One of the biggest tips I've come across for micro stakes cash is: Don't slowplay at the micros!
I've always been interested by slow playing. Out of all the stunts and maneuvers players have at their disposal, slow playing is arguably the most psychologically intense.
I wanted to look at it from a mathematical perspective and see how different lines vary in EV.
Here's an interesting spot that came up when I was looking at a few hands on skype.
Originally posted by Exposedd
PokerStars - $0.05 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4
BTN: $8.89 (VPIP: 17.65, PFR: 14.71, 3Bet Preflop: 4.17, Hands: 69)
Hero (SB): $5.02
BB: $2.14 (VPIP: 28.57, PFR: 28.57, 3Bet Preflop: -, Hands: 7)
UTG: $5.19 (VPIP: 25.33, PFR: 14.67, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 76)
MP: $5.17 (VPIP: 21.43, PFR: 21.43, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 15)
CO: $5.72 (VPIP: 28.57, PFR: 28.57, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 7)
Hero posts SB $0.02, BB posts BB $0.05
Pre Flop: (pot: $0.07) Hero has 8♥ 7♥
UTG raises to $0.15, fold, fold, fold, Hero calls $0.13, BB calls $0.10
Flop: ($0.45, 3 players) 7♣ 7♠ 7♦
Hero checks, BB checks, UTG bets $0.25, Hero calls $0.25, fold
Turn: ($0.95, 2 players) 5♦
Hero checks, UTG bets $0.60, Hero calls $0.60
River
Spoiler
River: ($2.15, 2 players) K♣
Hero bets $1.23, UTG calls $1.23
Result
Spoiler
Hero shows 8♥ 7♥ (Four of a Kind, Sevens) (Pre 20%, Flop 99.9%, Turn 100%)
UTG mucks J♣ J♥ (Full House, Sevens full of Jacks) (Pre 80%, Flop 0.1%, Turn 0%)
Hero wins $4.42
There seems to be a theme of people sending me cool/funny hands on skype and me ending up with a full blown Card Runners EV investigation a few hours later.
On the turn there's an interesting decision to be made. Our opponent has shown at least some interest in coming out to play.
Do we continue slowplay or do we try and get some value.
A few considerations, at this point our opponent is quite polarised between high cards that have some showdown equity but can't stand much pressure, and pocket pairs. Rather than trying to cater to his whole range, we should focus on hoping he's got a pocket pair and maximising our profit from that.
CREV is pretty adamant: Check the turn and re-raise any bet until you've got nothing left.
If opponent checks the turn, bet the river and re-raise any bet.
I was slightly surprised, I shouldn't have been.. it's not like CREV is plucking ranges out of thin air. I put the ranges for each response in and got it to calculate the best exploitative strategy for hero. Even with me changing some of the opponents response ranges, it stuck with the above strategy. Interestingly the difference between slow playing the turn and betting the turn is around 10%-20% EV depending on how you make adjustments. Doesn't sound like much but when a huge chunk of your win rate is decided by maximizing value betting, it's suddenly a very important area to focus some study time on.
Btw if anyone wants the crev file, pm me.
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