Thinking Poker

Byron Jacobs is the B in D&B Poker, publishers of Modern Poker Theory and Why Alex Beats Bobbie at Poker among many other books. He and Andrew discuss the past, present, and future of poker publishing, the Rio convention center hallway, and much more.

In the strategy segment, Andrew approves of folding a set in a three-bet pot.

Timestamps

Byron Jacobs is one half of the publishing duo D&B Poker. He has published three poker books: How Good is your Limit Hold’em?, Think Like a Poker Pro, and Beginner’s Guide to Limit Hold ‘Em.

Comedian, poker player, and long-time friend of the show Clayton Fletcher talks to Andrew about creativity, freedom of expression, political correctness, and so-called cancel culture. This is an extremely low-poker-content episode. Rather, it’s a conversation between two friends who don’t see eye to eye on this issues, with an emphasis on understanding rather than arguing.

Clayton Fletcher is a professional comic and poker player. He hosts the Tournament Poker Edge podcast and the Broadway Comedy Club podcast.

Keith Dunlap is a poet, novelist, and memoirist took up poker after a cancer diagnosis whose chemotherapy treatment required him to quarantine before it was cool. We talk about why poker interests him, why he thinks it’s good for people, and how coming to terms with his diagnosis has helped him cope with poker’s frustrations.

In the strategy segment, Andrew answers a question from Keith about Play Optimal Poker.

Support the podcast and receive daily strategy segments at https://www.patreon.com/thinkingpokerdaily.

Timestamps

Keith Dunlap is a recreational poker player who lives in Portland, ME.

Dr. Konstantinos “Duncan” Palamourdas joins Nate and Andrew for a marathon conversation about playing poker, teaching poker, learning poker, and learning from poker. 

Links

Why Alex Beats Bobbie at Poker
Reciprocality by Tommy Angelo
The Money-Making Mindset
Brian Greene
Black Swan by Nassim Taleb
Slay the Spire

Dr. Konstantinos Palamourdas, otherwise known as Duncan, is a UCLA instructor, author, columnist and researcher. Duncan holds two master’s degrees (one in pure math and one in Computer Science) and a PhD in Mathematical Logic. He is the author of Why Alex Beats Bobbie at Poker.

In this solo episode, Andrew discusses multiway pots, bluff-catching, tells, and “going with your gut.”

Become a Patreon patron to unlock daily episodes of pure Thinking Poker strategy.

Zach Elwood’s books and videos on tells

Strategy

We are playing 2/5 NL at Texas Card House in Dallas. I have just recently moved up in stakes, taking a shot at the larger games. 2/5 here plays much more like a 5/10 or larger, with a 1000 starting cap with a match the largest stack rule when someone exceeds that. I sit down with my humble 1000 (which is all I am rolled for) and am the 3rd shortest stack at the table. Most players have around 3k or more, the largest stack is 6k.

45 min into the session I am up to 2300 and looking down at black 10s in the CO. There is an UTG straddle to 10$, one limp, and I raise to 50 when it folds to me. The SB flats, then the BB raises to 275. The straddle and limper get out of the way and I flat in position. The SB also smooth calls. Both players cover me. It is worth noting i’ve only been at the table for a short while at this point and have little to no read on these players, but they have done nothing out of the ordinary.

Pot is 845 and we go 3 ways to the flop, which is not the prettiest for me, AdKd7c. The SB thinks for a moment, then checks. The BB thinks for longer, then checks. I of course also check, and the flop has now checked through.

Huh.

I feel my play thus far is relatively uncontroversial, but feel free to discuss what might motivate the 3 better to check and not take the opportunity to utilize his range advantage or if there is any reason I should bet the flop here whatsoever.

Much to the surprise of all 3 of us, we go to the turn uncontested which comes an off suit 5 of spades. The SB now leads into both of us for 300. The BB tanks, and then folds. Huh. I admittedly get curious, if not a little stubborn, and decide to flat and see a river. This decision is likely very controversial, but here is my line of thinking: there are a lot of straight/flush draws out there and I heavily block the gutter that results in broadway. However, I also block a lot of the hands I am ahead of that may elect to bet as a bluff like J10s and Q10s, though those are unlikely holdings given the double smooth call preflop. I feel this type of preflop action weights the SB much more towards a middling pocket pair such as 99-55, possibly even the other two remaining 10s, that is attempting to set mine. I rule out larger pairs as they likely would have 3 bet themselves preflop. All that being said, a flopped or turned set of 77 or 55 would certainly take this line. But so might other hands such as 99, 88, or any other weak 1 pair holdings he is either overvaluing or attempting to steal the pot with after he sees the flop check through. I wonder how often I should call here at equilibrium, if at all, or if there are better bluff catch hands to make this call with such as K9s or something similar I may have here. Feel free to discuss and correct my logic.

