The Well: JKratzer (summary 13/10/06)

[bubaloo]

The Well: JKratzer (summary 13/10/06)

[ QUOTE ]
A stranger is being shown around a village that he has just become part of. He is shown a well and his guide says "On any day except tuesday, you can shout any question down that well and you'll be told the answer" . The man seems pretty impressed, and so he shouts down: Why not on tuesday? and the voice from in the well shouts back: Because on tuesday, its your day in the well.

[/ QUOTE ]

i rarely read/post in ssnl anymore, but i used to back in the day and learned a lot. not sure what the etiquette is, but i'm bored right now so if guys want here i am. it's about 8:10 where i'm at, i'll answer questions for the next 30 minutes.

also, here's my 1000th post: ( http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showfl...rue#Post6030958 ) it's a little history about me for the curious.

<font color="blue"> History of playing: ie what limits and when? Biggest win biggest loss? Current limit? Lifetime amount won? Winnings per year? Favorite hand ever? :-D </font>

i started ~ 5 years ago playing real small stakes limit on truepoker. didn't get serious about it until 2 years ago. played small stakes on party/various sites full ring. basically just grew my bankroll and moved up when i could. finally switched to 6 max about 9 months ago and that's when i really started making money and could see my game getting better. sorry, i don't know exact dates for each jump, just general.

currently play 5/10 and 3/6 on party (6 max).
lifetime won is probably around 150k.
winning per year, hmmmm didn't keep track thought college really, it was my hobby and i took money out when i needed it. last year probably about 40-50k. this year should break 6 figs.
don't have a favorite hand, but the biggest hand i ever lost was when i was playing 10/20nl on party when it first came out (before i learned bankroll management [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] ). a fish had $3500, i had him covered. he raised to $222 in EP. i made it $888 w/ KK in MP. he pushes, i tank and call. he had AKo, hit an ace.

<font color="blue"> a few questions relating to the linked post.
how long is an average session for you?
how often do you take breaks?
you said don't have distractions. do you listen to music or is absolutely nothing else going on when you play?
do you have a stop loss for a session (i.e. number of buyins lots on a table or total)? for a level? (like at 5/10 how did you decide when to move back down?)
lastly, will you ever make another video? i liked the one you posted a while back.
thanks. </font>

average session ~3 hours. i'll take bathroom breaks but other than that it's pretty constant.

i listen to music while i play, mostly to help me ignore other distractions.

i don't have a specific stop loss amount, but if i take a bunch of beats or get coolered a ton i usually can't maintain my A game. if i make a decision that i realize isn't great i take it as a sign to stop for now. i used to try to "play through" my tilt, basically tell myself to stop tilting and play better. now i just stop for a couple hours.

yeah, i can probably make another video. if i get a chance to play tomorrow at party i'll try to make one. not sure if i still have the software and stuff but we'll see.

<font color="blue"> Are you going to continue trying to play on party? Did you already take out most of your roll? You are from the US, no? Where are you going to play now? (assuming answer to first question is no) </font>

i'm from the u.s. (iowa). i don't really know what the situation is going to be once party cuts us off. i plan on playing at the site with the most players, if it's party and i can play there, i'll try. if it's somewhere like stars i'll go there. i think it's going to be a couple weeks before things get sorted out so i'm of the mindset "wait and see". i have accounts at all the main sites so i'll be playing a little everywhere and of course reading 2p2 before i settle down somewhere.

most of my roll is out of party, just left enough to play the last couple days.

<font color="blue"> like at 5/10 how did you decide when to move back down? </font>

i moved down after about -5 buyins per shot. it wasn't so much about the money, although that is obviously an issue. i just didn't feel confident when i started my sessions that i would win. i didn't know what adjustments i had to make and it was getting to the point where i couldn't play well because i didn't have the confidence i needed. i finally feel like i'm a winner at 5/10 but i still think my WR at 3/6 is probably better. leaving my comfort zone is something i have to do to get better though, i don't want to stay at 3/6 forever.

