Ask Garth!

[bennymacca]

i call the river bets WAAAY too often - once again my lack of discipline

i would say 75% of the time i call these bets i have the best hand, but its that other 25% of times that gets me into trouble

Do you ever check raise when you flop strong? Do you fire c bets the majority of the time? How often do you play against these same opponents and do they have data or a read on you?

i would say that 80% of the time, i will bet the flop, and sometimes the turn regardless of whether i have the nuts or AK that missed

i rarely check raise when i have the nuts, unless i am sure that the other player is going to be aggressive. to me, check raising wreaks of strength, and i dont like doing it that often.

to the same extent, i like to check raise the flop with something like mid pair or a draw as a semibluff, just to see how much the other player likes their hand. i also like to call the flop, and float the turn - the best way to bluff IMO, but once again has the potential to put me in a tough spot.

these are the areas that i can probably tighten up on, because these build the big pots - i will rarely check fold once i have raised, with cards like AK or 1010 and this i think is my problem - i get invested and give myself a tough decision when i could have easily folded and waited for a better spot

How often do you play against these same opponents and do they have data or a read on you?

Poker Tracker is a wonderful thing!

i love poker tracker, and use it religiously, but most of my games are micro limit tourneys, so i rarely get good stats on someone, unless its a mate like aaron (but then i know his game anyway)

[AceLosesKing]

Garth, tell me how to lay down AK preflop.

I find this is one of my biggest leaks. I overvalue the hand waaaaaay too much, and while I don't encounter AK vs KK/AA that often, I'm getting into flips that I don't really think I should be.

Here is a common situation that will arise online. There will be a raise, possibly standard or min. I will 3 bet with AK. They jam, I usually call. Is this always the right play? I know every situation is dependant, but...

Here's another one. At regionals, there was a raise UTG 3xBB (2k). A flat call. I look at AKo and jam for 9k. I ran into UTG's AA and flatter's QQ (if he reraises I'm out of here). If I actually sat down and thought about the player that was raising UTG I should've realised that she was VERY strong and I need to get out of there.

So while there are situations when I'm running into KK/AA, they are not occuring all the time. But I do have trouble laying down AK preflop, against one (or sometimes two,player dependant). Is this a flaw?

[Garth Kay]

i call the river bets WAAAY too often - once again my lack of discipline

i would say 75% of the time i call these bets i have the best hand, but its that other 25% of times that gets me into trouble

Do you ever check raise when you flop strong? Do you fire c bets the majority of the time? How often do you play against these same opponents and do they have data or a read on you?

i would say that 80% of the time, i will bet the flop, and sometimes the turn regardless of whether i have the nuts or AK that missed

i rarely check raise when i have the nuts, unless i am sure that the other player is going to be aggressive. to me, check raising wreaks of strength, and i dont like doing it that often.

to the same extent, i like to check raise the flop with something like mid pair or a draw as a semibluff, just to see how much the other player likes their hand. i also like to call the flop, and float the turn - the best way to bluff IMO, but once again has the potential to put me in a tough spot.

these are the areas that i can probably tighten up on, because these build the big pots - i will rarely check fold once i have raised, with cards like AK or 1010 and this i think is my problem - i get invested and give myself a tough decision when i could have easily folded and waited for a better spot

How often do you play against these same opponents and do they have data or a read on you?

Poker Tracker is a wonderful thing!

i love poker tracker, and use it religiously, but most of my games are micro limit tourneys, so i rarely get good stats on someone, unless its a mate like aaron (but then i know his game anyway)

benny the cunt,

Read what you have written down as if you are taking notes on a player. Then have a good hard look at it.

You are a set player, and anyone taking notice will know that you only check raise with marginal, you will lead at flops 80% of the time, whether you have hit or missed.

You need to change up your game, especially if you are sitting with the same opponents for a period of time. Work on changing your approach to playing mid pair or draw heavy hands every two blind levels. Especially if your table isn't breaking as often you would like.

You need to change your game, tighten up, change your style and gears and stop being so LAGGY, especially in early to mid stages of tournaments.

You also need to readjust your self opinion and attitude when sitting down, your play smacks of someone who is full of pride and arrogance, no insult attended here. You just like to think you can outplay just about everybody and that you never will be bluffed; and that you fear the fact that anybody can outplay you.

Discipline yourself to fold more and let go of marginal holdings.

[Garth Kay]

Garth, tell me how to lay down AK preflop.

I find this is one of my biggest leaks. I overvalue the hand waaaaaay too much, and while I don't encounter AK vs KK/AA that often, I'm getting into flips that I don't really think I should be.

Here is a common situation that will arise online. There will be a raise, possibly standard or min. I will 3 bet with AK. They jam, I usually call. Is this always the right play? I know every situation is dependant, but...

Here's another one. At regionals, there was a raise UTG 3xBB (2k). A flat call. I look at AKo and jam for 9k. I ran into UTG's AA and flatter's QQ (if he reraises I'm out of here). If I actually sat down and thought about the player that was raising UTG I should've realised that she was VERY strong and I need to get out of there.

So while there are situations when I'm running into KK/AA, they are not occuring all the time. But I do have trouble laying down AK preflop, against one (or sometimes two,player dependant). Is this a flaw?

It's not a flaw, but playing AK is always situational dependant, the two scenario's you describe are correct, especially at the regionals but what were the blinds at?

