Poker: What limits do you play?

[Bama Gambler]

It's been awhile since a new poker thread was started so....

What limits do you usually play?

I play $20 - $50 SNGs (every now and then $100).
I play $10 - $50 multitables (every now and then $100 or $200). I usually try to win a seat for a $200 tournament, but I have bought into one or two.

How often do you play?

I prob play around 3 or 4 SNGs a week and 1 or 2 multitables.

[Wigmeister General]

Penny ante

[FSAme]

$50 SnGs, rarely play $100 (but, so far I'm 3 for 3 in them :P )

$150 or $200 multis on Party. Used to play the $30 or $50 multis, but take just as long and the payout isn't as much. I also, try to qualify for these, but have paid for them once.

I'll play about 5 SnGs a week, and a big multi once every other week.

More if time permits.

Overall, since last October, I'm up over $4,500. Have actually withdrawn about $2,500.

[Grits N Gravy]

I play .25/50 and .50/1.00 limit ring games sometimes, but lately it's been more tournaments

$5-10 NL SNGs
$5-20 NL multis

Average about 2-3 hours of ring, 2 SNGs and 1 multi per week.

Nice results FSAme.

[minus790]

$11-33 SNGs
$22-33 multi-tourneys

Probably play 50 SNGs a week, trying to ramp up the sample to gain experience and explore the feasibility of making this my living. Working on my professional attitude right now - the habit of coming to the table to win instead of goofing off or surfing the net while I play, etc.

[Cohete009]

Online I usually play the 11-33 single and multi-table tourneys.

As for real life, i am going to vegas next Wednesday (feb. 11th), and plan on playing a lot of hold'em there. Most likely will play $10/$20. That is a good game. 3 nites in Vegas, just enough for me to hopefully bring home a couple of grand. That's what I'm shootin' for.

[foghorn]

I usually play $5 SNG but occassionally $10, always NL.
Average of 1 per night with maybe 5 on the weekend.

[Sotally Tober]

Let's see...

$5, $10, $20 single and 2-table NL tourneys
$10 NL multitable on Sunday mornings
Occassionally, $0.25/$0.50 NL tables

Thinking of of getting into $27+2 single table or $13+1 2-table NL that qualifies winner for a $200+15 multi. Haven't yet though. Want to start playing more multi-table tourneys but most are either too expensive for my ability or too early in the day.

A typical night is 2-3 tourneys. 4-5 times per week.

[FSAme]

For those that have tried them out, don't you find it easier to place in the money in the higher limit tourneys? I sure do.

[Bama Gambler]

Probably play 50 SNGs a weekWow. Why don't you partcipate in the poker threads more?

[Bama Gambler]

Overall, since last October, I'm up over $4,500. Have actually withdrawn about $2,500.Awesome!

[2pac Shakur]

I'm a pretty serious poker player myself.
Just wanted to verify something, though:

Do 2 pairs beat 3 of a kind?

[TG]

I know 3 pairs beats 3 of a kind. Not sure about only 2 pairs... :-?

[2pac Shakur]

Let's say 2 pairs - Jacks and Aces.
That would beat 3 2's, right?
Assuming nothing is wild, of course.

[TG]

Let's say 2 pairs - Jacks and Aces.

OK, that's 22, 32, or 42 depending upon if you count the Aces as 1s or 11s.

That would beat 3 2's, right?

And that's only 6, so yeah.

[2pac Shakur]

That's what I thought!
I took off an article of clothing for nothing!

[TG]

I always wear an extra thick bra. That way, when you take your blouse off it's no different than a wearing a bikini top, really.

[2pac Shakur]

Excellent idea.
Since you obviously know a lot about poker, I've got some more questions.

For instance, can I ask for 5 new cards after the deal? Or are you only allowed 4?

[TG]

If the dealer is showing an Ace, you can take 5 but I'd get what they call "insurance" in Rexas Hold 'Em.

