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I play high stakes poker AMA (5 Viewers)

Bmeister51 said:
I think the biggest thing outside of my results was just a confidence that I had at the table. It counts egotistical but I just started playing and knowing I was the best player at the table when I sat down. It was the feeling of knowing I had the skills to beat the game. And after a while that got stale and so I wanted to prove myself against better players and bigger stakes was the way to do that.
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As for the impact on my game moving up and Stakes forced me to think about things differently, come up with different strategies to out wit and out play opponents. It also forced me to learn more about the game and how players were trying to get better through studying and therefore find subversive tactics and strategies to counter that.
 
Should I be insulted that you didn’t answer my first question? :ROFL: :ROFLMAO:
 
Without specifics obviously, what is the best piece of advice you would give to a rec that plays regularly at 2-5 NLHE at his local casino/Vegas and is looking to improve his results?
 
Hornet said:
Without specifics obviously, what is the best piece of advice you would give to a rec that plays regularly at 2-5 NLHE at his local casino/Vegas and is looking to improve his results?
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I would say try and work on not overvaluing hands. Try to understand where you are in the hand versus an opponent and try and play less multiway pots by three betting in position even with marginal hands like suited connectors. Understand that there are a lot of bad players at that level that will over value what they have in the hole so try to develop strategies to make them pay for it.
 
Bmeister51 said:
I would say try and work on not overvaluing hands. Try to understand where you are in the hand versus an opponent and try and play less multiway pots by three betting in position even with marginal hands like suited connectors. Understand that there are a lot of bad players at that level that will over value what they have in the hole so try to develop strategies to make them pay for it.
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The one hand I think people overvalue the most is AQ and JJ and its because people are overvaluing these kinds of hands that gets you into big trouble. With regards to AQ youre running into big pocket pairs and AK because youre three betting this hand from late position and either youre outkicked or your're up against a set or a stronger two pair. With JJ people go nuts and think its like playing QQ or KK. Realize that JJ os actually less valueable than AK suited when it comes to its strength and when youre overbetting this hand youre again up against very strong starting hands usually 8s or better and all strong Aces. Be prepared to fold these kinds of hands unless you flop good. Be very wary with Jacks on undercard boards as a good percentage of the time youre up against big pairs. Its ok to make what you think is a tight laydown. Don't get caught up in the mindset where you get Jacks or Tens and think to yourself "Ok i have one of the best starting hands so I should win this pot and even if I lose I can how it and say it was a bad beat". Its not a bad beat you just overplayed your hand and you got punished for it.
 
What is the single biggest difference from say a $2/5 $1k max game and $10/20 or $20/40 uncapped game?

is it just that with 500BB or more that some many more hands are playable and so a wider skill set is needed to play them?

And if so, buying in for 50 to 100BB at such a game and playing a tight preflop strategy would negate a lot of the disadvantage of not having those skills?


Do the regulars get annoyed if someone does buy in short?
 
Rhodeman77 said:
What is the single biggest difference from say a $2/5 $1k max game and $10/20 or $20/40 uncapped game?

is it just that with 500BB or more that some many more hands are playable and so a wider skill set is needed to play them?

And if so, buying in for 50 to 100BB at such a game and playing a tight preflop strategy would negate a lot of the disadvantage of not having those skills?


Do the regulars get annoyed if someone does buy in short?
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It's a little annoying if someone buys in short when there are guys on the list that will be in for 10-20k yeah definitely. Plus being a tight player doesn't really payoff at higher stakes. People know youre tight and therefore you don't get called. Even if I get called bluffing with air I always show it to let the table know I can have anything in those big spots. It helps me get called off when I have to goods.

The biggest difference between those two stake levels is the caliber of players playing in the game. There more 3 and 4 betting, more bluffing, a lot more advanced level play in general. When you are able to play super deep then you can open your range a bit because you have more money to play with and you can pot control a lot better. Buying in short limits you to having to play tight and basically shove. It eliminates all your bluffs and you generally don't get full value or called off from opponents. My rule of thumb when going to bigger stakes is to buy in short but not necessarily for the minimum.

