The Pre-Flop Mistake Almost All Poker Coaches Get Wrong

[@heyjas0n]

Awesome video. I mostly play microstakes online and I’ve played live a few times (always at 1/2). I tried implementing a cold calling range similar to the one you mentioned in the video and I’ve always had this feeling that I’m doing something “wrong.”

[@Shaggi0209]

I thought more rake was better :p

[@clownworld8403]

It is. For the house.

[@matofritzsk]

polk agrees

[@DanCicala]

"$5 cap rake" A lot of casinos take $2 promo drop out of the first $20, and accounting for toke, you could pay $5 just on a $20 pot! The effective rake can be as much as $8-10 depending on how strict your tipping ceiling is, which needs to be very strict in these games obviously.

[@SamsaraOhara]

If we aren’t calling, what are our preflop 3 bet ranges?

[@DaveFu]

I don't know where you are, but Los Angeles California one of the live poker capitals of the world, but their game structures are terrible at low limits. $6 dollar flop drops + $2 for jackpots max buy in $100. $2/5 $3/5 with a $300 max buy in. Kudos on acknowledging the rake. Too many coaches and experts would rather just give theoretically correct advice than advice that is most practical to having players improve.

[@seanmates5574]

"I hit stop on Pio Solver, that doesn't do anything to the video". LOL. Awesome.

[@gingerpokerdad6426]

For example, are we suggesting that we have a 3b or fold range in every position except for the BB? Especially in high rake live games for instance. Let's say we play 1-2 and they take an additional $2 at $20 for promo. Rake is 10% up to $5 +$2 at $20.. so if pot is $20 they take $4 from the pot. Pot is $50 they take $7 from the pot.. etc. So i was going through some examples on PIO of IP and EV with my standard cold calling IP ranges and some boards i crush my opponent in EV and some im deeply effected negatively. I already have very tight cold calling ranges and mostly 3b and have put tons of work into prelfop play, but the ranges i use are for your typical 500 NL raked game without the $2 promo drop at $20. In your humble opinion, do you think implementing a 3b or fold in this specific game type (the 1-2 game i mentioned) is going to generate the highest amount of EV?

[@AlvinTeachesPoker]

;D

[@simplerGuy-x6c]

Just to make sure, why is 3-betting better when the rake is high? Because in the video it just shows the solver's solution but with no explanation why. What is a high rake? How can I verify if this applies to the games I play? Thank you

[@jingweizheng4053]

Now take into account how much you have to call fold to a squeeze from the blinds. Crazy!

[@AlvinTeachesPoker]

Exactly! None of this includes what happens when people behind you re-raise.

[@clintrichardsonclintfromny203]

Can you make the spreadsheet read only and link us to it in the description or a reply? Cheers.

[@AlvinTeachesPoker]

Definitely not

[@BlinkPls]

Thanks Alvin. I've rewatched this a few times since you released it years ago. I strill struggle with it. Many live players have a wide limping strategy, so their preflop opening range is very tight. This makes me less likely to want to 3bet other than top premiums, but also seems like calling should be MUCH more profitable against them because the implied odds of us hitting are much better vs these tight RFI ranges. I understand the rake is horrible (even worse for my games in LA, as it's $6 on the flop at 5/5 regardless of pot size, $1 turn), but it seems really difficult to justify 3betting reasonable ranges when avg opponent is opening so ridiculously tight. Perhaps the real answer is to simply massively overfold vs preflop aggression from players who have a wide limping strategy, and not call nor 3bet at all. Or maybe I should simply not play live 5/5 in LA at all, but 5/10 games are hard to come by.

[@AdrianWan]

I've been loving your content, thank you! I've been trying to find preflop charts that account for big rake (eg $1 preflop $5 post at 1/2/3 (cap $300 bi)) but haven't found any that address the rake like you do here. Do you have these kinds of charts or suggestions on how to generate them short of paying for the solvers?

[@onezerotwofour184]

I had coaching from someone who is up over 500k at stars cash games. He is a very smart guy, but truthfully his coaching didn't help my game as much as I hoped. Poker is a very difficult game to excel at.

[@AlvinTeachesPoker]

Yeah, it's not always easy to articulate WHY you're winning.

[@aaronsoto4622]

Experience over the years and just table experience is always the best idea imo. Reviewing your sessions, managing your BR and not playing on tilt, are three things that change a players game drastically.

