chopping blinds or not? opinion from headsup expert

[Jun]

i am moving to LA for pro-poker playing because of the shutting down of all of the internet poker sites.

I am running into all of the questions on the table when i tell the players next to me that i am not chopping blinds. regulars will question me can me beat me the $5 rake in headsup which i don't even know myself. players who have no idea of headsup playing will fear my attitude and stay away from my table.

I have been playing 6max on internet for 2 years and i do plenty of blinds stealing and blinds headsup which most of the live players dont do. i thought i have a edge against them by not chopping blinds.

even if i don't have that much of edge, i still don't want to chopping blinds because it will create action and stress on the table which is strategically profitable.

I used to play live because i start playing on internet 2 years ago and i had no problem of no-chopping cuz a lot of pros donot chop. But this timme when i come back play live, most of the pros chopping for the increased rake in casinos.

I am looking for answers from serious players especially headsup expert who knows the numbers. Can I overcome the $5 rake against average players in blind headsup? I am currenntly playing in commerce casino in LA in limit holdem games starting from 20/40.

thanks

Jun

[amulet]

i don't chop, even with the rake being high. i think most people can't play properly heads up. i know in theory i should loose to the rake, but over 2 years i am way up. however, i also play much higher then 20/40.

i don't say "i don't chop". i say "i prefer to play". when asked about it, i tell people i feel so uncomfortable playing short handed that i am forcing myself to play until i am comfortable.

[Dennisa]

I think you will piss off some of the very rich regulars if you refuse to chop, the ones whom you will make most of your money against. The difference in LA from Vegas, is that there are a lot of rich people playing higher limits of poker. Chopping is far more of a cultural mentality, espcially at your limits of play.

You are correct, that its certainly +ev for you not to chop, but sometimes you just have to give up a little ev to keep the games enjoyable for the fish and have greater ev in the longrun.

[VORP]

The general consensus I've seen is that the rake is probably slightly beatable but doesn't outway the other effects of creating a serious mood at the table.

At 20/40+ most player don't really care either way. Do whatever you want, just don't get super defensive when someone at the table gives you crap about it. Just tell them you came to gamble it up, not chop blinds.

[GiantBuddha]

I thought they charged time in the higher limit games in LA. You can definitely make money off bad players by not chopping with them in the blinds, but IMO you'll make more money by being friendly with them so they actually enjoy sitting at your table. Having the fish like you is very +EV.

[truthadair1]

Re: chopping blinds or not? opinion from headsup expert
03/04/07 11:33 PM Edit Reply Quote Quick Reply



i don't chop, even with the rake being high. i think most people can't play properly heads up. i know in theory i should loose to the rake, but over 2 years i am way up. however, i also play much higher then 20/40. lol if you are playing much higher then you are paying time and the rake does not matter
lol if you play higher then you are paying time and the rake does not matter.

[DrewOnTilt]

[ QUOTE ]
I think you will piss off some of the very rich regulars if you refuse to chop, the ones whom you will make most of your money against. The difference in LA from Vegas, is that there are a lot of rich people playing higher limits of poker. Chopping is far more of a cultural mentality, espcially at your limits of play.

You are correct, that its certainly +ev for you not to chop, but sometimes you just have to give up a little ev to keep the games enjoyable for the fish and have greater ev in the longrun.

[/ QUOTE ]

QFT. Really, folks, you gotta keep the games friendly. IME a good compromise is to only chop with 7 players or more, and to refuse to chop 6 handed or less. Most people, even the rich fish, don't seem to mind this policy.

[GTL]

3.7KKKKKKKKKKKKK

lol doncuments

[Jun]

DrewOnTilt, thanks for ur input. i know u from 2+2 postings and i played u on party 6max limit games. i repect ur games and also ur opinions on 2+2.

i have been down to LA and playing in commerce for more than 1 month. most of my playing is in limit 20/40 and 40/80. i have been practice no-chopping policy and people think i am stupid because the rake is really high. i don't really knows the number and i have no track of my performence.

i do run into a rich fishy regular who is very pissed off my no-chopping policy and went nuts against me in the game. and most of the rich people play poker cuz they r egonistic and they think they can beat pros up in the games like Andy bill challannged all top vegas pros. so i think try to be humble and friendly in the game is not the best way to keep a rich fish. on the contrary, no-chopping policy is actually going to somehow irrate them and make the action. richs don't really care about losing couple of thousand in casino and they just want to beat u up in the game.

I also run into other players who don't know that much of the blinds headsup and blinds-stealings but started get involved with me in those two situations because i don't chop. they take it pretty persernally but they r really bad on those two things and lose monney to me.

for most of the players, i would be able to take their small blinds cuz they r afraid of playing headsup and i would be raise from small blinds in headsup and bet flop to take down the pot as earlier as possible. i also give up the small blinds right away for junks and muck big blinds junk hands if the guy raise me from small blinds. i do run into situations that i make way many plays in headsup and overbetting pairs hands headsup just because i am so used to internet 6max and headsup playing styles but i am going to fix that in the future.

so overall, i think i am going to be able to make profit by no-chopping and i donot think 7more people is not really going to affect anything. most of the people playing live don't know much about poker, they only knows how to try to be lucky in the full game by flopping a monster hand or good draws and try to win a big pot which i think pros has not much edge in those situations. and most people in 7+ table will be in that mood. i would think it's much easier to take down blind pots.

those r my exeperience and thought on chopping in limit games. but for nolimit games, i am take a chopping policy just because it's more of a trapping game and swing control issues.

thanks

-Jun

[HOWMANY]

Not chopping at 20/40 with a $5 drop is probably not so good. I seriously doubt that it could be worth more than a dollar or two in equity, which means you're profiting maybe $5 a session more while being that guy which cuts down on your long term profits by probably a lot more than $5/day. I always chop unless it's 5 handed or less. If I played higher than 40/80 I probably wouldn't chop because at that point I think I'd be giving up too much.