Join Nathan 'BlackRain79' Williams as he delves into a gripping poker hand that challenges even the most disciplined players' ability to fold. Can you make the tough call?
Nathan Williams: Nathan Williams, also known as 'BlackRain79', is a well-established figure in the online poker world, particularly known for his expertise in small and mid-stakes games. With a story that began with a mere $60 bankroll in 2004, Nathan has gone on to achieve significant success in online poker, notably creating one of the highest winnings records in small and mid-stakes online poker history. By 2007, he had transitioned to playing poker professionally full-time, leveraging his experience and insights into best-selling poker strategy books. Nathan's approach emphasizes practical strategies for crushing micro-stakes games, and he has a reputation for being able to convey complex poker concepts in an accessible manner. His content, which includes a robust selection of hand history reviews, strategy discussions, and poker tips, is highly regarded for helping players improve and achieve their poker goals. Through his books, blog, and YouTube channel 'BlackRain79Poker', he provides a wealth of resources for aspiring poker players, including a free 'cheat sheet' that outlines his winning strategies.
Preflop Raise Sizing in Ante Games: In ante games, increase your preflop raise size to deny opponents the correct odds to call with marginal hands.
Playing Small Pocket Pairs: With small pocket pairs, aim to see the flop as cheaply as possible and hit a set to win big pots, as players at micro stakes have difficulty folding.
Check-Raising with Strong Hands: In multi-way pots at low stakes, when you flop a strong hand from the small blind, a check-raise is often the best play to get the most money in the middle.
Betting Strategy Postflop: After flopping a full house, continue to build the pot with strong bets rather than going for double check-raises, which can give opponents a chance to draw out for free.
Responding to Shoves: When holding a dominant hand like a full house and facing a shove on the turn or river, consider the range of hands your opponent may have. Typically, at micro stakes, it's an automatic call unless the stacks are very deep.
Bankroll Management: Be prepared for unavoidable cooler hands and ensure you manage your bankroll to withstand the variance in poker.
Learning from Hand Reviews: Regularly reviewing hand histories can help understand optimal play and improve decision-making in similar situations.
Ante Game Adjustments: Explains the necessity of increasing pre-flop raise sizes in ante games to deny opponents correct odds to call with marginal hands.
Playing Small Pocket Pairs: Recommends calling rather than re-raising with small pocket pairs like pocket fives at low stakes to see the flop cheaply and aim for hitting a set, as players at these stakes have difficulty folding.
Check-Raising Strategy: Advocates for a check-raise play in the small blind with a strong hand in a multi-way pot to maximize the pot size, especially against opponents who are reluctant to fold.
Villain Range Analysis: Discusses the process of narrowing down an opponent's hand range based on their VPIP and previous actions, and suggests the type of hands the villain might hold in the described situation.
Turn Play and Bet Sizing: Suggests shoving or betting a large portion of the stack on the turn when holding a full house to ensure weaker hands pay off and to set up for an all-in.
River Decision and Cooler Hands: Emphasizes that in situations where a full house is held for less than 100 big blinds, folding is not an option even when faced with a shove, describing the scenario as a cooler where both players are likely to go broke.
Deep Stack Adjustments: Mentions how strategy changes when playing 200 or 300 big blinds deep, suggesting potential pot control or even folding in certain rare instances.
Poker Psychology and Variance: Touches on the psychological aspect of handling bad beats and coolers, reassuring that these events even out in the long run as situations will reverse in the player's favor over time.
This article is a summary of the video 99% of Poker Players CAN'T FOLD This Hand by BlackRain79Poker published on September 28, 2020 at 11:00:52.
Q: How should I adjust my preflop raise sizes in ante games? A: In ante games, it's important to raise more than the standard 3x the big blind due to the antes already in the pot. Aim for a minimum of around 8 to 10 cents in a 1 cent/2 cent game to discourage opponents from calling with a wide range of hands.
Q: What is the best way to play small pocket pairs, like pocket fives, from the small blind? A: With small pocket pairs, the goal is to see the flop as cheaply as possible and aim for set mining, as hitting a set can lead to winning big pots, especially since players at lower stakes are not good at folding. Avoid 3-betting preflop and just call to keep the pot size manageable.
Q: When should I apply aggressive post-flop strategies, such as check-raising, in multi-way pots? A: When you flop a strong hand like a full house, especially from the small blind and in a multi-way pot at lower stakes, check-raising is a great strategy to get more money in the pot, as players are less likely to fold big hands.
Q: How can I improve my hand range analysis to make better decisions? A: Study your opponents' play and consider their preflop actions to narrow down their possible hand ranges. For example, discount hands that would likely have re-raised preflop, such as Ace-King or Ace-Queen, to refine your analysis of their possible holdings post-flop.
Q: What factors should I consider when managing bet sizes, particularly on the turn and river? A: Consider the size of the pot, your remaining stack, and the strength of your hand. Your bet should be large enough to extract value from strong hands and to commit opponents to the pot, yet not so large that it risks too much on bluffs or forces out hands that would otherwise pay you off.
Q: How do I deal with coolers and bad beats in poker? A: Understand that coolers and bad beats are part of the game and have a 'neutral EV' over the long term. Focus on the decision-making process rather than specific outcomes, and remember that the roles can reverse in future hands. Never fold a full house for 100 big blinds or less, as these are spots where the chips will just trade back and forth over time.