Ask me any question

[c9h13no3]

What's the number 1 tell people have live? I hear its how they put their chips in the pot (right handed, left handed, do they splash them or slowly stack & slide them in, ect.), but I don't really play live enough to know.

 

[scragbag]

When calculating our outs in a hand, do we discount the size of the table we are playing, so in a FR 10 seat game, 10 players get dealt 2 cards, taking the 52 card deck to 32, then the flop comes with 1 burn card and the flop, taking the remaining deck to 28. If we had the nut flush draw, would we be dividing 9/28 giving us a 32% chance to hit our card by the river?

 

[roundcat]

I do think other games are more profitable. I play horse, plo, and limit Omaha8.
I believe the hayday for hold'em online is over. Profit centers are getting lower and lower. I am seeing quality play at 25nl online, even shorthanded. Is there still money to be made? yes. Is it as easy as 5 years ago? Not even close.

Pot Limit Omaha has players making mistakes all the way up. 6max is great.
Wynn has been spreading PLO live, but this game has no value for me. Its a 2-5 plo, with tough players. PLO online is great.

The mix games and Horse are really good, but my stud games are not up to snuff.

Limit Omaha 8 appears to be drying up recently online. There is really only one O8 game in Vegas, the 30-60 Bellagio. During the day the game is no good. Late at night is worth it.

Im actually looking at NL again.

So in short skilled players can leverage more skill in other games, both live and online.

Great answer, thanks very much!

 

[c9h13no3]

Are there any good live stud/HORSE games in vegas at limits 10-20 or below?

 

[Tammy]

Why do mods have no sense of humor and delete legitimate questions?

Serious question so this doesn't get deleted too:

What limits of NLHE do you play live and online?

Because we have a great chance to get some valuable insight from Bill. Don't want this thread to go off topic. Nothing personal, Zach.

 

[Bill_Hollorian]

Will you vote in this thread and explain your vote:

https://www.cardschat.com/forum/general-poker-13/generic-tournament-question-134325/index2.html

I answered in the thread.

The call to me is straight forward. That is something I would drool to have happen. My comment is short, but I feel strongly it says it all. I'm not good enough to pass up that kind of equity. I don't care if it's the main event or a home game.

-Bill

 

[Bill_Hollorian]

I understand you play both live and online, so what's your take on the whole online is rigged debate? Do you believe that online poker is "real poker"?

online poker is not rigged. The cheating scandals at absolute and UB are exactly that. Cheating. Randomness plays tricks with the brain. I do feel that online accomodates collusion slightly easier than live, but only slighty.

Also, collusion mathematics is very difficult believe it or not. To be good at it, a colluder is probably as well off playing without cheating. On rare occasion I have even stayed in a game with players I believed were cheating, because they appeared to be so bad, that I felt I had an edge.

Online is absolutely real poker. I'm a huge believer that you have to play online to remain competitive. Players today must have lots of volume and access to situations that years of live play can't reproduce.

I have friends who live here and play online only. Tipping, rake, etc. are steep live, and at low limits very tough to overcome.

Some of the best players are online, although you can see if they have no crossover experience.

-Bill

 

[Bill_Hollorian]

Are there any good live stud/HORSE games in vegas at limits 10-20 or below?

Yes. The Venetian has a 6-12 that runs saturday night regularly.
Binions I think is getting a 4-8 going alot, especially now because they have a freeroll or something and folks are trying to get the hours qualified.

Thursday Monte Carlo has a 4-8 I think.

Not exactly my game, but I hope that helps.

-Bill

 

[Bill_Hollorian]

Because we have a great chance to get some valuable insight from Bill. Don't want this thread to go off topic. Nothing personal, Zach.

I don't know what happened, but I don't know how to quote Zach's question.

I'll answer anyway.

Online I really don't play NLH anymore, I haven't for a year. I currently play
10-20 PLO online at Full Tilt.

Live I play 30-60 limit omaha 8, at the Bellagio
and 10-20 NLH. mostly at the wynn.

