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(3 votes) 
TPE Pro
August 25, 2012
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Hey guys,
I've seen around the forums that live sweat videos are very popular. I'm just curious as to why this is the case, really.
Live videos are surprisingly difficult to make (at least, they have been when I've done them just to try it out) because of a few things. The need to keep the talking going when nothing is happening, leading to lots of wasted time; the lack of guarantee that interesting hands will actually happen; the need to play fewer tables than usual so the action doesn't go too fast.
It seems to me that due to the inability to go into hands in detail, the time wasted on trivial things like folding hands preflop or being card dead, and the pressure on the coach to explain their thoughts more quickly than usual, live sweats should theoretically be the least informative style of poker training video. However, they seem to be very popular with members, so I'm just interested to know what people actually get out of them.
My next video series is going to be a review of some video footage provided by members, and I'm very likely to do a review of my own footage in future – this is an attempt to provide the same format as a live sweat but with greater room for analysis and the ability to speed up or skip uninteresting hands when necessary. A more efficient form of learning. If there is some kind of added appeal to hearing a coach's real-time thought process, though, I will consider doing a real live sweat series.
I would consider members to think carefully about whether they're actually learning that much when they watch a live sweat video, or whether it simply provides a greater level of entertainment value and is less of a 'brain-strain' to watch. Personally I've never really learned much from watching them, but they can occasionally be interesting. So I am absolutely open to hearing opinions – I may well be missing something, and if that's happening, then as a coach I want to clear it up ASAP.
Thanks all,
Matt
March 8, 2013
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I found when I was just getting into poker seriously, I would watch a hand history review, and think, “How could you possibly be thinking about all this much detail at the table, how will it help me?” A live sweat helped me a lot more because the creators would talk about simple concepts that I could understand, without going into too much detail. However, now I hate live sweats. I think having some is good for more beginning players, but I'm curious to hear what advanced players see in them.
TPE Management
March 17, 2010
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I've asked the same question a few times and I think it comes down to gameflow and table dynamics. It's not the most theoretical basis, but checking out timing tells and watching how people respond to you and others at the table in real time add a dimension that HH reviews don't have.
Of course, you can argue that HH reviews add a lot more to the analysis that Live Sweats can't (and I'd agree with you) but I think that the best mix is a healthy diet including each types – throwing Theory videos into the mix.
I will say that when we get too heavy on HH reviews we hear it, and when we get too heavy on Live Sweats we hear it so it appears equilibrium is the goal.
March 11, 2014
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I love the live sweats because I'm relatively new to multi-tabling and just seeing the practical aspects of how to manage your tables and how much time you actually have (how elastic a few seconds actually is). Also note taking, how things can go very badly even for a skilled player on some tables but still going deep on another one or two, managing expectations, setting up your MTT schedule over a few hours and seeing the actual flow of hands in real time is very valuable. It's also good to see that if I bust out of multiple MTT's in a given day that I might not actually be the world's worst poker player but might have just had a bad day. The live sweats have been invaluable to me.
Right now I don't really mind slogging through lots of run of the mill hands but maybe that will change when I get better. It's useful for me to see exactly what got folded where too. I learned how to say “weeeeeeeee” when I slide the AI bar all the way to the right too, which is way fun
March 3, 2013
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I must admit I cant get on with Live Sweats for exactly the reasons you mention Matt – too difficult to spend time on the hands that matter.
That said, Daryl Jace did a great job in his last Live sweat.
See my comments: …..ce-part-8/
TPE Pro
August 25, 2012
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Interesting responses, thanks guys.
I will say that I think recorded footage gives all the benefits of a live sweat (timing tells, gameflow, etc) without actually necessitating the rushed thought processes that come with it, so I think that's a good middle ground. But I'll certainly bear in mind that some people like the less detailed approach.
October 6, 2010
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To be honest, I think a lot of members, particularly those that are at micro stakes, like the live sweats as it provides them with a first hand insight into what it takes to be able to grind a certain amount of tables etc. They see that people can actually play 6 tables all the while explaining things as well.
As a result of this, I think to beat the micros, it is probably possible to just literally copy the gamestyle of a pro without putting too much extra thought into it. I dont mean that in a derogatory way, just that it is much easier to copy a gamestyle than learn why it is profitable when people are just starting.
As people start playing more seriously and start moving up stakes, then the requirement for independent thought becomes greater and greater, and it is more necessary to learn the theory rather than just copy someone else who knows the theory, so then the greater in-depth hand history reviews and theory vids come into it.
I also think, as you mentioned, that live sweats are more accessible than a theory vid, because less active thought is required
TPE Management
April 6, 2010
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i would also argue that a suprising number of people watch poker training videos as much (or more) for entertainment than they do for education. I know I was that way when I first started watching them long before TPE. I just liked to see sickos crushing stakes way higher than I ever thought I would play.
To me, it is not unlike watching the live feed of the WSOP with commentary by LivB or something. God I miss those. 
April 2, 2014
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I want the best instruction and I am going to guess that if an instructor is having to think about what to say while he/she is trying to make a ton of decisions, thinking of future lines, working out past ones, talking about a hand that happened 10 decisions ago because it is a detailed point, well I think you get the picture. Patting your head while singing the star spangled banner and rubbing your belly at the same time as tapping the drum beat to the dam busters.
