Defending is not only important but also one of the most critical aspects of playing poker. It plays a vital role in your overall strategy and can greatly impact your success in the game. The good news is that it is also an area of the game that can be improved with deliberate and consistent training. In this article, I will present a comprehensive framework that will guide you on how to effectively defend your ranges and make informed decisions to maximize your EV at the tables.
To begin, we need to quantify the amount of EV that flows through each defending node. One method to achieve this is by calculating the line volume. This can be done by multiplying the number of occurrences of a specific line by the average size of the pot. You can apply this formula to every node in the game tree. However, in the grid on the right, you can find the results for all flop defence versus c-bet nodes.
One thing that stands out is the significant difference between different scenarios. If you spend one hour studying facing c-bets as 3BP IP PFC, you would need to spend five hours studying facing c-bets as 2BP IP PFC in order to achieve a similar increase in EV (assuming similar improvement rates). It is important to note that these numbers may vary based on individual strategies. However, regardless of the specific numbers, we must consider the volume of each scenario to maximize the amount of the return for every hour spent studying.
Another way to maximize the return for every hour spent is to establish an effective training routine. One such routine, well-documented in scientific literature and highly applicable to flop defense, is called deliberate practice. Deliberate practice involves setting challenging stretch goals, dedicating full focus to achieving them, receiving immediate and informative feedback, and then reflecting on and refining one's approach based on that feedback. In the video I will show you how to apply these principles to drilling flop defence.
Another quick way to improve flop defence is by using GTO Wizard to analyze all your flop folds in specific situations. This allows you to identify patterns, such as overfolding with ace highs on paired textures, and quickly address any leaks in your game.
To accomplish this, filter for hands in which you fold against a continuation bet (c-bet) in a heads-up pot in a specific formation in your tracker. Next, export those hands and analyze them using the GTO Wizard analyser. Lastly log any upgrades you made in an Anki deck (like I did in the video above).
Now that we have identified the specific zones that generate the highest return for each hour studied, and we can apply the principles of deliberate practice to maximize our learning potential, it is important to emphasize the significance of creating a simple and effective training schedule that will help us improve in an easy and consistent manner.
When studying flop defence, consistency is key. One way to make sure you are consistently studying flop defense is by "stacking" the habit of drilling with the habit of playing poker. This means that every time you grind a poker session, you also make sure to drill a session in your GTO Trainer. Even if you don't do any additional studying that day, you still get some practice in. This approach provides a simple and effective framework that increases the likelihood of doing the necessary work and ensures that you start your sessions properly warmed up.