 

[deadhxc]

If possible when you have a chance I wold LOVE to hear your thoughts on someone starting up into PLO and Omaha8 online at lower stakes...Would make for an awesome strategy guide IMO. I am quickly falling in love with the 2 games

 

[Bill_Hollorian]

What's the number 1 tell people have live? I hear its how they put their chips in the pot (right handed, left handed, do they splash them or slowly stack & slide them in, ect.), but I don't really play live enough to know.

I'm the first to admit my tell skill set is not my strongest.Chip handling does give quite a bit of information. This is one place where standardizing how you do things is important.

Many players whom I respect a great deal, place great emphasis on tells. This is one place where others could answer better. Truth is I'm a bit dull when it comes to emotions, and subtle cues are just not something I pick up.
Sorry the answer is not better, but now that this has been brought up, i think I will spend some time working with this aspect of the game.

-Bill

 

[Bill_Hollorian]

When calculating our outs in a hand, do we discount the size of the table we are playing, so in a FR 10 seat game, 10 players get dealt 2 cards, taking the 52 card deck to 32, then the flop comes with 1 burn card and the flop, taking the remaining deck to 28. If we had the nut flush draw, would we be dividing 9/28 giving us a 32% chance to hit our card by the river?

No. The cards dealt down are viewed as unknown, along with the cards remaining in the deck. The value of hands relative to how many folks are dealt in changes, but I don't think thats what you are asking. Therefor, you are not counting cards in the deck, you are counting cards you do not know.

So what you are looking for is 9/47

If your just getting started just round 47 up to 50. = 9/50

multiply by 2= 18/100 you are 18% to make a flush with one pull, (the turn)
multiply by 2 again = 36/100 reresents getting both the turn and the river or two pulls.
You are 36% to make a flush over both streets.

This is a shortcut to the math that works well in all but the closest situations.


-Bill

 

[zachvac]

I don't know what happened, but I don't know how to quote Zach's question.

I'll answer anyway.

Online I really don't play NLH anymore, I haven't for a year. I currently play
10-20 PLO online at Full Tilt.

Live I play 30-60 limit omaha 8, at the Bellagio
and 10-20 NLH. mostly at the wynn.

wow. Follow-up question:

What's the typical make-up of the 10-20 NLHE games? How many total recreational players (basically fish)? How many grinders? Is table selection important?

 

[ChuckTs]

You play for a living right?

What would be your best advice for those of us who are making our way up to the mid limits online, specifically nlh?

What's been the #1 catalyst to your improvement over the years?

 

[Bill_Hollorian]

Most profitable : Tournaments or cash games ?

Best hand to play deep-stacked : 22 or AK ?

Hold'em or omaha ?

Ever play in the WSOP ? Ever cash ?

Best hand:

I'm not trying to duck this question, I find it unanswerable.
Deepstacked poker which I define as 250BB plus, is too complicated to reduce to starting hands, and heres why.

All hand values can have implied odds that cannot be eliminated preflop.
Deepstacks is about balance and the lines you take with hands. It's about opening frequency raising frequency etc. This is the game folks are talking about when they say it is a people game played with cards. It's the game of creating and exploiting mistakes in your opponents. And thats just the tip of the iceberg. This would be a good discussion to start though.

I enjoy Omaha and would gernerally choose to play it. Funny thing is I watched it on tv, and could not follow what was going on. There w
ere hole cards all over the place, etc. IT was just absurd. I still like holdem but feel it is a grind comparitively.

No, but I will. I am one of those stupid people who stands on beliefs. I believe the tournament circuit takes too much money from the poker community.

The wsop is a particularly bad deal IMO.
As a player, I put up the money.
They get to use my likeness to sell beer and everything else, forever.
They take 3rd place prize money every event.
I could go on but why bother....
Especially because if staked I will play tons of events. So much for standing on my beliefs. LOL

-Bill

 

[Bill_Hollorian]

wow. Follow-up question:

What's the typical make-up of the 10-20 NLHE games? How many total recreational players (basically fish)? How many grinders? Is table selection important?

