theANMATOR
Legend
Bronze Level
Hey Folk.
Over the past year I have steadily moved up in the events I play in.
I still play at the micro level, but at the beginning of the year I was playing in 0.25/0.50 cent buy-in tournaments, and still freerolling my @ss off trying to recover from tiny withdrawals, and to build up a large enough roll to play larger events.
I finally put together a series of solid cashes in those events - leading up to the past couple months, where I have been regularly playing in 3-5 dollar events, while taking infrequent shots at the smallest buyin events at the low-stakes on ACR, ($6-$10).
As I have "moved up" I have become aware of players playing better. The field is still littered with - lets say - players who pay the bills , but several other notable players play a tighter range, shove with stronger hands, and generally play better post flop.
The reason for this post mostly, is to consider players attempting to play GTO at this level.
I certainly do not attempt to play GTO at the level I am at. In my honest opinion, and assessment of the field of players, GTO does not make sense, because the buyin amounts do not matter enough, and because the field is littered with stations who will not fold ANY pair - regardless of what kind of makeup the board is. The board could be paired with all broadway cards, and a 4, 3 to a straight and flush, and ol boy is gonna call down a 3bet pre and call every street with an overbet on the river with 9/4 off suit with his paired 4 in a multi-way pot. lol as an extreme example.
However - I have witnessed several players - maybe some who have decided to spend some cash to get some training - attempt to play GTO at this micro level. From my perspective - they are playing a style that is much better suited for better players and larger stakes.
It seems the way they play - they attempt to bluff as if they have the NUTS every hand they play. Essentially - giving away a lot of chips to players who are mostly not that good and will not fold any pair, and against other players who are - to be honest - solid players - who can read hands, and the board - and are not falling for this over-bluffy style of play.
It seems - what I gather from these players attempting to play GTO - what that means to them is GTO means play every hand as if you have the nuts - and bluff your butt off attempting to win every pot.
I played against a couple of these players over the weekend, and I could see what they were doing. Mostly - they were over-bluffing - as GTO does warrant. That might be a mis-interpretation of GTO play from my point of view, but essentially they were taking every bluff opportunity - and taking it with vigor and zeal. lol
I'm not going to say these players are bad, or that they played badly, though they might be getting instructions from instructors who tend to play bigger events vs players who make minute mistakes compared to the players these players are facing at the micro level.
It has been great fun to play with several of these players who attempt to play GTO. It seems they aren't that great at hand reading - trying to see the hand as played from their opponents point of view. I've had the hands they are attempting to represent a vast majority of the time, or at minimum a strong hand worthy of seeing a showdown, which has been quite profitable.
I'm not saying bluffing at the micros is something that should be avoided. I do it probably at a higher percentage than I should. But players who attempt to represent the NUTS every hand they play in - are giving away a ton of chips to players who pretty solid players, and also to players who are less solid - who are never folding one pair - regardless of what kind of flop/turn/river hits.
Anyone else facing GTO players at micro limits, who might seem to be over-bluffing a lot?
Over the past year I have steadily moved up in the events I play in.
I still play at the micro level, but at the beginning of the year I was playing in 0.25/0.50 cent buy-in tournaments, and still freerolling my @ss off trying to recover from tiny withdrawals, and to build up a large enough roll to play larger events.
I finally put together a series of solid cashes in those events - leading up to the past couple months, where I have been regularly playing in 3-5 dollar events, while taking infrequent shots at the smallest buyin events at the low-stakes on ACR, ($6-$10).
As I have "moved up" I have become aware of players playing better. The field is still littered with - lets say - players who pay the bills , but several other notable players play a tighter range, shove with stronger hands, and generally play better post flop.
The reason for this post mostly, is to consider players attempting to play GTO at this level.
I certainly do not attempt to play GTO at the level I am at. In my honest opinion, and assessment of the field of players, GTO does not make sense, because the buyin amounts do not matter enough, and because the field is littered with stations who will not fold ANY pair - regardless of what kind of makeup the board is. The board could be paired with all broadway cards, and a 4, 3 to a straight and flush, and ol boy is gonna call down a 3bet pre and call every street with an overbet on the river with 9/4 off suit with his paired 4 in a multi-way pot. lol as an extreme example.
However - I have witnessed several players - maybe some who have decided to spend some cash to get some training - attempt to play GTO at this micro level. From my perspective - they are playing a style that is much better suited for better players and larger stakes.
It seems the way they play - they attempt to bluff as if they have the NUTS every hand they play. Essentially - giving away a lot of chips to players who are mostly not that good and will not fold any pair, and against other players who are - to be honest - solid players - who can read hands, and the board - and are not falling for this over-bluffy style of play.
It seems - what I gather from these players attempting to play GTO - what that means to them is GTO means play every hand as if you have the nuts - and bluff your butt off attempting to win every pot.
I played against a couple of these players over the weekend, and I could see what they were doing. Mostly - they were over-bluffing - as GTO does warrant. That might be a mis-interpretation of GTO play from my point of view, but essentially they were taking every bluff opportunity - and taking it with vigor and zeal. lol
I'm not going to say these players are bad, or that they played badly, though they might be getting instructions from instructors who tend to play bigger events vs players who make minute mistakes compared to the players these players are facing at the micro level.
It has been great fun to play with several of these players who attempt to play GTO. It seems they aren't that great at hand reading - trying to see the hand as played from their opponents point of view. I've had the hands they are attempting to represent a vast majority of the time, or at minimum a strong hand worthy of seeing a showdown, which has been quite profitable.
I'm not saying bluffing at the micros is something that should be avoided. I do it probably at a higher percentage than I should. But players who attempt to represent the NUTS every hand they play in - are giving away a ton of chips to players who pretty solid players, and also to players who are less solid - who are never folding one pair - regardless of what kind of flop/turn/river hits.
Anyone else facing GTO players at micro limits, who might seem to be over-bluffing a lot?