[elindauer]

Hi James,

Very interesting post. I think that this kind of discussion will really help people to understand the game. Oddly enough, once they understand this, they'll then choose to (often) make the exact same exploitative / exploitable plays they are currently making... so what's the point?

Well, the point is, there's a big different between playing exploitively and knowing it (and why), and just thinking you are making the default play. When you are playing exploitively and know it, you'll also know when the mistake you are trying to exploit isn't there... basically, you have learned how to play against tough players, a very handy skill for moving up in limits.


ok, back to your post. I think you are generally on the right track, but want to point out a few things:

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so what we're really shooting for here is a default range against a typical player. it's a range that should have components that serve more than just one purpose.

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I don't really think this is true. Against a typical player, you may very well want to use an exploitable strategy that only includes big made hands and huge draws raised for value.

What you are really looking for is the strategy you would play if you knew your opponents knew what you were doing, and would adjust to it perfectly. THAT is the "default" play, even though you may never play that range in a real game!

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since poker is a struggle for calculated deception...

...the smallest portion of your flop capping range is going to consist of pure bluffs. it should be very small proportionately and only be done for fairly specific reasons...

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In this paragraph, you seem to bounce back and forth between trying to find the "default", game-theory-optimal hand range, and trying to find the best hand range to actually play in your game.

Start by finding the game theory optimal play. Then adjust that range to take advantage of exploitable player tendencies. In the game theory optimal solution, you will never "feel your opponent is on a draw", so this argument is moot. This is excellent practical advice, just not relevent to the conversation we should be having.

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this allows you an edge that exploits their play while also working to keep yourself from being exploited in return. these mistakes are the root of our profit in hold em.

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I think this paragraph is highly misleading. Playing an optimal range doesn't induce mistakes. In fact, your entire goal is to make your opponent indifferent to calling / folding / raising! If it doesn't matter what your opponent does, then you must be playing a 0 EV game (in fact, a losing game after you consider rake).

Now, it's true that your opponent CAN still lose to you. He could fail to raise the nuts in position on the river. Generally, these mistakes would break down to serious misjudgments about the range of cards you are playing.

Generally though, playing the "default" game will result in you and your opponents pushing the money around due to variance.

The way you make money in poker is to judiciously ignore the default play, picking a different range from the one you would play if your opponent played perfectly. You are in turn playing a game which can be exploited, but you are banking on the fact that your opponent won't realize this, and will continue to allow you to take advantage of him.

Good players do realize these things. Sometimes, even bad players figure things out. Hell, they may just go on tilt and accidentally start playing a game that exploits you. THAT is why you want to know the default play... it forces you to have a reason to deviate, and it gives you a baseline to deviate from. You can choose to deviate just a little, or a lot, depending on the strength of your read and the profit you dare to gain / risk.

good luck.
Eric