Easy Game (Poker Notes)

Table of contents

• The Reasons for Betting
• Preflop Hand Ranges and Postflop equities
• Aggression and the Turn
• Bet Sizing and Thin Value
• Player Identification and Basic Handreading
• Isolation theory
• Table Dynamics
• Creative Preflop Raise Sizes
• Value Streets and Pot Management
• Showdown Theory
• Monotone Boards and Equity

The Reasons for Betting

Each time you're betting - ask yourself: WHY BET?

There are only two major reasons for betting (and one more):

1. Value - betting to get called (or raised) by a worse hand.

2. Bluff - betting to get a better hand to fold.

3. Capitalization of Dead Money (DM) - making the opponent to fold, whether his hand better or worse, and collecting money in the pot.

   • Make him fold his equity share in the pot (exception: if the villian is likely to bluff AND our hand is strong enough to call a potential bluff).

   • The Dead Money more than compensates for the times we are called and lose.

Preflop Hand Ranges and Postflop equities

Preflop is not vacuum. Think about equity of a hand before raising preflop.

Most players lose money-without-showdown. They don't play a well-formulated preflop game that is cohesive with their overall postflop strategy. There is a gap between their preflop and postflop plan. They aren't thinking about equity.

Example: K8o on Button

Preflop - Hero raises. BB calls.

Flop: 9:spades:7:diamonds:3:clubs: - BB checks, Hero bets, BB calls

Turn: 2:spades: - BB checks again.

Now it's complicated. If we check - we'll inevitably go to showdown with a weak hand and we'll lose a decent pot. Or we could bet, but the turn card isn't scary and he's unlikely to fold anything he called on the flop with.

The real problem with the postflop spot starts all the way back preflop. We choose a hand with poor postflop equity and thus we walk into unprofitable spots - situations where there is simply nothing we can do right.

Choose hands that have good postflop equity.

1. Suited cards: A2s+, usually A2s-A5s better than A6s-A9s.
2. High cards. With a top pair we usually have the best hand. If we miss we usually have six outs.
3. Connecting cards: 57s, 67s.

Aggression and the Turn

The combination of pot equity and fold equity is mandatory for us to stay aggressive on the turn.

Pot Equity + Fold Equity = Aggression

Sometimes pot equity is so high that fold equity isn't important, e.g.: Q:hearts:J:hearts: on T:hearts:9:hearts:2:clubs:4:diamonds:

The draw is so strong that we need our opponent to fold a very low persentage of time for a 2nd barrel to be profitable. On the other hand 22 on 843Ar lacks of pot equity but is compensated by the fact that the opponent folds high persentage of the time.

If we have A:spades:5:spades: on 9:spades:7:diamonds:3:clubs:T:spades:: pot equity is good, but the turn card decreases our fold equity, as it hits the opponent's range.

Continue aggression if the pot equity and fold equity combination is sufficient

Sometimes it's better to check-raise instead of betting.

1. It's unlikely that the opponent holds a strong hand.

E.g. hero holds A:clubs:5:clubs: on 8:clubs:7:clubs:4:hearts:.

Flop: 8:clubs:7:clubs:4:hearts: - Hero bets, opponent calls.

He usually does not have a powerful hand (88, 77, 44, 65, 87) as he would raise these hands. Most of his calling range probably includes hands like T9, J9, and A5 for straight-draws; hands like Q:clubs:T:clubs: or K:clubs:T:clubs: for flush-draws, and hands like AJ or KQ that called simply with the intention of taking the pot away on the turn.

He holds: straight-draws, flush-draws, pair+draws, weak pairs, and air.

2. It's likely that our opponent will bet a wide weak range on the turn. With his straight-draws, flush-draws, and air he's going to bet the vast majority of the time. He's likely to check weak pairs and pair+draws hands behind, as he'll probably wants to get to showdown.

Therefore, if he bets the turn, the vast majority of his range is very weak, and now the pot is very large. So, this becomes a good time for us to check-raise the turn as a semibluff, and of course, for reason #3, capitalization of dead money.

To compensate for tricky moves of our opponent(call with hands like 65, etc) we need to make sure we have some equity before making this move. Thus, A:clubs:5:clubs: on board 8:clubs:7:clubs:5:hearts:2:diamonds: is perfect, as we have a ton of equity. A:clubs:J:clubs: would be fine as well. K:diamonds:Q:hearts: probably wouldn't be a good idea.

Board texture is critical in understanding when to bet and when to check-raise

If our opponent calls on a wet board, his range generally doesn't include monster hands like sets, two pairs, and straights. However, if our opponent calls on a dry board (864r) check-raising the turn gets significantly worse. With fewer draws available, a large portion of his turn-betting range now includes slow-played sets, two pairs, straights

With A:clubs:5:clubs: on 8:clubs:6:diamonds:2:hearts:2:clubs:, I'd almost certainly bet the turn again and plan on folding to a raise as opposed to check-raising.

