Need some advice!

[averick]

Re: Need some advice! Tks Nade, dropped you a PM. Btw, I'm currently on the trial version of PT3, and will be trying out HEM after the trial ends before deciding which software to purchase. Which software do you guys prefer? Your opinions should make my decision somewhat easier.

[GaF]

Re: Need some advice!

If anyone would like to analyse my play (i.e. hand histories) and provide me with more tips' date=' like deadlydave has done with GAF and TQM, it would be greatly appreciated too.[/quote'] Have you considered trying the leakbuster software (integrated into HEM, but also usable with PT3 I believe) - I bought it this morning and first impressions is that it should be pretty good at highlighting my major leaks.... As an example, the screenshot below is what I get back on one of my databases. Each category is rated from 1 (Big Leak) to 10 (no issues) - it reckons my biggest leak is playing too tight out of the SB, followed by folding too often in the SB to a steal. Looks like I should on my SB play!

[Nade]

Re: Need some advice! I think the bigger leak is call 3bet % - being too tight in the SB is not a major leak, you're losing half a blind when you fold and when you play a hand it's the top of your range that's never a bad thing, but calling 3bets is a big leak and is a bad habit i got into earlier this month playing lots of tables but went through my DB spotted the leak and stopped it straight away as mentioned in the challenge thread i think.

[GaF]

Re: Need some advice! Cheers Nade - I'll look into that as my priority :ok 44% does seem a ridiculously high call rate for 3bets :loon I find it somewhat hard to believe :unsure

[averick]

Re: Need some advice! This looks good GAF, I've always wondered how I could use PT3 to find my leaks. Damn, I'm just one level away from being able to purchase the standard version! Some quick questions: Is their trial version fully functional, and for how long? If not, what are the limitations? I couldn't find it on the site. By the way my paypal account got banned a couple of years thanks to some chargeback exploiting scammers :(and I gave up trying to resolve the issue with paypal. If I decide to purchase this will anyone be kind enough to purchase this for me in return for a transfer on Stars?

[GaF]

Re: Need some advice! My screenprint is from within HEM. The HEM trial is fully functional, but time limited. Leakbuster is a seperate purchase - you can use leakbuster as a trial within HEM, but it is not fully functional - just some of the ratios in my screenprint are available in the trial, and not all of the other options (mainly tutorial videos from a quick look). The purchase price would I imagine pay for itself for you pretty quickly. If you cant work out a means of paying for it, I'll pay for it through paypal for you, in exchange for a Pokerstars transfer - however they do offer other options - I remember seeing moneybookers as one - I imagine if you contacted them too, they'd work something out for you (it's better for you I think if you can pay for it yourself directly, so that you have the direct relationship with them if you have any problems/need any support.

[averick]

Re: Need some advice! So would the leakbuster trial be useful at all in allowing me to evaluate its usefulness? I suppose 3/4 of a buy-in would be a small price to pay if it helps me to identify and clsoe up my leaks. Sent them an enquiry regarding payment via moneybookers, will let you know if I do need your help though. Thanks!

[averick]

Re: Need some advice! Got this from the trial version Anyway I couldn't see what was below the BB fold to steal column, am i missing out on anything important?

[GaF]

Re: Need some advice! Mine arent in the original order any more - so I dont know what comes next.... You can sort by any of the columns by clicking on the heading - if you sort them, then you'll see what is below ;) (assuming you sort them to the top...)

[averick]

Re: Need some advice! Tks alot, contacted John Anhalt personally to enquire on payment via Stars and it was available, however I will try out HEM first and make a decision in January.

[averick]

Re: Need some advice! Had my first cash game session of 2010 and it was pretty "normal", and I still have that bad habit of not wanting to end a session in the red. Had a pretty interesting graph though, I don't think I've had this before. Does the positive red line mean that I am being too aggro post flop; but lucky enough not to get called often enough? Or is the sample size too small to really deduce anything.. The $100 downswing at ~hand 1450 was due to AA vs KQ; I check raised my opponent all in on a K high flop, but he rivered a Q for 2 pair.

