banggkokkk

long flight here. no updates yet, but look for some in future/near future. holla if you are here.

polarization and 3-bets

3-bets and polarization

This is a pretty old topic and many already know it, but since I’m bored and can’t think of too many conceptual topics to discuss, I guess I’ll discuss this one.

We often hear the word ‘polarized’ very often in the forums. What does polarized mean?

Well, two poles. Oftentimes in poker, it means two poles- a very strong hand and a very weak hand. If there is a large middle range, the range can no longer be classified as ‘polarized’.

For example- MP bets the river on a 45K72 board with 4. BTN raises his river bet. MP now decides to 3-bet it.

This is a good example of a polarized range (I think?). Most people are not capable of doing this without anything but the A or air. It’s rare that villain will bet/3-bet with the Q himself, as it is rare to get value from lesser spades and it’s almost illogical for villain to be raising many worse spades on the river himself to begin.

Now, the number of combos containing the A is obviously smaller than villain’s total bluffing range. But nonetheless, the range is still polarized, in the sense that MP rarely will have something like a medium hand (ie. T) in this situation.

Weighting is another word that is often dismissed in this discussion. Sure, someone’s range can be polarized in many instances, but the weighting of a range is often just as important when hand reading.

For instance, take this basic example-

BTN opens, BB calls preflop. Flop: A62r. BB checks, BTN bets, BB check/raises.

Now, whether or not the check raise is good or bad, we will dismiss. I personally think it’s pretty bad with whatever he has (unless some crazy images/history/reads are there) but whatever.

In this such example, BB’s range can be fairly polarized. Oftentimes players will not c/r a medium hand here such as 6x/Ax type hands. It’s a process of elimination in most cases- most of BB’s range here for strong aces (something like AK/AQ) are going to just be 3-betting preflop. By calling, he often has eliminated those such hands from his range (perhaps not 100 of the time, but enough to generally enough to make such an assumption).

Ok, sure, his range is polarized then. In this case, it will oftentimes be more WEIGHTED towards bluffy hands. Why is this?

-It all comes down to hand reading. Based on our first assumption (that he typically will 3-bet hands like AQ/AK/AJ/etc, it is difficult for many strong aces here).
-There are no draws present, therefore difficult for him to have many semi-bluffs.
-There are naturally less combos of 66/22 than there are all other hands. Sets and 2pairs (A6/A2) are generally pretty hard to hit. And the likelihood that he even has A6/A2 are small to begin (general assumptions again).

With that thought process, I would make a generalized assumption that villain cannot have (too) large of a value range.

In the leveling war, this can often work to his advantage. While I said that I generally like to check/call on a board like this with a vast majority of my own range, c/r-ing can accomplish some different stuff.
-Against a decent hand reader (one who might have similar thoughts as my own on his range), one might realize that a check/raising range is (typically) going to be weaker on a board like this. That is, it’s difficult to have a tremendous amount of value hands here. When playing against such a strange tight range, BB’s check/raise may induce BTN to spaz out with a weaker range than had he decided to just check/call the flop like normal.

I would oftentimes more take this line (BB’s check/raise) for value than bluff against better opponents. Though it obviously depends how spazzy I think that BTN will be.

Ok, enough on that. What does this all have to do with polarized preflop 3-betting?

As I stated previously, oftentimes 3-bets are polarized. They are often really good hands (AK/AA/AQ/QQ/etc) or pretty bad hands (J5s). The definitions of both ‘good’ hands and ‘bad’ hands can fluctuate greatly, depending on history and opponent.

For instance, against a donkey opening many many hands, 3-betting a hand like KQ preflop may have more value than it would against a more passive player. (Obviously debatable). Or a nit opens UTG, suddenly 3-betting TT or JJ may seem like wasted value in many instances when the nit wakes up and 4-bets you (and you’re in a cluster**** spot).

Ranges change with each hand. As we gather more information on our opponents and their play, ranges change. What are some of the reasons why 3-bets are often polarized preflop?