And to your second point yes there is a much wider array of skills required to play a bigger range of hands. In 2-5 if youre raising from late position you're in control of the hand most of the time. That's not the case in 10-20. Players will 3 barrel bluff or overbet the pot and make weird plays just to throw you off. Again the skill set required to play 8s or better isn't that difficult. Everyone knows when to trap or how to try and build a pot. The skills in 10-20 can include things like c-betting suited connectors in a completely wiffed wet board and just barreling off trying to get a better hand to fold. Betting on a 4 to the straight board or even shoving the river after a big bet just to apply pressure. Its just much more varied play and therefore you need to learn how to adjust and adapt your game without being too predictable.
 
Bmeister51 said:
It's a little annoying if someone buys in short when there are guys on the list that will be in for 10-20k yeah definitely. Plus being a tight player doesn't really payoff at higher stakes. People know youre tight and therefore you don't get called. Even if I get called bluffing with air I always show it to let the table know I can have anything in those big spots. It helps me get called off when I have to goods.

The biggest difference between those two stake levels is the caliber of players playing in the game. There more 3 and 4 betting, more bluffing, a lot more advanced level play in general. When you are able to play super deep then you can open your range a bit because you have more money to play with and you can pot control a lot better. Buying in short limits you to having to play tight and basically shove. It eliminates all your bluffs and you generally don't get full value or called off from opponents. My rule of thumb when going to bigger stakes is to buy in short but not necessarily for the minimum.

And to your second point yes there is a much wider array of skills required to play a bigger range of hands. In 2-5 if youre raising from late position you're in control of the hand most of the time. That's not the case in 10-20. Players will 3 barrel bluff or overbet the pot and make weird plays just to throw you off. Again the skill set required to play 8s or better isn't that difficult. Everyone knows when to trap or how to try and build a pot. The skills in 10-20 can include things like c-betting suited connectors in a completely wiffed wet board and just barreling off trying to get a better hand to fold. Betting on a 4 to the straight board or even shoving the river after a big bet just to apply pressure. Its just much more varied play and therefore you need to learn how to adjust and adapt your game without being too predictable.
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Sounds awful :ROFL: :ROFLMAO:
 
I gotta ask this, because some of my biggest wins were on nights I was smashed (also my biggest losses) - how often to players get a little toasty at the table?

Also - have you ever played with Gabe Kaplan? Did you win?
 
CraigT78 said:
I gotta ask this, because some of my biggest wins were on nights I was smashed (also my biggest losses) - how often to players get a little toasty at the table?

Also - have you ever played with Gabe Kaplan? Did you win?
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It happens a but not as much as you’d think... mostly pros play in the game so there’s very few instances of people getting hammered while playing. Usually it’s a few of us having a friendly cocktail or glass of wine and playing.
 
How would you rank the level of patience needed between the levels of stakes? I view patience as one of the largest flaws among players.

Thanks for your insights and time answering these questions!
 
JFCJ said:
How would you rank the level of patience needed between the levels of stakes? I view patience as one of the largest flaws among players.

Thanks for your insights and time answering these questions!
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Patience how? In what way do you mean?
 
Not sure how to explain it, but in my own play, I feel moments where I try to force a play. Perhaps its more my not making a good read or just plain bad play.
 
JFCJ said:
Not sure how to explain it, but in my own play, I feel moments where I try to force a play. Perhaps its more my not making a good read or just plain bad play.
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I know what you're saying now... I think that with experience comes knowledge and more patience. Forcing a play or making a bad bluff (especially when you're stucksville) is a bad habit and one you need to break. It can be really annoying losing early and being stuck and then being card dead for hours on end but having the foresight to wait and pick the right spot to get back into the black is important. I have sat for hours being down 4-5k before hitting on the right hand. You just have to know that you're going to eventually get into a spot where you can make a good play and hopefully get full value from it. I'd suggest trying out sitting and knitting for an hour. Play an extremely tight range and just practice that patience. You may not win some hands you otherwise would have but getting to a place where youre ok not being the most active player at the table is important. I mentioned earlier when someone sits down at the table I always clock their hands per orbit and keeping an eye on the guys who are playing it fast and lose versus tight and knitty. Its a balance to be struck but sometimes you just have to fold for awhile and keep yourself from the urge of bluffing in big spots. Remember bluffing in big spots 9 times out of 10 is not going to work and it takes a lot of knowledge and history with another player to get them to lay down in big spots.
 
Do you know many hours of each stake level you've played?
 

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