[Nade]

Re: Need some advice! Hmm the mystery of the red line. Some days i've thinked i've worked it out but most days i'm left wondering wtf. Can only speak from a personal PoV but 99% of my winning days have a negative red line and i think the reason is i look to play lots of pots with fish and so because trying to push them off 1 pair is never a good idea i give up vs them post flop when they show aggro but i specialise i getting value from 1pair+ vs them so my showdown is always vgood. The rare days my non-sd is positive i think it's because i'm vbetting against air more often and bluff catching less by barrelling and check raising less. I think what it comes down to for me is when i'm running badly i'd prefer a better red line as then i'm not relying on having a hand to win pots but the the reality is my playing style will nearly always have a negative red line as i'm good at getting value and bluff catching. The main way i've found to get a better red line is to 3bet a lot in position and barrel 2/3 streets all the time. But whether bluffing all the time is of more value for me then playing for value is something i may never know. None of that might not really help you but its all i know on the subject :lol

[averick]

Re: Need some advice! You mostly play NL200 6 max right? I thought at that level there would be a lot more competent players compared to fishes. Sounds ironic to me that you specialise in value betting when shorthanded games are supposedly aggressive but what do I know about those games anyway:tongue2 Anyway I'll continue playing this new style of mine, and see how the red line turns out at the end of January. My discipline is pretty poor though, I should learn to quit when I'm up by, say 3 buy-ins even though I've only played for a short while. But then I always tend to subscribe to the "stay if you feel if you have an edge over the rest" theory which usually leads to a downswing followed by some tilting.

[Nade]

Re: Need some advice! I play 100nl 6max and theres a fair few fish, a lot of nitty regs who are transparent so you can avoid getting value-towned by them and instead value them easy and a few aggro regs. 200nl is apparently still v similar these days to 100nl apart from slightly more aggro according to 2p2 regs. Short handed games are aggro but that doesn't mean everyone is always bluffing, in fact the opposite is true - regs at 100nl barely 3 barrel, check raise or shove as bluffs so the games are essentially based around getting the most from your hands by making less mistakes post flop then everyone else and because people don't like to fold at small stakes most people have a negative red line from the 2p2 graphs. So some would say the counter play to most people is to play really aggro LAG and bluff all the nits all the time but there's only one LAG i know of playing small stakes who is a winner, the rest are busto or breakeven. The point is though any style can be profitable at a poker table, it's knowing how people react to your style that is the key for me. I'm going to search 2p2 and see if there's any info on there about red line at full ring but i'll just say for now the important thing is your thick green line and that looks vhealthy :ok

[averick]

Re: Need some advice! I guess my view has been distorted by those high stakes cash games. Yes it's a pretty good strategy to play one way against the nits and another against a different style, the problem comes when you're up against a tricky player, manipulating him is key imo, something I have alot to improve on.

because people don't like to fold at small stakes most people have a negative red line from the 2p2 graphs

I assume that you refer to those that call the flop and turn but fold the river? If they go to showdown its their blue line that will be affected right. And thanks for helping me search up on the red line:ok I've learnt not to get too excited about winnings early in the month, was up 1k at one point in December, but ended up with only $20 of profits!:$

[averick]

Re: Need some advice! Sorry but I don't know where to post this.. Anyway I have a 50 GBP Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificate which I redeemed for Stars with the intention of purchasing some books, but since I do not need this anymore I would like to sell it away. Any takers?

[Woodie]

Re: Need some advice! There's usually a buyer within minutes on 2+2. I used my fpps to buy the £250 one before xmas didn't sell it though used to pay for presents :). You could properly get face value on there to so post up a thread in marketplace.

[averick]

Re: Need some advice! I've not been a member for long enough to post there yet; anyway I have more interaction with the people here so I figured there would be less chance of a problem occurring:)

[averick]

Re: Need some advice! Red line was back to "normal" today; but very happy with the day's profits considering that my hand reading and ranging was pretty poor in some occasions. That probably lead to the lower red line today. Anyway I wanted to ask for opinions in this situation: 1. You flat call a pre flop raise in position resulting in a heads up flop 2. The preflop aggressor checks to you, you put in a bet, and he check raises. How often should you bet when checked to, and on what sort of board texture? Would calling such a check raise with TPTK usually be +EV? This happened to me today against opponents whom I did not have too much information on so no stats provided.

