Joe Tonkin
6 points
I was watching Jason Somerville during the Sunday Million and he briefly spoke about cash games.
He recommended not to buyin at a cash table for 100 big blinds. ( I am pretty sure he would personally but more towards lower stakes & lower quality players)
This is not an exact quote but he said something like, "Who decided that 100 big blinds was the correct amount to sit at table with, "Who said that? Some random guy 30-40 years ago and now its the norm". I think I remember he said he would suggest something around 75bb.
It actually got me thinking, sitting down with 65-75% big blinds has great advantages like: if your not the best player at the table you would not lose as much. It also makes your game play easier as there are less spots for you to make mistakes in, and it provides you with more buyins to take shots at the next level.
Obvious disadvantage is if you are the best player at the table you want to extract the most money from your opponent.
So my question is, is this maybe a closer optimal strategy and what makes 100bb the norm?
March 19, 2015 | 12:56 p.m.
Alot of people out there have similar issues, i am talking thousands! (i was one of them)
If you want to keep playing, u will so people telling not to is pointlessl. So I advise at the min only playing on pokerstars. Obv that might change when they release casino games but its the only site that I know off that allows you to set your level of buying, and it takes 24 hours to change it! thats the only way you will ever stop spewing it off. trust me, i was in the same boat.
Once I got paid £900 and blew £600 in 3hours on roulette at a bookies. You gotta man up and take responsibilty. There is no shame in admitting you have an addiction, once you realise it you can then start to control it, but it doesnt happen over night. You need correct procedures in place. So if u want to carry on grinding online then only play on sites that gives u set daily/weekly deposit amounts and table buyins. ALSO BUY TILTBREAKER! even some of the best use this! #lifesaver
Dec. 12, 2014 | 10:31 a.m.
lol, after reading both comments its obvious my play sucked so bad. Always good to hear the truth from others. Thanks for the info guys. I think the word 'discipline' springs to mind as first way to improve my game. i must lay down shitty hands! GL at the tables
July 31, 2014 | 9:52 a.m.
SB: $39.83
BB: $67.53
UTG: $120.94
HJ: $70.44
CO: $26.35 (Hero)
UTG raises to $0.75, HJ folds, Hero calls $0.75, BN folds, SB calls $0.65, BB calls $0.50
Main thought process is UTG is probably playing top of his range by opening UTG.
If BTN does fold I have position on whole table especially if flop falls low.
Yes in long term this play fails but just opened up a few tables for a quick 30mins.
But when it checks round to me i feel a bet is the best play.
Once BB raises I put him on trips. I feel AX diamonds probably calls my bet to disguise hand.
Trips bets out of fear of getting outdrawn.
But if he does have trips is it worth fishing for that draw?
But gut instinct says I probably should have folded on flop and 100% folded turn.
Is it a terrible play to call?
And his 2x 9s actually took my outs to 14.
Also the more I think about it alot of players would play wraps like he played his trips so I could easily have been dead on the turn.
July 30, 2014 | 12:37 p.m.
Hi guys,
I had a spot come up last night where I am still not sure what the right play was. In fact it got me wondering how much different is playing a short stack in a game without antes compared to 'normal' mtts? All of the local games in my area play without antes.
The spot I was in was as follows.
Blinds 6k/12k (13 players left, 7 at my table) Avg stacks 150k.
I have 70k on the btn.
UTG(150k) - limps (Very active so didn't think he was trapping with a monster)..it folds to me and I look at A8o. After awhile I decide to shove. (Was thinking about folding)
SB (300k) actually calls me & UTG folds. I bust out to AJo.
Should/Could I have folded this hand?
Without antes I am guessing a short-stack can whittle down to a few less BB than normal before shoving any 2 cards? 4-5bb?
July 9, 2014 | 8:27 a.m.
I think the answer is yes! It's worth switching over! way more $$ spewing around! The 1 major tip in PLO has to be always play in position! Starting to realise its massive in this game!
