3BET / FOLD PRE-FLOP WITH 20-35BBS
Poker notes of opponents
Complementing the previous concept, many poker players play unbalanced and only apply a 3-bet with this stack when they have hands of great value.
If you identify a player by applying a 3-bet and giving up against a 4-bet or giving a weak hand showdown, make a note of it as "3-bet light 24bb COxSB".
It's also worth commenting on 3-bet from the big blind position here: almost all players have an unbalanced 3-bet range in that position.
This is because it is much more convenient to defend the big with that KQs than to apply a re-raise and throw the hand out of position.
Until proven otherwise, players play unbalanced and only apply a 3-bet with very valuable hands.
RANGE DE RE-STEAL
Poker notes of opponents
You may have heard of the importance of stealing the blinds in poker.
Except that there are very aggressive players or situations where players extend even more the range of the final positions.
So how to defend yourself? With re-steal!
The re-steal is nothing more than "re-steal" this opponent, re-raising all-in with a not so strong hand, having between 10bb and 25bb, and gaining a good pot when the opponent gives up.
In micro and middle stakes tournaments, there are many players who are unaware of re-steal. When this player applies a pre-flop re-raise all-in, his range usually consists of strong hands like AT, AQ, TT, etc.
While aggressive players, besides these hands, are able to apply this play with low pairs (22, 33, 44), suited connectors (QJs, JTs) and even a weak AX suited (A2s, A3s), as these hands have Reasonable equity if the play does not work and your all-in is paid.
The most common notes I make in these situations are "wide range of re-steal" or "re-steal T9s SBxBTN".
RANGE OF ALL-IN PRE-FLOP
Poker notes of opponents
With 10 big blinds in middle position, the risk-averse player will only give all-in with a very secure range like AT +, KQ and 66+, but an aggressive player can also hit with suited connectors (98s, JTs), low pairs (22, 44) and even combinations of weak AXs, such as A2s and A4s.
If in the showdown the opponent shows an AJ, this information will be indifferent, since any player would do it with this hand, however, if it shows A3o, surely you should make a note like "all-in A3o 10bb mp" so you can adjust Your call range in the future.
POST-FLOP NOTES
Flop turn post-flop opponent notes
To understand post flop tips, it is critical to understand the concept of "bet by value."
Many players make the mistake of betting just because they think they are winning the hand, but betting represents strength, and this can make your opponent give up all the weak hands you were winning. And clearly this is not what you want!
One of our goals in poker is to keep the opponent's worst hands in the pot as they will try to win more chips.
You are "betting on value" when there are more hands you are winning than losing in the opponent's call range.
In post-flop situations, I sometimes score a whole hand that the villain has played, as long as I can interpret it in the future, and always taking into account the tips I will mention below.
The following notes may be the most important for your future decisions.
POST-FLOP BETTING SIZE
Poker notes of opponents
Professional players maintain a betting pattern in every situation to play in a balanced way.
While recreational players have distinct patterns when they have value or bluff, these players play unbalanced, betting heavily when they have strong games and making low stakes when they have weak combinations, or vice versa.
In postflop situations, I prefer to jot down a whole hand that the villain has played, like "Cbet ⅓ of pot with QJ in AQ6r" or "Cbet ¾ of pot on turn AQ65r with KQ.
POST-FLOP BETCH RANGE
Poker notes of opponents
Most players have a tendency to go the turn and control the size of the pot with medium-value hands.
For example: The flop is A62 and you saw the player checking behind with hands that are not as strong on this flop as A4 or JJ. In this case, he is likely to have a tendency to control the pot.
Another example would be when the player bets on KJ on a J74 flop, but checks behind when he hits a blank card that does not interfere with the turn and river.
Therefore, I always watch and make one-hand notes like "KJ ip cbet ½ of pot K7372r flop, ch / b turn-river vs. SB".
In this way I know that if in the future this opponent places a bet on the river he will be polarized between a very strong hand or pure bluff, since the average hands he tends to control the bets.
TRANSFORM HANDS OF VALUE IN BLUFF
Poker notes of opponents
I note if the player is able to raise with a medium-value hand to make the opponent fold hands that could be winning from him.
For example: The board is J932K and the player raises with QJ on the river.
Even with only a second pair, the raise on the river shows a lot of strength and forces an opponent to fold several hands that the player is losing, such as AA, AK, KQ, KJ and even two pairs.
Against this type of player, I will give up a doubtful bet on the turn / river to avoid raising and being uncomfortable, especially on the river.
In these players I make a note as "able to turn value into bluff".
There are players who are extremely cautious and control the pot under any circumstances, in which case a raise usually indicates a monster or a pure bluff, especially on the turn or river.
OTHER IMPORTANT NOTES
Finally, it is important to note if the player is able to press intensively on the bubble, semi-final table or final stretch.
Also, make a note if the player gives up a situation in which he should pay with any two cards per pot odds. Example: someone gives 3BB all-in and the villain gives up there in the big blind when he should pay only 2 big blinds. Against this type of opponent you will always have more fold equity in your all-ins.
Also note if the villain is a regular strong, regular weak or recreational. To do so, visit the Sharkscope website to search for player results. This information is very important to help you interpret the technical tools your opponent may have.
It is of the utmost importance to keep your attention on the table to observe your opponent's standards.
If you want to watch television, talk on whatsapp / skype or whatever, keep in mind that your profits are decreasing.
Being aware of your image at the tables comes with the experience, but the further you are in a tournament, the more important it gets and the more attention you give to the image you pass to your opponents, since they are more focused as well.
And most importantly: when making notes for opponents, use abbreviations.
This will make it easier for you both at the time of writing and at the time of reading.
The ideal is to update your notes every 6 months, as your opponents are also evolving the technical part and making adjustments in the game itself.
I hope you enjoyed this article!
This content belongs to Ramon 'PESCANCO' Sfalsin
* This article was originally published by CardPlayer Magazine.