[Nade]

Re: Need some advice! It's hard to give an exact answer without knowing your image, villains image, game flow etc. but the general answer is if you like to take lots of flops in position then the good adjustment to make for a villain is to start c/r you on dry boards (if they have air). If you can spot this then you can then float their c/r and see if they shut down on the turn and its easy money but you'll probably only get 1 maybe 2 chances in a session to do this. I'd nearly always call a dry flop with TPTK, i'd have to think about dynamics and stuff if the board was say: 9cTcQd because there are going to be a load of bad turn cards for AQ so i'd probably fold on a really drawy board top pair because people just don't total air bluff these boards as it's too much hassle and FPS to do it. When checked to what boards am i betting? Totally depends on if i have any showdown or protection value and if it's just suspicious that the PFR didn't cbet but i think i bet the flop a lot although don't know how to find the stats for that to know for sure. Villains are nearly always c/f the flop or turn though when they check the flop as PFR. As an aside most people are polarized with their check raises - they either do it with the nuts or with air and maybe occasionally with draws but they don't do any of it enough to mean they're merging their ranges because they don't do it with 1/2 pair and they barely barrel off streets with air after check-raising.

[averick]

Re: Need some advice! I didn't have too much history with most of them so I didn't think they would take that line to try to adjust to my play. What do you mean by protection value? I feel that check raising the flop as the PFR OOP is pretty counterintuitive unless they're sandbagging a set or something of that sort. Can you please explain merging again, I read about it before but I don't think I really absorbed what it was all about.

[averick]

Re: Need some advice! Anyway, I have decided to take up GAF's suggestion and sign up to an online coaching site, and have been considering mainly Stoxpoker, CR and DC. Any other sites to recommend? Read that Stoxpoker is for lower stakes compared to higher stakes for CR. So am I right to say that Stoxpoker would be more relevant to me than CR? The advantage of signing up to DC would be being able to watch the videos on the go. Price comparisons: Cardrunners: $336/yr Stoxpoker: $225/yr Deucescracked: $278.40/yr

[Nade]

Re: Need some advice! I've had DC for a long time, like the site, software and interactivity though don't use alll its features they have a lot of quality players. Just signed up for Leggo a few days ago for 1month to see boywonder's vid - it wasn't anything special though and they don't have too many people i recognise though aejones is funny.

[averick]

Re: Need some advice! Can I sign up for the monthly subscription on DC and check out the site via the free trial, then cancel the monthly subscription and sign up for a yearly plan, using the same account? So I've been on a cooler the past 2 sessions, which has seen me drop 20% of my bankroll:$ Went through my hands and hopefully I've identified the areas needing improvement, seems like I started to play slightly differently, which led to a couple of poor decisions and difficult crying calls. My W$SD% for yesterday wasn't even above 40%!!:puke If someone would like (and is free enough) to review my huge losing session and helped me find any major leaks I would appreciate it. If I think you're really good I'll be happy to give away the 50GBP amazon.co.uk gift certificate that has been lying around my inbox unused;)

[Paul176]

Re: Need some advice! I'll review it if you want. I've sent you a PM with my email. Don't worry about the voucher though just return the favour sometime!

[averick]

Re: Need some advice! Thanks Paul! Am I able to change the name of this thread?

[Villagio]

Re: Need some advice!

I assume that you refer to those that call the flop and turn but fold the river? If they go to showdown its their blue line that will be affected right.

It's the money you put in from the blinds which mainly contributes to the negative redline "problem" at low stakes.

[averick]

Re: Need some advice! I see, so you mean they don't fold / defend their blinds enough?

[Nade]

Re: Need some advice! I've played 100nl full ring normal tables on full tilt the last couple of days without a HUD as with a HUD 6+ tabling full ring i just found it way too busy on screen and found it pretty straightforward to still put people on the right ranges post flop anyway, made a few buy-ins hope i can keep it up :)

[averick]

Re: Need some advice! I've realised over the past few weeks that my ranging has been pretty poor, and as a result I've made some poor decisions. Any material to direct me to?