July 4, 2014 | 3:26 p.m.
haha i am such an idiot! #apologises
May 14, 2014 | 3:34 p.m.
Firstly Cthulu23 do you not feel if you was in his shoes that if he had AA he would have 4bet pre-flop?
Anyway, this is my take on it.
I think your raise pre-flop is fine, yes LAG but as long as you have a plan to fold if he 4b you there is no issue in trying to steal a pot.
The fact he just calls then again smooth calls your bet on the flop for me removes hands such as AAXX and KKXX (especially as you have 1 K) because these would 90% of the time 4b pre-flop and if anything he probably thinks you have AA as your acting so strong OOP. So that is going to leave him with drawing hands which he doesn't mind taking a punt with in position.
ALSO when he just calls your bet I think you can also remove 2 pair hands. trips might smooth call but I don't think that board is as dry as you think. minus your Q 27outs completes a straight without any worry of a flush..Q,J,10,7,6,5 completes a draw. (only way he calls with trips is if he 100% decides you have AAXX
Anyway I think his call on the turn is because he is chasing the draw and probably has the 9 in his range giving him a chance to also hit 2 pair. I don't feel like he has a 3 here ever.
Once the river card comes your dead. Any card from 4 down or Q up you have a chance to bluff. You have no choice to check but I don't think he was bluffing. I think he hit the river!
** I maybe way off here on my analysis but this is how I have been dissecting my hands recently and its worked for 2 months now.
p.s you got to check that flop. maybe check the flop and if he checks back then stab the turn??
May 14, 2014 | 10:22 a.m.
SB: $5.42
BB: $9.08
UTG: $20.17
HJ: $7.89
CO: $6.65 (Hero)
It comes to me in the CO and decide to open. My thoughts here are, 'my hand is light but playable in position if I can get the BTN to fold and effectively have position on the rest of the table'.
UTG folds, HJ folds, Hero raises to $0.13, BN folds, SB raises to $0.40, BB folds, Hero calls $0.27
Obviously I am playing this slowly every day of the week. I think calling here can help me represent hitting the 8. If he is thinking on the same lines as me that I know he has something like AQ+ QQ+ then I am going to call with an 8 rather than bet.
I actually decide to trap and just call. If I raise here then I am giving my hand away, basically would be screaming I have a J. **(let me know if you think I am wrong here)**
he overbets the pot, massively! ........this is when I know I am in trouble!
Players at 2/5c almost NEVER do this without the nuts. (this is what is making me feel like its a bad call)
I run the scenarios through my head. If he is semi bluffing with a flush, you wouldnt overbet. maybe bet $1.20/$1.45.
If he has 88 does he really 3 bet this OOP pf? maybe but then I have the other 8 so unlikely.
AA, very possible........acutally almost positive.
I decide to only call as something doesn't feel right.
(what he actually shows, was not what I was expecting) ooops! lol
April 2, 2014 | 2:23 p.m.
It never crossed my mind about not showing player names. I know I wouldn't like it, so definitely happy not to use names in future
Jan. 3, 2014 | 12:05 p.m.
BB: wifa26rus: $10
UTG: Aramani22: $19.52
HJ: sikicem 2013: $10.67
CO: tigertonkin: $10.12
BN: Brulaap: $25
Aramani22 raises to $0.30, sikicem 2013 calls $0.30, tigertonkin raises to $1.47, Brulaap folds, HU87165 folds, wifa26rus folds, Aramani22 folds, sikicem 2013 raises to $2.64, tigertonkin calls $1.17
It took me a couple of hands to notice that their attention had turned to me and it made me realise I was playing to loose, but then I got dealt this hand.
My thought process was Aramani was playing aggressive and although he opened UTG his range could be very wide. Once Siki called I felt like flatting wasn't going to help me on the flop unless a 9 hit so I decided to raise big and take it there and then with my main worry that Aramani may call. (or someone behind 4bets/shoves and I have to fold.)