<font color="blue"> When you were coming up, who were the posters that you learned the most from? </font>

i don't have any specific posters off the top of my head. i always read stuff from the regulars that are one limit above me, or at my same limit. more than what one person says i feel like i learn the most when regulars disagree on points. then a lot more reasoning is given and i find myself evaluating the different lines. currently at msnl i really like MDMA, TheWorstPlayer, Big_Jim, cts, Triumph36, among others. there's a lot of good players, but not everyone explains stuff well. also, differences in style can be important. sometimes people say things that work well with their style but i know it wouldn't work with my style. those distinctions are important.

<font color="blue"> I play .50/1 and 1/2 NL FR games right now, multi-tabling 3-4 tables at once. I feel confident playing at these stakes but lately I have been thinking about switching to 6-max games because it seems like there is more $ to be made there. What are some of the most important changes I will need to make in my game when making this move? BTW - I'm currently running around 22/7/2 over the 30K hands I've played at .50/1 and 1/2.
thanks,
ts- </font>

your postflop play is going to be much more important. you'll need to pay more attention to how people play their hands because ranges will be wider and players will be more deceptive. also focus a lot more on position. to start play tight and work on your game. after you get comfortable you can work on loosening up (or not, after all i'm pretty nitty). i find 6 max to be much more fun and enjoyable. oh yeah, play less tables to start also. like 1-2.

<font color="blue"> Strongest/weakest parts of your game?
I've just made 2/4 my reg game having been at .50/1 and 1/2 for what seems like an eternity. Any particular adjustments you think are important for the jump into official msnl territory?
Paul </font>

i'd say the strongest part of my game is game selection. sounds silly probably but i attribute a significant part of my WR to finding good games. at 3/6 and 5/10 there's a bunch of decent regulars. i try my best to steer clear of them. i don't think they are better than me necessarily, but my edge versus them isn't that great so why play them?

weakest part is probably playing against hyperaggressive players. people that reraise me a lot, c/r me a lot, are always betting, etc. if they're doing it intelligently i have trouble adjusting and feel outmatched. then i basically am forced to wait for a good hand at which point they can get away easily. if i find myself against someone like this i usually switch tables (see my strengths).

the biggest changes i remember is that people get more aggressive. they will c-bet more, reraise with a wider range and in general be more deceptive. drop a couple tables and really try to get good reads. notice different player's tendencies and try to figure out how to exploit them.

<font color="blue"> Here's a question or two:
I've been playing limit (mostly 4/8 LIVE in Los Angeles) for about a year, and am just now switching to NL. Again, mostly live.
1) Starting hands and position seem much looser in NL - it seems that any pocket pair could be excellent due to implied odds. What about trash hands? More playable? Are starting hands that important when in late position?
2) Regarding position - in "No Limit Hold Em Theory and Practice" Sklansky writes about relative position being as important as absolute position. I.e. the person on your RIGHT being important - this seems to go against position in limit, where you have the advantage over the person on your right. What are you thoughts on relative position? What kind of person do you want seated on your immediate right or left?
3) 6 Max. everyone talks about it - I only see it online. What are the key adjustments to play 6 max correctly/profitably?
Thanks!
AB </font>

in general preflop requirements are much looser in nl. pocket pairs are very good and should be played whenever you can get in relaltively cheaply. postflop play is going to be much more important since that's when stacks are won/lost.

i haven't read the nl book. however, you want loose, fishy players on your right, tight players on your left. since you want to be playing pots with the fish (loose) and not the tight player you will have position on the player you will be in a lot of pots with. at the same time, if someone is giving you a lot of trouble, tight or not, them having position on you isn't going to help. if you can't just switch tables then try to have position on them.

postflop play is more important in 6max because it is correct to play a lot more hands. get good reads on people and mix up your play enough that they don't have good reads on you. this doesn't mean you have to do crazy [censored], just don't fall into a rut or play on autopilot all the time.

