The Well: TOO EAZY!

[too eazy]

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- biggest epiphany when you "got" somthing


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hmm, good question. there were a few pretty groundbreaking (at the time) epiphanies i've had in my short "career." one of the biggest ones is that the game does not dramatically change just because you moved up one level. the subtleties that differentiate a good 2/4 reg from a good 3/6 reg are just that, subtleties, and it's important to not try and implement a massive overhaul of your game just becuase you are moving up in levels. you should just focus on playing your personal solid game and let the adjustments you make come "subconsciously" based off your reads on the new player pool (hope that makes sense, cause it was a huge one for me and something i think holds players back from successfully transitioning to a new level)

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- It is your contention (and I'm inclined to believe you) that most players up to .5/1 suck, many players from 2/4-5/10 suck. What do you look for in these sucky players when you are sitting down and choosing a juicy table. Any/all of:
- playing out of position too much
- folding too much in big pots
- paying off in pos
- paying off oop
- limp/calling
- passive and predictable
- too loose
- too tight
- other

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Not to sound like a prick, but these are basically all of the things I look for. You essentially hit the nail on the head here. In a full ring game I'm looking for players who generally have >25vpip or <15vpip because these are the ones that usually make their tendencies most readily clear. Finding ways to pick on the standard 15/10's is the hard part as they're often capable of adjustments more so than players at the other extremes. However, these players with solid looking stats still generally do have at least one of the leaks described above (as do us all), and it's a focus of mine to decipher which one of these leaks they do possess when I'm logging hands.

Nice question Stan, What limits/games do you play? Sounds like you've got a bit of experience or a lot of aptitude, one of the two.

[too eazy]

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How did you go about studying?
Sorry if its a dumb question

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Generally when I reference studying I am speaking mostly on conversing with someone over IM/MSN and posting/responding to posts in forums. Post hands that interest you, even if you didn't necessarily play it. Attempt to formulate thoughtful responses to others posts, you'll be surprised what you can teach yourself in the process. Analyze what other people write about other posts, you can gain a lot by studying another players' thought processes and use it at the tables. Go through your PT and evaluate your hands. Go through the hands of regulars you play against and look at the way they played big pots they won/lost. See if you can find a tell or a leak there. Players, especially full ring players, tend to play in a systematic fashion that can be absolutely exploited. Bet sizing tells are one of the biggest you'll find at the lower limits. Look at your own hands in PT and ask yourself on every hand what you could have done to win more / lose less. Even if what you would have to do seems -EV re-evaluate to make sure your thinking is clear.

I am adamant about all Poker Books in print being garbage. The people writing them aren't actively involved in the grind more often than not, and they may seem enlightening to a noob but you will gain very little from them that benefits you in the online arena (or most live games for that matter). Keep in mind that just about everyone at a poker table has read some of these books, but hardly any thoroughly read 2p2 posts daily. I am a staunch believer that you can learn the most about this game and your opponents by active forum participation.

Sorry for the novel but I wanted to cover all the bases, which I'm sure I didn't actively do so if you need more clarification or elaboration on something do let me know.

[ActionStan]

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Not to sound like a prick,
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Not at all. Part of it was wondering if you had favorite weaknesses and part was seeing if you thought a particular weakness you look to attack (you know, in case it's one I think I embody).

I play NL200 for the most part now (on Bodog for what it's worth, scale down as you see fit). I've played all the limits below at one time or another this year. I haven't been playing all that long. A little more than a year with any seriousness. I'm also not a high volume player (job, family, etc). I was lucky enough to have an epiphany about the value of the button (and by extension position) early on. That will take you a long way, I think. I was also lucky enough to find myself in a regular live game with 2 or 3 very good players of other people's hands. That was really eye opening at the time.

One more question:

Looking at my game, my earn is probably the worst in the hijack and hijack - 1. Part of that is skewed because I've had a disproportionately large number of coolers in those seats and I haven't played enough hands to see that attenuate completely. More of it, though, is I think I am loosening my range too much prior to the premium LP seats. How do you approach those crossover seats it terms of range and tactics? Man, I hate that friggin' seat.

[too eazy]

[ QUOTE ]
...snip...
Not to sound like a prick,
...snip...

Not at all. Part of it was wondering if you had favorite weaknesses and part was seeing if you thought a particular weakness you look to attack (you know, in case it's one I think I embody).

I play NL200 for the most part now (on Bodog for what it's worth, scale down as you see fit). I've played all the limits below at one time or another this year. I haven't been playing all that long. A little more than a year with any seriousness. I'm also not a high volume player (job, family, etc). I was lucky enough to have an epiphany about the value of the button (and by extension position) early on. That will take you a long way, I think. I was also lucky enough to find myself in a regular live game with 2 or 3 very good players of other people's hands. That was really eye opening at the time.

One more question:

Looking at my game, my earn is probably the worst in the hijack and hijack - 1. Part of that is skewed because I've had a disproportionately large number of coolers in those seats and I haven't played enough hands to see that attenuate completely. More of it, though, is I think I am loosening my range too much prior to the premium LP seats. How do you approach those crossover seats it terms of range and tactics? Man, I hate that friggin' seat.

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Alot of this has to do with the table. If the players in the blinds are seeing a lot of flops I'll open up more hands. If not I'll nit it up a little bit. Can't really give you guidelines here because people can play different hand ranges and VPIP's optimally, just focus on stopping yourself from playing one too many hands. Maybe cut out SC's and Ax Suited type hands if youre playing too many of them.

[Kraada]

What sorts of things do you make notes on people for?
Also: what shorthand have you found most useful in notetaking?

Thanks,

K

[guaranteedBluff]

"I understand that I may never reach my potential but I'm not playing to become the best, I'm playing for funds"

What do you plan on doing in the future/where do you see yourself in 10 years?

[too eazy]

[ QUOTE ]
What sorts of things do you make notes on people for?
Also: what shorthand have you found most useful in notetaking?

Thanks,

K

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I take notes on everything. I have at least a paragraph on every regular. I have my own shorthand and I think you should just develop your own because what works for me might confuse you. I literally take notes on everything, I can't really clarify because it's more than you need or want to take its just a bizarre habit I've developed.

[too eazy]

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"I understand that I may never reach my potential but I'm not playing to become the best, I'm playing for funds"

What do you plan on doing in the future/where do you see yourself in 10 years?

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I'm applying for a few jobs with the department of State and immigration and hope to have a career in public service at some form of international level. It's possible I'll grind out a few years after school if I don't get some of the better jobs I've applied for. I'm also just now starting to look into investing as I've recently had the good fortune to clear myself of student loan debt.

To answer the question more simply, I will probably ride out being a poker "pro" for as long as I'm making six figures, although with the instability of online poker it seems much more reasonable to pursue a career and be started in one by the time I'm 24 (I'm 21). I just am not a high-risk enough person to really pursue a shot at a stake as high as 10/20 at this point in my life. Maybe it will change.

[guaranteedBluff]

cool, good luck!

oh, and paying the student loans with poker money is definitely a great feeling.

[NT=TOOLBOX]

Why dont you like me?