mentees_07buffet

20.Nov.2023

Hey!

Preparing for the week, these are going to be my objectives:

• I'm aiming for 2k - 3k hands this week;
• Make HH review for all marked hands I play and make sure I do it before the next session;
• Watch/Study 3 RIO Pro Videos.

Quick note: I will start a period of 3 strong weeks in terms of workload at work, which is why the volume tends to be lower. I also want to dedicate time to studying, nowadays with a 50/50 ratio. This week the goals are less, but meaningful ones.

For the poker colleagues out there who are reading this, good luck at the tables!

20.Nov.2023 (End of Week 2)

• I'm aiming for 4,5k - 5k hands this week;
  ==> I played 3.227 hands - My workload was higher than I anticipated, so I missed my goal here;
• Practice 50 GTOWiz Drills - I will ensure I work around the 24-hour limitation;
  ==> I did 20 - Again, the limitation being 24 hours and not "daily" messes with my time slot to do it. Maybe this is not a goal for me;
• Make 5 'Hand Reading Exercises' this week;
  ==> I don't know how to validate this; I did an HH review, and while doing it, I need to think about the opponent's ranges; I'm guessing that this is not the best goal to set either;
• Analyse my hands after the session - marked ones with my thinking;
  ==> This happened - some not right after, but I didn't start a new session without reviewing the marked hands from the previous one;
• Finish FTGU by Peter Clarke;
  ==> *Done! Now, I'm starting with his book "The Grinders Manual". Later on, I will re-watch the FTGU course.
• Watch/Study at least 2 RIO Pro Videos.
  ==> I just made one from Jan Philippi.

For historical purposes, here is the graph for this week.

Another tremendous and practical video, Jan Philippi!

I would add that what has changed me from a few years ago to now (and still keep going) is to practice philosophy.

There is the concept of "Amor Fati" ("Love of Fate") where we learn and work towards acceptance of what happens to us — not trying to change it, not fighting it, but embracing it as it is - not more, not less.

A key point is that acceptance is not the same thing as passivity. We must accept what happens to us, but it's up to us to choose how that affects us - if at all. After that, to choose action towards growth and the Common Good.

This is something that I believe is helping me a lot in my personal life and, more recently, in my Poker journey.

13.Nov.2023

Hey!

Preparing for the week, these are going to be my objectives:
- I'm aiming for 4,5k - 5k hands this week;
- Practice 50 GTOWiz Drills - I will ensure I work around the 24-hour limitation;
- Make 5 'Hand Reading Exercises' this week;
- Analyse my hands after the session - marked ones with my thinking;
- Finish FTGU by Peter Clarke;
- Watch/Study at least 2 RIO Pro Videos.

Quick notes: This week will be the week where I will have more "time" to put it in Poker. The following ones, I'm sure my volume will decrease a lot. This is why I aim for 4,5k-5k hands this week to compensate for the next ones. Also, I reduced the number of drills and videos to focus on what matters - step by step, week by week. The 'Hand Reading Exercise' is still a bit foggy in my head, but the biggest goal is to come to Sunday with 5 trials of this exercise.

12.Nov.2023 (End of Week 1)

• I'm aiming to play roughly between 3k-3,5k hands this week;
  ==> I played 3.070 hands - it's at the low end of my goal, but it's done!

• Practice 60 GTOWiz Drills (10 free per day);
  ==> I just made 39 - the free version is limited to 24 hours (not daily), and it messes with my schedule of when I would like to do it; it's something I need to consider next week.

• Make 1 'Hand Reading Exercise' per day;
  ==> I made 1 - it's like it didn't happen at all.

• Do the 'Warm-Up' before each grind session;
  ==> This was done - my warm-up is currently checking some previously analyzed hands before starting playing.

• Analyse my hands after session (marked ones);
  ==> I still have some hands to review, so I can't say this is 100% complete.

• Watch/Study 7 RIO videos;
  ==> I studied 6 - great content, great videos, great insights.

