Session review]

I joined 2x Zoom NL10 tables, but I am considering playing 4.
When I started there were 11,547 players online, which is a reg fest. I had a net win of $1.38 after 4 hours of play.

I feel as if I have forgotten how to play poker! It takes a while for me to kick in to my knowledge.

I ended the session breakeven after a big loss with AQo vs a flush.

[Session review]

I am a mountain. I am a giant. I am a lion down in the jungle.
I have managed to establish myself in the Zoom NL10 level. I don't mind if I am just breaking even. This is a new height for me, and I seem to be adjusting.

I finished this second session today for $0.63 down. Live to fight another day!

[Session review]

Today I started with a cold shower with KK vs JJ that hit a set on flop. Hopefully I recovered shortly after with some wins, AQo vs QQ bluffed the river.

My mind is stuck saying: "You are down one buy in"!!

I love the moment where I pull a bluff and opponent folds!!!

Anyway, I finished down $6.03. Good luck for next time.

[Session review]

I joined Pokerstars atr 19:18 with 27,326 players online. I played 2x Zoom NL10 for 3h21m and ended my session $28.34 up. I had my share of coolers and downswings, but I am happy I came out profitable. I ended the session after a big loss to live to fight another day.