Harrington: Online 6 Flashcards
Full ring
An online game with 9 seats. Live versions can have up to 11
6 max
An online game with 6 seats.
Range
The set of hands you choose to play in a given situation.
Reasons 6-max tables play differently than full ring:
- Players have wider ranges
- Multitabling’s more difficult in 6-max
- The blinds are less disadvantaged
- There is more skill in 6 max
Why do players have a wider range in 6 max?
The hands you need to probably have the best one broaden with the decrease in players
What happens in most full ring games when they’re short handed?
Play continues as usual, without adjusting for the decrease in players
Why do the increased ranges in 6-max games increase the skill required?
The wider ranges allow for more calls, re-raises, & bluffs, which generates more action. This calls for better decision making, which puts pressure on weaker players.
Why is multi-tabling more difficult in 6 max?
The increased pace/number of hands
Why are the blinds less disadvantaged in 6-max?
Any hand in a blind is in relatively better position in 6-max because of the increased ranges.
How does ABC poker fare in 6-max?
Much more poorly than in full ring games, as it’s hard to keep up with the aggression.
What benefit does 6-hand practice grant in full ring games?
When they’re short handed you’ll have an edge over players that don’t adjust their style.
If you’re skilled what should happen to your bankroll in 6 vs full ring?
It should expand about the same, but 6-max will be more volatile due to the increased number of all in showdowns
Which table should build skill more quickly?
6-max, the decision making required to succeed is greater, making more opportunities for improvement.
UTG
Under the gun-left of BB
UTG +1
Left of under the gun. Not used for 6 max
MP
Middle position. Left of UTG position(s), 2nd to act in 6-max
MP+1
Left of middle position. Not used in 6-max
HJ
Hijack. Left of MP +1. Not used in 6-max
CO
Cutoff. Left of MP (or HJ for full ring)
BTN
Button, the position
SB
Small blind, the position
BB
Big blind, the position
What are the two axis of player classification?
Tight and loose
Aggressive and passive
Tight and loose refer to
How many hands the player is willing to play before the flop
Aggressive and passive refer to
How a player will play a hand once they’ve entered the pot. Aggressive players bet and raise, passive players check and call
What are the four types of players?
- Tight and aggressive
- Tight and passive
- Loose and aggressive
- loose and passive
The four principles of No Limit Hold’em
- The Strength Principle
- The Aggression Principle
- The Betting Principle
- The Deception principle
The Strength Principle
In general, you want to bet with your strong hands, call or check with your hands of middle strength, and fold or bluff with your weak hands
Checking is better than betting with a middling hand because…
If you bet and they fold you haven’t gained much, if you bet and they re-raise you may have to throw away a hand that would have won.
Why bluff your worthless hands?
If you bet and are re-raised you can fold at no extra cost. Doing this with a marginal hand may mean you may fold the winner
The aggression principle
In general aggression (betting and raising) is better than passivity (checking and calling)
Why is aggressive better in poker?
Being aggressive gives you two ways to win (showdown and opponents folding) vs one (showdown) for passive
Folding equity
Value we gain when we make our opponents give up.
All bets have this, but calling and checking have none
Folding equity
The betting principle
In general, a bet should do one of three things:
1. Force a better hand to fold
2. Force a weaker hand to call
3. Force a draw to put more money in the pot to see another card
We bet to force a better hand to fold…
So we can win pots that would probably otherwise be lost
We bet to force a weaker hand to call…
To build a pot we’re favored to win
We bet to force drawing hands to call…
To charge them to see that card
When the board is dangerous but you probably have the better hand, and weaker hands will probably fold, what is your goal?
To get to the showdown as cheaply as possible
The deception principle
In general, you never want to do the anything all the time
The deception principle is more important…
The better your opponents are
When is straightforward play closest to optimal?
When your opponents aren’t paying attention
Why is deception important?
Otherwise they can read your strategy and get in your OODA loop