Jun 17, 2017 re: Poker & Push/fold ranges Chart is fine just remember to adjust to player tendencies certain players call wider others are tighter. Most of the times big stacks call wider and players tend to.
Poker Push Fold Chart
Pushing All-In In SNG Or Multi-Table Tournament Poker Is Common,
This Article Explains Both How And Why!
Ever wondered why people push all-in so often at the bubble of a Sit and Go? To someone new to this form of poker it can seem like all the skill has gone out of the game! Push / Fold poker strategy is used by both expert players and novices. In the right hands it is possible to become ‘mathematically unexploitable’ using this Sit N Go Poker strategy. In the wrong hands, or wrongly applied, it can lead to horrible poker - this article outlines why all-in poker can be appropriate, and shows you how to execute the right moves at the right time!
There are 2 aspects to all-in / fold poker tournament strategy that the beginner needs to understand. The first concerns stack sizes + pot odds and the second is to do with converting chip stacks into something called ‘prize pool equity’.
Mark's Rec: If you are ready for the next stage of understanding SNG Strategy, why not put that knowledge to good use with my 'Planet Mark's SNG Blueprint' eCourse. This builds in 4 parts and will take beginner to intermediate players to the point of earning $16 per hour. This is free to readers and the feedback so far has been awesome! Preview page + sign-up form can be found on our Blueprint Preview Page.
Push-Fold SNG Poker Strategy Basics #1 - Stack Sizes And Odds
Stack sizes make a big difference to any poker strategy, since the game of no-limit Texas Holdem is based largely on ‘implied odds’ – that is the chance of being paid off with a big pot if you hit a flop hard.
Here is the key point – once you get down to 10 times the big blind pot-odds mean that you should usually call if someone re-raises your initial raise. An example will clarify:
You have a stack of 1000 chips (as does your opponent), the big blind is 150 at the bubble of a sit and go tournament. You raise to 400 and your opponent (in the big blind) goes all-in for 1000 chips.
Now the pot is a total of 1475 chips (including the small blind who folded). To call you need to put in 600 more. This makes your pot-odds 1475/600 or 2.45 to 1, this means that you have to win the hand only more than 40% of the time to show a profit… against the wide range of hands someone might push all-in with in a low limit SNG you are often a favorite against the wide range of hands your opponent could hold – this becomes an easy call.
So here is the follow - up question (as nobody likes to ‘flip’ for all of their chips on the bubble of a SNG!):
If you were forced to call the re-raise by the pot-odds, why not go all-in yourself in the first place?
After all your opponents will often fold hands that they might have re-raised with – allowing you to pick up the blinds uncontested and grow your stack by 15%!
Push-Fold SNG Poker Strategy Basics #2 - Prize Pool Equity Models
There is another reason for pushing all-in at the bubble, this concerns a mathematical model called the ‘Independent Chip Model’. What this does is convert your stack into ‘equity’ in the prize pool… the relationship between your chips and stake in the prizes is not linear (after all there is more than one prize).
As you become experienced in SNG play understanding ICM is important, even if you choose not to use this yourself – so many opponents will use it that you need to know.
Mark's Tip: There are software tools that will give you a huge head-start when it comes to developing a profitable push-fold poker strategy... these are known as ICM Calculators, and many of your opponents will already be using them! I strongly recommend you check out the latest and best software - ICMIZER 2 - this is flexible enough to work with many sites and game variations. You can use it for up to 3 calculations each day for free. See www.icmpoker.com for the details!
There are many ICM articles here at SNG planet – those new to this concept can start with the introduction to ICM and go from there.
So, next time you wonder why opponents are pushing all-in you’ll know that there are at least 2 explanations!! Of course, even a basic understanding of when to push all-in and when to fold will give you a huge advantage over those opponents who do not know this.
Planet Mark's Rec: Having a high level understanding of what drives your SNG Strategy will give you an advantage over the vast majority of your opponents. You can make this skill advantage pay by choosing sites which have a mainly 'recreational' type player base. 888 Poker are a cool site with the easiest SNG tournaments you will find anywhere online. What is more, many countries can get $88 completely free bonus to try out their games - check out the 888 Poker Website for more on this cool, yet profitable poker room (terms apply).
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Episode 7 of the World Series of Poker on ESPN kicked off with a short discussion between Jason Mcconnon and Kenny Hallaert about a piece of paper.
