Learning Path Warm-Up
ICM Skill Quiz
Take quizHigh Stakes Poker, for many, brings up nostalgic thoughts of Gabe Kaplan and Norm Macdonald talking us through hands where old school legends like Doyle Brunson and Sammy Farha are going to battle.
When it comes to online poker, the zoom player pools on Pokerstars are generally where the best are looking to mix it up!
Recently Pokercode Coach and Cash Game Pro Steffen Sontheimer got into the $500 zoom pool to battle it out with some of the best.
$2.50/$5.00 Zoom
CO opens to $12.50 (2.5bb)
Steffen Defends the BB with J♦️T♣️
Pot $26.10 (5.22bb)
Flop K❤️T♠️K♣️
Steffen checks
CO bets half pot $13.30 (2.66bb)
Steffen remarks this is an interesting sizing, and he knows this player and feels like this isn't a great spot, but he has to call here, which he does.
Pot $51.40 (10.28bb)
Turn 6♦️
Steffen outlines that he is only putting his opponent on AT, Pockets Jacks or Pocket Queens Plus.
This feeling is only confirmed when the opponent sizes up to a $43.20 (8.64bb) bet and Steffen finds the fold. Stating he sees so few bluffs compared to hands that beat him within his opponent's range, so he is happy to overfold in this spot.
$2.50/$5.00 Zoom
UTG opens to $12.50 (2.5bb)
Steffen with 8♦️8♣️ highlights that he could look to 3-bet or call here from the button, but with an unknown opponent in the big blind, he elects to make the call.
Both SB & BB make the fold.
Pot $30.85 (6.17BB)
Flop 4♣️T❤️4❤️
UTG checks
Steffen checks back
Steffen outlines that many players will stab this flop as worse players do not have many check-raises in their arsenal of moves. The opponent, in this hand, however, is known to Steffen and is capable of making check-raises here.
Pot $30.85 (6.17BB)
Turn 6♦️
This card is much better for Steffen, especially having checked back the turn.
UTG checks
Steffen bets $23.15 (4.63bb)
highlighting the two routes in this scenario: to bet small and look to bet again on rivers or bet larger and look to call should the opponent bet on tougher rivers.
The opponent elects to fold in this spot, and Steffen rakes in the pot.
Read about why Steffen Sontheimer quit high-stakes tournaments to focus on cash games.
These are only a couple of early hands Steffen played from the below video.
He kicks things off with a few hand reviews, which shine a great insight into the mind of an elite cash game pro.
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