April was fun. At least it's ending with some positive momentum.
Still playing too tight overall. I think I know where I can loosen up preflop, but I'm not confident enough in my postflop game to want to venture there. One of the things I want to confirm with a coach is the state of my postflop game, given how TAGnit I'm playing. There's a little gap between VPIP and PFR, but I'll talk more about that in the positional analysis. I'm sure I could steal more, but I'm OK with anything over 30%. One of the things I'd like to do is pick some more defending spots, but I don't want to go crazy. I should note that one of my seat selection criteria is that the person 2 to my right does not have a high attempt to steal...if they do, I'm looking to leave unless there's another compelling factor to stay...so it does stand to reason that I would fold a little more than normal. The other thing that jumps out at me is that my fold to c-bet is really low. That may be getting me in a bit of trouble as I'm probably making too many spewy plays, or in general just not believing the flop bets enough.
Given my overall VPIP and PFR, the distribution of the non-blind positions is OK. The CO could be higher for sure. The UTG spot is a couple percentage points higher (big relative increase) after consciously opening up a little bit, just to protect my big hands...so, some occasional opens with suited connectors, and also adding AJo and ATs into my likely opening range. Too many decent players are aware of how positionally aware the other players are, so I think that it just can't be premium hands in UTG. I'm also cold calling a bit more on the button (as opposed to taking a reraise or fold approach). Sometimes I'm doing this planning to try taking away a lot of flops in position, and sometimes I'm doing this by cold-calling speculative hands I'd previously dumped. And of course, those two factors interrelate.
The biggest question mark is my SB VPIP and PFR. I'm doing a lot of completing, relatively speaking. It's something that a few people have recommended me to avoid, and I have tried to be deliberate about it. I've reviewed some hands, though, and it looks like a lot of them are completing after 2 limpers with decent speculative hands, and then playing pretty cautiously postflop. I'm pretty sure I'm not going overboard with them, but that VPIP is kind of high and the gap between VPIP and PFR from that spot is wide. So, I'll have to keep monitoring it.
In addition to the play, I watched more videos in April than I have in a long time. A lot of that was due to really loving the Deuces Cracked vids, but I'm also trying to focus on vids in general, and in fact have been rotating between DC, CR, and Stox. The videos have come at the expense of strat forum participation, but I was getting kind of burnt with that anyway....I'm not sure how much I was really getting from posting. Not that posting is a waste of time...quite the contrary...but I hit a plateau in terms of how much I personally took away from that study vehicle. I think for May, I'll try to get back to more of a balance between videos and the forums, though.
5 comments:
Hey Marc,
Tough month. It's kind of wierd looking at your stats because they all look good except from the winrate! I guess things might be going wrong postflop or maybe running really bad. Anyway, a few points...
I wouldn't even consider opening up preflop until you're comfortable playing postflop at the vpip/pfr you're playing. Playing 18/15 is fine, it's TAG but there's nothing wrong with it.
I know I've probably said this already, but opening up UTG pre to protect big hands is pointless if you're already opening all PPs, your range is balanced already. It's overthinking things at $100nl in my opinion.
Att to steal is fine for your vpip/pfr.
Seat selection wise, I love playing with someone with a high att to steal 2 to my right as I can 3 bet him a bunch. Folding more when someone is opening a wider range doesn't really make sense. I much less prefer sitting with a high att to steal players on my left, as they're more positionally aware and will 3bet me a lot.
I don't hate cold calling on the BTN too much if you can float and take pots away well postflop. It's something hookem talks about a lot... "defending your button!". I think it's fine.
Your VPIPs are ok in SB and BB, however I'd aim to raise both PFRs by around 4, they're way too low. There must be standard spots you're playing too passively, maybe you occasionally open-limp the SB? Or check your BB when the SB limps?
My opinion is that you're spending too much time concentrating on your preflop stats when your leaks are likely postflop. I'd focus more on postflop stuff, your opponents ranges, betting patterns, etc. Your preflop stats are fine. You could tweak them to death but the effect that will have on your winrate is small. You need to be finding your postflop leaks.
As for study, I'd say that analysing hands you've played in PT after sessions is by far the most important and best way to improve. I'd rank that above videos, forums, and anything. Finding spots where you're unconfident or repeatedly losing money and analysing why yourself is really rewarding. Thinking deeply about ranges and outcomes to different lines is really important, pokerstove is great to help with that too.
Best of luck in May!
You really need to work on post flop aggression. TAG is still a winning style at these stakes, especially if you table select well, but it looks like your bordering on a Tight/Passive style.
I just checked my numbers for April and have similar stats to you pre flop, but have an AF of more than double! Sure I am over aggro post flop and am working on slowing things down a little but too aggressive is better than being passive when running 18/15 pre flop.
Agreed on Deuces Cracked by the way. Vids are superb.
Pretty nastey month i would be pulling my hair out. I dont get how your losing tho your w$wsf is good, wtsd is tight and winning @ sd over 50 so you should be in the green, It looks like your getting beat with Pairs and i would say broadway, and premiums from the hijack I dont know how to fix that. If your looking at the DC vids your noticing there using holdem manager. The filters on that look like its great for reviewing our play might be worth a look at. Although PT3 should have all them if you can figure how to use it.
Good luck with May.
i have to agree with baryy some of your stats look amazing w$wsf is over 47% i dont think i have been over 40 yet , that part of my problem , but maybe youe been calling too much up to the river and then having to fold the river knowing your beat , i know i had a problem with that
i have to agree with baryy some of your stats look amazing w$wsf is over 47% i dont think i have been over 40 yet , that part of my problem , but maybe youe been calling too much up to the river and then having to fold the river knowing your beat , i know i had a problem with that
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