Randy I completely agree with this as I have seen the volumes of crap articles on ezinearticles claiming to be valuable poker content. Most of these writers are just hired by 3rd parties and must then do some quick research or rewriting to spin out some rather useless content.
http://www.PLRPoker.com is my site where I sell PLR poker content for this very reason. To fill the gap of lack of quality poker content for sale to other webmasters.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Real poker writers in short supply.
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
Free Poker Videos
Hi Marty,
I'm enjoying your video series very much, thanks. I'm just a beginner and have been playing .01/.02 ring games on PokerStars and making all the mistakes beginners do (e.g., like not realizing when my Aces have been cracked).
I hadn't thought about playing tournaments before but your video series has got me very interested in the idea.
Thanks for the videos and keep up the good work!
Cheers,
Phillip Monk
Sign up for the free poker videos here:
http://www.MZoneReport.com
Sunday, October 04, 2009
Poker Stars
"G'day Marty,
I'm not sure if you actually monitor this email box, but I'd just like to thank you for the videos that you're sending out. I really have noticed an improvement in my game, and am starting to find myself finishing ITM a lot more often... anything is a lot more often than zero though, so there's always room for improvement!
Oh and I found the bankroll video really useful... I don't think enough emphasis can be put on self-discipline in this game!
I might even email you my Pokerstars name in a month to hopefully show some kind of steady improvement... not right now though because it's pretty terrible ;-)
Keep up the good work, and best of luck on the tables!"
Ryan
Poker tournament strategy videos
Hey Marty.
Thanks alot for sharing your videos. Im really learning alot and progressing in my tournament plays, but ofcourse, i mostly end up getting outlucked when dominating donkeys going all in. I guess you have had your share of that as well.
But hey, what i wanted to say was that it is really hard watching the movies you upload by using Google Video. The resolution is so low and "corny", its actually really hard to see what cards are on your hand and what's on the board. To be honost, im only listening to your voicetrack while watching the Google Videos.
But again, great movies! But if you could use some other Media player, like you've done in a couple of the MTT5 videos, it would be even better.
Im sorry if this is the wrong place to send you comments, but i didnt see any comment options at the website i was watching. If your going to make a forum or some kind of community, i would like to be a part of that. Im currently only playing on Full Tilt Poker.
Cheers!
-Jon M Sk----s
Thanks for the Poker eBook, Marty
"Hello Marty. I just wanted you to know that my winning luck has really changed since you started corresponding with me. Moreover, tonight, I won the largest amount of money ever. I am still a novice with your system and still don't understand a lot. However, I won't enter play without following your guidance. Just wanted you to know."
Thanks, Brian
Saturday, October 03, 2009
Your strategy video is here
Hi Marty,
I'm really enjoying your video series. Right now you're sending them out every other day - every day would be nice.
How to win at low buy in tournaments is exactly what I'm training for. I like to play as a hobby but it would also be nice to bring in some extra money each month. I don't intend to become a 'professional' but having a hobby that supports itself sure would be nice!
I've finished the book by Harrington, viewing your video series, and purchased Tournament Indicator. I'm really looking forward to seeing your games and how you approach the different parts of the tournaments.
Thanks so much for doing this and best of luck at the tables.
Michael
Free Poker strategy videos
"Hey Marty,
you requested some feedback and so I'm giving it.Im receiving your sitandgo report videos and also
your mzone report.They're definetly a help,thyanks alot for them.Im very much a newby having only
played my very first game of poker ever 3 weeks ago.I'm playing low buy in tournements Im winning very
few but I'm in the money for 40%,I get to the last 3 (out 0f 9 players usually) about 75% of the time.
Thanks to your videos I can see where I'm going wrong most of the time which I'm working on,
I'm looking forward to the rest of your videos and I'll keep you posted on my imrovments,
Keep up the good work,
Paul."
