M
Mercurius
Rock Star
Silver Level
Villian Stats (VPIP/PFR/AF): 40/31/3.7
Hi all - appreciate some thoughts on our goals when playing cash and how that feeds into how you approach hands. To my mind, if you're looking to make meaningful returns you need to be looking to stack off with strong hands, however by doing so you risk high volatility and downswings. You can play well for 2-3 hours picking up small pots, but the returns come from getting your chips in good.
Clearly you should always be looking to get the money in ahead, but how does that translate to AKs pre-flop? Are we only shoving pre with AA/KK (and maybe QQ if you think a particularly weak villain)? Feels nitty to me but also likely to be the only profitable approach?
AKs is always a coinflip / marginally behind vs any pocket pair and isn't likely getting called by worse (maybe AKo but most of the time you're chopping with high rake).
Example below - Villain stats were (VPIP/PF/3bet) 40/33/17 so felt he was playing too wide and was exploitable however when reviewing the hand cold he's only realistically calling with AK+ and pocket pairs, meaning i'm always getting in behind even if he's playing 22.....
I had ranged him correctly, but even so I'm left feeling AKs wasn't the hand to attack him with?
pokerstars, Hold'em No Limit - $0.08/$0.16 - 6 players
Replay this hand on CardsChat
UTG: $16.13 (101 bb)
MP: $19.71 (123 bb)
CO: $15.61 (98 bb)
BU: $9.27 (58 bb)
SB (Hero): $19.24 (120 bb)
BB: $16.00 (100 bb)
Pre-Flop: ($0.24) Hero is SB with A♠ K♠
1 fold, MP raises to $0.48, 2 players fold, Hero 3-bets to $1.76, 1 fold, MP 4-bets to $4.48, Hero 5-bets to $19.24 (all-in), MP calls $14.76
Flop: ($38.64) 6♦ 6♥ J♥ (2 players, 1 all-in)
Turn: ($38.64) J♣ (2 players, 1 all-in)
River: ($38.64) 8♦ (2 players, 1 all-in)
Total pot: $38.64 (Rake: $1.50)
Showdown:
SB (Hero) shows A♠ K♠ (two pair, Jacks and Sixes)
(Equity - Pre-Flop: 46%, Flop: 24%, Turn: 16%, River: 0%)
MP shows T♠ T♣ (two pair, Jacks and Tens)
(Equity - Pre-Flop: 54%, Flop: 76%, Turn: 84%, River: 100%)
MP wins $37.14
Hi all - appreciate some thoughts on our goals when playing cash and how that feeds into how you approach hands. To my mind, if you're looking to make meaningful returns you need to be looking to stack off with strong hands, however by doing so you risk high volatility and downswings. You can play well for 2-3 hours picking up small pots, but the returns come from getting your chips in good.
Clearly you should always be looking to get the money in ahead, but how does that translate to AKs pre-flop? Are we only shoving pre with AA/KK (and maybe QQ if you think a particularly weak villain)? Feels nitty to me but also likely to be the only profitable approach?
AKs is always a coinflip / marginally behind vs any pocket pair and isn't likely getting called by worse (maybe AKo but most of the time you're chopping with high rake).
Example below - Villain stats were (VPIP/PF/3bet) 40/33/17 so felt he was playing too wide and was exploitable however when reviewing the hand cold he's only realistically calling with AK+ and pocket pairs, meaning i'm always getting in behind even if he's playing 22.....
I had ranged him correctly, but even so I'm left feeling AKs wasn't the hand to attack him with?
pokerstars, Hold'em No Limit - $0.08/$0.16 - 6 players
Replay this hand on CardsChat
UTG: $16.13 (101 bb)
MP: $19.71 (123 bb)
CO: $15.61 (98 bb)
BU: $9.27 (58 bb)
SB (Hero): $19.24 (120 bb)
BB: $16.00 (100 bb)
Pre-Flop: ($0.24) Hero is SB with A♠ K♠
1 fold, MP raises to $0.48, 2 players fold, Hero 3-bets to $1.76, 1 fold, MP 4-bets to $4.48, Hero 5-bets to $19.24 (all-in), MP calls $14.76
Flop: ($38.64) 6♦ 6♥ J♥ (2 players, 1 all-in)
Turn: ($38.64) J♣ (2 players, 1 all-in)
River: ($38.64) 8♦ (2 players, 1 all-in)
Total pot: $38.64 (Rake: $1.50)
Showdown:
SB (Hero) shows A♠ K♠ (two pair, Jacks and Sixes)
(Equity - Pre-Flop: 46%, Flop: 24%, Turn: 16%, River: 0%)
MP shows T♠ T♣ (two pair, Jacks and Tens)
(Equity - Pre-Flop: 54%, Flop: 76%, Turn: 84%, River: 100%)
MP wins $37.14