(I should of been thinking something like AK & JJ+ would probably have 3bet PF not just flat called)
Once Sikicem bets 0.30 on the flop I just felt he was so weak. I felt he could have a King but if I bet big surely he would have to fold.
Again my thought process should be more like (Someone holding the King might bet so weak but surely check/call is the better option since I raised so big pf and this hits my range hard. Also any Ace would either check/call to trap or bet 3/4 of pot for protection against the flush draw?)
Anyway I decide since I raised so big pre-flop I am massively representing a hand like AQs+ so decide to carry on along that line.
Jan. 3, 2014 | 9:26 a.m.
I disagree. Its a straight up squeeze play where the best line is to 4 bet. Even if everyone else folds and the SB calls ur in position plus your hand is going to look so strong an A or K is going to scare him.
If he does 5 bet then you need to decide if infact he has hit the top of his range QQ+ and consider folding or is on a levelling war with you in the good old( he knows that you know he was squeezing so infact switches the squeeze into a shove to look like AA, KK).
I think callin $7.50 is ok. but it makes the rest of your play so much harder. That being said if everyone else did fold pf except the SB your in control and the play would have been correct.
Regardless the way its played out, you have no option but to fold. The CO isnt betting a 7 there. It could easily be a bluff but who is bluffing 89, etc into that board 5 handed?
Dec. 13, 2013 | 1:04 p.m.
I think you could 4 bet preflop but hes probably shoving. I think the line C/R with the intention to fold to an all in on the flop is the way to play this hand. Because I dont think AK is gambling in this spot so the only hands shoving will be overpairs. He might hold 88-1010 and reraised pf thinking you was just trying to steal and protect his hand so its down to u to decide.
The way he played river suggests to me he had AK or at the very least AX.
Dec. 13, 2013 | 9:33 a.m.
BN: lucky-loos84: $25
SB: tigertonkin: $24.56
BB: Jacub1987: $27.83
UTG: rodders27: $26.58
HJ: guvshergill: $25
rodders27 folds, guvshergill folds, jokiikoj raises to $0.75, lucky-loos84 folds, tigertonkin raises to $1.50, Jacub1987 folds, jokiikoj calls $0.75
In the end I felt it was 50/50 as KJ, K10 would never overbet the river and literally just thought 'F**k it' I call.
Although I won the hand which I am grateful for, I am not happy with the end of my thought process! As it turned out I never thought he would be holding A 10.
I feel this a tough spot and my question is how would you analysis the rivercard and overbet by Jokiikoj?
Nov. 20, 2013 | 2:28 p.m.
Firstly if I suffer a bad beat, I tilt more than literally anyone in the world! 1 bad beat can cost me 10 buy-ins online in 10 mins! (no joke), however live I don't do this. Possibly because everyone can see me, but maybe because of the slower pace it gives me a chance to think about my actions and the situation.
Secondly, When I play live I have all this information running through my head.
What position is the first raiser in? how LAG is the player who re-raised? What does my image look like? etc
However online If I play anymore than 2 tables after 10/15 mins I literally go into a zombie like mode of 'playing my cards' and I struggle to think of any of those questions and all though I still think of a few things like position I can't remember their image and forget completely about my own.
The issue is, playing 1/2 tables isn't gonna cut it online. It would take 20 years to make any decent money, which makes me want to play zoom poker but I feel this is what messed me up in the first place.
I don't use a HUD although I do own HM2. Would this help me improve mentally or make me even more robotic!
Oct. 11, 2013 | 8:35 a.m.
SB: pewit: $12.92
BB: sevven45: $9.92
UTG: beliy2000400: $6.47
HJ: tigertonkin: $14.07
CO: karamel'ka93: $16.14
beliy2000400 folds, tigertonkin raises to $0.30, karamel'ka93 folds, polpetek folds, pewit calls $0.25, sevven45 folds
Looking back the way I have played this hand. (fast an quick) he's obviously assuming I am betting the river. When he raises I am thinking its either a pure bluff because he thinks I have AK and could get me to fold or maybe he hit trip 3s. Either way I win this hand.