-people don’t like to get 4-bet with hands they want to see the flop with. Oftentimes you can throw hands like QJs/77/etc in this range. Say you 3-bet both and get 4-bet. What is your plan? With these hands, it’s almost wasteful.
-Like all hands, players often like to make the ‘easiest’ play possible. And with polarizing your 3-bets, knowing a very easy response to villain’s actions will often make things
Easier (for instance- you 3-bet villain with 82s. he 4-bets. It’s a pretty no brainer fold. Or you 3-bet villain with AK, he 4-bets. Seems like an easy jam). With medium hands like 88/AJ, it’s a bit harder to decide.

Poker is about adapting. Remember that strict preflop regiments is not a fantastic way to think about poker (in an overall broad sense). Understand that value and bluffing ranges can change, especially so in aggressive games. There are plenty of times where I 3-bet 88 BTN vs. blind with the intention of getting it in preflop. Alternately, there are times when I’ll just flat call a PFR from a nittish UTG with such a hand. Remember that ranges always change, and if your image is ****, your opponents

anyways sry to waste time, just bored as hell, could write more but meh, w/e. stuck in fucking

Milwaukee for the next few hours. FML

post vegas

in mccarren airport now, waiting for my flight back home. kindve shitty that i have to go back at 12 midnight but whatever.

vegas was alot of fun. my house was much different than last year, and that's to be expected i suppose.

i wouldn't recommend going to vegas if you dont like to spend money. and i'm not saying this to be rude or act like i even have money to begin with, it's just the simple reality. vegas is a pretty damn expensive place and you often need to spend to have a good time.

if i didn't enjoy gambling then i wouldn't really be too happy (in vegas). we didn't do any clubs this year either, meh. whatever...no shows either. on that part of the trip (entertainment), i guess we slacked a little.

i played a fair amount live, at least in the earlier parts of the trip. played almost every day, mostly 2/5NL at the venetian. i liked how you can buy in for 1,000, and i enjoyed the deep play alot. i played that one session of 5/10 and felt really comfortable, but didn't bring enough $ to vegas to really play it consistently. whatever, 2/5 was fun...was up decently for the trip until the last two days, where i spewed terribly and dropped a few thousand. but i'm still going to come out up (including all expenses) so i'm happy with that.

further, being in a house with other players also has great value in the long run (for poker) as well. learning from other friends is greatly beneficial, and i'm thankful that i was able to live with some good players.

one thing that i regret for this trip was not doing as much outdoors stuff (or entertainment stuff). we did a hike at red rock national park for one day and that was fantastic. i'm hoping that next year (if i decide to go to vegas) i'll be able to do more of that stuff. overall, we were just too lazy and decided to just go play live or whatever instead of do that stuff.

with that said, i'm pretty happy to go back home. ready to add some stability to my life right now (at least before thailand). i still have to move in later as well to my new place in lincoln.

blah. gotta get back in shape too. got fat and out of shape in vegas.

also forgot to add this segment-

http://g4tv.com/2m2mm/index/

basic premise of this new show is a bunchve DC coaches/producers attempt to make a collective 2million in 2 months. looks promising.

THE WOLF

xposted in ssnl cheese-


tonight i just sat at a 2/5nl game at venetian. table looked pretty soft.

i won my first hand i played w/ AT on KQJr board, guy spazed on me w/ AK. for some dumb small stack tho.

anyways, i win another pot where i open KQ, get 2 calls. i bet JT2r board, i bet, aggro raises, i call (250bb deep). turn 3, ck ck. river Q, i debated cking (and am sitll ont he fence) but i just bet 200 he insta folds.

anyways, mexican guy next to me starts to talk to me...this is how the exchange goes-

"i see right through you"
me- "mmmm what?"
"you play well. you are like a sheep, all innocent."
"mmm..."
"but deep down inside...you are as wolf...and you kill us all...i see right through you wolf"

at this point im like wtf jfc this guys nuts. he also sucked total dick at poker lol.

he continued to call me "wolf" throughout the night. some guy from holland was like "what did you call him?", and the mexican explained it. "he tries to act so innocent and young...so timid and kind. but he is a wolf and he will take your money"

im like lol wtf...i laugh as the mexican's A3 beats my 33 on a 234r board as the 5 turns. he triumphantly fistpumps multiple times and says "got you wolf, got you". i laugh.

he donates his money back by losing to an old azn nit woman w/ AQ and loses to AK on a Axx board.

but i'm laughing even harder when i open A9ss, he l/c my raise. flop 456r ck ck. turn 7, he bets like $10 into a $50 pot i call (LOL). river 8, he checks, i chuck two bills in there and he tanks...then he gets up and points at the felt, screaming "I CALL". i show and he starts cussing insanely in spanish.