Patience pays for MZone Video 4
"i like your presentations in that they explain things in a rather mercurial
manner. one thing i would like to see, is a few more full s-n-g's done from
start to finsish. as a novice at the game though i find your lessons most
valuable, but the one lesson that goes from start to finsih was realy
helpful. as well a little advice on your opinion of why some of the pro's
succeed with oddball hands. it seems to me that anyone under the age of 40
thinks 8-9 suited is a big hand. am i missing something? and yes i saw your
bit on not trying to think or play like a pro.
in getting into online poker i made a deal not to use any money of my own.
however the chris ferguson 10,000 challenge is a lot easier if you
are....well... chris ferguson. to date i have amassed a fortune of $2.00 in
free rolls. and playing in free rolls is a lot like driving on the 401 at
about 5pm. everyone is going everywhere, and there is no predicability.
getting moved constantly means you do not get a real feel for whomever you
are playing,
i tried the indicator on the free trial, but i think i had two problems with
it. i tended to rely on it too much, and did not understand how to use it to
it's fullest capapbities, a bad combination.
and on another note, the video you put up on you tube about playing pocket
jacks is just about as funny as anything i have ever seen."
keep up the good work.
geoff.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
What do you think of Colin Moshman’s book?
I’ve recently re-read Colin Moshman’s book, Sit 'n Go Strategy (I got me the Paperback edition) and I was reminded how much this little thing helped up my SnG game. Although maybe not the definitive book on Sit N Go, HoH credibly has a case for that, but remains a tossup maybe, Colin’s book covers everything one needs to know when going through basic through intermediate-level SNG play.
I like how Sit 'n Go Strategy is logically divided into progressively more advanced sections, from Low Blind Play, Medium Blind Play, and High Blind Play, and then there’s the chapter on Sit `N Go Career Play. It’s like it’s sucking you in teasing with concepts for each level that makes you want to go and play the level to try out the theories and the examples.
Once I got the book from the store, I tried out the playing using the things Colin illustrated on Low blind play on the micros, and I found I was winning about 3 out of every 6 games – 50% is not bad, not bad at all. That was on small $.50, $1.00 & $2.00 games SnG's. Half a day into reading it and playing with it, it already covered for itself on the price, petrol, and the burger I bought on the way home.
My take is that if anyone is serious about playing SnGs, then this book should be on your bed stand, under your pillow, on your coffee table, in your bag – basically just keep it with your until you are able to master the concepts it has outlined.
Of course, there are other great SnG and other poker books available, like Phil Hellmuth's Texas Holdem and Idiots Guide to Texas Holdem which you should read, but for SnG, if you are already into poker, it’s a great read. It’s a very good book for beginners and has some great content for advanced players too. If you plan on moving to SnGs, then read this first, you won’t be disappointed.
I was already quite deep into SnGs when I first read it and some of the things there I was already doing, but as I read on. Things got more and more interesting and dare I say, valuable. The middle blind play and high blinds play sections were to me the most compelling and where I got the most out of the book.
It’s true that experience is the best teacher in poker, and some would argue that using the price of buying the book could be spent for a buy-in already, to get hands on experience. But it’s been the experience of a lot of playing that reading this book pays off more that what you shell out.
I like how Sit 'n Go Strategy is logically divided into progressively more advanced sections, from Low Blind Play, Medium Blind Play, and High Blind Play, and then there’s the chapter on Sit `N Go Career Play. It’s like it’s sucking you in teasing with concepts for each level that makes you want to go and play the level to try out the theories and the examples.
Once I got the book from the store, I tried out the playing using the things Colin illustrated on Low blind play on the micros, and I found I was winning about 3 out of every 6 games – 50% is not bad, not bad at all. That was on small $.50, $1.00 & $2.00 games SnG's. Half a day into reading it and playing with it, it already covered for itself on the price, petrol, and the burger I bought on the way home.
My take is that if anyone is serious about playing SnGs, then this book should be on your bed stand, under your pillow, on your coffee table, in your bag – basically just keep it with your until you are able to master the concepts it has outlined.
