Reading data in Winning in Tough Hold'em Games

[Carlson411]

Just got this book and I find it very interesting. It looks like a very well thought out book. I like these data charts. However, since I just started reading this book I notice its going to take me a month or two to really review and adjust my game to this data. This is a lot of data. How are you guys reviewing the data? Are you trying to memorize it or just skimming through the pages? What's your approach to reading this much data and applying it to your game? Another thing I notice is that the amount of times a certain hand was used in a certain position kind of skewes this data. Am I correct? To clarify what Im saying is that they are using pocket AAs 200x in position 3 and saying it wins x% and they are saying that a 10 8s hand was used once and that type of player one $700-1000. Once or twice is just not enough times to put a hand like that on a chart. I also think using a hand only 50-100 times may not be that much. Internet play a hundred hands can be 1 hour or 20-30 mins. Full ring games also become shorthanded and/or play tight(4-5 seeing the flop) so are you adjusting your play by using the concepts and theory in this book or you just applying this book to 6 ring games?

[stoxtrader]

the data is used to determine general preflop guidelines. I don't think memorizing the information will be much help, but reading the text and examining the open raising/defending/stealing suggestions and understanding some of the way we got there by double checking the empericial evidence from the data would probably be mor worthwhile.

Also, be careful assuming that "AA wins X in certain spots" as all of the results are simply emperical averages and of course will suffer from sample size issues. In other words we are saying "AA has won X in this spot" over Y number of trials for these three players and this is our best way to estimate it's value. we are NOT saying AA will average winning X in this spot for every player or even the examined players going forward.

[Carlson411]

[ QUOTE ]
the data is used to determine general preflop guidelines. I don't think memorizing the information will be much help, but reading the text and examining the open raising/defending/stealing suggestions and understanding some of the way we got there by double checking the empericial evidence from the data would probably be mor worthwhile.

Also, be careful assuming that "AA wins X in certain spots" as all of the results are simply emperical averages and of course will suffer from sample size issues. In other words we are saying "AA has won X in this spot" over Y number of trials for these three players and this is our best way to estimate it's value. we are NOT saying AA will average winning X in this spot for every player or even the examined players going forward.

[/ QUOTE ]
Thanks Stox. My head was going to explode by trying to memorize all that data in groups. Only way to memorize most of that info is to group it in. I'd also have to fit myself into the grinder category and the "grinder" plays from 10-20 through 50-100. Very interesting book. I give myself two-three weeks before finishing it, now lol.

[Gildwulf]

The data is the equivalent of references in a major research paper or an appendix data set in a stats project. For real world applicability, I don't think you really need to pay attention to the charts at all. As long as you accept their research methods and assume that the data is valid you can just take their conclusions (hand ranges, how to play in certain situation) from it at face value.

[MicroBob]

Unless, of course, you think memorizing all the charts would be a fun thing to do.

[Carlson411]

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Unless, of course, you think memorizing all the charts would be a fun thing to do.

[/ QUOTE ] LOL. I think its actually grueling. Would basically memorize the hands used and than use those hands in the positions stated. I'll move on though and just skim through the hands. I like reviewing data though. Good job on all this data.