What factors affect our fold equity

1. Player type. This is by far the most significant factor in evaluating the fold equity. Against a bad player our fold equity is greatly reduced.
2. Board texture. Overcards increase fold equity, but low cards and coordinating cards don’t.
3. Number of players. More players - lower fold equity.
4. Image and Perceived Hand Range. Tight, solid history - higher; loose, bluffy history - lower fold equity.

Sometimes these reasons play against each other.

Bet Sizing and Thin Value

Most people make decision whether or not to call, raise, or fold based on two main considerations:

1. Their cards. Most players won't fold AA on a JT9 board when facing a ton of action because they've got aces - even though they are relatively unlikely to be ahead.
2. The board texture. QQ is likely to get in a lot of money as an overpair, but shuts down as soon as an A or a K falls.

The size of the bet facing them, in most scenarios, is distant, distant third.

When we're trying to get value bet bigger. We need to choose a bet size that makes us sure he is still likely to call with worse. This concept is called thin value.

Thin Value Betting means making a bet to be called by worse hands, accepting that many better hands will also call the bet and understanding that the value obtained from worse hands will be more than the money lost to better hands. The "thinner" you bet the smaller your bet size should generally be.

Example of Thin Value: Board is T54J5

In all these situations we may bet for value because it's likely that we have the best hand.

We hold JJ - It's very easy to bet for value.

We hold AT - Some hands that are likely to call our bet are better (AJ, KJ, QJ, etc) and some are worse (KT, QT, T9, T8). The bet for value should be around 1/2 of pot.

We hold T9 - There are very few hands that are worse that could potentially call a bet (T8, 99, 88). The bet for value ought to be very small, e.g. 1/5 of pot.

We need to choose a bet size that makes us sure he is still likely to call with worse.

Value betting is the way to beat poker. The more value we can squeeze out of hands that are likely ahead, the more money we’re going to make in the long run. Understanding how to change your value bet sizes depending on the “thinness” of your bet will help you get the maximum amount of value with your entire range

Player Identification and Basic Handreading

Player Identification - Aggressive or Passive:

1. Stack size. If someone's sitting with less than a full buy-in at a table, and they're not a pro-shortstacker, they're usually passive.
2. Limping. If someone calls a big blind preflop and doesn't open with a raise, they're passive. This usually applies both to preflop and postflop.
3. Minraising. This is generally an indicator of a passive player who finally has something worth playing - especially when he minraises postflop. Additionally, a lot of players will minraise a wide range preflop and then play passively postflop.
4. Number of tables. If someone is sitting at 6 tables with a full stack on every single one, they're probably aggressive. If somebody is sitting at only one or two tables, and they have limped, minraised, or not kept a full stack they're usually passive.
5. 3-betting. If somebody sitting on the left has 3-bet you often and consistently, they're usually aggressive. If somebody has 3-bet you only once or twice, and especially if they've made the 3-bet unusually small or unusually large, they're usually passive.

Player Identification Table

	Yes	No
Stack Size Full	Aggressive	Passive
Limping	Passive	Aggressive
Minraising	Passive	Aggressive
Many Tables	Aggressive	Passive
3-betting	Aggressive	Passive

There are only three types of players:

1. Passive-bad. This type of player calls all the time and only raises with an extremelly strong hand. Value bet them all the time and fold to a raise.
2. Aggressive-bad. This type of player still calls all the time, but they sometimes make raises or bets that are inconsistent with any kind of strong holding. A great example is the flop donk-bet.
3. Aggressive-good. This player plays aggressively, bluffing and value betting in appropriate spots. They balance their ranges and pose a lot of problems both preflop and postflop for their opponents.

Both passive-bad and aggressive-bad tend to make big calls, and thus bluffing them is, in general, a bad strategy.

The plan for each type of bad player is simple - against a passive-bad player, we value bet them and we don't make big calls. Against an aggressive-bad player, we value bet them and we do make big calls.

Isolation theory

Isolation: To raise preflop in order to play a pot with particular player or players.

Isolation is predicted on three advantages:

1. Card Advantage;
2. Positional Advantage;
3. Skill Advantage.

Playing a pot in position against a bad player is worth the risk of playing OOP with K4s hand, while playing a pot in position with J7s against a bunch of really good players isn't worth very much at all. We need to be constantly thinking of who we’re intending to play pots against.

Table Dynamics

Factors that determine table dynamics:

1. Player types. We need to play tighter or looser depending on opponents on the left or right. For example, if there is whether an aggresive player or a shortstacker on the left then we need to play tighter; a big fish on the right - we play looser.
2. Stack sizes. If there are many shorter stacked players hands like 33 and 67s go down in value, as they lose implied odds. On the other side, hands like KJ and AT increase in value because they loose reverse implied odds.
3. Positions. Having a good regular on the left and a fish on the right is very different than having a good regular on the right and a fish on the left.