• I'm also making the FTGU by Peter Clarke (here, the goal is just to keep studying it);
  ==> I guess that because I put myself up to watch 7 RIO Pro Videos, I did not make the progress I should have in the FTGU - I need to finish the course next week.

• Friday will be my day off.
  ==> This was done.

I don't want to focus on results. I'm just sharing my weekly graph for evidence purposes. I want to focus more on what I'm learning and the process I'm taking rather than the results. They are somewhat important, but they are not everything.

Another great video Alexandra Fagaras!

It's really insightful how you covered the topics, especially why and when we overbet and the properties of good bluffs. I took great notes.

I am just sharing the one that I think summarizes the topic:
"Nut advantage dictates the bet size; Range advantage dictates the bet frequency."

Thank you for such content!

Hi Frankie Carson, I'm just passing by to thank you for this video. I like the format of playing and analyzing right away.

Max Lacerda, what a great video and content!

Looking forward to the following hands!

ModernGrinder already made great questions that helped me after watching the video (thank you). Nevertheless, I tried to put in some "rules". Can you please check it?

Hand 1:
- Flop Turn Strategy: When the board presents 2 high cards and 2 low cards that don't align with the high cards, it's a favorable situation for implementing an overbet on the turn after making a cbet on the flop.
- Range Cap on Turn: If our opponent cbets the flop but checks on the turn, it strongly indicates that their range is capped. Recognizing this, it becomes essential to apply pressure with an overbet on the river to exploit their capped range.

Hand 2:
- Flop C-Bet Sizing: On low paired flops, we must cbet less often but in a bigger size. Players tend to make cbets as usual (small size). In contrast, high paired flops typically invite cbets in the range of 25-33%.
- Check-Raise Range: When dealing with low-paired boards, it's beneficial to think about the xr range. Many players tend to over cbet on these boards, causing their range to be wider than it should be. Exploiting this wider range with our xr strategy can be profitable.
- Paired Boards and Sizing: On paired boards, especially low paired ones, it's often advisable to use smaller bet sizes. This approach aims to complicate our opponent's defense strategy and avoid isolating ourselves to better hands, as over-betting could lead to folds from weaker holdings.
- Impact of Our Hand on Bluff Range: We need to consider how our specific hand influences the opponent's bluff range. Your Ac example was great!
- Relevance of Blockers: Blockers hold significance throughout the hand. It's essential to reevaluate the blockers on each street. Blockers impact our decisions and strategies, particularly when considering an opponent's potential hands and range.

Welcome back Peter Clarke! I enjoy how you bring a direct approach to Poker theory and how you explain it. Just keep doing it.
Looking forward to your following videos!

Thank you very much for your insights Alexandra Fagaras !
Now it's more clear to me. Thank you.

Hey Shaun Pauwels!

Great video. I enjoyed your thought process regarding the different hands. It shows me how to think about the whole strategy for different streets and act according to my range.

Just keep pushing it!

Thank you for your content and explanations.

06.Nov.2023

Hey!

Preparing for the week, these are going to be my objectives:
- I'm aiming to play roughly between 3k-3,5k hands this week;
- Practice 60 GTOWiz Drills (10 free per day);
- Make 1 'Hand Reading Exercise' per day;
- Do the 'Warm-Up' before each grind session;
- Analyse my hands after session (marked ones);
- Watch/Study 7 RIO videos;
- I'm also making the FTGU by Peter Clarke (here, the goal is just to keep studying it);
- Friday will be my day off.

I also try to be mindful and be present in the moment. Found out about the importance of controlling the environment (until certain limits). I created some "habits" to force myself to be present.

I like to journal reflections. I don't do it on a daily basis, but I'm consistent about it. This work also translates to a better mindset on Poker.

Again, looking forward to your Part 2!
Thank you for sharing your insights and personal experience, Jan Philippi .

Hey Jan Philippi! Great video.

