Ashley Sleeth (Vegas MTT pro)- Ask Me Anything About Playing Poker

[gon4iypes]

Hey Ashley ! When it comes to larger tourneys, do you usually buy in directly, or do you play satellites? Thanks a lot, David

 

[Ashley Sleeth]

Hola Hello Ashley, nice to ciber meet you. hope you're doing well. I have a question for you.
I think that if you are reasonable good playing freerolls, I mean, if you can make good seasons wining some first places and doing good in general, making final tables and take some good ITM. You are probably good enough to do the same in high stakes.

I saw many good players on cardschat playing freerrolls and wining, and so bad players on high stakes. That my thinking was. If just that good players playing freerrolls could have the money and dedicated time playing on high stakes, for sure they will do good places on high stakes better than many people already playing big tourneys. What do you think?

Typically, the higher the stakes you're playing, the better you are at poker. Otherwise, you would go broke pretty quickly. If you can start to build a bankroll at the freerolls, then the next step is to try to have success at micro stakes until you win enough to play low stakes, rinse and repeat until you can play the biggest stakes! There will always be exceptions. As you said, there can be 'bad' players playing bigger because they have the money to do so. If we didn't have those types of players, poker wouldn't be nearly as lucrative

Hi Ashley! My name is Anjali, I live in Socal. I'm new to this forum, thanks to you and one of the recent live-coaching youtube videos you did with Jesse. I've been playing poker recreationally for 12 years and only in the past few years was I tired of losing or being afraid of taking risks that I decided to shift, study, and become better. Your live coaching with Jesse has actually been very very useful so THANK YOU. I've learned so much! I also subscribed to Floptimal and a gto solver and over the past 2 months, have seen my play and results increase considerably. Your vlogs made playing poker and learning so approachable because that seems to be your vibe - joyful, open, and humble!

After years of saying I want to play in the WSOP, this will be my first year taking a stab at it, and it couldn't come at a better time, given all the learning and studying I've been doing.

A couple of questions...

I'm a coach in other areas, which tend to be more results-focused. In poker, the strategy/coaching seems to be mostly "don't be results-oriented" and rather making the best decisions in the moment (that lead to results), which is a re-frame but also has been very supportive... Would you agree? And what other mindset tips would you share that help with poker?

I also feel very drawn to playing in more women tournaments and being involved with more womens pokers groups - are you involved in any? Any suggestions there?

And finally, for now - would you ever consider meet-up games? Would be fun!

As I scrolled through this thread and read your thoughtful answers and as I watched your vlogs, thank you for all your dedicated time and honesty. Hope to cross paths someday!

Hi Anjali! Thanks for all the support and for coming to check out CardsChat too On to your questions:
1) Yes- in poker, focusing on short-term results is a bad recipe for your mental game. There is enough luck involved that you can make the 'correct' decisions at every point in the session and still lose. Having longer-term goals is helpful, though. You don't want to completely ignore results after you play a large enough sample size. For online tournaments, a good sample size is around 2,000 MTTs.
2) Women's tournaments are fun and I highly encourage them! I'm not personally involved in any of the groups right now, but I know the WPA and LIPs are great organizations to start with. They run many tournaments across the country throughout the year. After you attend a few, you will start to recognize all of the familiar faces. If you introduce yourself to the directors of those organizations when you play the events, they'll be happy to let you know how you can get more involved
3) Yes! I've hosted a few meet-up games in the past and had a great time. I am a bit of an introvert though and prefer when there are multiple hosts I will post more often this summer when I'm about to play cash games somewhere and we can make it an informal meet up game. After the series, I'll be looking to partner with one of the poker rooms in Vegas to do monthly meet-up games.
If you see me at the wsop, come say hi! Would love to chat

Hello how are you?
I was playing with some friends who are just starting out in poker. The cards on the table were J,5, Q, Q, Q in my hand 5, 3 and not his hand came 4.4. He said that he had won because when he leaves with the pair in his hand he is stronger when he does the fullhause. Could you clarify that?

Your buddy made a mistake here. Your QQQ55 is definitely better than his QQQ44 full house. It doesn't matter if the bottom pair is made by having a pocket pair...the winning hand is simply based on who has the best 5-card hand between your hole cards and the 5 community cards

As you play tournaments in early stages you are aggressive?

Yes but it definitely depends on the players at my tables. if they never fold, i will slow down and wait for good hands that i can get value with.

 

[Ashley Sleeth]

Ashley, hello.🙂
I was interested to know your opinion about the hand I showed you in my previous post, but you are being asked so many questions and it seems that due to the large volume of people wanting to ask you about something, you missed my question. I will be glad if you still answer.


