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How do I overcome being ^^^^^^^^^^^^ that guy? I find myself playing passively a lot (specifically at low limit PLO). My preflop raise and postflop aggression numbers are (what I consider to be) VERY low. Now, I know that online at lower limit plo, most of my opponents have no idea that I'm this passive, but it's a bad habit and I know that if I hope to rise up through limits, it will have to change. What should I be "changing up" so to speak?
I think I've spent some time talking about this issue with you both in this forum and pm. But I will give some guidelines.Play smaller stakes and work harder on your game.That should do the trick.
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How do I overcome being ^^^^^^^^^^^^ that guy? I find myself playing passively a lot (specifically at low limit PLO). My preflop raise and postflop aggression numbers are (what I consider to be) VERY low. Now, I know that online at lower limit plo, most of my opponents have no idea that I'm this passive, but it's a bad habit and I know that if I hope to rise up through limits, it will have to change. What should I be "changing up" so to speak?
if you smell weakness preflop or postflopyou should donkeypunch his ass : )seriously, that's one thing u should start capitilizing on
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This is something I've felt for a long time but could never quite articulate. Well put.Steve, can you talk a bit about dominating? How to achieve it and why it makes you such a threat? Particularly with respect to limit cash games. Thanks.
Because I respect what Steve is doing I will not a make any comments about Cfinnn being a dominatrix.Not one!Steve,I find I am only comfortable playing a TAG style, should I stay clear of tournaments and focus on cash games?
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Steve, how would you suggest one would go about improving their hand reading skills? Is it purely just putting time in at the tables or are there any specific ideas I could implement to help improve this skill.ThanksBrett

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Steve, how would you suggest one would go about improving their hand reading skills? Is it purely just putting time in at the tables or are there any specific ideas I could implement to help improve this skill.ThanksBrett
A lot of it takes time. Betting patterns and physical tells. Joe Novarro wrote a book about tells that is supposed to be pretty good. Mike Caro also wrote a book on tells. The more hands you play, the better your "feel" will be in various situations.
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Steve, how would you suggest one would go about improving their hand reading skills? Is it purely just putting time in at the tables or are there any specific ideas I could implement to help improve this skill.ThanksBrett
I think that I have pretty good hand reading skills, and I feel most of that comes from experience and seeing how players play certain hands over and over again. You can kind of figure out a players style, for me it's not even a question of categorizing it, It's just something I kinda know in the back of my head, and then when they make a bet, I can generally tell what that bet means. Most players at limits that aren't too high, are actually very easy to read. I guess I can't really give you any specific ways to figure it out, other than just watching closely over time. Some players will bet strong with weak hands, they're generally more of the bully type players, who want to take control of every hand, but sometimes they'll make a normal more managable bet, which is what sets off alarms to me. (Just one example) I guess when people vary from their baseline, then you have to figure out what that means. Then just wait for your chance to take advantage of it.Hopefully that helps a little.
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What would be your recommended stop loss limit for a NL player. Should it be a number of Buy Ins, % of bank roll, set $ amount....?
A stop loss varies from player to player. I would reccomend using a specific dollar amount.
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What would be your recommended stop loss limit for a NL player. Should it be a number of Buy Ins, % of bank roll, set $ amount....?
I know this is for Steve but fwiw both Ivey and Brian Townsend use a stop loss of 3 buyins in hu NL online. Not sure if they use anything for 6-max or fr though.
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Steve, I've heard a number of "respected" players/authors state that good players can have losing weeks/months/quarters/years. Do you agree with that? Can a good player really have a losing year (given consistent play throughout the year)? (Granted, their comments might be tinged by live play...where it takes much longer to get a good sample size.)

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I know this is for Steve but fwiw both Ivey and Brian Townsend use a stop loss of 3 buyins in hu NL online. Not sure if they use anything for 6-max or fr though.
3 buyins? Seriously? That doesn't seem like nearly enough for a normal HU match which would be full of huge variance.Just don't use the Fluffdog stop loss.... :club:
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Steve, I've heard a number of "respected" players/authors state that good players can have losing weeks/months/quarters/years. Do you agree with that? Can a good player really have a losing year (given consistent play throughout the year)? (Granted, their comments might be tinged by live play...where it takes much longer to get a good sample size.)
A good player can have a losing week, month or year. A great player should never have a losing year.
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what are your thoughts on the smash strategy for low limit hold em?here it is