[2pac Shakur]

If the dealer is showing an Ace, you can take 5 but I'd get what they call "insurance" in Rexas Hold 'Em.

Rexas hold 'em?
Never heard of it.
Is that one of them new Asian games? Like Pai Gao?

[TG]

Rexas hold 'em?


I left out this reference footnote. Sorry.
http://actuary.ca/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=24388

[Hummer]

3-5 SNGs 3-5 times a week (usually $30-$50, only a couple $100).
1 or 2 multi per week (usually $30).

Enjoy $50 or $100 NL or PL ring games.

2 regular home games (Sun & Thurs) where it's NL with $20 - $40 buy-in.

Casino tourney once every couple weeks (usually allow $50 - 60).

[minus790]

Ok, Bama and others. Here's a few hands I picked out from tonight as problem hands in a NL $33 SNG. See what you would've done...

I'm MikeDoss.

Hand 1:
***** Hand History for Game 377806928 *****
100/200 TourneyTexasHTGameTable (NL) (Tournament 2191313) - Sat Feb 07 00:10:01 EST 2004
Table Card Room Table 4511 (Real Money) -- Seat 6 is the button
Total number of players : 6
Seat 1: chutzpah3 (1340)
Seat 3: chekraisthis (1585)
Seat 4: kolsby (1150)
Seat 6: browne_3 (2015)
Seat 7: MikeDoss (1175)
Seat 9: boilingpoint (735)
MikeDoss posts small blind (50)
boilingpoint posts big blind (100)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to MikeDoss [ Ah, Td ]
chutzpah3 calls (100)
chekraisthis folds.
kolsby folds.
browne_3 folds.
MikeDoss calls (50)
boilingpoint checks.
** Dealing Flop ** : [ Ts, Ad, Jh ]
MikeDoss bets (200)
boilingpoint folds.
chutzpah3 raises (400) to 400
MikeDoss calls (200)
** Dealing Turn ** : [ 2c ]
MikeDoss checks.
chutzpah3 bets (425)
????

Hand 2:
***** Hand History for Game 377833902 *****
400/800 TourneyTexasHTGameTable (NL) (Tournament 2191313) - Sat Feb 07 00:21:36 EST 2004
Table Card Room Table 4511 (Real Money) -- Seat 9 is the button
Total number of players : 3
Seat 3: chekraisthis (1390)
Seat 7: MikeDoss (3450)
Seat 9: boilingpoint (3160)
chekraisthis posts small blind (200)
MikeDoss posts big blind (400)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to MikeDoss [ Kc, Jd ]
boilingpoint folds.
chekraisthis raises (1190) to 1390
chekraisthis calls all-In.
chekraisthis: better than 78
chekraisthis: ill show
boilingpoint: CALL HIM
????

See what you all think.

[minus790]

Another topic I don't see discussed enough is defending your blinds.

I bought PokerTracker about 3000 hands ago, and I am folding my blinds way too much.

Steal stats are alarming:

I've folded my small to a steal 87%
big to a steal 76%
folded heads-up 77%

ouch. Funny thing is that I understand the game theory behind this part of the strategy, but just seem to be too much of a pushover in practice. Suggestions?

[MountainHawk]

Sometimes, that's the best play. I finished in 2nd last night (and only 2nd because I got impatient at the end. My final statss were something like 22 of 95 on the flops, and that was after a 5 of 7 in the heads up situation.

[Expunge]

Another topic I don't see discussed enough is defending your blinds.

I bought PokerTracker about 3000 hands ago, and I am folding my blinds way too much.

Steal stats are alarming:

I've folded my small to a steal 87%
big to a steal 76%
folded heads-up 77%

ouch. Funny thing is that I understand the game theory behind this part of the strategy, but just seem to be too much of a pushover in practice. Suggestions?

yeah you seem to be folding to a steal a little much. a possible quick way to help this is to defend your big a couple times early. this can usually send a message that you're not able to be walked over.

