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A couple of basic questions

edited October 2010 in The Poker Clinic
If playing 6-8 tables and going outside every 30-40 mins for a cig, then coming back to be sat out at every table, then being asked to post the sb/bb again as I had missed them.
How much does this affect my bottom line?  Im sure I remember reading somewhere that a players edge is usually not that big that they can afford to post their blind every time they start a session without waiting their turn.  I dont know how accurate this is, and obviously it would depend on how long the sessions are.

Is it just nothing to worry about?

and before all the stop smoking replies......yeh its on my to do list lol

Next question..... Who should I be trying to get position on at the tables, the fish or the sharks?

I tend to try to get pos on who I consider the better or more aggro players, also taking stack sizes into account, but not sure if this is right.
Its also balancing out not just me having pos on these players but making sure they have the worse position on me,

cheers

Comments

  • edited October 2010
    Question one, Well, this you should be watching YOURSELF. If you are playing seriously then you should be keeping accurate records of your win/losses etc, and so should be able to see how much doing this is costing you. To be honest though why don't you remove the issue and either give up the smoking, or sit out when you are UTG before going for your smoke, and repost when the BB comes round when you are back.

    Question two. Easy answer is you want postion period regardless of if its a shark or a fish. Postion is one of if not the most important part of poker if you are playing it correctly. Certainly if you are keeping accurate records (harder on sky due to lack of software use like PT3) you should see that later postions are where you are earning the most won pots if you are playing correctly. So I honestly don't think it matters, other than the fact if you are in a hand OOP against a good player then you may well get played off the hand unless you are holding a strong hand, where as you may be able to reverse that against a fish even OOP.

    I personally prefer the fish to my right at a table, but I don't overly let it concern me if they aren't. Some may like to have a really strong player to their right though, as it can get difficult if they are good and constantly have postion on you. The solution is always if you are having any issues with a table then move. Lot of people don't do this often enough. Table selection is important, and sometimes if players leave the table you picked and new ones join you need to decide if your new players are making the table tougher to play to the point of picking another, This can just be the games level changing or you find yourself in a bad seat for whatever reason. Don't stick to a table if its not working. :)
  • edited October 2010
    the best thing is to play a level where you have an edge over the regs.. not in a bumhunter kind of way, but in a way where if u get into a good game you have a solid winrate regardless of seat position.

    furthermore if there is a real easy spot in the game, i would be looking to get position on them over a
    'shark lol' .. this is because you will get to play much more with the fish, and if you dont get too out of line against the reg then there edge is minimal compared to what you gain in having position on the easy spot.
  • edited October 2010
    In Response to Re: A couple of basic questions:
    Question one, Well, this you should be watching YOURSELF. If you are playing seriously then you should be keeping accurate records of your win/losses etc, and so should be able to see how much doing this is costing you. To be honest though why don't you remove the issue and either give up the smoking, or sit out when you are UTG before going for your smoke, and repost when the BB comes round when you are back. Question two. Easy answer is you want postion period regardless of if its a shark or a fish. Postion is one of if not the most important part of poker if you are playing it correctly. Certainly if you are keeping accurate records (harder on sky due to lack of software use like PT3) you should see that later postions are where you are earning the most won pots if you are playing correctly. So I honestly don't think it matters, other than the fact if you are in a hand OOP against a good player then you may well get played off the hand unless you are holding a strong hand, where as you may be able to reverse that against a fish even OOP. I personally prefer the fish to my right at a table, but I don't overly let it concern me if they aren't. Some may like to have a really strong player to their right though, as it can get difficult if they are good and constantly have postion on you. The solution is always if you are having any issues with a table then move. Lot of people don't do this often enough. Table selection is important, and sometimes if players leave the table you picked and new ones join you need to decide if your new players are making the table tougher to play to the point of picking another, This can just be the games level changing or you find yourself in a bad seat for whatever reason. Don't stick to a table if its not working. :)
    Posted by KAM99

    1- I multitable so its impossible to sit out at a right time, also, i have always done this so have nothing to compare my stats with.  I dont really understand your post here.