Recorded live sessions, that can be paused and voiced over if needs be, seem to be a nice compromise.
December 7, 2012
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I think Matt’s idea is a good one. Eliminating the hands where you fold 6/2os under the gun is a good way to keep the video relevant (and more entertaining – which is a consideration pointed out previously), but the coach probably will need to be mindful of their audience when editing.
When folding KJ due to position, stack size or table dynamic, there’s value in explaining why, so some marginal hands should be kept in & explained. Otherwise the video just turns into a highlight package.
Using the editing process also gives the coach the opportunity to focus on mistakes that opponents may make during the recording. A villain may end up shortstacked, and the coach may be able to point out 5 or 6 hands played incorrectly which led to them being shortstacked and having to jam early, etc.
Anyway, just some thoughts. Looking forward to seeing what’s next.
May 14, 2013
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for me live sweat and HH review is a passive way of learning, it makes you not thinking about you're current leaks and way of playing. it is comparable to a serie on the TV sometimes they are very bad sometimes good but in anycase it is a “show”
you often see HH review of deep run but that's not the real life, it is the upper side of the iceberg except when the instructor go deep and not only speak about the hand as “standard” play but go deeper with ranges and situations and different possible line to play this hand and so on. HH review with using tools like holdem ressources or flopzilla or any other would be the perfect HH review from my point of view.
then after concept vids that tackle something critical is crucial for an active learning and let open the debate and makes you working on your side.
November 12, 2013
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I think the edited video is the best bet, for me and I look forward to it. I would also like more theory videos
April 13, 2014
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The thing is that HH review mostly emphazises certain specific spots, certain situations are overlooked and reads on players are missing…. When we watch a Live video, we understand certain hands may go horribly wrong, but hearing the thought process behind a float and a bluff attempt (wether it succeeds or not) live, is different than just going thru in a review…
I would say is diferent depending on what you are looking for… Reviews are great for specific hands, the live sweat is better if you want to get the grasp of a whole tourney… I don't mind the dead air… I love to see mistakes because we all learn from those….
I was gooing to suggest for example a Review only for AK in different circumstances, however yhis can't be done on a live sweat….
But if I want to crush the 45 man I rather watch 10 live sweats with 4 tables of this specific tourney… no need to watch a tourney that everything went perfect… for example on the video where Hitthepanda reviews the 180 man… the guy wins 13 coinflips or so.. which is not a normal circumstance…. At least I don't feel happy getting the grasp out of a HH where everything goes perfect, just want to see the pro's playing their best game, in a more uncontrles environment.
Thanks.
November 8, 2010
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For me, a microstakes player who's had some limited success mixed in with much failure, I think it is important to see those tournaments in which the pros don't make a deep run as well as the tournaments they crush. I helps learning players come to terms with the fact that bad beats, run bad, periods of being card dead and mistakes happen to the best of them as well as us. I agree with Matt that we can learn more from HH reviews rather than Live Sweats but the Live Sweats certainly give us the confidence to keep making the plays we do and not be so results-orientated.
I am currently enjoying the MJStylz series and would love it hear his thoughts in real time also. As RFB says, equilibrium is important in what to watch,
May 23, 2013
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But if I want to crush the 45 man I rather watch 10 live sweats with 4 tables of this specific tourney… no need to watch a tourney that everything went perfect… for example on the video where Hitthepanda reviews the 180 man… the guy wins 13 coinflips or so.. which is not a normal circumstance…. At least I don’t feel happy getting the grasp out of a HH where everything goes perfect, just want to see the pro’s playing their best game, in a more uncontrles environment.
Thanks.
This! It’s great to see pros winning and losing like we all do. It’s also important to hear their thought process in the moment, where they waiver between what is the right play. I also like hearing when they get it in bad and they talk about whether it was just the high end of the villains range or they calculated incorrectly. There’s so much more talk about ranges in the live sweats and less altering opinion after the fact. Also it’s great to hear what they would do if certain things were different. In a normal HH review there isn’t time or context to do that.
June 4, 2014
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Since I’m somewhat of a beginner, the live sweats have really helped me understand where I am now, and where I should be in order to be successful.
They have helped me improve my game in most of these areas and have improved my ROI significantly:
Bet sizing, bet sizing tells, 3-betting, hand ranging, game flow, EV, ICM, HUD analysis, and many more.
I agree that there are plenty of live sweats out there for beginners to MTT’s to watch.
A record and review after the session would be most beneficial to intermediate and expert level players.
Just my input since I’ve joined.
Thanks for the hard work guys.
January 16, 2014
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Ive have to say live sweats arent my favorite. Watched a few that were good but overall kinda middle of the road for me.
Theory vids are really informative but kinda gotta space em out because they tend to make ya feel like your back class, albeit on topics interesting to me.
My favorite videos are HH reviews especially the ones with two pros. I like the way they maintain dialogue and can make a point and counter point bouncing back and forth off each other. One might see something the other doesnt and are way more entertaining to listen to. I Like the hagbard and wein sunday storm vid with all hole cards up great concept. The custer alioto hh review was great. Would love to see mark and casey vids those two have such a great dynamic together epecially in the podcasts, which when are gonna get another podcast guys ? Im jonesin lol
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