DeathDonkey is in "The Well"

[johnnylovescandy]

Hello DeathDonkey,

I'd like your opinion on where (in the US) an aspiring LHE pro will consistently find the softest live games. What bankroll do you recommend?

Thank you...

[Frond]

Hi Mr. Death.

1. At what limit of LHE live did you first notice a disinct difference in the skill level?

2. Which(if any)are your favorite poker books?

3. Tell us about your transformation from a low limit player to a higher limit player if you could. Such as: what was your style early on, uber tight, loose, weak tight etc. Did you slowly change your style?

4. Who do you consider some of the better Live pro lHE players?

5. Do you like Gladiator movies?

[Fnord]

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I'd like your opinion on where (in the US) an aspiring LHE pro will consistently find the softest live games.

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In a public cardroom, California and it's not even close. (for Limit.)

[Bob T.]

Do you think moving up in limits, is like the experience people have while they are going to math classes?

For me, it went something like this....

I get this, I get this, I get this......I'm never going to be a mathemetician, because this is an alien language.

[bravos1]

DD, thanks for doing this!

1. In a recent thread (either here or DC, don't remember) we were talking about raising suited broadways if the pot had not been raised yet. What guidelines do you have regarding this? Your're not opening UTG w/ QTs right, so where does one draw the line? The hand specifically discussed in the thread was raising KTs in SB after a few limpers.

2. I am primarily a limit player beginning to dabble in NL. The LHE->NL forum is off to a good start and it is nice to see your presence there. What has been the most difficult part in transitioning from playing limit to playing NL?

DD, thanks again.

[DeathDonkey]

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What do you do to compensate for your image when playing against 2p2ers?

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Value bet very thin and find creative ways to play a hand so that my hand range is balanced with good hands and bluffs. Use my LAG image but don't tilt and be vigilant of when they are ready to try and mess with me because I'm out of line.

-DeathDonkey

[DeathDonkey]

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As they ask the NFL/MLB rookies, "What was your 'welcome to the big leagues' moment?" as in, when was the moment that you said, "Ah, I get it, I can do this?" Such that, and influential post, a hand you played or something you read, etc.

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So many...I was playing 2/4 and 3/6 full ring on Party and there was no 6 max between 1/2 and 5/10, so the first times I took shots at 5/10 6 max and didn't get killed were pretty awesome. I felt on top of the world. During that same stretch I found an 8/16 on UB that was absolutely incredibly juicy and sat with a short roll and ran pretty hot and felt great and then 5/10 didn't seem so scary.

The first time I played 15/30 live (while playing micros online) and realizing my 1/2 full ring game online was tougher. Playing in an old 50c/1 2+2 game with people that were high stakes 2+2er legends to me at the time and having (I think Clarkmeister but it was sooo long ago) tell me I played a few hands expertly. Realized then how interesting poker is when you play against other thinking players and realized many of my opponents do think about poker in some fashion and life is easier if/when I understand how and what to do about it.

Josh / Sthief once made a trip report post about playing 7.5/15 in AC all night and being a degenerate and missing his GFs something or other, and how he was quitting poker and he felt awful. I always used that as motivation to be safe with bankroll management and control my play and never really felt too degenerate in all my pokering.

-DeathDonkey

[DeathDonkey]

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Based on our HU session, what limit should I be playing?

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We played in the micro tourney right? If so you'll probably be fine up to 2/4 or 3/6 if you avoid regulars who will be LAGgy and frustrating. You just need to log a lot of hands and develop a feel for how often you run into pairs, etc. in certain spots so that your hand reading will be strong intuitively.

-DeathDonkey

[DeathDonkey]

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are you perfect at LHE? if not, what is the aspect(or aspects) of your game that could use improvement? anything specific you do(or are doing) to achieve this goal?

what other poker games do you play? which ones are you best at? how's the NL development coming?

what's the biggest leak you notice when reading posts in the small stakes(or any other) forum?

what's the biggest theoretical misconception that you notice in the small stakes(or any other) forum?

what is something most average 2p2ers fail to do that, if they did, would have the greatest positive impact on their game?

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In order...

Definitely not perfect. Just general hand reading / reactions against tough thinking LAGs that populate the higher stakes games, not trying to outplay fish and having patience (this is a tough one when you get "good" because you start thinking you can profitably play tons of hands vs fish - Ray Zee's stages of a poker player discuss this well). I'm practicing by talking to tough players about tough high stakes hands and hearing the way they think about a hand, and just playing and gaining experience I guess. I don't think that ever stops.

My second best game is probably 2-7 TDL, I think I am good at stud/8, and competent at Badugi and NL hold'em. I suck at Omaha in all forms and I never play stud high or razz really. NL I've gotten to the point where I don't feel I am a "limit player playing NL" anymore which is huge. I can beat smaller games with no problem and lots of live games because they are so soft. I have a tough time against smart good TAGs and LAGs but an easy time against the really mediocre ones. So I feel without putting in lots of thought / hands / etc. that I can beat any small stakes game and if the game is very soft, any size game where there are enough fish to compensate for me having to avoid the better players, which I would never feel is the case in limit.

Biggest leak I notice...well Ed Miller has written about it in micro but people still fold too damn much (good players I mean, fish clearly don't). Being very pessimistic in counting outs. A big one is thinking your opponents think and play like you do, and making faulty assumptions / conclusions because of this.

Biggest theoretical misconception...um, that higher stakes players / games are tougher? The only thing I can guarantee about high stakes players is they are generally wealthier than low stakes players [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

You ask tough questions, wow..average 2+2ers probably tilt too much and don't game select well enough. People like to think of themselves as a "2/4" or "3/6 6max" player which causes you to play in worse games or limit your options. They also tilt too easily and in subtle ways and don't realize that the game will still be there tomorrow.

-DeathDonkey

[DeathDonkey]

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where the hell is everyone this morning?

what 2p2 poster influenced you the most in your hold em development?

who is the best LHE player you've played against?

what are the highest stakes you've played?

what are the normal stakes you play?

what is your UTG raising range at a full table? UTG limp range(do people actually limp UTG anymore)?

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A case of the Mondays?

I would say Entity because we both progressed at around the same speed and would play together and talk all the time about hands and about the process of trying to move up and be great at poker. We both loved to outplay each other and rub it in if one of us had a big score or moved up first and that motivated both of us. I need to also mention Shillx because he and I used to talk about poker a ton and play together and I always felt he was the best micro poster never to break through for whatever reason.

Infrequent 2+2er Nikla owned me too many times to count when we'd play together online. Live, MadCaddy and Devon / SavageGamble both played flawlessly whenever I've seen them/ played with them.

I've played 400/800 live both straight hold'em and mix games, 100/200 online.

I normally play 100/200 live these days and online fluctuates a ton, 10/20 to 30/60 ring, 5/10 to 15/30 HU, 400 NL, etc.

Um, rarely play full table but I'll guess something like: 88, AJo, ATs, KJs, KQo, QJs. UTG limp range if the game deserves it could be any pair, or could just be 77, 88 (tough game), JTs, T9s (maybe), A8s, KK, AA, AKs (sometimes, LRRing obv).

-DeathDonkey