Hi all, so I didn't expect to be back today writing a quick post, but it is lunch time and I was reading a really interesting article pair from Andrew "BalugaWhale" Seidman who is a cash game reg and DeucesCracked instructor. The articles I was checking out happened to be on the ideas of 3betting too much and how to use leverage in your favor. The links to the two articles are below and I encourage folks to read and think about them as there is some really sound advice that is applicable to tournament play (the 3betting article for sure as the principle idea is minimizing 3betting to keep pot sizes smaller to maximize your ability to skillfully outplay an opponent post flop rather than pre-flop).
The last thing that I will add into todays info is something that I have found to be very helpful in tourney play. Once again it comes from BalugaWhale and its "The Baluga Theorem". For most regs and skilled players it may make a lot of sense and although it is derived from cash play I believe at the Micro/Low stakes stuff it has a tremendous amount of application. The theorem states:
"We should strongly re-evaluate the strength of one-pair hands in the face of a raise on the turn"
http://archives1.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=0&Board=ssplnlpoker&Number=6605819&f (this is the full article from Andrew himself on the theory).
Why do I think this is an important article to read, well here is my core reasoning. How many times has this situation happened to you. (assume 100bb starting stacks with antes)
Hero: AsKc opens for 3bb and Villain calls
Flop: Ad7c5d
Hero bets 3bb, Villain Calls 3bb
Turn: 9s
Hero bets to continue to discourage the diamond draws and now there is a straight draw out there as well so we make a 1/2-3/4 pot bet (could be big for value here from worse Aces and Draws so there is a pretty wide range to bet at) and the Villian re-raises All-in, what do we do.
How many times have we said, oh this is a worse ace that is scared, or a draw that is acting up. In this situation I'll be you 9 out of 10 times you see A7, A5, A9, 55, 77, 99, AK. Can we really call when such a small percentage of the time we are getting a chop at best. I don't think so. There are situations where we can call these types of moves, the best situation being paired boards when we have an overpair and broadways fall. Here is a good example of those types of situations
Same starting stack sizes as before
Hero: AA opens for 3bb and Villian calls
Flop: K 2 2 rainbow
Hero bets 3bb, Villian calls
Turn: Qs
Hero bets 6bb, Villian raises all-in.
This is a situation where I think calling works more favorably for us based on the calling range. More often than not I think you see him flip over KQ, KJ, KT, JT, than a 2, or KK.
Well it is time for me to get back to work, enjoy the reading and I hope that it is as useful to you as it was to me. Good luck on the felt and I'll talk with you all tomorrow. This is the Gman signing out!