<font color="blue"> can you explain your logic (if possible) in this hand from your video (which is great by the way):
43/10/2.68 villain (who covers you) open limps from the CO, you raise JJ to 33 on the button, he calls.
Flop: A66 (two diamonds)
check, you bet $55, he C/Rs to $125, you call.
Turn: Kh
He bets $200, you push for 470...
I've been trying to get a handle on these kinds of hands (overcards to your pair as well as how to deal with tricky weakish flop C/Rs)
Thx,
vab </font>

this hand generated a lot of discussion the first time i posted the video.

here's a link: http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showfl...rue#Post6093290

<font color="blue"> what techniques do you use to study?
Lots of people suggest that a ratio of 1/3 reviewing/studying 2/3 playing is about right - but how exactly do you study, and what methods would you recommend to SSNL players in general for studying?
e.g. everyday before I hit the tables I look through yesterdays play and review big pot's that I won/lost and try and figure out if I could have made a better read, taken a different line, squeezed more EV out of each hand I played - and if I spot a couple of hands I think are good to post or I am not sure about then I post them to the forum and get some feedback.
How can I improve my study technique? [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
Assuming that online poker continues in it's present fashion i.e. with roughly the sme ratio of fish:reasonable players whatever site we all end up playing on - how difficult is it for someone of average+ intelligence who is prepared to work hard at their game to make decent money (say a few K a month) playing part time online poker (enough to buy cool toys and stuff) and at what limit do you think that you need to be talented at poker as well as hard working in order to succeed at in the long run?
e.g. I reckon $200NL is easily beatable by anyone who works at their game (tho I've only just moved up to $100) - but that unless you have some natural poker talent then $400+ is going to be very hard going.
Basically I plan on building a roll to make it to $200NL and then once I get that far to stay at that level and start making occasional withdrawls - should I instead work on making it up to 5/10 before I start withdrawing and are there still plenty of fish about at higher levels?
Do you recommend getting a coach or is it simply better to post hands on the forums/post advice (which might well get corrected by better players) until you are playing MSNL stakes?
thanks for taking the time to post down here again in SSNL. </font>

i'll admit my studying techniques are probably lacking. i used to read books and put a lot more time in studying than i do now. now, most of my "studying" is spent on 2p2, posting hands and replying to other people's posts. i do occasionally go over sessions and review my big hands (won and lost) to try to come up with better lines. i'd say your technique sounds very good.

i think anyone of average intelligence that really applies themselves and puts in the time and effort should be able to beat 100nl, and probably 200nl if poker stays more or less how it is. as far as natural ability, it's tough for me to say what limit a person would hit a "wall" at. for me the first time i struggled was moving from 3/6 to 5/10. some people stuggle from 1/2 to 2/4. i'm above average intelligence, always did well in school, scored high on standardized tests, etc. at the same time i've been playing poker online for real money for about 5 years now. not always seriously, but still that's a lot of experience. the more and more i've played, the more experience has helped. there's a lot to learn from the forums, and books and studying in general. but, experience is what has honed my hand reading and "gut instincts". that is what allows me to play at 5/10, and to a lesser extent 3/6. by the same token there are players that i was playing 2/4 with 6 months ago that are now beating the highest games online.

sorry, i know that probably wasn't the answer you were looking for, i just don't know what factors affect each person.

as far as when you want to start withdrawing money, i really think it depends on your goals. if you do this recreationally and it's just some extra income for toys/vacations/etc. then 200nl should provide enough for that while being relatively stress free once you get used to the stakes. i'm playing professionally, so i feel like i should always be striving to improve and move up stakes. so i say think about your goals and find a level you're comfortable at.

as far as coaching - that's a tough one. i never had a coach and lots of successful players didn't. but there is a lot to be said for having one. they can speed up your development a lot. however, coaches are usually expensive and for a small stakes player it can seem like a lot, when you're paying the equivalent of a buy-in per hour. unfortunately for the student the coach is taking a paycut even at those seemingly exorbitant rates. if the money isn't a concern, get a coach because it will only help. if the money is a concern because you're trying to build a bankroll or just don't want to spend a lot to get better, wait until you hit your "wall" which is different for everyone. when you get stuck and can't beat a certain limit, get a coach. better to pay them to fix your leaks then pay your opponents through losing poker.

good questions matrix, i hope i at least kind of answered them, again feel free to pm me about anything i wasn't clear on. i know i'm not the most coherent writer.