[Happy Extinction]

Mostly $30 NL SnG
sometimes $10

Sometimes $1/$2 limit, but will move up to $2/$4 when the bankroll allows.

Multitable once a month or so.

[Happy Extinction]

Just took 59th in a $20 Holdem multitable - not great but at least in the $$

[Hummer]

Just took 59th in a $20 Holdem multitable - not great but at least in the $$

Nice job. Is that your first money finish for a multi?

[Bama Gambler]

Hand 1:
***** Hand History for Game 377806928 *****
100/200 TourneyTexasHTGameTable (NL) (Tournament 2191313) - Sat Feb 07 00:10:01 EST 2004
Table Card Room Table 4511 (Real Money) -- Seat 6 is the button
Total number of players : 6
Seat 1: chutzpah3 (1340)
Seat 3: chekraisthis (1585)
Seat 4: kolsby (1150)
Seat 6: browne_3 (2015)
Seat 7: MikeDoss (1175)
Seat 9: boilingpoint (735)
MikeDoss posts small blind (50)
boilingpoint posts big blind (100)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to MikeDoss [ Ah, Td ]
chutzpah3 calls (100)
chekraisthis folds.
kolsby folds.
browne_3 folds.
MikeDoss calls (50)
boilingpoint checks.
** Dealing Flop ** : [ Ts, Ad, Jh ]
MikeDoss bets (200)
boilingpoint folds.
chutzpah3 raises (400) to 400
MikeDoss calls (200)
** Dealing Turn ** : [ 2c ]
MikeDoss checks.
chutzpah3 bets (425)
????
Given no information about this opponent, I would call with the intention of check-calling the river. Since he just limped pre-flop I eliminated TT, JJ, and AA. AJ and KQ are possible, but I figure he would raise more on the flop with AJ and just call with KQ. To me this looks more like Ax. I guess AQ is possible but not likely since he didn't raise pre-flop.

Actually I probably would have re-raised all-in on the flop (I'm not sure if this is better than what you did). I tend to play very aggressive in the SNGs when I flop a hand.

[Bama Gambler]

Hand 2:
***** Hand History for Game 377833902 *****
400/800 TourneyTexasHTGameTable (NL) (Tournament 2191313) - Sat Feb 07 00:21:36 EST 2004
Table Card Room Table 4511 (Real Money) -- Seat 9 is the button
Total number of players : 3
Seat 3: chekraisthis (1390)
Seat 7: MikeDoss (3450)
Seat 9: boilingpoint (3160)
chekraisthis posts small blind (200)
MikeDoss posts big blind (400)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to MikeDoss [ Kc, Jd ]
boilingpoint folds.
chekraisthis raises (1190) to 1390
chekraisthis calls all-In.
chekraisthis: better than 78
chekraisthis: ill show
boilingpoint: CALL HIM
????

See what you all think.Hmmm. I guess I would call. You are getting 1.5:1 and he is likely to raise all-in with almost any hand. Even if you lose you will still have 1860. If you win you will have 4840 and a great chance at first place. I think folding is too tight.

[Sotally Tober]

I'd call this. KJ with a 2.5-1 chip advantage, three handed, KJ is a hand you can afford to play here and look to knock him out. And like Bama said, you're certainly not out of it if you lose.

[minus790]

My actual choices were

1) put all my chips in the middle. He had Ax - big winner.