I cant' believe what he showed. As it turned out it was a great check by him,
My question is, is this a bad beat or is it a bad call and should I have been able to fold to his raise on the river?
Aug. 19, 2013 | 2:26 p.m.
Hey Thelove_below,I have had a few days to think about it and you are right. Orginally I was like, 'it was a great call' how is everyone thinking its an instant fold? But I was completely results oriented. I made another one yesterday holding A high on a flush draw board. My inital reaction was 'boom' but then I started to think, how often am I winning with hero calls on these types of boards at this level, and its not alot.I feel like the way I am thinking about the game is correct however my fundamentals / opening ranges need to be tightened up!
Thanks for your comments, they are helping my game.
Aug. 6, 2013 | 10:51 a.m.
Thanks Hustla!
Normally I would wait for more responses but everyone seems to be tearing my play to shreds and saying its an EASY FOLD.
I actually called after putting him on JX and he actually turned over a complete bluff Kh 10d! :-)
Aug. 2, 2013 | 2:48 p.m.
HJ: Mr. Kenwood: $11.65
CO: Dr. von Zock: $11.97
BN: tigertonkin: $5.65
SB: Vik@ St@rs: $1.15
BB: PorntiK: $6.70
Sheriffu folds, Mr. Kenwood calls $0.05, Dr. von Zock folds, tigertonkin raises to $0.20, Vik@ St@rs folds, PorntiK folds, Mr. Kenwood calls $0.15
Aug. 2, 2013 | 10:47 a.m.
CO: wilkkm0: $25.35
BN: Pihelgas: $25
SB: badbetter13: $25.10
BB: Thomasthekin: $25
UTG: tigertonkin: $29.50
tigertonkin raises to $0.75, hiznyak folds, wilkkm0 folds, Pihelgas calls $0.75, badbetter13 raises to $3, Thomasthekin folds, tigertonkin calls $2.25, Pihelgas calls $2.25
July 8, 2013 | 3:56 p.m.
Hi Guys,
I have been working on my game and studying the HEM2 database.
Maybe its a really dumb question but I literally just don't understand how if I have 50%+ equity in a pot how can my adjusted $EV graph ever be negative?
Can someone please explain.
Cheers
June 10, 2013 | 2:23 p.m.
I am just wondering does anyone here have a poker warm up technique?
I am noticing that I lose 2/3 buyins at the very beginning of a session and I don't start to make a profit until around 30/45 mins into a session. I think this could be due to the fact that it takes awhile for me to focus fully on my play.
Does anyone else here have that issue?
April 24, 2013 | 9:59 a.m.
Position Hand USD bb/100 VPIP PFR 3Bet
SB 924 -27.39 -52.38 37.45 23.48 12.03
MP 850 +27.85 54.66 24.47 22.71 10.91
EP 679 +21.38 59.06 18.11 16.94 na
CO 888 +2.09 24.4 25.56 22.52 9.65
BTN 906 +37.72 90.7 36.09 29.69 10.33
BB 919 -32.09 -66.06 32.3 14.06 12.05
* Please let me know if you can see other major flaws in my game. i.e 3 betting way to much/little etc.
kind regards,
April 24, 2013 | 9:55 a.m.
I posted the below conversation a few weeks ago on runitonce and got a good response from you guys. My question now is does anyone here know of a coach who might be interested in using this product during their coaching session?
"HI Guys, (Firstly I have posted this in the general section and mid stakes NHLE section. Please tell me if I should delete this as I do not want to upset anyone at runitonce).
I am currently working on the media/social side of PropokerHUD's.
PropokerHUD's is designed by Grayson “spacegravy” Physioc Team online pro and HUD designing expert Kristjan (Butitswrong) on 2+2. It was built by Oracle3001.
