A little Rasta bird: back in the world of poker?

Originally posted by TwiceT
♠_cool: Will follow the review, cool stuff! And yeah, we are old enough, just give us hot and cold if you don't like specific parts.

Boom TT in my blog ♠_cool:

Hahah Thanks TT I'm just going to tell the truth!

Is that Herbert Yardley??

So I take it this blog is now dedicated to reviewing the book since it's part of the title? ♦

Originally posted by EmanuelC16
So I take it this blog is now dedicated to reviewing the book since it's part of the title? ♦

I'll keep my poker updates in here as well. But I'll update the first post I just made and let the whole thing grow ♦

I thought it was time to change my title anyway and liked this one ♠_evil:

Originally posted by jbpatzer
Is that Herbert Yardley??

You can find out in your own book

Originally posted by RasTweet

Originally posted by jbpatzer
Is that Herbert Yardley??

You can find out in your own book

Originally posted by RasTweet

Originally posted by jbpatzer
Is that Herbert Yardley??

You can find out in your own book

From ABC poker player to fearsome LAG?
Written by JB. JB shows us very nicely why playing ABC poker is a problem vs anyone with a brain.
It also says here that this book isn't for complete beginners and that one should at least know some odds/ouds, card combo's, calculating EV. Hmm weird when you are training someone from nl10 (a beginner) to nl100. But I don't mind! I've had some playing experience and know some basics but not enough otherwise I wouldn't still be on nl20…

Mathematics and SH NLHE
Also written by JB he talks us thru a very easy game and shows us how we develop a strategy which can't be exploited. Then he starts talking about how often we can bluff and whatnot but he doesn't do the maths. He'll do the maths later on. Tbh I don't really like this. He spends imo to much time about the bluff ratios without backing it up w/ maths.
In the end this subsection is and isn't about maths. We can develop a unexplainable game using maths, but there isn't any maths in this section.

Poker is not a game of cards
ORLY
There is only one man that can come up with this title. Hey TT (wave)
For now the most interesting part I've read in the book. TT knows how to make this title make perfect sense. I'd love to talk about it but don't want to ruin the book for you guys Maybe once I've finished the book I'll talk more about concepts I've learned.

From now on the book will be more strategic. So I'll be writing what is in the book and what isn't. I'll also tell you if these guys can make some sense in my brain.

Updated OP, check out full review here: A little Rasta bird reviewing TT, Manu and JB

First grind of the year went well.

But the GF just got back home and I have to cuddle now.

Laters!

RasTweet

Part one: Fish

A fish at play
In this chapter we take a look at JB's game like the title gave away. It's pretty basic stuff but since it's a book about the coaching of JB this has to be in there.
What I don't like is the format of the HH it's written like this e.g.: JB is UTG w/ 7♣ - 2♥ and he opens for 80c. The flop is 7♦ - 7♠ - 2♦

I like the fact that they used symbols for the suits But writing the HH in stead of using something like the HH we use in the hand evals is something I don't like. Call me a hater but thats my opinion!

Basic strategy
Betting basics
We all know the terms "betting for value" and "betting as a bluff". But what do they really mean? I must say I'm really impressed with this chapter. Manu really explains both concepts really well. What I also like is the fact that JB is asking questions about the theory. It just gives that bit extra to the article. Well done Manu and JB!

Updated OP, check full review here: A little Rasta bird reviewing TT, Manu and JB

Preflop hand selection
Before Manu goes into which hands we can/should open from every position he talks about how different hands hit the flop/where your equity will be. It is well explained but I advice everyone to make some notes using equilab and word. Using equilab you can visualize things more.

Now Manu goes into opening ranges from every position. I'm going to tell you right of the bat that I again don't like how the hands are written down. Hands like ATs are A-10s. It doesn't say anything about the book, but it's a weird way of writing it down, just something I'm not used to.

In stead of just giving us a SHC Manu talks about every position and what you CAN (not what you have to) open. I enjoy his approach. Text like this is very hard to read though so again I would advice to use equilab while reading this one just to make it easier for you to visualize. At the end there is some kind of SHC with a tighter and looser opening range. There is however one difference to other SHC's! At the bottom it says "guideline preflop OR ranges" which means you should adjust according to table dynamics.

Player types and hand reading
This starts of awesome! "Take a moment to think…"!! In poker we should think for our own.

Manu says that the basics of hand reading are very simple I'm scared! But he gives us tips where we should look at when we are trying to determine someones range.

There is also a conversation between JB and Manu and this is where this book is different to other books I think. This book is just fun to read, I was really laughing! This is how the conversation ends.
JB: Not sure if serious?
TT: Exactly.
If you want to know what happened before…

After talking about different player types Manu tells us how we can determine if someone has a strong range or not based on their play.

The subchapter ends with a summary and an exercise. The only way to improve is to practice!

Updated OP, check out full review here: A little Rasta bird reviewing TT, Manu and JB

Originally posted by RasTweet

There is also a conversation between JB and Manu and this is where this book is different to other books I think. This book is just fun to read, I was really laughing! This is how the conversation ends.
JB: Not sure if serious?
TT: Exactly.
If you want to know what happened before…

Clearly a great convo! I remember it well

I am hopping by once a day to check updates on your review. Epic shit. Your review might end up being the most popular review on a poker book ever done.

