The value of fish

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NewbSaibot United States. Mar 18 2010 19:25. Posts 4948

So I've been goofing around at the CAP tables again on FTP but for different reasons this time. The first time I played these it was simply because the tables were so ridiculously crowded with fish you couldnt lose. My hourly was higher playing CAP200 than it would have been playing NL400. But then I ran into some new breed of short stackers who also populate the tables and lacked the knowledge to adjust. Eventually I agreed with poker theorists that the lack of EV made it a waste of my time.

But lately I've been discovering some new leaks, #1 of which is that I just get it in too damn light too damn often. I'm always 3bet/4bet jamming my Ax flush draws, OESD's, and valuetowning myself with TPTK. So I dove back into the CAP games again with the intention of using them for their purpose, to "limit your risk of ruin" as FTP puts it. I dont mind only winning a 60BB pot with a fullhouse because it's helping train me how better to see my draws and TP type hands through. Basically, it's helping limit my risk of ruin lol. I've always commented on myself that I tend to win lots of small pots, but always lose the big ones. A good smallball type player should know how to dodge big pot losses, but I'm not there yet. But I'm still really confident in my preflop and flop game. It's the turn/river that always gets me.

And here comes the fish. While playing today, I was sitting at a table full of nits. I just joined at random and didnt really care. My stats were actually 50/30/3 at 200 hands. None of them ever adjusted. My steal must have been like 70% would I would just minraise the BTN every time and get folds. But I wasnt making much either. I would win a bunch of small pots and lose an allin on the flop or preflop thanks to the CAP limit. Luckily the cap kept me breakeven. Then along comes some obvious fish. Raising 6xBB from all positions, min3betting pre, and jamming any pair on the flop. It only took 3 hands before I was all over him, after witnessing him limp call preflop with Q6o. And heeeeeeeere comes teh money! I went from breakeven at 200 hands to finishing +3.2BI's at 46BB/100, all off one single player.

He eventually just left, and there went my earnings. While I managed not to get stacked again, I never won much after than. Just raise raise raise, they fold fold fold, then I get 3bet and see it's pretty obvious I have to fold. Who'd a thunk that a nit wouldnt be 3betting or calling light? Shocking.. Sad thing is I still remember reading some HSP's blog once that basically said, even if there is one fish at a table full of nits, that table is +EV.

Sooooooo... guess I'll start working on my table selection more. While playing loose as fuck vs nits is fun and all, at least from a boredom point of view, and playing loose vs fish is stressful, from a variance point of view; observe the fish and ADJUST ADJUST ADJUST! There is no 1 way to beat a fish. You dont necessarily have to tighten up or play by anyone else's set of rules to beat them. There is a certain level of respect held for players who teach themselves the game, as with all things in life. Since I havent read a book or guide or watched a video in ages, I have no particular memory of how certain pro's explain how to beat certain players. All I have right now is my own common sense. Keeping this unbiased perspective to the game might be good for me.

0 votes

bye now

NewbSaibot United States. Mar 18 2010 20:02. Posts 4948

Cliff's notes:

Even 1 fish is worth sitting at a table with.

I think ryan fee's guide says to avoid a table with 4 people running 23/18 and one guy running 60/5 or 60/40. But someone else out there says the contrary.

bye now

YoMeR United States. Mar 18 2010 20:44. Posts 12438

good thing you realize the importance of creativity and the lackthereof in players that watch vids and read books to learn but never put any real thought into their game.

oh and buddy list the fish!

eZ Life.