Mcconnon, with 1,995,000 in chips just under the average of 2,526,500, brought a so-called push-fold chart that tells players which hands they should push and which hands they should fold in what position once down to a certain amount of big blinds.
Hallaert immediately objected to the use of the information on the sheet of paper. Mcconnon, however, seemed sure he was allowed to use it.
The first hand, action folded to Mcconnon and he picked up in middle position. With the blinds at 40,000/80,000 and an ante of 10,000, he reached for the papers in his lap to see how to play his 50 big blind stack. Hallaert objected and asked for a ruling.
What wasn't shown in the broadcast was that the floor initially did not forbid the use of the sheets of paper. Hallaert asked for a second opinion and Tournament Director Jack Effel came to the table and ruled the following:
So listen, the way that any of those things work, it's just like anything else. While you're in a hand, you can't use any kind of tools, you can't use any aide, anything like that. When you're out of the hand, you're more than welcome to reference anything that you have, your notes or anything like that, but not during the play of hands.
Mcconnon wasn't convinced just yet, but proceeded to play the hand without checking the charts again. Mcconnon must have checked the WSOP rules before he started playing Day 6 of the Main Event because he seemed so sure.
What Do the Rules Say?
Let's see what the WSOP 2016 Rules say on this subject.
The first rule in the 2016 WSOP rule book under the 'Participant conduct and tournament integrity' section is no cheating allowed. Technically, the use of the push fold chart could be ruled a cheating device, though that would be a very liberal interpretation of the rule.
40. The competitive integrity of all Tournament play at the WSOP is paramount. All participants must adhere to the spirit and letter of the Official Rules of the WSOP that forbid play or any action that is illegal, unethical or constitutes cheating or collusion in any form.
- 40.a. Cheating is defined as any such act engaged in by a participant to break the established rules of play to gain an advantage.
- Cheating includes, but is not limited to, acts such as: Collusion; chip stealing; transferring non-value tournament chips from one event to another; introducing chips not intended for an event into an event; card marking; card substitution; or the use of any kind of cheating device.
One could rule the use of the sheet compromises the competitive integrity of the WSOP, as stated in rule 40.f. That's not, however, what Effel refers to in his explanation in the broadcast.
Push Or Fold Calculator
- 40.f. Anyone found to have engaged in or attempted to engage in any act that tournament officials believe in their sole and absolute discretion compromises or could compromise the competitive integrity of the WSOP will be subject to sanctions imposed by Rio.
Two rules that hint at relevance to the issue here are Rule 63 and Rule 110. They don't, however, come close to the situation at hand; Mcconnon does not use an electronic device (Rule 63), nor does he have the piece of paper on the table itself (Rule 110):
63. Communication: All cell phones and other voice-enabled and “ringing” electronic devices must be silenced during tournament play. Participants not involved in a hand (cards in muck) shall be permitted to text/email at the table, but shall not be permitted to text/email any other participant at the table. If Rio, acting in its sole and absolute discretion, believes a participant is communicating with another participant at the table, both parties will be immediately disqualified from the tournament and face imposition of additional penalties as described in Rule 40. [...] No cell phones or other electronic communication device can be placed on a poker table.
110. Foreign Objects: There will be no foreign objects on the table except for a maximum of one card cap (also known as a card protector). Card caps can be no larger than two (2) inches in diameter and no more than one-half (1/2) inch in depth. Participants may not place any food or beverages on the poker table with the exception of one (1) capped bottle of water.
Push Or Fold Poker
In fact, the entire rule book does not mention anything concerning the use of an 'aide' or 'tool' or anything concerning getting 'assistance' during a hand from something other than a player (collusion). In the end, it's Rule 56 that really plays here, the rule that warrants the tournament floor and director to do what's in the best interest of the game:
56. Floor People: The tournament director, managers and supervisors are to consider the best interest of the game and fairness as the top priority in the decision-making process. Unusual circumstances can on occasion dictate that decisions in the interest of fairness take priority over the technical rules. The tournament director (“TD”) reserves the right to overrule any floor decision.
The Right Decision?
In my eyes, Jack Effel absolutely made the right decision forbidding the use of the documentation during the hand. To me, it's clear that a specific rule concerning the use of any outside help is missing from the rule book at the moment and should be included next year.
But where do we draw the line if such a rule would be included next year? For example, are people allowed to have the payouts printed and consult those when the tournament is on a bubble? What do you think?
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Poker Hands To Fold
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