Of course, there are other great SnG and other poker books available, like Phil Hellmuth's Texas Holdem and Idiots Guide to Texas Holdem which you should read, but for SnG, if you are already into poker, it’s a great read. It’s a very good book for beginners and has some great content for advanced players too. If you plan on moving to SnGs, then read this first, you won’t be disappointed.
I was already quite deep into SnGs when I first read it and some of the things there I was already doing, but as I read on. Things got more and more interesting and dare I say, valuable. The middle blind play and high blinds play sections were to me the most compelling and where I got the most out of the book.
It’s true that experience is the best teacher in poker, and some would argue that using the price of buying the book could be spent for a buy-in already, to get hands on experience. But it’s been the experience of a lot of playing that reading this book pays off more that what you shell out.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
The setmining dilemma in Sit and Go Tournaments
I read that set mining can be really profitable for sngs, but right now, I really don’t think that it is feasible beyond a certain point, or beyond a certain level, or for certain situations. I think that set mining is a good thing to add to the arsenal but might be really a limited weapon you should or can use.
I don’t have any hard and fast rules about when to do set mining, but I do follow some personal guidelines when playing sit and go tournaments. If I get to see the flop free, I sometimes check behind other players. I won’t do set mining if I don’t have at least 40 to 50BB. If I’m under 40BB’s I tend to not do set mining unless it’s the best move. I also choose to set mine more in the micros or in the lower stakes as the potential for losing BR is lower – more psychological as I feel micros are not that big a deal to lose, at least not for a very long downswing, which can add up.
I think that it is horrible to call a raise just to set mine, that’s where I usually draw the line. It might not be horrible during the first 2 levels. Also, if I’m short stacked and I get pocket pairs, I’m shoving. No point in set mining if you have only a handful of BBs left. You’d essentially just be slowly pissing it away.
I don’t know the actual poker math and odds behind it but I know that the odds of hitting a set is somewhere between 7 and 8 percent. Since we hit it one in every seven or eight only, it’s not profitable to put more than maybe 10% of your stack just to set mine. Better to play than set mine.
I think I would be willing to set mine if I think my opponent has a high pocket pair, but makes min bet to entice other players. It’s a good chance people would push their unimproved AK, Ax very hard even if they don’t improve their hand post flop. If I hit my set here at the flop, even low sets can bet a PP A kicker.
Basically, you just have to temper it. Of course, if you get pocket pairs, even low ones, there’s enough of a chance there that set mining for a fair amount of small pairs can be a profitable enterprise. If you fold all of your small pocket pairs 100% of the time, then you’re losing out on potential earnings. The key is knowing the instances when to set-mine.
I don’t have any hard and fast rules about when to do set mining, but I do follow some personal guidelines when playing sit and go tournaments. If I get to see the flop free, I sometimes check behind other players. I won’t do set mining if I don’t have at least 40 to 50BB. If I’m under 40BB’s I tend to not do set mining unless it’s the best move. I also choose to set mine more in the micros or in the lower stakes as the potential for losing BR is lower – more psychological as I feel micros are not that big a deal to lose, at least not for a very long downswing, which can add up.
I think that it is horrible to call a raise just to set mine, that’s where I usually draw the line. It might not be horrible during the first 2 levels. Also, if I’m short stacked and I get pocket pairs, I’m shoving. No point in set mining if you have only a handful of BBs left. You’d essentially just be slowly pissing it away.
I don’t know the actual poker math and odds behind it but I know that the odds of hitting a set is somewhere between 7 and 8 percent. Since we hit it one in every seven or eight only, it’s not profitable to put more than maybe 10% of your stack just to set mine. Better to play than set mine.
I think I would be willing to set mine if I think my opponent has a high pocket pair, but makes min bet to entice other players. It’s a good chance people would push their unimproved AK, Ax very hard even if they don’t improve their hand post flop. If I hit my set here at the flop, even low sets can bet a PP A kicker.