    2- Yes obv i want pos in every hand i play regardless, it doesnt always work like that though.  I am not talking about playing a pot to get pos on a certain player, but my actual seat in relation to that player.  If I am to the players left, then that player very rarely has pos on me and I hav pos on them most of the time.  My question is, who should that player be, a fish or a shark.

    Also, if getting pos on a fish means a shark has pos on u, do u sit there anyway.  Also a lot of fish buy in short, so the shorter they are the less it bothers me, I will look for stacks that have me covered.

    Moving tables isnt really an option a lot of the time as i see the same players at all tables, and I may be on them all myself
  • edited October 2010
    In Response to Re: A couple of basic questions:
    In Response to Re: A couple of basic questions : 1- I multitable so its impossible to sit out at a right time, also, i have always done this so have nothing to compare my stats with.  I dont really understand your post here. 2- Yes obv i want pos in every hand i play regardless, it doesnt always work like that though.  I am not talking about playing a pot to get pos on a certain player, but my actual seat in relation to that player.  If I am to the players left, then that player very rarely has pos on me and I hav pos on them most of the time.  My question is, who should that player be, a fish or a shark. Also, if getting pos on a fish means a shark has pos on u, do u sit there anyway.  Also a lot of fish buy in short, so the shorter they are the less it bothers me, I will look for stacks that have me covered. Moving tables isnt really an option a lot of the time as i see the same players at all tables, and I may be on them all myself
    Posted by OMahonyO
    1, I meant that if you know your win/losses accurately you can then see for yourself how much effect your cig breaks are having on your overall winnings.

    Its not impossible to sit out on all the tables when you get UTG, it just means you can't sit out on them all at the same exact second maybe. In truth though the main issue wouldn't really be the sitting out but the rejoining again. If you rejoin after you cig break and don't wait for the BB before you repost but do it whereever you happen to be then it will of course be effecting you win/loss.

    2, The reason having the weaker players to your right is good is that they are likely to be more active. The will likely limp alot, and be willing to make limp/calls preflop. So this is clearly an advantage for you. Having a strong player to your left is not horrible as they are likely to be less active. The only time this isn't the case is if they are good, but also playing a fairly LAG game. As was posted above, just pick a table where you are able to play well at and can beat. Long as you can work out who at the table are the ones you see as the most likely to donate and those you need to give more respect to, that is the main issue, and then while postion is always going to be nice it hopefully won't be the biggest issue overall. If you are having trouble at a table for reasons of seat postion or the table strength then leave it if you have to. I know its harder on Sky as the player pool is limited and so you are likely against lot of same players when playing multiple tables, but just have to do what you can with it I guess.

    3, I assume we are talking cash games here? If so, then why would you be worried about if you are covered by anyone? I assume you are buying in for the max at the cash tables you sit at, and if so then you really shouldn't care about if someone has you covered, or if you are covering them. The amounts involved should not matter at all, only the choices in the hands. If the amounts come into it then it will effect if you make a choice based on it being right or how much you may lose. Never play scared money, as this is one of the worst things that can happen to you at a table. This may not be the case, but it just sounded like it a little from how you worded your post. :)
  • edited October 2010
    when u come back form cig break click 'wait for big blind'. problem solved

    you want position on the fish, end of.
  • edited October 2010
    you want position on the reg, ainec
  • edited October 2010
    so if its either fish on right reg on left,   or reg on right fish on left. you would take the 2nd option?
  • edited October 2010
    all day every day
  • edited October 2010

    Hi Mahony, Rgarding position..... You want all the large stacks to your right, short stacks to your left, Loose players to your right and tight players to you left. In an ideal world you would want 100bb+ fish to the right and 2 tight short stackers to your left.

  • edited October 2010
    all day every day
  • edited October 2010
    In Response to Re: A couple of basic questions:
    all day every day
    Posted by offshoot
    maybe at mid stakes but not at low stakes.
  • edited October 2010
    kam, I`m not sure you understand me.  I`m not worried about people covering me.....the opposite in fact.  It is easier to stack someone in position than oop so I want them to have more money than me, not less.  This has nothing to do with scared money.

    Also, how can I know my non cig break winrates when there havent been any.