VERY NEXT HAND he limps to a straddle, i raise to 40 or something over a straddle/limp with AA, all fold. the mexican shakes his head, chcuking his last $100 into the pot, saying "take it all wolf". i oblige and win. he gets up, pats me on the shoulder.

live tr

will give more updates/tr on vegas later. but here-

live tr last night

5/10 at bellagio. room is packed and table looks to be very very good. my first hand at table, chimpstark opens, i call AT 2 others call. flop K43r or something like that, chimp bets, 1 calls (crazy greek who, after playing with for a few hours, this play was terrible against. but hey, hindsights 50/50). turn K, greek c/c chimps second bet. river A, greek cks, chimp bets 420 and greek mucks. chimp proudly shows J9o

i get a few hands to begin. AK i rr, he folds. QQ open, call, i squeeze, both fold. i open AKs no calls. so no real action yet.

the table is ****ing great. its filled with like, 3 greeks, 2 older guys who suck dick, one guy to my left who actually is VP at some big financial banking company who plays 25/50 PLO and is obv v. rich.

so im watching, guy to my direct right is some old guy as well. i guess the VP and him start talking, turns out right dude is also a corporate banker who owns a company and is v. rich.

righty is also very terrible at poker. i see him l/c 63 pf, c/c K55 board 2 streets then open jam the river when he misses, gets called by A5.

i get K8 i overlimp. flop QJT w/ 2 (BONER TIME). all cked to me, i bet, 2 calls.

turn 9, cked to me, i bet 200 into whatever, righty makes it 400, i just jam and say "FREEEROLLL" and he folds instantly, saying "guess you got that King huh..i thought you had the queen".

so anyways, table is really loose. crazy ****ing Venezuelan sits who is in every pot. he yells "HADSUP" whenever the pot is headsup and then cackles maniacally. he also pats the table rigorously in any situation, be it he wins a gigantic pot or loses one, so the night becomes filled with table tapping.

anyways, mp opens. he's been doing this with J3o/T5o/K2s (hes shown all these down) and is a terrible mexican fish. decent calls, terriblle greek that chimpstark bluffed calls, terrible righty i reraise to like 220 or something w/ KQo. i get 2 calls, both the greek and the righty guy.

flop K32 w/2, i bet/call an allin vs. righty. he pauses and asks me "do you have kings?" genuinely. i say "no" and flip over my hand, he shows 22. sigh.

i lose one more pot within that hour. i get A6, i open, loose greek calls. flop 763 w/2, ck, i bet, he calls. turn 2 he cks, i bet (value) he calls. river T check, check, he has JJ and is good.

table is going nuts right now. venez guy is vucking runnning like electrical jesus, raise/calling vs. a LRR with QJss and beating 55 (LOL). he's going all in with literally any flush draw and getting there every time, sucking out vs. overpairs, sets, and 2pairs. he's spazzing with any pair for that matter as well.

i slowly start to rechip up. i dont really get into many big pots. i get 74 and overlimp.

flop like 68T w/ 1, righty bets small, i call/all else fold. turn 3, putting 2 hearts on board, he c/cs my bet.

river is 8, he c/c my bet he has K8s.

i just slowly grind...win small/medium pot here or there/etc. no real cards.

venez leaves after a while, our game breaks after that (lol). i go to another 5/10 table, full of old nits.

not a ton of significant hands as i dont stay long, since a) im tired and b) im tilted. i wouldve played all night w/ that venez though, who won probably like 6-8k lol.

only significant hand of note at this new table was me opening 69, bb miniraises. i call.

flop J82 w/ 2 he bets 130 into like 240. i call. turn Q he bets 200 into a large pot, i call. river bricks, he jams, i sigh and fold.

maybe i could have played it differently but meh. lost like 1200 on the night. gay as aids