Basically, you just have to temper it. Of course, if you get pocket pairs, even low ones, there’s enough of a chance there that set mining for a fair amount of small pairs can be a profitable enterprise. If you fold all of your small pocket pairs 100% of the time, then you’re losing out on potential earnings. The key is knowing the instances when to set-mine.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Sit and Go ICM Analysis.
http://www.feltpoker.com/hand-history-replayer/Replayer/1533
Yeah, hand 28 I mentioned I must have been tilting a little after the KQs hand. Should have shoved there for sure.
Hand 35 is a little funky. With my stack and the blinds, my M was orange (8 ). The fold was kinda weird with 7:1 pot odds. My decision to fold was based on three factors other than pot odds (which were huge)
The first was read. I raised UTG and yet I am being min raised by the button. He is practically begging for a call, so mostly that is going to be a very big hand.
The second is playability. The button has taken the lead and unless I feel like going all in with A6, then he will have the lead and position. I am never going to know where I stand with A6 unless I flop ridiculously huge. I am getting close to correct odds to try for a huge flop, but I do have to consider the next issue....
The third reason is equity. If I fold now, I have 18882 chips which can do some pretty serious damage to every stack at the table. If I call and then fold a flop (by far the most likely event) I will have 1200 chips. That leaves me as one of the short stacks. and it leaves me in a position where I can be bullied a lot more. The overriding factor here is the limited number of total chips in play, compared to an MTT. Losing 400 chips means a lot in a SNG because it represents a much higher proportion of total chips in play.
This is reflected in sit and go ICM analysis. ICM really doesn't apply much in MTTs, however in SNGs, the chips you currently have are worth more than the chips you hope to win. So I don't know what the ICM adjusted post odds would be, but they are way less than 7:1
I again go back to Harrington that poker is about finding the best balance between all factors. Pot odds was a compelling factor to call that raise. However on balance with all other factors, I decided it was not enough.
Hand 40 is probably just my weird way of appraising hand strength. Ace rag UTG at a 5 handed table is a pretty crap hand. I have to get through 4 players. The more players I have to get through the more chance one of them has an Ace, in which case I am dominated. I would much rather be shoving 56s UTG or A5o from the button. As mentioned above, I also wanted to give UTG+1 a chance to shove into one of the big stacks and hang himself with a hand he would not have called a shove with
A7s was a similar situation, although this is much more questionable in my mind. Primarily it was stack sizes and position which prompted me to fold.
One of the things I try to keep in mind on the bubble is "don't bubble and don't do anything to prevent someone else from bubbling".
Here I would have been shoving into the big stack's blind which is not that much fun. Secondly, if I fold, then perhaps the short stack will shove his button into the big stack BB. If I shove then alot of his marginal hands that he would himself shove, he now folds. So rather than be guided too much by card strength (which was pretty good) I decided to ensure that I avoided bubbling and gave the button every chance to bubble himself. As Raziel points out however, it was a bad fold. I accept his opinion on all things SNG.
Problem is, given the same situation a second time round, I think I would still talk myself into folding. And that is a problem and probably a big part of the reason why I really do suck at SNGs.
Hand 64 - same again. I would be shoving 67s, but I fold A5o. I'm a strange puppy.
You are right though, that I do play loose in MTTs and probably overly tight in SNGs, especially near the bubble. My loose play in MTTs is intuitively easy for me to rationalize. They payouts stupendously favour a win and you can afford to bust out of hundreds of them pursuing that win. That means you can be pretty crazy and still make very big money. In fact I argue, you cannot make very big money in MTTs unless you are prepared to gamble (at the appropriate time). In SNGs, you need to be making the money at least 40% of the time. To me that means you can't afford to gamble as much. Especially on the bubble.
I have not played enough Poker Stars SNGs to really know.
In fact Even if I had played loads of poker stars SNGs, I still wouldn't know. I built my poker bankroll initially playing SNGs up to $50 buy-ins. I then started concentrating on MTTs and ever since then I have not been able to play sit and goes properly. My risk tolerances are all mucked up and I am folding when I should be shoving too much.