    I wasnt actually aware I could wait for bb after sitting out, how bads that lol, I just assumed I owed the blinds and they had to be paid, unless i got auto sat out for being away for too long, which is ok unless there is someone on the waiting list who nicks my seat.

    So, some are saying get pos on the fish, some are saying get it on the regs.  Must be a close decision then,  offshoot what does `ainec` mean?
  • edited October 2010
    and its not even close.
  • edited October 2010
    ok lets try this one.
    I am taking shots at 200nl and one seat is available, seat 1 and 2 both have fish in, i know i can beat these 2 players.  Seat 3 is empty, seat 4,5 and 6 all have good regs in them.
    I am playing this table to take money off players who i can beat and i dont rearly want to be playing pots with the regs.  Do i sit in seat 3? or wait for seat 6 where i will have pos on regs who are far beter than me and not have pos on the fish?
  • edited October 2010

    seat 3 is a must for me here. The fish will be playing more pots the regs will be tighter, easy money. I dont think the term regs matters too much to this discussion. Some regs are fish, some tight, some shortstack some 100bb.

  • edited October 2010
    In Response to Re: A couple of basic questions:
    ok lets try this one. I am taking shots at 200nl and one seat is available, seat 1 and 2 both have fish in, i know i can beat these 2 players.  Seat 3 is empty, seat 4,5 and 6 all have good regs in them. I am playing this table to take money off players who i can beat and i dont rearly want to be playing pots with the regs.  Do i sit in seat 3? or wait for seat 6 where i will have pos on regs who are far beter than me and not have pos on the fish?
    Posted by freechips1
    Imo if you are of equal/similar standard to the regs (which u shud be if u wanna grind that limit) then u forfiet an edge by letting them have position, but u gain so much more in winrate by having position on the 2 easy spots at the table.
  • edited October 2010
    maybe if you have pos on the reg but the fish has pos on you, the reg knows the fish is a fish and you know the reg knows the fish is a fish, so you know the reg may be trying to isolate fish then you are in the way to play back at the reg making a play on your fish, thus having pos on the reg when the fish folds.  Is that where you are coming from offshoot.
  • edited October 2010
    who do you want to play more pots with? the regs or the fish?
    I want to play as many pots as possible vs the fish in pos, thats where you win money, the fish.
  • edited October 2010
    It depends on who is the reg and who is the fish. There are some regs I would prefer to have POS on instead of a fish. 
  • edited October 2010
    In Response to Re: A couple of basic questions:
    It depends on who is the reg and who is the fish. There are some regs I would prefer to have POS over instead of a fish. 
    Posted by BrownnDog
    what if you think reg is a much beter player than you, do you want pos on him or should you want to stay out of his way? and just play the fish of the table.
  • edited October 2010
    If fish is Seat 1 and you can have either: Good reg in seat 2, you in seat 3 OR you in seat 2, good reg in seat 3. Which would you choose? I know what I would. 
  • edited October 2010
    Depends if fish in seat one is in seat 1 is the only fish at the table, if there was a fish in 5 and 6 then I would take seat 2. If the reg has a full stack and fish is the only fish then I would take seat 4.
  • edited October 2010
    In Response to Re: A couple of basic questions:
    If fish is Seat 1 and you can have either: Good reg in seat 2, you in seat 3 OR you in seat 2, good reg in seat 3. Which would you choose? I know what I would. 
    Posted by BrownnDog
    obv seat 3, if it was 200nl who is in seat 4,5 and 6.  If all 4,5 and 6 where good regs then this table is obv a big no go, if another fish was sat in seat 5 then i am gonna have to take seat 2.
    This thread is mainly at 50nl and i shouldnt of put the 200nl thing in.  At 50nl if you have 2 regs (tag) on the table and 3 fish what is the perfect seating? pos on the 2 tag regs or pos on the 3 fish? what if other regs on the table are thinking they want to stay out of my way, will that change the perfect seating?
  • edited October 2010
    question should apply to all stakes as regs are going to be roughly the same at evey level in relative to each other.

    browndog u said vs some regs youd rather have POS on them and be oop to the fish but then also it depends on the fish, if theres a 100vpip fish there is noway that you'd take position on any reg vs position on the fish.