[@ErikAkerman]

So much quality content. Thanks Alvin! I'm looking into signing up for your course at Overnight Monster, but i'm afraid the price of 3 times my bankroll is just too steep for me. Do you have any more budget-friendly options, or will you have and discounts coming up? Until then I will try to "crush it" with the content uploaded to youtube. :) Once again, great quality content! Cheers, Erik

[@johnhunter6808]

On ignition poker .5nl-.25nl zone is that considered really high rake?

[@psychicbink4492]

Yes

[@edwasedzend9734]

hey alvin, thx for your video. I am currently playing in a very juicy game but the rakestructure is insane and i am no sure if the game is beatable and how i should adjust. so the rakestructure is as followed: Game: 10/20 with a 5 ante and max 9 handed 2% rake UNCAPED and they rake preflop and also RAISES (that are not called). especialy the last seems insane but games are very good. I think we should play super nitty and 3b less so basicly just nit it up preflop but cause its an ante game this also sucks. any ideas?thx a lot for your thoughts.

[@andrewsheffield5294]

This channel has been really helpful for me- please keep making videos like this! I think the outlook of this is a little overly bleak though by assuming players at 1/2 will be playing optimally against you. Sure, against good solid regs who won't make mistakes then ranges must be tight to avoid rake. But your average 1/2 player will be nowhere near balanced and you surely can get involved a little more assuming they will often punt off/not fold when you make a hand? Thanks again for the content

[@AlvinTeachesPoker]

I think people greatly overestimate their advantage after 1.65bbs of ev are removed from the pot preflop, but if you're free to interpret your advantages however you see fit.

[@keithjackson5531]

An excellent video and well explained, thanks.

[@nonenonerson7130]

Very insightful video. Just discovered your channel and I seriously love it! Thanks for making awesome content to help us learn :)

[@AlvinTeachesPoker]

Thank you so much! Please let me know if you have any requests!

[@THEGLORYRISING]

I could be wrong but at 3:31 (haven't watched any further yet) you have the OOP and IP ranges backwards. EDIT: Hang on, you're discussing BTN v CO? I thought you were discussing BB v CO... hmmm. So your point is to tighten your cold calling range behind a raise... ok, carry on.

[@CipherSerpico]

Hey man, I just wanna say thank you for making these videos. I stopped playing seriously about 7 years ago and I’m trying to get back into it. The game has changed a lot since then. Do you know of any books that are better at explaining the newer concepts? I read No limit Holden for advanced players by Matthew Janda but I didn’t really learn much from it.

[@AlvinTeachesPoker]

Michael Acevedo's book is really complex but is possibly the best book in poker, period.

[@CipherSerpico]

AlvinTeachesPoker I have that book in my cart on Amazon lol. I wasn’t sure if I should get it. I definitely will now. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you replying and the videos you make. Thanks again man. I don’t know if you play the mix games, but if you ever need some info on strategy or some books, I’ll be glad to let you know what I know. I’ve played the most hands in holdem, but I’ve studied the other games as well.

[@whatswronglmao6868]

@@CipherSerpico lol, then why you've said that you read it?

[@ralphlill5496]

Thank you for this!!!

[@ahighshowdownthrowdown6128]

I've been coached by alot of people. Been playing now for 10 years..And no coach has explained this stuff to me..Alot of hustlers out there, but you sir, are def not one of them. Great content!

[@AlvinTeachesPoker]

Thank you! Though to be fair, I don't think it was until 2015 that people really understood how much they needed to alter their preflop play.

[@pierrelanau3119]

AlvinTeachesPoker what kind of range would yu play on a online site that take 6.67 bb/100?

[@chrisvillalobos2053]

Well the Loose range discussed was supposed to be played against bad loose players. You need to model against a loose aggressive fish.

[@AlvinTeachesPoker]

It's funny that you missed so much information fanboying about RCP that you missed to point entirely.

[@karlinchina]

1) For some coached, their goal is to get you to eventually move up to 2/5 and higher, where rake is not as bad. 2) They also assume you're playing aggressive and better than your opponent.

[@AlvinTeachesPoker]

Neither of those justify playing an openly bad strategy compared to what modern analysis has made available. These guys just have no idea what they're doing and refuse to publicly admit it, especially after doubling down so many times.

[@JamesMantis]

Alvin this channel is fucking crazy thank you very much

[@AlvinTeachesPoker]

You're very welcome. Happy thanksgiving.