Thinking Time on The net while playing

[John Penny]

I just have study Smal Stakes Holdem and i have admit that it is a great book, but being not so Genius i found my self in situation where i do not have time to implement thinking strategy from the book (odds, outs possibility....) due to time limit.
I (we) have only about 30 sec to make a decision.
So. I would extrimaly appreciate a good advice on solving this dilema. Is it possible to actualy implement the pot odds, counting out or counting partial outs, or just implement basic hands strategy (no improvement on the flop = FOLD).

Regards

[the_hawk]

Experience and practice - there really is nothing more to it than that. Calculating odds should come relatively easily, counting outs is a bit more difficult but not much, and more complicated topics such as "hidden outs" may seem impossible at present but should come to you, largely by instinct it must be said, over time. "Fit or fold" on the flop shouldn't be part of your strategy for very long, if at all.

[Da_Big_Fish]

This comes with time.

I remember feeling very frustrated at first, counting the odds then discounting the outs then seeing what my odds were then implied odds. It can be daunting!

I suggest you make or print out an odds chart. Something that tells you that if you are drawing to a flush you are 4:1 or a OESD you're 5:1. That way you can look at see what your immediate odds are.

Then over time you'll get so used to the calculations at the specific level you'll know with just a glance.

There's an odds/hand chart in the store here that would be helpful if you are just starting out or it's in Internet Texas Holdem too. I used that a lot when I first started playing.

Hope this helps.

[janeg]

[Willem]

Experience, practice, experience, practice, etc. An important thing is that you review your hands afterwards and look if you indeed had the odds to draw. The more you calculate these odds, the easier it becomes.

[John Penny]

Thank U all .
The chart is on my plate , and start playing in micro limits on Stars.

Thank You again for advice.
Regards

John

[jeffnc]

[jeffnc]

[DP_Machine]

Hey everyone, I'm new here and trying to play better and learn as to how to do that. I know that I'm alright at counting outs. I deal part-time for fun-nights at corporate functions or for a stag and such. That helped me with reading people and hands and trying to calculate odds.

I'm brutal though at understanding and calculating implied pot odds and reversed implied odds and the like. On the net or even in a B&M Location, it would take me forever to figuring all of that out.

If there's some shortcut or even a clear and easy way to understand it, I'd be really appreciative. I've read up on it, but I have to re-read over and over at some point when I have the time in order to fully grasp it and calculate it quickly.

[jeffnc]

In limit poker, it's actually a little tough to gain an advantage over weaker opponents by thoroughly understanding implied odds. That's because discounting your outs and winning implied odds often cancel each other out. In NL it's much different.

Now for reverse implied odds, you don't always have to calculate it. But in general you should have a feel for how many people are left in the pot and how aggressive they are being (at least in this hand.) It's often more of a feel thing than a pure math thing. Think "a lot" or "not much".

If the board is paired and there are 2 flush cards on the turn, and there are a lot of players in the pot and a lot of raising and calling of those raises, then your open ended straight draw has "a lot" of reverse implied odds if it hits (in other words your straight is going to be up against a flush or full house if it hits, and you'll have to pay a lot of money to see a showdown with a losing hand).

The same is true for implied odds. If there is only 1 opponent or there is a lot of checking, calling and folding, then your implied odds are "not much".

If you have a close pot odds decision, ask yourself if the implied odds and reverse implied odds are "a lot" or "not much". Use it to sway your decision one way or another.

Let's say you have a gutshot straight draw and are getting 10:1 (and you need 11:1). If there are 5 players in the hand and they are willing to pay off on the river, then the implied odds are "a lot" so you should call. On the other hand, if you're getting the 11:1 you need but your reverse implied odds are "a lot" (if you hit your straight it gives someone else a higher straight, or flush, or full house, and there's a lot of raising going on that you'll have to call later), then don't call.

Make sense?

[jeffnc]

(delete)

[riverme_now]

[darvon]

John Penny,

Let me add one thing not mentioned. You will start to memorize the big common situations, like OEFD. You will learn the main situations and then wiggle the number because of some situation, like suitedness.

So you will start to know the main landmarks and then wiggle things on the fly.

Then latter you will review your wiggles and the ones where you made BIG mistakes, you will pick up an exception landmark in your memory.

Pick a couple of situations and do the math prior and then memorize. You will quickly find that you can do 80% of the situations on the fly.

[jeffnc]

[Willem]

Personally, I cannot keep up with more than 2 tables. With more tables, I can play may cards against the ranges I put my opponents on (using VP$IP and PFR), but nothing more since there is no time. When I play just one table, I can use so much more information such as:
- My table image. (fabricated or not)
- My opponents' emotional state.
- My opponents' tendencies.
- By focusing one table, you pick up lots of subconscious information which can translate into a good 'gut' feeling.
- You have time to think about the game. How you played a hand, how you opponent played a hand. Devising strategies against specific opponents, etc.

One thing I have trouble with when I am playing two tables is remembering how I played specific hands on that table. I always try to balance my game so I don't become easy to read. I order to do that, I need to remember how I played my previous hands on that table. If I play more tables, I run the risk of mixing things up.

Someone who plays 8+ tables is essentially a human poker bot.