2) fold. probably too tight in retrospect. just seemed that calling this was too much gambling, but geesh, gambling is the name of the game at this stage. I am still learning the delicate balance between aggressiveness and stupidity :-)

A hand from my daily lunch SNG:

***** Hand History for Game 383056131 *****
50/100 TourneyTexasHTGameTable (NL) (Tournament 2228016) - Mon Feb 09 12:29:04 EST 2004
Table Card Room Table 783 (Real Money) -- Seat 2 is the button
Total number of players : 7
Seat 1: acewilky (1210)
Seat 2: c1942 (2095)
Seat 3: yelsewgn (715)
Seat 6: pongie (995)
Seat 7: MikeDoss (835)
Seat 8: StewStardust (1560)
Seat 10: vboy408 (590)
yelsewgn posts small blind (25)
pongie posts big blind (50)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to MikeDoss [ Qh, Ac ]
MikeDoss raises (100) to 100
StewStardust folds.
vboy408 folds.
acewilky folds.
c1942 folds.
yelsewgn calls (75)
pongie calls (50)
** Dealing Flop ** : [ 8d, 7h, As ]
yelsewgn checks.
pongie checks.
MikeDoss bets (300)
yelsewgn folds.
pongie raises (895) to 895
pongie calls all-In.


A) grade the utg raise to 2x the big blind.
B) grade the pot-sized bet on the flop.
C) what's your call?

my preliminary analysis is that I like choice A), and don't like choice B) - but given those constraints, I like my answer to C)

[Happy Extinction]

A) grade the utg raise to 2x the big blind.
I almost always raise 3xbb just because 2xbb is just like calling 1xbb to many people. I think AQo UTG is good enough to raise with.
B) grade the pot-sized bet on the flop.

That is what I would have done.


C) what's your call?

All in. Guessing the thing that will beat you here is if he called your bet with A8s or 77. Assuming he wouldn't limp in with AKo or AA. He could have AQo as well. The only thing that worries me is that he is not going all in with crap because he doesn't have any chips - he is going all in with a decent stack.

Still...i bet you win this hand 7 times out of ten.

My prediction is he has AJo.

Somebody is going to argue why do you bet pot if you would call his all in anyway?

Good post

[Bama Gambler]

***** Hand History for Game 383056131 *****
50/100 TourneyTexasHTGameTable (NL) (Tournament 2228016) - Mon Feb 09 12:29:04 EST 2004
Table Card Room Table 783 (Real Money) -- Seat 2 is the button
Total number of players : 7
Seat 1: acewilky (1210)
Seat 2: c1942 (2095)
Seat 3: yelsewgn (715)
Seat 6: pongie (995)
Seat 7: MikeDoss (835)
Seat 8: StewStardust (1560)
Seat 10: vboy408 (590)
yelsewgn posts small blind (25)
pongie posts big blind (50)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to MikeDoss [ Qh, Ac ]
MikeDoss raises (100) to 100
StewStardust folds.
vboy408 folds.
acewilky folds.
c1942 folds.
yelsewgn calls (75)
pongie calls (50)
** Dealing Flop ** : [ 8d, 7h, As ]
yelsewgn checks.
pongie checks.
MikeDoss bets (300)
yelsewgn folds.
pongie raises (895) to 895
pongie calls all-In.I don't like the 2x raise pre-flop. 3x is much better. With a 2x raise you can't eliminate 87 as a possible hand for the BB. Hard to argue against a pot sized bet (this is what I usually make on the flop), but here 150 might be enough to define your opponents hand. I like to ask myself before I bet the flop (and my stack is somewhat low) "What if one my opponents comes over the top?" If the answer is fold, then I often bet a little less. Anyway, 300 is not too bad. Once he comes over the top you are getting 2.4:1. If you fold you have 435 left and are the short stack with 7 players left. It will be a long road to hoe. I'd guess I would call, but I wouldn't feel good about it. My guess is 87, A7, or A8. I guess folding is not too bad.

[minus790]

A) 3x is probably a little better, but 2x doesn't seem that egregious of an error.

B) Dumb. Totally agree that 150 here was enough to find out what I needed, and leave me with enough chips to fold when someone comes over the top.

C) Yep, I called it and lost to A8. Lesson : anticipate future actions and reactions before making a move. The decision to bet 300 encouraged the BB to put me in a position I didn't want to be in.

[minus790]

On to more poker-related thought:

Lying in bed thinking "you know what might help me in these short-handed games is some sort of random action generator based on game theory..."

