ITH Poker Forum

[nsidestrate]

When I was first developing as a poker player, the best poster on ITH was a guy named Pilchard, who was one of the first hosts of the "Ask An Expert" forum. It was quickly obvious to me that he really understood poker and one of the first things I did was to search for every post he ever made on limit poker and to read them all carefully.

Pilchard was a huge fan of yours and he suggested more than once that we all go an find all of your articles and read them, so I did. In fact, one day Pilchard said this:

I think a simpler way of looking at things can be found in this article (I know, I know why don't I just marry Barry T )

I'm particularly fond of the series printed on Pokerpages, especially Where does one bb/hour come from? Part 1
Where does one bb/hour come from? Part 2

In any event, I just wanted to let you know that a lot of us have been fans of your writing for some time, thanks in large measure to Pilchard's influence back in the old days.

I wonder if you think that some of your specific hand playing advice has changed over the years. Several years ago we were discussing one of your articles and there was some debate about your approach. I believe the substance of it was that you often advocate saving a bet by making some tough folds and many people were taking the position that while a live middle limit player might be able to make a big laydown to a turn check-raise, internet players were much more likely to be tested by weaker hands and probably shouldn't follow that advice.

I'm not so much trying to micro-analyze one particular article as I am trying to ask if you believe that game conditions have changed over the years such that you now play differently or have different advice to players than you used to follow.

[pokerbear]

Hi. Thanks for the kind words. It is a pleasure to be here, and i will post a general notice shortly.

My overall approach has always been one of playing the players. I do believe there are definitely situations in which you can be more certain than the pot odds that you are beat. Remember, you do not need to be 100% positive. Sometimes 90 or 05% will do.

Yes, limit hold'em success is not built on heroic laydowns, but there are times laydowns are correct.

Are these times happening less often after the poker expansion, and the increase in aggression, and the huge number in balls-to-the-wall Internet players? Yes.

[AlamedaMike]

I have always liked anything that Barry wrote since I first discovered his articles a few years ago. I have always had trouble reading players so I just settled on playing low limit - 3/6 live and 1/2 on the net and concentrated on reading players 100% of the time. If I am wrong I lose less.

I find that even a low limit if I pay very close attention I can read some players.

Then, I would note when I made a correct read and then did or did not act on it. e.g. I have two pair and I am sure he has a flush - no FH on the river - I ask myself why did I not fold? or I'm sure I have the best hand why did I not riase?

Working on it, still. When I fix these errors I will consider other limits.

Edit - I liked you current article in CardPlayer on Poker Erosion. As always you make it very clear - drip, drip, I see low limit players calling all the way with an underpair to the board, which we love when we have top pair or an overpair.

Thanks