<font color="blue">
1. GP or Mahatma?
2. Beatles or Stones?
3. Rachel, Monica or Phoebe?
4. Floating or bluffraising?
5. 3-betting or coldcalling in position?
6. 4-betting PF or calling 3-bets and shoving flops?
7. Donkaments, poker or not poker?
8. 20/15 or 30/20?
9. Toughest opponent you play on a regular basis?
10. Post some memorable hands.
11. What's the worst hand you've ever called a shove (&gt;50BB) with PF?
12. What site are you playing at now?
13. BBV or OOT? </font>

mahatma.
beatles.
rachel.
floating.
3betting.
4betting.
poker.
16/12 [img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]
if i find someone tough i try not to play them at all, but lately i haven't been able to avoid Tizerd MD very well.
here's some against one guy link: http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showfl...rue#Post6565710
this one was pretty cool too. http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showfl...rue#Post6107863
calling a shove, probably nothing real bad, i'd guess a lowish pocket pair.
i haven't decided on a new site, probably either fulltilt or pstars, wherever the fish go.
bbv4lyfe

<font color="blue"> While I come up with more questions:
1. List some favourite TV shows, movies, bands, cds, and whatever else you feel like.
2. Top 10 2+2 posters ranked from 1-10.
3. Do you have any aspirations of ever playing the nosebleed stakes games (100/200+)?
4. Do you play any other games than NLHE?
5. Badugi or TD? </font>

i like cartoons - south park, family guy, aqua teen hunger force. movies - the departed is awesome, everyone should see it. also standard favorites - gladiator, goodfellas, super troopers, grandma's boy, rounders, enter the dragon, demolition man. music - rap (snoop, game, eminem), rock (metallica, audioslave), hippie music (dead, ymsb, phish).

i couldn't rank them, but posters i like (not necessarily for strat) are yvesaint, cts, grimm, twp, dj sensei, big jim, parlay slow and aj fenix.

i would sell my soul to be a nosebleed player. i have accepted that will probably never happen.

only thing other than nlhe cash games is mtt's. i'd like to get better at those, and i play them occasionally.

i don't know either.

<font color="blue"> How do you stay a winning player at 5/10 when you have pretty tight stats of 16/12?
How does anyone pay you off ?
My understanding was that you have to open up your game more as you move up, or is this strictly just a playing style you use along with table selection and targetting specific fish ? </font>

re: me playing like a nit. i don't think it's ideal, i do probably lose some action playing that way from regulars. i don't think there is an "ideal" preflop style, everyone should play their own way that they are most comfortable with. i play pretty tight but i'm aggressive and in NL postflop is a lot more important. i can still bluff, i play suited connectors and low pocket pairs and i steal with a wide enough range that i don't think i can be narrowed down too much based on preflop play. loosening up is something i plan to start doing soon, but this style has been working for me lately so i haven't been in a rush to change it. i still get called down by middle pair from people, bluffs of mine still get picked off. i don't suffer from lack of action and if i do on a particular table i just adjust accordingly and start raising/bluffing a lot more. also, like i said earlier i think my game selection is one of my strong points. i try not to sit with regulars, thus a lot of my opponents don't know how i play and if they do they're usually bad enough that they still pay me off with tptk.

all in all i think preflop stats are overrated.

<font color="blue"> how much would it cost a decent 200nl player to get coached by you, by the hour? </font>

i would charge $125/hour, but right now i'm not looking to take on any students. perhaps in a couple weeks.

[Paul Thomson]

get a job. or do some school work [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

thx

[RUDIKULOUS]

ty bub you are my hero bro.

[Sorcerer808]

ty ty! I really liked bobbofitos's I'll read this one tonight

[orange]

added

[_dave_]

Bubaloo you are a hero.

ty ty ty [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Trikkur]

you are my new favorite poster btw