I want to quote Seneca when he says, "We suffer more often in imagination than in reality.". As a philosophy student myself, I can resonate a lot with what you presented here. To treat the mind and body not to fail our will - this would be the more natural way to live. How do we achieve it? It depends and varies from person to person. One thing is certain: we can't control what happens to us, but we have absolute power in how we react to it - either with courage, cowardice, or nothing at all.

Also enjoyed your meditation. I'm a fan of Headspace, and I'm now using the Waking Up app by Sam Harris. Do you meditate often? What about journaling?

I'm looking forward to Part 2.

Hi Alexandra Fagaras!

Great video and content.

I took some notes and had some questions:

Turn Betting IP
You mentioned that when playing in position (IP) and we bet and the opponent calls on the flop, it often indicates that we want to put more money in on the turn if it's a blank. This happens because our strong hands want to get more value, and our bluffs want to get more fold equity, right?

Blinds Defence
People tend to underdefend the blind with check-raises.

Bluffing Considerations
I really enjoyed the way you put it:
- Equity: Does our hand have equity?
- Blockers: Does our hand have blockers?
- Hand Playability: How does this hand play vs a bet? Is it good enough to xc or xr?

Equity Chart
When you show the Equity Chart on GTOWiz, if we think about ranges, we have kind of 3 scenarios:
- Our range equity is always superior = Range bet low with bluffs and value;
- Our top part of the range (nuts) is good, but we lose for mid-lower ranges = Bet big value, check the rest;
- The lines are crossed in the middle = We range bet big for value and bluff;
This is somewhat of a simplification… I'm trying to understand what happens and how the bet sizes change as our perceived range value changes. Am I going in the right direction?

Thank you!

After watching how to build simple and effective flop strategies, I saw this one down the list. I needed to watch it. Freenachos , it is gold!

I cannot put here all the info collected. I took so many notes. I'm guessing that one key one is to keep asking - “What would the version of me that is destined to beat high stakes do?”. This has a tremendous impact on how we do things on and off the table.

Also, I noticed you had recommended some books and saw the common ground between Ryan Holiday and Stoicism. What is your perspective on how these two disciplines combine?

I found Stoicism a big addon to everyday life, and I believe it matches perfectly to cope with variance. Even so, it's easier said than done.

Thank you!

Great video! Thank you for your recommendation, Freenachos !

I enjoyed how you put the Complexity Pyramid. I'm working for Pure Strategies right now to improve my game. Also, I think this video relates well with the more recent one by @Paul Gough (Introduction to Studying with Solvers).

I'm going to follow your Anki modus operandi. It seems like a good habit to nurture.

Thank you, Freenachos !

1. I will check your video for sure!
2. I didn't think about the blocker aspect of our hand - thank you for your explanation!
3. I will check GTO Wizard.
4. 8:50 on the right table.
5. It's a great idea to make flashcards with mindset upgrades! I tend to take many notes ( I hope you can see it by now :) ), and I use the index-card method for the books I read or the content I consume. I will get something regarding the poker mindset to use as a warm-up.

Thank you for your sharing.

Thank you very much, Shaun Pauwels!
I'm grateful for your detailed response.

• Your insights on 4-bet sizing and the factors influencing it in different positions provide a clearer perspective on constructing betting ranges for myself and adjusting the sizing.
• Your explanation of bet sizing based on the relative amount of marginal hands with an incentive to bet is pretty clear - thank you!
• The differences between Zoom and regular tables and how to adapt your playstyle in these environments are highly informative - I never thought about it this way, because Zoom is faster we can test strategies more often; Regular ones are for profit ( this one I knew :) ).
• How you make use of player tags is excellent!

Again, thank you for your time answering me!

Thank you very much Steve Paul!

It's such an insightful answer. I appreciate the time you took to answer me.