This would eliminate the second-guessing of oneself and the possibility of developing a pattern on-line. All you'd have to do is calibrate the parameters for what% of the time each action should be chosen, relative to the cards you hold of course.

[Bama Gambler]

A) 3x is probably a little better, but 2x doesn't seem that egregious of an error.The only time I raise to 2x is to trap someone (trap before the flop, in other words, hope they re-raise me before the flop). With AQ I think you really want to win pre-flop. If someone raises UTG 2x, I will call from the BB with almost any two cards (if my stack is large enough I'll call with 27o). When you raise 2x you can't eliminate any holding from the BB.

[hardinda]

I prob play around 3 or 4 SNGs a week and 1 or 2 multitables.

Sure you do.


I'll play about 5 SnGs a week, and a big multi once every other week.

Sure you do.

Probably play 50 SNGs a week, trying to ramp up the sample to gain experience and explore the feasibility of making this my living. Working on my professional attitude right now - the habit of coming to the table to win instead of goofing off or surfing the net while I play, etc.

The developments of a professional.

[win diesel]

It's been awhile since a new poker thread was started so....



I can't remember the last one either....

[Sotally Tober]

:lolup: Great posts you two.

[silverfox]

Dredging.

[brew]

I've been playing $0.25/$0.50... I just started playing online. It's awesome, the people there aren't very good at all... which is great seeing as how I usually get my ass whooped when I play with friends.

Money!

[CalculatinFool]

Probably play 50 SNGs a week, trying to ramp up the sample to gain experience and explore the feasibility of making this my living. Working on my professional attitude right now - the habit of coming to the table to win instead of goofing off or surfing the net while I play, etc.

Would love an update on how this quest is going.

[Bama Gambler]

Bama Update:

I play 20-30 SNGs per week. I mostly play $100 SNGs, but also play a few $50s and a few $200s. I kill the $50s, hold my own in the $100s, and get slaughtered in the $200s. I usually play 3-4 tables at a time. I play 1-2 MTTs per week ranging from $50-$200. I believe I'm better at MTT than SNG, but it could be a lack of credibility in the MTT.

Hardinda Update:

I play 40-50 SNGs per week. I mostly play $200 SNGs, but also play a few $100s and a few $400s (mini-step 5). I kill the $100s, I kill the $200s and I kill the $400s. I always play 4 tables at a time and I will most likely move to 6 or 8 tables soon. I play 5-10 MTTs per week ranging from $50-$200. I kill the MTTs too. I could easily do this for a living, but I’m chicken ****. Instead of admitting that I’m chicken ****, I prefer to hide behind the “poker is fun and if I play for living it might not be fun” cloak.

[hardinda]

Bama Update:

I play 20-30 SNGs per week. I mostly play $100 SNGs, but also play a few $50s and a few $200s. I kill the $50s, hold my own in the $100s, and get slaughtered in the $200s. I usually play 3-4 tables at a time. I play 1-2 MTTs per week ranging from $50-$200. I believe I'm better at MTT than SNG, but it could be a lack of credibility in the MTT.

Hardinda Update:

I play 40-50 SNGs per week. I mostly play $200 SNGs, but also play a few $100s and a few $400s (mini-step 5). I kill the $100s, I kill the $200s and I kill the $400s. I always play 4 tables at a time and I will most likely move to 6 or 8 tables soon. I play 5-10 MTTs per week ranging from $50-$200. I kill the MTTs too. I could easily do this for a living, but I support BG's crappy poker playing in a profit sharing group.

FYP

[Bama Gambler]

Can't deny that! :notworth:

[DblDownTrent]

I'll play about 5 SnGs an hour

Fixed my quote. lol

[Sotally Tober]

You guys can go here for help, in case you've managed to miss it somehow.

http://www.actuarialoutpost.com/actuarial_discussion_forum/showthread.php?t=35274