The best case scenario when holding AK preflop is that you are playing against someone holding a weaker A than you, second best situation is that you're racing. I never look to race with AK early in a tournament as often better situations arise where I am confident I am getting my money in good.

If there is a three bet or four bet preceding your action then it might be worthwhile considering folding as the best case scenario for you here is a race, hardly any players three or four bet without holding JJ or higher. Most players will not four bet holding AK at micro levels but prefer to call off with it.

Look to play small pots with AK early in a tournament, a three or four bet is not always required in the early stages of the tournament.
Look to take those races in the mid or later stages of a tournament when it is necessary and the odds and chip stacks are in your favour.

I hope that makes sense.

[Garth Kay]

By the way AK and benny the cunt; I think you are both good enough to understand this and at least on a subconcious level you know what you are doing wrong or what you should be doing; you are just looking for confirmation.

Always trust your instincts.

[AceLosesKing]

It's not a flaw, but playing AK is always situational dependant, the two scenario's you describe are correct, especially at the regionals but what were the blinds at?

300/600/50. Opening raise was 2k UTG. Flat call... 5k~ in the pot, I don't want to flat here, I jam for 9k. Figure I can pick it up here, worst case scenario flip/dominating.

Would you suggest folding AK in the regionals spot?

The best case scenario when holding AK preflop is that you are playing against someone holding a weaker A than you, second best situation is that you're racing. I never look to race with AK early in a tournament as often better situations arise where I am confident I am getting my money in good.

If there is a three bet or four bet preceding your action then it might be worthwhile considering folding as the best case scenario for you here is a race, hardly any players three or four bet without holding JJ or higher. Most players will not four bet holding AK at micro levels but prefer to call off with it.

Look to play small pots with AK early in a tournament, a three or four bet is not always required in the early stages of the tournament.
Look to take those races in the mid or later stages of a tournament when it is necessary and the odds and chip stacks are in your favour.

I hope that makes sense.

It does, thanks for your insights.

By the way AK and benny the cunt; I think you are both good enough to understand this and at least on a subconcious level you know what you are doing wrong or what you should be doing; you are just looking for confirmation.

I would say so. But it is always good to hear. Talking to fellow poker players and discussing different strategies +++ for your game (especially one as advanced as you).

Always trust your instincts.

This is something I really need to be doing a lot more.

[bennymacca]

You also need to readjust your self opinion and attitude when sitting down, your play smacks of someone who is full of pride and arrogance, no insult attended here. You just like to think you can outplay just about everybody and that you never will be bluffed; and that you fear the fact that anybody can outplay you.

Discipline yourself to fold more and let go of marginal holdings.

i have to say garth, you are correct here, and i have not taken offence to what you have said.

a lot of the time i dont give other players enough respect. a lot of the time, my default stance of a player's ability, especially online, is that they are bad, and they have to show me otherwise.

but this is completely the wrong way of looking at it, i should play as if everyone is a top player, and then when they give me reasons otherwise, i will re-evaluate.

i feel i have a good grasp on the game, especially mathematically, and if i look at poker situations in a completely objective way, such as a pokerlistings question or analysing a hand afterwards, i feel that i get most situations right.

my problem, as is quite evident to everyone that reads this forum, is my lack of discipline, when emotion/big money/big pots are involved

countless times, and i mean COUNTLESS times, i hit the call button, only to punch myself in the head afterwards because it was a stupid move.

then i tilt another buyin straight off in the next game.

i think that i need to put myself in a frame of mind where my default position is to let go of anything lower than top pair good kicker without any resistance at all. even if that means i get bluffed off lots of pots

By the way AK and benny the cunt; I think you are both good enough to understand this and at least on a subconcious level you know what you are doing wrong or what you should be doing; you are just looking for confirmation.

absolutely - i think i know most of what i am doing wrong, and right for that matter, but having someone spell it out is always helpful if it is done in the right way.

and knowing your weaknesses, and changing them are two very different things!!

thanks garth, i dont know any other organisation where ordinary plebs can pick the brains of one of the senior managers of a company so readily. you need to be congratulated for that

[rcon]

What benny the cunt said

All those points you've made apply to me - the advice in this thread is great. Not so much because it is rocket science, but the blunt way it has been put, ie. do this, or you're a chump.

I like it

TP/TP, over pair and mid pair, are my constant downfall when going deep online - usually because I don't give enough respect to other player.

[Garth Kay]

300/600/50. Opening raise was 2k UTG. Flat call... 5k~ in the pot, I don't want to flat here, I jam for 9k. Figure I can pick it up here, worst case scenario flip/dominating.

Would you suggest folding AK in the regionals spot?

Hell, no. What you did was you perfect. There is no way you are not making that play and if you flat there I would need to take you out to the paddock so I could put you down, because you have pulled up LAME.

[Bacon]

have to ask yourself maff, if they are also deep into a tourney, how did they get there?

I had a read i thought on a player, but each time he was called for all-in, he had a good pair. Yet i still have his note as "pushes all in with not much" and i think i'm right and that those 4 shows or so were just lucky timing. Whether i see them again and am proven wrong, i don't know.

Lately, my game is i hit the cash, and then push with nothing to finish too early. I don't go deep, because i know i've made a profit, so i'm happy. What things should i do to re-evaluate my goals once i cash?