    vs a decent reg at your stake and the average fish at your stake there is noway that having position on the reg is more +ev than the fish
  • edited October 2010
    In Response to Re: A couple of basic questions:
    kam, I`m not sure you understand me.  I`m not worried about people covering me.....the opposite in fact.  It is easier to stack someone in position than oop so I want them to have more money than me, not less.  This has nothing to do with scared money. Also, how can I know my non cig break winrates when there havent been any. I wasnt actually aware I could wait for bb after sitting out, how bads that lol, I just assumed I owed the blinds and they had to be paid, unless i got auto sat out for being away for too long, which is ok unless there is someone on the waiting list who nicks my seat. So, some are saying get pos on the fish, some are saying get it on the regs.  Must be a close decision then,  offshoot what does `ainec` mean?
    Posted by OMahonyO
    It might be close for some, and maybe thats just their personal perference or matches their play style etc. Me personally I always want the fish to my right if I can, and I don't care if I have regular, solid players to my left. The reason for this is you should feel when you go to that table you are going to be the winner. Might not work out that way, but its a mindset I like before playing. Secondly, I'm not going to be playing a massive amount of hands from very early postion because like we all know thats a sucky place to be playing from no matter who you have to your left. So if I'm playing from late postions, then at least two of the solid regulars are going to be in the blinds and I'll have postion on them and postion on the weaker players to my right as well. Sure, depending on how late a postion you are opening a pot will depend on how many solid players "may" have postion on you, but remember they are less likely to come into a pot without a hand as well unless deciding to make a play using postion, which they aren't going to be at every hand.


    On your BB issue after your cig break, hope thats all cleared up by the fact you know you can just reenter the game when the BB gets round to you again on each table, and hence no losses from the break. Though I still say try and put each table to sit out as close to BB as you can too so that you get as many "free" hands as possible. :)
  • edited October 2010
    In Response to A couple of basic questions:
    If playing 6-8 tables and going outside every 30-40 mins for a cig, then coming back to be sat out at every table, then being asked to post the sb/bb again as I had missed them. How much does this affect my bottom line?  Im sure I remember reading somewhere that a players edge is usually not that big that they can afford to post their blind every time they start a session without waiting their turn.  I dont know how accurate this is, and obviously it would depend on how long the sessions are. Is it just nothing to worry about? and before all the stop smoking replies......yeh its on my to do list lol Next question..... Who should I be trying to get position on at the tables, the fish or the sharks? I tend to try to get pos on who I consider the better or more aggro players, also taking stack sizes into account, but not sure if this is right. Its also balancing out not just me having pos on these players but making sure they have the worse position on me, cheers
    Posted by OMahonyO
    Hmmmm. Smoke in doors and wee in a bottle. I personally recommend the paul masson california carafe but i'm just an average guy. Maybe get a potty if you are a woman. This should solve your problems. Don't worry about the sharks. We all have to learn.
  • edited October 2010
    6 pint milk bottle
  • edited October 2010
    In Response to Re: A couple of basic questions:
    6 pint milk bottle
    Posted by DOHHHHHHH
    Volume superb ,  aperture poor , Can be get messy. Even 10 handed i can rush to empty aforementioned carafe between hands.
  • edited October 2010
    In Response to Re: A couple of basic questions:
    In Response to Re: A couple of basic questions : maybe at mid stakes but not at low stakes.
    Posted by hotpotato
    I think there is a point here..... low stakes fish are a different kettle of.....well fish i suppose!!! Seriously though a fish at the lower levels does not understand position, its meaning, or why its important. They are betting once they have hit there bottom pair with mid kicker. You cannot play the man/ woman - you must play the cards, therefore the option of bluffing and your C-bet in position becomes alot less valuable - immensly so at the lowest stakes. The definition of a fish changes as you up stakes. I have no doubt i would be the biggest fishy fish at 50p/£1. at the lower end of the feeding pool im a shark.......small one, but thats how they all start ;0)

    A shark at lower levels, understands a bit more than the hand rankings, and knows to play tight, he can be bluffed and will fold to C bets (where appropriate), and position on these players is paramount to taking there chips.

    Therefore at lower levels if its an option of being ip or oop vs a set of fish or sharks, im oop with the fish and ip with the sharks all day long.
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