The format of the hand histories was forced on us by the publisher. We originally wrote them in a way that you would like. However, I have to say that, once you get used to it, I think the way it's written in the book is OK. Stick with it!

Originally posted by TwiceT
I am hopping by once a day to check updates on your review. Epic shit. Your review might end up being the most popular review on a poker book ever done.

I really hope you enjoy it. I don't like the first part of the review myself because it's a lot of yada yada and not saying anything. But now that I started the theoretical part I think it's much better.

It doesn't have to be "the most popular review ever" (wouldn't mind it either ) I just hope some people enjoy it. I'm enjoying it so that makes one ♠_evil:

Originally posted by jbpatzer
The format of the hand histories was forced on us by the publisher. We originally wrote them in a way that you would like. However, I have to say that, once you get used to it, I think the way it's written in the book is OK. Stick with it!

I never said it wasn't OK And I didn't know this so in my eyes it was a bit of a shame.

Wouldn't he accept this either?

JB is UTG w/ 7♣ - 2♥ and he opens for 80c.
The flop is 7♦ - 7♠ - 2♦
JB bets 1/4 pot, MP shoves for 100bb

If not challenge him to a HU match ♠_evil: If he wins you do it his way, if TT wins it's your way ♠_evil:

Sorry guys had little time yesterday and today but I did tell the GF I wanted to updated today so here we go.

Isolation
What does isolating mean? What should we look at when isolating? It's all in here!
Then the conversation goes on a weird sidetrack about stack depths. I found this weird and I think it could do with it's own subchapter maybe. Having said that the explanation both Manu and TT is awesome. I had to read it twice before I understood it but thats probably me
The next bit is awesome though! Manu gives us 3 examples about isolating. Now when talking about isolating I think about a fish that limps and I try to isolate him. Now Manu knows 2 more situations which I never really thought about. ♠_thumbsup:

Dynamics at the poker table
When thinking about table dynamics one directly thinks about how people see you at the table. But Manu puts a different twist to it. He also gives different examples how the dynamics can change because of position, who's in the pot… and then tells us how his game plan changes according to these examples
He ends this subchapter with a very interesting sentence.

If you become extremely aware of these dynamics, you are likely to get to the weak player's stack first, which will skyrocket your winrate.

This is very interesting because we want the weaker player's money and if don't get it first he might leave.

At first I thought it was weird to find a subchapter with this title because we don't have dynamics like we have on regular tables. But this made a lot of sense and it actually showed me that I'm on autopilot to often, I rarely change my game plan in the different examples.

Updated OP, check out full review here: A little Rasta bird reviewing TT, Manu and JB

We discuss some deep stack play later in the book, not sure if it will make it flow better for you there. Just wanted to mention we do touch on stack depth, esp deep stack as an own sub-section later.

Originally posted by EmanuelC16
We discuss some deep stack play later in the book, not sure if it will make it flow better for you there. Just wanted to mention we do touch on stack depth, esp deep stack as an own sub-section later.

I thought you would but I think this part could be a nice intro for that subsection. This was probably me just being critical because the thing what I like about the book is that things like that happen. JB wonders something, asks the question and you both answer. It makes a nice read. But for some reason I found this one a bit weird

Hey everyone

Nothing really happened in my boring life. Had some hectic days w/ the GF because it were her last days in Belgium. Yesterday she left again, 3 weeks in Sweden and then she's here for forever again

Pokerwise it's kinda interesting. Only played 3 days this year but I took a helluva start!

I'll have to grind way way more though! So from tomorrow on I'm gonna try to get 2 sessions in and spend my time more wisely. Problem is that I moved back to 2 tables speed. I'm playing better then and just making money instead of being BE…

The review
I got some stuff to do tomorrow for the mother, but also more spare time then I had today. I already read the next part I just have to write the review.

Music for today

GL of the tables and stay of mine

RasTweet

Pot control and streets of value

In my experience this is one of the areas in which micro and small stakes players have the most room for improvement.

This is a quote from just after the small introduction Manu gives. I find it hard to find the optimal amount to bet. Sometimes I bet to big, sometimes to small, sometimes I don't bet at all So I'd better pay attention during this chapter!

How can top 2 turn into a complete disaster on the turn and river? Manu knows! Sadly I should to but in reality… Anyway with a hand example we see how a great hand can become badish and how the value of our hand changes. What I also noticed is that Manu is talking about player types and I realize that I'm making a mistake. I shouldn't color code fish as fish but rather as a player type. It's much easier to put him on a range then.

Controlling the pot is one of the hardest things for me. If I don't want to bet/bet/bet how am I going to play it? IP it isn't too hard but yet Manu gives 2 examples how the plan can change with the same hand on 2 flops. Bare in mind that we have TT on Jxx and Jxx so the boards don't change that much!

OOP it's a bit more complex but Manu gives his opinion and sums up the pro's and con's of both betting and checking when OOP w/ a medium strength hand. Again I found this interesting because he explains it in a way I've never heard of. Thanks Manu

Again a chapter I enjoyed and one that I really should read again while having my HM open!

Updated OP, check out full review here: A little Rasta bird reviewing TT, Manu and JB