They are looking for some low/mid stakes grinders at 6 max to test their cash HUD. However if any of you at the high stakes level feels like you would be interested in testing our HUD please feel free to contact me.
Testers would need to already own PokerTracker.
The website is in the final stages of development but here is the link.
http://www.propokerhuds.com/blog/introducing-propokerhuds/
In return we would offer all testers a free copy of the HUD and all we would ask in return is if you like it to show support by tweeting, blogging, etc.
Please let me know if your interested or have any questions.
P.S I apologise to runitonce if I am not allowed to post this."
Kind regards,
Joe
April 19, 2013 | 12:31 p.m.
Can you post me your email address? I will then forward your details of what you play onto spacegravy and Kristjan. I will then update you with more information when they chosen the testers. Thanks in advance. my personal email address is [email protected] if you would like to contact me directly :-)
April 10, 2013 | 2:47 p.m.
I am currently working on the media/social side of PropokerHUD's.
PropokerHUD's is designed by Grayson “spacegravy” Physioc Team online pro and HUD designing expert Kristjan (Butitswrong) on 2+2. It was built by Oracle3001.
They are looking for some low/mid stakes grinders at 6 max to test their cash HUD. However if any of you at the high stakes level feels like you would be interested in testing our HUD please feel free to contact me.
Testers would need to already own PokerTracker.
The website is in the final stages of development but here is the link.
http://www.propokerhuds.com/blog/introducing-propokerhuds/
In return we would offer all testers a free copy of the HUD and all we would ask in return is if you like it to show support by tweeting, blogging, etc.
Please let me know if your interested or have any questions.
P.S I apologise to runitonce if I am not allowed to post this.
Kind regards,
Joe
April 9, 2013 | 11:08 a.m.
I have passed on your email address to Spacegravy and Kristjan. We are looking for around 5/6 testers so once they have selected the testers I will reply back to you. If you know of anyone else who might be interested please feel free to pass on my post. kind regards, Joe
April 9, 2013 | 11:01 a.m.
I am currently working on the media/social side of PropokerHUD's.
PropokerHUD's is designed by Grayson “spacegravy” Physioc Team online pro and HUD designing expert Kristjan (Butitswrong) on 2+2. It was built by Oracle3001.
They are looking for some low/mid stakes grinders at either 6 max/FR to test their cash HUD.
Testers would need to already own PokerTracker.
The website is in the final stages of development but here is the link.
http://www.propokerhuds.com/blog/introducing-propokerhuds/
In return we would offer all testers a free copy of the HUD and all we would ask in return is if you like it to show support by tweeting, blogging, etc.
Please let me know if your interested or have any questions.
P.S I apologise to runitonce if I am not allowed to post this.
Kind regards,
Joe
April 9, 2013 | 10:07 a.m.
I am currently working on the media/social side of PropokerHUD's.
PropokerHUD's is designed by Grayson “spacegravy” Physioc Team online pro and HUD designing expert Kristjan (Butitswrong) on 2+2. It was built by Oracle3001
They are looking for some low/mid stakes grinders at either 6 max/FR to test their cash HUD.
Testers would need to already own PokerTracker.
The website is in the final stages of development but here is the link.
http://www.propokerhuds.com/blog/introducing-propokerhuds/
In return we would offer all testers a free copy of the HUD and all we would ask in return is if you like it to show support by tweeting, blogging, etc.
Please let me know if your interested or have any questions.
P.S I apologise to runitonce if I am not allowed to post this.
Kind regards,
Joe
I thnk this is also. Wouldn't be hard for Phil & some of his HS friends to set up a new poker site. Could even use Fulltilt as the perfect example on how not to f**k the business. Would link in well with the community of runitonce & 2+2. 100% think it wouldn't take long for it to grow into a big brand, especially with the some of the pros he already has working/helping with him.
Dec. 2, 2015 | 10:25 a.m.