Harrington's play percentages; Use them, or no?

Harrington's probably not the only one (but he's the one I'm reading right now) that uses percentages for plays given particular situations. Things like, raise, 80%, call 20%, or Call 60%, fold 40%, ect.

I don't know that this is something that I need to be doing given that I don't play MTTs often and I only play ring games a few times a week. I just try to remember the higher percentage play.

But for those of you multitabling/grinding a particular limit, do you make a conscious effort to mix up your play, especially if you see there are a lot of regulars at your table? Dan says that you can lean your percentages one way or the other depending on your read of your opponent but the big part about not making the same play 100% of the time (given similar situations) is to make it difficult for your regular opponent's to read you.

If you're multitabling, doesn't that lead you to make the same play all the time simply because you're limited in the amount of time you have to make each decision?

Harrington is wise. A little too tight for some peoples taste. But his record holds true.

I don't assign percentages. I mix it up but I play on feel (as far as PF goes) so percentages wouldn't help with mixing up my play. It would just kinda be like gambling.

The point he's trying to make is that you should never be too predictable. The 80% plays are what he considers to be the best, most correct plays and the ones that have the highest EV for that situation. The rest really only applies to a meta game strategy or perhaps a very long session. For the most part you won't be playing anyone often enough for them to get a book on you so if you are playing Harringtonian poker, stick with the higher percentages. If you come across someone who've you'd played before, it's very possible they've got notes on you. In this case, you might just want to mix it up a bit.

Yup, I don't think you need to memorize his percentages.

My wondering was more that I don't mix up my game that much at ring games because I don't often face the same players because I don't play more than 2 or 3 times a week at ring games. Tourney-wise I usually stick to 1 table SnGs.


But, if you're 4-12 tabling 4, 5, 6 days a week or playing an MTT that might run for 8 hours, I would think that mixing up your play would be more important so that the regulars you face don't have as solid a read on your plays.

At the same time, if you're playing 8 tables, the speed makes it more difficult to mix up your play, does it not? Because it's easier/faster to respond with your "default" play. ie re-raising AA/KK

In that case then you could use a Watch the same as Harrington suggests to make the choice automatic. 1-50 seconds raise 51-59 call. Quick, automatic, and completely random.