• The dryness of the board isn't the sole factor influencing the decision to check-raise; Instead, it's about assessing the weakest hand we want to value raise.
• Understanding the relative strength of flush draws and their propensity to raise makes decision-making clearer.
• Your perspective on medium boards and the distribution of strong hands for both players adds a deeper layer of understanding to my mind - thank you!
• The explanation about the 9s8s hand on the 3s2s2h-Qc board as a semi-bluff and the combination of fold equity and equity, if called, makes the strategy more comprehensible.
• The distinction between the value of A7 on the TsTh5s-Ac board and the semi-bluffing nature of 98s on the 3s2s2h-Qc board clarified the rationale behind these plays - it makes a lot of sense after the explanation!
• Your perspective on determining bet sizes based on value hands and overall range, rather than defaulting to a specific bet size, encourages a more tailored and strategic approach to betting.

Again, thank you a lot for your time!

Hello Paul Gough,

I watched your video, and I found it to be a valuable starting point for players looking to incorporate solvers into their poker study routines like myself. Great content!

I have the habit of making notes of the key takeaways from the content I consume. If you allow, I will leave it here for future reference as well:

Focus on Common Poker Spots: Starting with the most common poker scenarios, such as BTN vs Blinds and Blind vs Blind situations, is a practical approach. Additionally, beginning with Ace High Boards seems like a wise choice to build a strong foundation.

Building Heuristics: Creating heuristics based on solver insights can help simplify complex decisions and guide our gameplay effectively.

Using Solvers for Understanding: Solvers are valuable tools for improving our comprehension of poker. Understanding the 'why' behind solver decisions is critical to using them effectively.

Applying Solver Insights to Your Game: Relating solver solutions to our game allows us to recognize opportunities to increase our expected value (EV).

Equal important, what to avoid when working with solvers:

• Not viewing solvers as the sole answer to beating poker, recognizing that they are just one tool in our toolkit.
• Not attempting to unthinkingly mimic solver outputs without understanding the reasoning.

Your insights encourage a thoughtful and strategic approach to using solvers to enhance our poker skills. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and helping us simplify the process of studying with solvers!

Hello Shaun Pauwels,

I thoroughly enjoyed your video. It was insightful to witness your strategies and thought process during the session. I have a few questions and takeaways I'd like to discuss:

Opening Hands:
1. At 12:35, you discussed opening A7o+ while 5-handed. I'm curious about your decision not to open A5o from the CO in a 5-handed situation. Doesn't A5o play similarly or better than A6 or A7 in that context?

Bet Sizing:
2. At 2:30, you mentioned the size for 4-bets. Could you walk me through what you consider regular sizes for 4-bets, and does it vary based on position?
3. You varied your bet sizing between 30% and half-size in different situations (15:25 and 20:40). Could you explain your approach to determining bet sizes and what factors influence your choice in these instances?

Board Texture and Check-Raise:
4. At 21:10, you mentioned that when opponents check-raise the flop and check the turn, you often bet small to take the pot down. Is this strategy dependent on the specific board texture or other factors?

Check-Flop, Check-Turn, Bet-River Hands:
5. You discussed hands that are checked on the flop, checked on the turn, and then bet on the river, and how you often win them IP (28:15). Could you elaborate on the types of hands that fit this pattern and the conditions where this strategy is most effective?

Reading Flop Range:
6. At 31:55, the reason you say it’s a bad flop for him to XR is because his range is already capped due to the call he made to your OR, right? Thinking about it, this flop doesn’t fit him strong enough to call your re-raise, right?

Zoom vs. Regular Tables:
7. Could you share your thoughts on playing Zoom tables vs. regular ones and how your strategy adapts to these different environments?

Player Tags and Hotkeys:
8. Can you explain the different tags you use? Is it stat-dependent? Stack dependent? Should we work our strategies according to the different tags we put players on?
9. Out of curiosity, I noticed your hotkeys PFR - 2,25 for OR IP, 3 for SB, 11/12 for 3bet OOP - when do you use the 9 and 10? I like the simplicity of having this kind of thing predefined.

Thank you for sharing your knowledge and insights in this video, and I look forward to your responses to these questions.

Hello Steve Paul,

I found this video incredibly insightful. Your breakdown of the strategies for defending against C-bets in various scenarios was particularly enlightening.

