The Official Red Chip Poker Podcast15 Sep

Playing And Defending Against The UTG Straddle · S8E19

Straddles used to be restricted to a fun element of live play, but an increasing number of online #poker sites have now added them to their tables. This "third blind" has a profound effect on preflop strategy, both on the straddle itself and from the other positions at the table.

In this podcast episode, we look at a common online 6-max format with a 2bb UTG straddle and 0.1bb ante. The straddle is intrinsically unprofitable, but the information presented here will allow you to minimize your losses from all three blinds, while maximizing your advantage elsewhere.

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Introduction: UTG Straddle Strategy Overview
0:48 Why UTG Straddles Are -EV
1:34 Solver Setup & Effective Stack Sizes Explained
2:57 RFI Frequencies: Button, Small Blind & Big Blind
4:37 Small Blind Strategy vs UTG Straddle
6:03 Big Blind Defense: When to Complete vs Raise
7:46 ISO Raising Against Completes (20% Rule)
10:44 Big Blind Complete Strategy & UTG Straddle Response
12:54 Defending vs Button RFI from Each Position
16:57 Small Blind RFI Defense Strategy
20:11 Big Blind RFI Defense & 70%+ VPIP Spots
21:51 Key Takeaways: Small Blind Disadvantages
23:46 Completing Strategy: Why It's More Important Than You Think
25:26 Three-Betting & ISO Ranges Summary
26:31 Practical Tips for Live Games

Episoder(307)

A Novel Poker Play: Shoving With A Capped Range · S8E18

When you see big bets over multiple streets from an opponent, what do you conclude? Most studied #poker players would assume they are facing a polarized range, and respond accordingly. But against a s...

1 Sep 19min

Poker Study: The Formations That Matter Most · S8E17

Most #poker players acknowledge that the more you study the better your results become. However, other life commitments mean that, in practice, we have a limited amount of time to devote to studying p...

18 Aug 25min

Befuddling Your Opponents With Micro Bets · S8E16

Do you tend to use a limited number of bet sizes in your strategy? Such simplified approaches have value, but many #poker players are missing out on profitable spots by restricting their sizing. This ...

4 Aug 25min

The Fundamentals Of Heads-Up Hold'em · S8E15

Many #poker players regard heads-up play as the purest form of the game. You are locked in a duel of wits with a single opponent, constantly trying to outmaneuver them and countering their tactical ad...

21 Jul 30min

Poker As A Business: Managing Time And Costs · S8E14

If you play #poker to make money, you have more to manage than your bankroll. To get better at the game, you need to study. That takes time and money. Serious students of the game require poker softwa...

7 Jul 29min

Grinding Poker In A Rec-Friendly Environment · S8E13

Online #poker is a very different beast to twenty years ago. Essentially all poker sites have taken the decision to clip the wings of the professional grinder, ostensibly to encourage the survival of ...

23 Jun 28min

Realistic Expectations For Your Poker Decisions · S8E12

Any #poker session you play can be thought of as a series of decisions. The "correct" decision in any spot, such as whether to bet and how much, in principle has an objectively-correct answer. This ha...

9 Jun 22min