Fold *everything* but pocket pairs and ace high flush draws. That's right, fold KQs. Fold AKo. Really. Yes. Fold them. Yeah, I'm sure you make money with them and play great postflop, etc. Whatever, fold them. You want as much money in your stack as possible for when you have amassive edge. Limp with QQ. Yes, that's right, limp with it. Fold it if you don't flop a set. That's right. Yes, fold it. Limp also with JJ-22. If you don't flop a set, fold them. If you can't limp, call a small raise with any of these hands. If you don't flop a set, fold. The 1 time in 8 you do flop a set, go all in. Go all in if you act first. Don't check raise, just move in. Go all in if you act last. Don't check hoping they bet into you on the turn, just move in. Also play Axs preflop. Limp with them. Yes, limp with AKs. If you flop a flush draw and can draw cheaply, do. When you make a nut flush on the turn or the river (or flop one) go all in. Cackle gleefully at K high flushes calling you. If you have AA or KK preflop, just go all in, from any position, any time, against any number of limpers or none or whatever. Just move in. That's it. Fold everyhting else. To sum up, here's the strategy that beats LL NL for more BB/100 than 99% of the NL posters on this forum: Play pocket pairs and Axs preflop, fold everything else. Move in preflop with AA and KK, limp everything else, or get in as cheaply as possible. When you flop a set, move in. When you make a nut flush on an unpaired board, move in. That's it. Good luck.
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I don't think the Smash strategy is really a strategy. It's just a comment on how stupid Smash thinks low stakes no-limit players are. I know that you've directed this question at Steve, but he probably can't comment on nickel/dime games in 2007.While this algorithm certainly beats a class of unobservant idiots, almost any strategy that includes betting good hands will beat it, also.

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what are your thoughts on the smash strategy for low limit hold em?here it is
I used to be friendly with Smash when he posted on FCP. I don't have much of an opinion regarding this topic. If it works that's great. I haven't tried it. I do think it can lead to bad habits for higher limits though.
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Steve,I have a question about Table Image. Do you set out to define your table image, then take advantage until your image changes? ie. play tight for an hour, then put in a couple bluffs to pick up pots. Or play super loose for an hour, then tighten way up to get paid off?Or do you play your game, and when you make a few show downs, do you then adjust your game to the image these show downs project.So are you active in defining table image, or passive and adjusting to the way the hands fall?And if active do you show your cards when you don't need too to reinforce your image, or is this not worth giving away any information?

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Steve,I have a question about Table Image. Do you set out to define your table image, then take advantage until your image changes? ie. play tight for an hour, then put in a couple bluffs to pick up pots. Or play super loose for an hour, then tighten way up to get paid off?Or do you play your game, and when you make a few show downs, do you then adjust your game to the image these show downs project.So are you active in defining table image, or passive and adjusting to the way the hands fall?And if active do you show your cards when you don't need too to reinforce your image, or is this not worth giving away any information?
Because I usually play with the same people on a regular basis, my table image is not much of an issue. People essentially know who I am because we all play together. What I will do is try and keep track of a bluff that did not work. I know that I will be called much more often in the future. I try and adjust to each and every game. Position is something that is often overlooked in most cash games. I try and give the illusion of action quite often. This will loosen up a game and make it more fun for everyone. Action games create bigger pots. So I will generally make it "seem" like I am gambling more than I am at certain times.
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Because I usually play with the same people on a regular basis, my table image is not much of an issue. People essentially know who I am because we all play together. What I will do is try and keep track of a bluff that did not work. I know that I will be called much more often in the future. I try and adjust to each and every game. Position is something that is often overlooked in most cash games. I try and give the illusion of action quite often. This will loosen up a game and make it more fun for everyone. Action games create bigger pots. So I will generally make it "seem" like I am gambling more than I am at certain times.
I've tried to display a false image in live games taht i play many times. But it turns out that the people i play with are still too donkish to realize that if i put out a bet of x amount and then show a bluff, that the next time i put out that x amount as a bet i'm supposed to be bluffing. In other words, i put out an image, they ignore me. What do i do then? Back to ABC?
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Add my thanks to the list for doing this Steve, it really is an amazing new "feature" in this great community.I believe that at small stakes, regarding starting hand requirements, it is always best to be tight unless:a- the table is tight, orb- your tightness is losing you action on your big hands.Seeing as neither of these conditions ever seem to be met at the tables I'm at, I find myself playing a very tight game all the time.Can you think of any reasons to adjust this thinking? Is this causing bad habits? Or should I play the way I believe is most profitable now, and learn other gears only when I've found myself in games that require the adjustment?

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For the last two posters, it's fundamental that you avoid bluffing people that have no idea what they're doing. "Fancy" plays don't work when your opponent isn't sophisticated enough to pay attention or remember previous action. Therefore, a TAG ABC game is very frequently enough to make good money in NLHE games online through around 1/2. Live, I'd bump that to 2/5 NLHE. As you develop your reads and play with certain opponents regularly, you'll learn about them and get a feel for their image of you.For example, I was playing in a 2/3 6-max game the other day with a guy I'd played with a number of times previously...and I'll likely see him again. In our past interactions, he's probably viewed me as pretty TAG. He was opening a lot of pots, so I decided to make a very rare move and re-pop him pre-flop in position with J9o. That hand ended up making it to showdown. That one hand out of hundreds/thousands played will very likely alter his perception of me in the future, so I will be mindful of it.

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steve,Question for you on your opinion on playing at a certain limit that one would say is there middle ground of comfort. You sit down and start off the first 4 hours of the nite just getting on the loosing side of the stick. You think its because of the quality of players at the table, if you run in to this situation would you move up a level and try to find a better quaility of a table?

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Can you give me some tips for giving the illusion of action? Its a fairly big weakness in my live game.
Giving the illusion of action only works at mid to higher limits imo. It is a waste of time at lower limits because you will be called anyway. A great example of illusion of action would be raising with a hand that you would normally call with. If and when it goes to showdown, people will think that you overplayed your hand. In the future they will call you more often. This tool can also loosen a game up.
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