In L.A. there are a many opponents skilled in other backgrounds that lend itself well to poker. I call them opponents, I don't like the idea of calling folks fish. Many are just business folks looking to play a game.
In Vegas, there are a lot more pros, but weekend games are good, and if not I'm not too proud to move down and play in better games.

The grinders are all over, more and more so. Table selection is important, but usually there is a must move, so stay on guard play your best, and know when it's time to go.

-Bill

 

[Bill_Hollorian]

If possible when you have a chance I wold LOVE to hear your thoughts on someone starting up into PLO and Omaha8 online at lower stakes...Would make for an awesome strategy guide IMO. I am quickly falling in love with the 2 games

Yup, I love the two games also. Just be careful. Don't let the games make you bitter. You can take beats in these games that are just not possible in Holdem.

Lets make a new thread in the near future.

-Bill

 

[glworden]

so many questions . . . (11 to be exact)

Great Thread. I don't know you, but your answers make a lot of sense. Are you a well-known venerated player that has earned the respect of others? Should I know you? Are you a pro? (that's three questions)

You said you'd answer anything honestly. How much do you make, average monthly, live and online. How many hours do you play? Multi-table? Do you have a "real job?" (four more)

I agree with you strongly that it's getting really tough to find an edge at NL HE. I find this especially so at the smaller sites like Carbon, where I play the 25 NL tables and every night see a gaggle of familiar pretty good players lined up to get a nibble, but the fish are few and far between. Do you think I'd have more luck at a bigger site like PS where there's more anonymity and perhaps more "new blood?" The one big thing I haven't done well in the past but am starting to learn is table selection. On small sites it's hard to be choosy. What tools and criteria do you use to find the softest tables? (that's another two)


Like you, I'm finding more opportunity in PL H/L Omaha, especially six-handed. People make lots of mistakes, so if you can just avoid mistakes that's an edge right there. I haven't read a lot about Omaha theory and strategy, but I'm actually learning to play possibly even tighter than HE. There are so many mid sets, 2 pair etc that look good but just end up sucking you dry. Hard to bluff at low stakes, so you really have to work for premium hands. Am I on the right track? Please point me to some good Omaha resources, either online or books. (another question and a request)

Finally to the question who else would I like to see post such a thread:
Belgo Suisse
AlienGenius
BobTiger
me (just to see if anybody asked me anything)

Thanks for the thread.
Gary

 

[Bill_Hollorian]

You play for a living right?

What would be your best advice for those of us who are making our way up to the mid limits online, specifically nlh?

What's been the #1 catalyst to your improvement over the years?

ChuckTs I made a note a long time go stating that I wanted to watch your posts, because I thought your game was developing.

What is considered mid-limit these days?

100nl folks know how to fold
200nl folks know to push
400nl folks know how to call when someone pushes.
Thats too generic of an answer, and I feel like Im shorting you a bit. But it is true.

I hang around with some seriously great players.
Be honest with your strengths and weaknesses. If you suck at a particular part of the game, be ok with that. Minimize the risk that deficiency cause and be open to criticism, with a willingness to fix it.

Are you reading Tommy Angelo's book? Your icon says minimize your C game.
lol. Good read, and a nice guy. We have crossed paths on several occasions.

-Bill

 

[glworden]

Omaha Subforum?

Yup, I love the two games also. Just be careful. Don't let the games make you bitter. You can take beats in these games that are just not possible in Holdem.

Lets make a new thread in the near future.

-Bill

Great advice. It can be head-spinning. It's easy to spin out of control in HL Omaha.

Mods: How about an Omaha Subforum in the strategy forum? That would be a lot better than sifting through the 99% of threads that pertain to Hold 'Em.

 

[ChuckTs]

Yeah, going through his book right now and it's having a very big, very positive impact on me. Best investment I've made in a while.

By midstakes I meant 400nl-600nl, which I believe to be the point where most professionals start showing up (I'm playing 200nl right now). Basically I was just asking for advice about how to keep improving and progressing as a player. I guess in the back of my mind I've still got that undying search for that one piece of advice that would net me millions with zero effort

A few more questions if you don't mind:

Do you use pokertracker/holdem manager when you play online?

Do you mind giving your input on this?

