Dealing With

Aggression

Why Is It So Tough?
Its

hard to hit hands

Good

players hand real well

What Can We Do?

Lower
Play

our calling requirements

back more often

Strengthen
Stay

our ranges

out of the way

Lower Calling Requirements

Worry

less about scare cards

Lower Calling Requirements

Thought Process
How

wide is opponent opening? (20%

tight from co, 35% tight from button)

How
How

often will opponent cbet flop?

often does opponent barrel

blank turn?

Lower Calling Requirements

Thought Process Contd

On the river how thin will opponent vbet?

How likely is opponent to bluff the river

with missed draws?/ Turn made hands
into bluffs?

Does my opponent think Im a station?

Play Back More

Think
Take

ahead about turns and rivers

them out of their comfort zone

(slowplays, thin craises, double
floats, check back strong hands)

Strengthen Our Ranges

3

ways:

Slow playing preflop

- Slow playing postflop
- Less calling flops
-

Slow Playing Preflop

People

play better now/disguises

hand ranges
Strengthens our calling ranges (pre
and post)
Allows us to take more heat postflop

Slow Playing Postflop

Protects

our calling range

Allows us to bluff turns and rivers
more credibly
Should slow down barrelling from
opponents (value and bluffs)
Induces bluffs on scary turns and
rivers

Who To Slow Play Vs?

Players

who fold to lots of 3 bets

Players

who barrel lots of turns and

rivers

Players

who tend to be suspicious

postflop

Who To Slow Play Vs Contd

Players

that you think are good

Players

that you play vs frequently

Ugh, The Turn

Questions

to ask yourself on the turn:

Does my opponent bet the turn

medium? (40% low barreling, 50%
+ high)

How much does my opponent cbet

the flop? (70% around average)

Ugh, The TurnContd

How

wet/dry was the flop? Was it

multi way?

Did

any backdoor draws hit on the

turn?

Do They Bet The Turn/ River

Thin?
Take

notes to find out (what do you

see at showdown?)

Changes
Your

equities substantially

image/history affects the answer

to this question

Turn Equity
Q8+

air

J9+

air

for value and any gut shot+ for

for value and any gut shot+ for

River Equity
34+

QJ+

for value, half of missed draws

for value and half of missed

draws

Help They Wont Stop 3 Betting

Me!

Questions to ask yourself:

Am I in position or out of position?

Has this opponent been 3 betting me a lot?

Does this opponent generally 3 bet a lot?

What does this opponent think of me?

Help They Wont Stop 3 Betting

Me Contd
Want

to 4 bet mostly polarized until you

have a reason not to.

Call

3 bets with slow played big pairs/

hands that make good top pairs/ hands
that make good broadway combo draws

Tighten

up opening ranges

Help They Wont Stop 3 Betting

Me Contd
4

bet hands that you cant/dont want to

call with as well as monsters
Can get away with bluff raising over
cards or backdoor draws due to strong
ranges
Dont start 5 bet bluffing until you have
a read
Dont 4 bet jam a small pair more than
once in a small time period vs someone.

3 Bet Scenario

3 Bet Scenario Contd

Questions

to ask ourselves:

Does this opponent 3 bet a polarized

range?
- Does this opponent 3 bet lots of
hands that he can 5 bet jam?
- How aggressive is this opponent post
flop?
-

Final Tips
You

dont have to play the 3-4-5 bet game

Try

to show up with hands that your

opponent wouldnt expect you to have

Dont

try to counteract aggression by

flatting 3 bets without a plan

Final Tips Contd

Dont

adjust too quickly

By

showing up with stronger ranges

you wont feel powerless vs
aggression

Its

always ok to fold or leave a table