Crush The Game.com

4 Mistakes I Saw Players Make At the WSOP

“Standard Plays”

Players actually chuckled when they saw me min raise preflop. And they rolled their eyes when I overbet bombed the turn. But I picked up pots in both those spots more than a few times.

Many folks have a set strategy for playing poker and consider themselves winners when they play their strategy against others who have a less superior strategy. This may work for them in soft games, but even in the softest game this way of playing isn’t the most profitable… and when you’re not playing most profitably, you’re making a mistake.

This phenomenon has been noted before (by Ed Miller, I believe) but there becomes a sort of “table norm” for bet sizing, especially preflop, as the time at the table unfolds. When this happens preflop raise sizing is determined more by courtesy than the eagerness to exploit. And doing something because everyone does, without thinking of if it’s the right course of action for the situation, is (while perhaps our human nature) illogical. › Continue reading

Tags: 3-betting, Exploitation Play, General, hold 'em, Macro-level, no limit, online poker, opponent modeling, Poker, statistics

The Destroyer Custom HUD for PokerTracker 3

Finally, here it is. The custom HUD for Poker Tracker 3 known as ‘The Destroyer’ by CrushTheGame.com. This HUD may seem unconventionial at first to some, but it addresses many flaws found in ‘standard’ HUDs and typical opponent modeling practices. Also, this is the first and (as of now) only HUD to feature ‘clickable stats’ – meaning you can click on an individual number and retrieve a pop-up (if one is set) relevant to that number. I’ll walk you through the stats used with ‘The Destroyer.’

› Continue reading

Tags: 3-betting, hold 'em, HUD, isolating, no limit, NoteCaddy, notes, opponent modeling, Poker, poker software, poker tools, Poker Tracker, PT3, statistics

Exploiting Opponents Using Auto-Rate Icons

Very few people appreciate and use Poker Tracker 3′s Auto-Rate icons. I’m a big fan. Granted the default settings are junk, but once you import custom rules and make them your own (meaning something that you can understand and derive profit from), they can be a very powerful force at the table. Since I play 8-10 tables, it’s important to me to get a quick overview of my opponents at the table and their tendencies/weaknesses. My auto-rate rules are as follows and the stats that trigger these rules can be found here. The following rules and icons are for NLHE cash games. › Continue reading

Tags: 3-betting, Exploitation Play, hold 'em, isolating, LAG, no limit, opponent modeling, Poker, Poker Tracker, PT3, statistics

Using Statistics to Crush the 3-Betting Game

I’ve uploaded two new videos to the site. The first is a replayer video in which I discuss how I use statistics to exploit my opponents’ weaknesses and profit from them. I go over a lot of the things a pro thinks about while playing a hand. The first 3 hands I discuss are spots you may find yourself in often while playing the 3bet+ game. The last hand I discuss is controversial and unconventional, but I think examining it is beneficial – if nothing else to remind us that we needn’t always think inside the box. In the video I rely on many stats, which I explain. But I’m also going to offer 3 of the more valuable homemade stats for free to help you crush the 3-betting game. They are: Fold PF Facing 3Bet After First Raise, Fold PF Facing 4Bet After 3Bet, and VPIP LP / VPIP. › Continue reading

Tags: 3-betting, Exploitation Play, hold 'em, isolating, LAG, no limit, opponent modeling, Poker, Poker Tracker, Position, PT3, re-steal, statistics, steal, video

Free Custom Statistics for Poker Tracker 3

I’ve been working on my game pretty hard lately and have made some changes to my HUD that I will explain further in another post. For now, I’ll talk about a few new statistics that I’ve made; some I’m offering for free – others I’m only adding to my Poker Software Tools available for purchase. › Continue reading

Tags: 3-betting, Exploitation Play, hold 'em, no limit, opponent modeling, Poker, Poker Tracker, Position, PT3, statistics

Why I am a LAG

In the beginning of The Venusian Arts Handbook the author, Mystery, declares:

“You are a biological machine. Your motives in this life are simple, but not simplistic: to live and love. In order to successfully crossbreed (sic), you must acknowledge that, without revolutionary technological advancements, you will some day die.”

He then stresses the fact that, on average, we only have 28,251 days to live. This sense of urgency – that time is pressing and our days are literally numbered – is what Mystery uses to instruct his students to put themselves in position to succeed. › Continue reading

Tags: 3-betting, Exploitation Play, hold 'em, isolating, LAG, no limit, opponent modeling, Poker, Poker Tracker, Position, PT3, statistics, steal

Exploiting High 3-Bettors – The 4-Bet Bluff

In my Auto-Rate rules, I’ve created an icon for high-preflop-3-betting-TAGs. You want to keep an eye on them. Note where they are if they are on your table. If a Tight/Aggressive/Timid player opens from the cutoff, you are on the button, and a High 3-Bettor is in a blind, don’t smoothcall the open hoping to take the pot away postflop, because you will likely be squeezed by our friend in the blind.

High-3-Betting-TAGs can also give your late position raises trouble if they are in a blind, and your earlier position raises trouble if they are on the button. Against an H3B’s 3-bet of my open (with a not-so-solid hand) I will sometimes fold, sometimes call (especially if I have an awesome read and believe I can take the pot away on later streets), and sometimes 4-bet bluff. › Continue reading

Tags: 3-betting, Exploitation Play, hold 'em, no limit, opponent modeling, Position, re-steal, steal