Overall strategy: We want to do whatever we can to keep the fish in the pot.

Example: Fish limps, a good regular raises on the button. We have QJs on the blinds. It will be a better decision to call a raise and let the fish to call also. 3-betting in this case will force a fish to fold and we will be heads-up with a good regular OOP.

Creative Preflop Raise Sizes

We can raise to one of three sizes:

1. Pot. It's large enough that it gets money in the pot, creating dead money for profitable c-bets and putting stacks in play more easily. However, if our opponents are 3-betting us a lot their strategy will be successful if we are giving to much dead money. So, by reducing our preflop raise size we effectively hamper a light 3-bettor's strategy. We should reduce our raise size if there are good players playing back at us to collect dead money.
2. Less than pot. Shortstacks and good players are two good reasons to reduce your raise sizes.
3. More than pot. Sometimes, it will be profitable to raise more than a pot against weak players who may play fit-or-fold postflop.

Changing raise sizes will not give away information about your hand if it's based only on information available to the table(not your cards) - which types of players are sitting in which seats with what stack sizes. This information is public.

Raise sizes are based on three factors:

1. Skill advantage. We raise larger when we are better than our opponents.
2. Positional advantage. We generally prefer to raise smaller when we are in position.
3. Stack size. The shorter the stack size, the smaller we raise and vice versa.

We cannot use card advantage as a reason for raise size preflop

Value Streets and Pot Management

Anytime we have a hand, there is a desired amount of value that we are trying to achieve. In any given spot we're trying to obtain between 0 and 3+ streets of value. This desired value may change from street to street. As a result, there are two different types of value:

1. Static Value: This refers to the amount of value that we want on any given action. Thus, preflop with AA, we want 3+ streets of value. If we have A2 on an AQJ board, we may decide we want 1 street of value on the flop, and then decide again that we want no more value on a 4 turn and a 9 river.
2. Dynamic Value: This refers to the way that desired value changes throughout the course of a hand. The ability to reevalueate value is what separates good players from bad players and prevents us from becoming "married" to a weak hand.

Learning how desired value changes during each street in a hand is a difficult skill.

Showdown Theory

When we can't plausibly justify a bet for either reason #1 or reason #2, it's usually best to check.

When should I check behind?

1. You're unlikely to get called by a worse hand (or make a better hand to fold).
2. You're unlikely to be outdrawn.

When should I bet?

1. You're likely to get called by a worse hand (you're still unlikely to make a better hand fold).
2. You're likely to be outdrawn.

Examples:

KK on A22r flop

	Hero: KK	BB: ??
Preflop	Raise	Call
Flop	Check	Check

We can assume here that the big blind will never fold an Ace to a bet; and second, that the big blind will never call with a hand worse than an Ace.

If we bet here and get called, we'll isolate ourselves with hands that beat us. If we check, we continut to play against a wider range - and a range that we're ahead of. This concept is called range manipulation.

Understanding when to check behind and when to bet is the essence of showdown theory.

8:hearts:8:diamonds: on 9:clubs:7:clubs:3:spades: flop

	Hero: 88	BB: ??
Preflop	Raise	Call
Flop	Check	Bet

While our hand is very likely to be best, we're extremelly likely to be outdrawn. This should incline us to bet. Also, we're confident to be called by worse hands, including smaller pairs and draws.

What if we have 9:diamonds:9:hearts: on an A:clubs:8:clubs:8:spades: board? We're very likely to be outdrawn and we're unlikely to be called by a worse hand. The ability to weigh these inclinations are what make somebody good at poker - it's why KK is a bet on an A:spades:Q:spades:9:clubs: board but a check on an A:clubs:3:hearts:2:spades:.

Monotone Boards and Equity

Monotone boards are a tricky one. On the one hand, our opponents will have a lot of pair+draw hands that will call our value bets. On the other hand, all those hands have a lot of equity in general, so our value bets are inherently thinner.

A raise on a monotone board usually means an extremelly strong hand.

1. People don't call raises preflop with offsuit cards. On a K:hearts:9:hearts:8:hearts:, most decent players aren't raising their one-heart hand because they simply don't hold any.
2. On a monotone board, the preflop raiser is likely to have a lot of equity. With black ace on a K:hearts:9:hearts:8:hearts:, we have decent equity. With A:hearts:Q:spades:, we have good equity. For this reason, people don't bluff boards like these - they're way to likely to have smashed the preflop raiser equity-wise.

Basically, we can expect somebody raising on a monotone board to have an extremely strong hand.

Monotone boards are good places to make tough folds. They’re not, though, good places to make bluffs, because most players won’t be as good as we are at making those tough folds. Just count on our opponents making the mistake of calling too often and value bet them.