The river comes a 2h, completing the full rainbow and board now sitting AdKd7c5s2h. Every draw bricks spectacularly. Pot is 1445, I am sitting with about 1725. I am expecting this to go check check the vast majority of the time. However, the SB does not oblige. He thinks a moment, asks how much I have left, and then elects to jam all the money in my face for 1.2x pot.

In this solo episode, Nate Meyvis discusses the history of the podcast, his own history as a poker player, and what that all has to do with helping you get better at poker now.

Comedian, poker player, and long-time friend of the show Clayton Fletcher talks to Andrew about social media, missing the WSOP, online poker vs online comedy during the pandemic.

Our first interview with Clayton was Episode 74. We discussed his 96th place finish in the 2015 Main Event on Episode 145. In 2017, we talked about how he prepares for the WSOP on Episode 216. And on Episode 263, we discussed his 28th place finish in the Main Event.

To support the podcast and get daily strategy discussions, please subscribe to www.patreon.com/thinkingpokerdaily.

Timestamps

0:30 Hello & welcome
3:37 Clayton Fletcher
48:17 Strategy

Strategy

Yatahay Network – 3500/7000 NL – Holdem – 9 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

SB (SB): 60.65 BB
BB (BB): 62.17 BB
UTG (UTG): 28.87 BB
UTG+1 (UTG+1): 17.35 BB
MP (MP): 42.74 BB
MP+1 (MP+1): 24.05 BB
MP+2 (MP+2): 18.14 BB
Hero (CO): 25.76 BB
BTN (BTN): 17.65 BB

9 players post ante of 0.13 BB, SB posts SB 0.5 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Dealt to Hero:
Ks Td

fold, fold, fold, fold, fold, Hero raises to 2 BB, fold, fold, BB calls 1 BB

Flop (5.62 BB, 2 players):
Kc 9c 3c
BB checks, Hero checks

Turn (5.62 BB, 2 players):
As
BB checks, Hero checks

River (5.62 BB, 2 players):
9h
BB checks, Hero checks

Clayton Fletcher is a professional comic and poker player. He hosts the Tournament Poker Edge podcast and the Broadway Comedy Club podcast.

Nate and Andrew go it alone, discussing processes for studying, finding your leaks, and continuing to grow and improve as a poker player.

For more on this and many other poker strategy topics, support the Thinking Poker Podcast at www.patreon.com/thinkingpokerdaily.

Timestamps

Card player, political scientist, and fan favorite Matt Glassman returns to the show to discuss the assault on the US Capitol Building and the game theory of political violence: what drives it, why does it happen, and how do we create incentives that discourage it?

Timestamps

0:30 Hello and Welcome
5:04 Strategy
28:14 Matt Glassman

Strategy

1/3, max buy in is 1k, no rake (time charge). Most common quote from dealers is “6 players to the flop.” Most playing cannot spell vpip; if they could, they would recognize theirs around 66%.

V1 is the nittiestnitnit at the table by far. Indeed, perhaps the *only* nit at the table. VPIP well under 15%. 
V2 is meaningless reg.
V1 has just under $700, we cover. 

V1 raises to $25 from co over a $6 straddle. We call OTB with 77, 1 other caller.

5h7h8d ($85). x / 60 / we call / V2 folds.

5h7h8dQh ($205). 90 / we call.

5h7h8dQh5c ($385). 150 / we shove

Matt Glassman is an avid card player and a Senior Fellow at Georgetown University’s Government Affairs Institute adept at explaining politics through the lenses of game theory and card strategy.

Marketing Manager of the World Poker Tour Matt Clark joins us to discuss the past and future of marketing poker to the masses.

The book Matt recommended is Strokes of Genius. You can follow him on Twitter.

You can support the podcast and receive DAILY strategy segments at www.patreon.com/thinkingpoker.

Timestamps

0:30 Hello
3:45 Strategy
22:27 Matt Clark

Strategy

$2/$5 NLHE 

PREFLOP

I have a $2,500 stack and am UTG with AcKh so I raise to $25. The UTG+1 player, who plays very straight forward and is tight/aggressive, 3 bets to $85 with about $900 to start the hand. It folds around to me and I make the call. 

FLOP ($177) Ks 6c 7c

I check, and UTG+1 checks behind. 

TURN ($177) Ks 6c 7c 6s

I check again and this time UTG+1 bets $75. I check-raise to $175 and he makes the call.

RIVER ($527) Ks 6c 7c 6s 7d

I bet $150, and UTG+1 moves all-in for $480 more.