High-Stakes Poker: Collin Moshman analyzes top poker pros heads-up (Video)

Tammy

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Poker pros, especially those who are profitable over the long-term are successful for a reason. You can learn a lot from analyzing their play. Here our Ambassdor and Poker Expert Collin Moshman analyzes a heads-up battle between Justin Bonomo (ZeeJustin on PokerStars) and high-stakes reg elmerixx during a TCOOP tournament on PokerStars.


What take-aways did you get from watiching?
 
Collin Moshman

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Thanks for posting Tammy, and if anyone has any questions or thoughts on this great super-short heads-up match, definitely feel free to put them here!

My main take-away was that top players are always trying to apply the max amount of pressure and that's one of the reasons they're so difficult to play against.
 
acidburnfx

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Two high level players and well known. This is the highlight at the higher levels, especially because the bluffs are heavier and the tendency is for the game to be more open with expecting to see bets with any card, once, it is the final stage.
 
ammje

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Excellent video, the level in high stakes, is incredible, very well analyzed Collin, without a doubt Justin Bonomo is a poker monster.
 
Ventoman777

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From watching this video, I realized that for a beginner, a one-on-one game is often the most difficult - there is minimal impact of luck. But experienced players consider heads-up to be true poker.
 
pentazepam

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From watching this video, I realized that for a beginner, a one-on-one game is often the most difficult - there is minimal impact of luck. But experienced players consider heads-up to be true poker.

HU poker is almost totally solved in LH, and NLH it is pretty close to "semi-solved" (that is you can play almost perfect in most situations).

Multi-ways with several players to start with it gets a lot more complicated for computers/AI/bots/solvers.

There is a reason you don't see much high stakes cash online anymore. Especially not HU. Or HUSnG for that matter (even easier to solve).

If you play unassisted you get slaughtered pretty fast.
 
Edison A

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Playing High-Stakes requires a lot of concentration when you play at the final table, even more if everyone has almost the same amount of chips as you, the position of the blinds is desicive, thanks for the video Collin
 
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Thanks for the video! enjoyed the commentary but I have a question if it can be answered here.will icm pressure mean that a10 is always a fold in this spot with other short stack so close in size. or can we take the risk and make an exploitative call
 
xOneCoolHandx

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Great analysis Colin, I agree that the A10 fold was really tight and I think the shove bluff on the river in the last hand was a mistake when you were called on the turn. These players were shove bluffing a lot at each other and it seems like every one of them got called. Maybe you could follow this up with a good shove bluff on the river strategy video?
 
Collin Moshman

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Thanks guys! So much fun to watch these top players square off.

Newbpokie, I would have called the AT and think in most similar situations (being in SB facing a button shove) it's also a call. But if the stack distribution is extreme enough -- in other words, the big blind is much shorter -- than it can for sure become correct to fold.

XOneCoolHandX, great idea and that's a good/funny point that none of these bluffs were getting through and it's almost like temporarily switching to a value betting only strategy would have worked best :)
 
Bev

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Thank-you Collin , very well done for the analysis - and yes these guys look like they have been playing high stakes for awhile.
It is one thing to get this far in a game , But to to be able to stick it out is another. They have a lot of patience and luck helps to , but they have gotten to know their opponent and can play accordingly.
It is a good strategy to keep the pressure on as there is so much at take .
 
DiegoRamos

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Excellent content!
Colin, congratulations on the comments.
Undoubtedly, players with unusual levels.

But I have a thought, wouldn't applying advanced strategies like these in micro and low stakes games be a big mistake due to the metagame?
 
bruno13xs

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cool watch professionals play, arrive at a final table with the stack and seemed pretty hard for me, and see two professional bluffing in a move and amazing, I never bluff a final table
 
ELPRIIINCIPE

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I think the 9T hand is totally standard, but the bluff with 56s to stay out of the tournament did not seem like a great move, I do not understand why risk everything without anything when it had already been placed in a good position comparing the stacks.
 
Collin Moshman

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Thanks Bev and definitely!

Bruno, I agree, very cool watching them play against each other.

Diego, applying these strategies in micro-stakes would often be a mistake because you'll have a very good idea of how your opponents are playing. So for example, calling down with the T9 wouldn't be good against a passive opponent. But if you're up against a very good/tricky player, or a maniac, then it's solid :)
 
Collin Moshman

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Elpriiincipe, generally that bluff would be too much just like you're saying. But these guys are very actively trying to balance their ranges. In other words, if you're often taking a given line with premium hands, then sometimes taking that same line with bluffs.
 
Freeman748

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Having watched this video, you understand that a one-on-one game is one of the most difficult! Thanks for the video and training!
 
AlexBlefer

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Thanks for posting Tammy, and if anyone has any questions or thoughts on this great super-short heads-up match, definitely feel free to put them here!

My main take-away was that top players are always trying to apply the max amount of pressure and that's one of the reasons they're so difficult to play against.
i like yours videos and comments, glad to see you here Collin :)
 
makisaa

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Very good battle there! I think that elmerixx succeded to return in the game with a good stack, which could lead him even to victory. He did a good and bold bluff, but from the momment he was with a 56 suited and sees an indifferent river which shows an easy foul house, he should fold! I would fold and wait for a better situation. We see here that serious mistakes can be done even from the professional players!
 
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shows me that i need to learn more in heads up play
 
tehb1987

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It's bad to judge by such a short video. The opponents studied each other until the final table. Otherwise, it is difficult to explain the game of bluff.
But the pressure exerted by continued betting is really good. To some extent, it was possible to play more aggressively.
But overall I don't see much play. Hands is not about anything. Weak drawing of the final
 
Andrew Popov

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HU poker is almost totally solved in LH, and NLH it is pretty close to "semi-solved" (that is you can play almost perfect in most situations).

Multi-ways with several players to start with it gets a lot more complicated for computers/AI/bots/solvers.

There is a reason you don't see much high stakes cash online anymore. Especially not HU. Or HUSnG for that matter (even easier to solve).

If you play unassisted you get slaughtered pretty fast.

This will inevitably be resolved in the coming years. Perhaps online poker, as we know it, is living out its last months. By the way, the decision to merge pokerstars and betfair was announced - perhaps one of the consequences of this. Big business sharks are already up to date and are changing direction for their investments.



P.S. Great video by Collin Moshman!
 
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excellent video, nice high stakes
 
RidersFan

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My main take away was that even at high stakes players make mistakes because of ICM. Three handed with A10 in the SB vs a button shove from the massive chip leader should be a call because of how far ahead of the buttons shoving range you are with A10.
 
BentleyBoy

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Great video and great commentary from our resident expert, Mr Moshman.

I like that he references players relying on GTO and how this doesn't always work out as in the case of betting through to the river with 35s. Also in the final hand, how unlucky was the loser to shove against a Full House. I am sure we have all seen days like this when we thought we were doing the right thing to push someone off a hand only for them to show a monster.

In the first hand, I agree that A10o should have been a shove ...by any reckoning then showing with QJo seems a bit odd!

Well done for this CC.
 
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