I've literally been struggling with this problem for about a year. I am not bursting at the seems to fix it tomorrow, but I do find it curious
Yeah, hand 28 I mentioned I must have been tilting a little after the KQs hand. Should have shoved there for sure.
Hand 35 is a little funky. With my stack and the blinds, my M was orange (8 ). The fold was kinda weird with 7:1 pot odds. My decision to fold was based on three factors other than pot odds (which were huge)
The first was read. I raised UTG and yet I am being min raised by the button. He is practically begging for a call, so mostly that is going to be a very big hand.
The second is playability. The button has taken the lead and unless I feel like going all in with A6, then he will have the lead and position. I am never going to know where I stand with A6 unless I flop ridiculously huge. I am getting close to correct odds to try for a huge flop, but I do have to consider the next issue....
The third reason is equity. If I fold now, I have 18882 chips which can do some pretty serious damage to every stack at the table. If I call and then fold a flop (by far the most likely event) I will have 1200 chips. That leaves me as one of the short stacks. and it leaves me in a position where I can be bullied a lot more. The overriding factor here is the limited number of total chips in play, compared to an MTT. Losing 400 chips means a lot in a SNG because it represents a much higher proportion of total chips in play.
This is reflected in sit and go ICM analysis. ICM really doesn't apply much in MTTs, however in SNGs, the chips you currently have are worth more than the chips you hope to win. So I don't know what the ICM adjusted post odds would be, but they are way less than 7:1
I again go back to Harrington that poker is about finding the best balance between all factors. Pot odds was a compelling factor to call that raise. However on balance with all other factors, I decided it was not enough.
Hand 40 is probably just my weird way of appraising hand strength. Ace rag UTG at a 5 handed table is a pretty crap hand. I have to get through 4 players. The more players I have to get through the more chance one of them has an Ace, in which case I am dominated. I would much rather be shoving 56s UTG or A5o from the button. As mentioned above, I also wanted to give UTG+1 a chance to shove into one of the big stacks and hang himself with a hand he would not have called a shove with
A7s was a similar situation, although this is much more questionable in my mind. Primarily it was stack sizes and position which prompted me to fold.
One of the things I try to keep in mind on the bubble is "don't bubble and don't do anything to prevent someone else from bubbling".
Here I would have been shoving into the big stack's blind which is not that much fun. Secondly, if I fold, then perhaps the short stack will shove his button into the big stack BB. If I shove then alot of his marginal hands that he would himself shove, he now folds. So rather than be guided too much by card strength (which was pretty good) I decided to ensure that I avoided bubbling and gave the button every chance to bubble himself. As Raziel points out however, it was a bad fold. I accept his opinion on all things SNG.
Problem is, given the same situation a second time round, I think I would still talk myself into folding. And that is a problem and probably a big part of the reason why I really do suck at SNGs.
Hand 64 - same again. I would be shoving 67s, but I fold A5o. I'm a strange puppy.
You are right though, that I do play loose in MTTs and probably overly tight in SNGs, especially near the bubble. My loose play in MTTs is intuitively easy for me to rationalize. They payouts stupendously favour a win and you can afford to bust out of hundreds of them pursuing that win. That means you can be pretty crazy and still make very big money. In fact I argue, you cannot make very big money in MTTs unless you are prepared to gamble (at the appropriate time). In SNGs, you need to be making the money at least 40% of the time. To me that means you can't afford to gamble as much. Especially on the bubble.
I have not played enough Poker Stars SNGs to really know.
In fact Even if I had played loads of poker stars SNGs, I still wouldn't know. I built my poker bankroll initially playing SNGs up to $50 buy-ins. I then started concentrating on MTTs and ever since then I have not been able to play sit and goes properly. My risk tolerances are all mucked up and I am folding when I should be shoving too much.
I've literally been struggling with this problem for about a year. I am not bursting at the seems to fix it tomorrow, but I do find it curious
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