Here are some notes and questions I took while watching your video:

On the Flop:

1. Dry boards mean more check-raise on our side, right? (generally speaking) Because on dry boards, the villain misses more than us?
2. When discussing pairs with higher kickers calling and lower kickers raising, does this strategy apply to all board textures, or are there exceptions?
3. Regarding flush draws, you mentioned check-raising when you have backdoors or high cards. Does the presence of a showdown value affect this decision? Should we check-raise all flush draws or only specific ones? I understood this - the ones with showdown value raise a little less; the ones with connectivity raise a bit more.
4. For medium boards, you noted a higher XR percentage. Is this because of the point 1 I wrote? Same thinking, right? In medium boards, we hit more than the villain.
5. At 9:55, in the hand with the 3s2s2h board, where the BTN bets 33% pot and we, in the BB with JsTd, call, does our decision change if we have a different suit, like JcTd? Would we still call with that holding? (Trying to understand if the decision is based on our connectivity and flush draw)
6. Similarly, at 12:55, you discussed a hand on the 3s2s2h-Qc board where we, in the BB with 9s8s, overbet 130% of the pot. Is this primarily due to fold equity, intending to force our opponent to fold better hands like Ax or Kx?

On the Turn:

1. On the hand at 25:00 on the TsTh5s-Ac board, where we're in the BB with As7c, you suggested check-calling due to showdown value and to avoid a worse A situation. Did I understand it right?
2. In contrast, on the 3s2s2h-Qc board, you advocated for an overbet (22:00) with 9s8s in the BB. Is this primarily to leverage our fold equity and push our opponent to fold better hands?
3. This was what I understood - if the turn connects with the board and connects with our hand (giving us more outs), we bet (we can go on 33% with range bet as it might not be as exploitative as it seems). Can I use this as a rule of thumb and look for exceptions?

Thank you for your time and for sharing your expertise in this video. I look forward to your insights on these questions.

Hey, Freenachos , I really enjoyed the video!

If you allow me, 5 key topics stood out to me that I would like to know more about:

1. Regarding Strategy Simplicity:
   In your video, you emphasized the importance of keeping the strategy simple, focusing on 100% accuracy over complexity. I loved the idea of having a strategy that minimizes decision fatigue. However, I'm curious how to begin defining a post-flop strategy that adapts to different board textures and situations. Could you provide some guidance on how to create a simple yet effective post-flop strategy that can be reliably applied, even in challenging conditions?

2. Question about Overbetting the Turn:
   At around 1:50 in your video, you made an interesting move by overbetting the turn with Jh9c in the big blind after leading the flop with a smaller bet on an 8d6s5c-Qs board. I'm curious about your thought process behind this decision. Is it influenced by the board texture or the range you represent? and is the overbet primarily aimed at creating fold equity? I'd like to understand the strategic considerations that led to this move.

3. Inquiry on Regular Sizing for 3-Bets and Isolations:
   Around the 8:30 mark in your video, you briefly touched on regular sizing for 3-bets and isolations. I'd appreciate it if you could delve deeper into this topic. What are the typical bet sizes for 3-bets and isolations in 6-max NLHE, and how do you adjust these sizes based on factors like table dynamics and stack sizes?

4. Bluff Catching with Third Pair:
   In one of the hands you played, you made a call with Ac9d on a 6h9c2d board. I'm curious about your thought process and whether you would make the same call if the board were 6h9cTd-8s-Kc. We often hear about using a second pair as a bluff catcher, but I wonder if the same principle applies when you have a third pair or lower. Could you shed some light on the considerations for such situations?

5. Coping with Variance and Mental Game:
   You emphasized the importance of understanding that variance is a part of poker and that the result of a single hand or session is less important than making correct decisions. How do you personally cope with the inevitable ups and downs of poker? Do you have any mental strategies or routines to maintain a healthy mindset, such as grinding through rough patches or taking breaks? I'd love to hear your insights on managing the mental aspects of the game.

Thank you in advance!