It sounds like you play live often, but as you mentioned you're not that much of a 'tells' guy which I would assume would be one of the main reasons you would play live. So why do you play live?

Thanks for all the advice Bill, great thread. I was planning on doing an 'in the well' thread for a while, but I'll have to wait a couple months after this one dies down since mine wouldn't be worth reading in comparison

 

[Bill_Hollorian]

Great Thread. I don't know you, but your answers make a lot of sense. Are you a well-known venerated player that has earned the respect of others? Should I know you? Are you a pro? (that's three questions)

You said you'd answer anything honestly. How much do you make, average monthly, live and online. How many hours do you play? Multi-table? Do you have a "real job?" (four more)

I agree with you strongly that it's getting really tough to find an edge at NL HE. I find this especially so at the smaller sites like Carbon, where I play the 25 NL tables and every night see a gaggle of familiar pretty good players lined up to get a nibble, but the fish are few and far between. Do you think I'd have more luck at a bigger site like PS where there's more anonymity and perhaps more "new blood?" The one big thing I haven't done well in the past but am starting to learn is table selection. On small sites it's hard to be choosy. What tools and criteria do you use to find the softest tables? (that's another two)


Like you, I'm finding more opportunity in PL H/L Omaha, especially six-handed. People make lots of mistakes, so if you can just avoid mistakes that's an edge right there. I haven't read a lot about Omaha theory and strategy, but I'm actually learning to play possibly even tighter than HE. There are so many mid sets, 2 pair etc that look good but just end up sucking you dry. Hard to bluff at low stakes, so you really have to work for premium hands. Am I on the right track? Please point me to some good Omaha resources, either online or books. (another question and a request)

Finally to the question who else would I like to see post such a thread:
Belgo Suisse
AlienGenius
BobTiger
me (just to see if anybody asked me anything)

Thanks for the thread.
Gary

I am under the impression that I'm respected in certain circles.
There is no reason for you to know me. Bill Hollorian is not my real name.
I don't mean to parse words but I'm not a fan of the term pro.
Due to my extreme hatred for the IRS, I will duck this question. I hope you understand.
I play live about 30 hours- 50 hours weekly. I play online 10 hours a week approximately. Online I play 6max PLO and O8, I only run 2 tables.
I wouldn't mind a real job anymore, poker is great and all, but sometimes it really is a grind. Heck it feels like work sometimes. So if you need someone with no resume or skills please hire me.
Avoiding mistakes is where money is made. For someone to win, his opponents must make mistakes. Therefor you are responsible for your loses, others are resoponsible for your wins.
You are on the right track, and thats the point. Having good starting hand selection gives you edge in these games. In Holdem that was the main skill needed to beat the games 5 years ago.
You probably would have better spots on the bigger sites.
Mark Tenner's Omaha 8 book is quality.
Mark Gregorich wrote the O8 section of SS2. Thats a good read. I havent read Sam Farha's book, but I'll bet its valuable.

-Bill

 

[eNTy]

Generic Tournament Question: QQ vs AK

The call to me is straight forward. That is something I would drool to have happen. My comment is short, but I feel strongly it says it all. I'm not good enough to pass up that kind of equity. I don't care if it's the main event or a home game.

Ok I agree with your answer maths wise. You know odds and EV and such.
But would you think differently if say you're available br is much smaller ?

What if the ME is just a one time thing you are doing ? What if, like others said, you feel you are good enough to double up later with a bigger edge and less chance of losing the flip?

(I realise this is maybe a bad question since technically if you can't/don't want to lose the buy in to the ME you probably shouldn't play it in the first place.)

 

[PokerPete]

Also, collusion mathematics is very difficult believe it or not. To be good at it, a colluder is probably as well off playing without cheating. On rare occasion I have even stayed in a game with players I believed were cheating, because they appeared to be so bad, that I felt I had an edge.

I love this! lol...if only they knew!

no question yet... but thanks for the thread/answers!

 

[JimmyBrizzy]

Is it possible to play poker for a living and still feel as if you are serving some purpose on this earth, making an impact...or is it not something you think about?