Let's give him some guidelines, thoughts, tips, ideas, lessons-we-learned-the-hard-way and other junk you wish you had known, before he sits down at the 1/2 NL tables again.. Some of these, he obviously understands, but, reinforcing it for him--or anyone else who might be interested--is never a bad thing..

A bad fold is much better than a bad call--What I mean is, if you find yourself in a situation where you're completely lost and you've got no idea what to put the villain on, it's better to fold the hand and move on, than it is to cross your fingers and hope for the best. Think your TT is good on that 7 high flop but he's just put in the third raise? Lay it down, big man! Lay it down! ..and don't sweat it if he shows you two 9's.

It's all about implied odds--Small pocket pairs and suited connectors/one-gappers will be your best friend against TAGs. I've stacked more people with two black fours than any other hand. But--and this is a big but--play them from late position. 2 off the button or later, preferrably, unless there's a limper or two infront of you.

Look for C-bets--and raise them, even with air--When I first started playing NLHE, I figured anyone who raised preflop and then led the flop had to have AT LEAST top pair. Turns out, I was wrong. If you see someone c-betting routinely, don't hesitate to raise them, even if you've got 6 high with no draw. "Raise the raiser, he'll usually fold."--Doyle Brunson.

Position, Position, Position; it's not a joke--I'd rather have ATs from the CO than AKs from UTG+1--and I'm not kidding. Playing hands OOP will kill you. Very few people show much, if any profit from UTG and UTG+1.

OH! I almost forgot..

Always, Always Overplay An OESD+FD; Gutshot SFD's too!--You're only behind top set and a bigger flush draw. Get after it, nancy boy. Don't be afraid to stick that in..especially if you got over over cards + OESD + FD.

Good post.

This one has always been an incredibly hard pill to swallow for me.

Good read.

Two 5's do not beat one 10

Ohhh...so you're one of those. I hate those people.

Seriously though, I probably need to get better at that. I've actually been running into a surprising number of people recently that are failing to c-bet and let me take the pot away. Also, there are some opponents that almost refuse to fold on a specific street after putting in a bet...this strategy doesn't work against them.

all are good pts

this is my weakness which i''ve been working on. i think i got the rest under control.

Im glad your back.

This needs a modifier: A bad fold is better than a bad call on the flop. Maybe the turn. But definitely not the river. If you've got to the river with your one pair hand and you think you're behind most of the time, but you're not sure, then you're probably better off calling. Your opponent will show crap more often than you think.


Let me add one more:

It's OK to call, especially in position When you're playing tournies with short stacks, it's real easy to get into the raise or fold mentality, but in cash games, a lot of times, a call will give you more information. If you got something like top pair, weak kicker on a high flop, a lot of the time, you're better off calling and trying to get a better idea where you're at rather than blowing all the hands that are beating you out of the pot, and putting in more money when you're behind.

That was actually one of the thinner more dependent ones. For people sitting at a 1/2 live game, you rarely find the table dynamic that you can raise a c-bet w/ air. At a 2/5 game you most certainly find it (but AC 2/5 players are crazy enough to repop w/ air.) 5/10, my limited experience is re popping C-bet's is good. No clue about 10/20+. Online, at 200nl-, I find it sort of astonishing how many players peel turns after getting a c-bet reraised. KQ, 55, 87, calling against A 9 5 type boards. Very dependent as some players at these levels are exceptional calling stations and others are 8 tabling weak-tighties. 400nl+ I'd say the reraising the c-bet is definately a solid move against most habitual c-betters.

DrawingDead,

Hey Thanks!

I just saw this.

Jordan linked it in another thread.

I have not read it yet; but I'm certain it will be a major asset.

oh and I play $25Nl

rarely.

but with this encouragment who knows, maybe not so rarely.

bump

bump

$1/2 live is showdown poker. You better have a better hand if you're involved in a pot like 90% of the time.

nice one year gap bump.

This was a good thread to resurrect.

Does DDIDM still hang aroung the NLHE strat section? I remember over a year ago, him and I used to be the only two late night regulars: good times, lots learned.

I'm so sick.

Why must I get sick in Vegas? I'll be back home soon...get sick there.

Two things.

IP palace is so toxic that it could kill Lance Armstrong. How do you think you stand a chance Naismith?

Also, Zach, do you have this thread framed or as the wallpaper on your computer or something?

EP raises to 15. I call from the BB with Kc7c. Flop is K72. I bet 30. He makes it 60. I make it 600. He instacalls with KQ.

That's why I'm at the IP.

Also, is smells like a sewer and I want to do violent things to the Dealertainers.

I just got a dirty look because I was laughing too hard after reading this.

*laff*


<3 it...

It took me about 30 minutes to find this fcking thread.

It's bumped for Ahson (aim786) who is apparently trying to learn NL, and I found it very helpful when I first learned NL.

I've forgotten it all now, but still.

It's also a good reminder for those of us who have played NLHE for so long, we sometimes forget a few of the most basic but important tenants of NLHE... Especially at the end of a 14 hour live session when all the hands start blending together into a hazy blur and your chips start to run away to the sanctity of your opponents' stacks before they, too, get stricken with insomnia.