In the meantime, I thought I'd be interested, how do you feel about pocket top pairs?
The fact is that so many people complain that their JJ, QQ,KK,AA are losing. But, are pocket pairs really that good?
For example, I see a much greater perspective in one-piece connectors than in a pocket pair.

hey chica- sorry i didn't respond to this one the first time around. the replayer didn't play anything for me when i clicked on the link. screen remained black. can you write out the action?
As to your question about big pocket pairs...Yes, they are good.... to a point! If you're playing with really deep stacks, big pocket pairs can end up costing you a lot if you can't fold them at the appropriate times. If lots of money is going in postflop when you're deepstacked, one pair may not be good. Suited connectors, on the other hand, play great when you're deepstacked because they make stronger hands like straights and flushes.

Hi Ashley!
Would you like to know if the MTT field is stronger in Vegas at smaller stakes (a couple of $100 bases) than elsewhere?
Thanks for your reply, you are amazing.

Thank you! I think the level of play at that buy-in level is pretty soft no matter where you go. Vegas is no different. We have lots of tourists and most tournament pros don't play that small so you will definitely be at a juicy table

Hey Ashley ! When it comes to larger tourneys, do you usually buy in directly, or do you play satellites? Thanks a lot, David

Hi David! I will either sell action or play satellites for bigger tournaments. I'm doing a bankroll challenge right now where I only get $20k to play with. So I have to sell a lot to even play the $1k buy in level! $20k sounds like a lot to invest in poker, but it can go VERY quickly in large-field live tournaments

 

[Chica_bonita]

hey chica- sorry i didn't respond to this one the first time around. the replayer didn't play anything for me when i clicked on the link. screen remained black. can you write out the action?

Oh, now I understand you.🙂 The screen was black since you weren't logged in. Therefore, to see what I have sent, you need to log in to the Replay system. I didn't think I needed to convert the hand since I know you have a replay account, sorry.🙊

 

[FRANCODAMI]

Well my question is what I need to become a professional player?

 

[zorro222_zorro222]

Hi Ashley, just wanted to ask you if you are playing any WSOP events this week and good luck if you are !!

 

[ammje]

Hello Ashley, with a bankroll of 100 dollars, what tournaments would you recommend to play?

 

[nasty bent gorilla]

In single raised pots, checked back to you in position, how many c bet sizes do have for different flops?

 

[shanest]

Hi Ashley,

Do you have any bracelet bets for this years WSOP?

 

[FRANCODAMI]

Hi ashley, see how should i play or my strategy after the bubble burst?

 

[mattiebumpo]

Hi Ashley, Can you please explain how (or if) the concept of compressed ranges impacts how you play a hand?

 

[GARCIA PABLO DANIEL]

Hello!! pleasure to ask you... which tournaments are more comfortable for you?

And what other diversions do you have apart from poker?

 

[Gh0stL]

Yes! If you’re in late position (button/SB) at the table, these are great hands to jam on 20bb. Once you get up to 25bb though, that starts to be way too many blinds to open shove and you’d prefer to go all in after somebody else has already opened. You can check out free preflop all in spots for tournaments on Floptimal to see more exact hands you can open shove on the button and sb for that stack.

I personally like to show up on time for the Main Event. It gives you the best chance of capitalizing on getting a table with more recreational players who overplay hands at a super deep stack depth. Plus, it’s the most exciting tournament of the year! If I’m going to pay $10k for one event, I like to get the most out of the experience.

For online tournaments, I give myself a rule of having 100 buy ins in my bankroll. So with $300, I’d suggest buying into $3 mtts and lower. Stick with an average field size of less than 150 people to reduce your variance or play SNGs for even lower variance If you play a turbo structure, you will be increasing variance slightly, but if you think you’re short stack game is sharper than your opponents, they’re a great way to increase your hourly

Hey Jim! Glad you’re here and thanks for the question
The $200 daily tournaments that happen around Vegas will have the highest ratio of tourists to pros. Once you get up to the $600 level, there will be a greater amount of pros (a third to half of the table on average), but still plenty of tourists too. For small buy in tournaments, you can’t beat the Wynn. The level of service and luxurious atmosphere as well as relatively low rake make it my go-to spot If you’re here in the summer or when smaller series are happening around town, I’d check out Aria, Resorts World and Venetian too. MGM also runs tournaments but doesn’t have as great an atmosphere as the others listed. GLGL out there!

Hi GHostL,
I decided to play more seriously in 2017. I loved playing tournaments and thought I could do well in them over the long run. I’m lucky enough to have a partner (Jesse) who is a very talented player and coach, so he has been the biggest reason for my improvement and motivation to keep learning. I’ve also invested in training courses on Run It Once, which have been super valuable and eye-opening. I also love watching final table replays of big events to see how the pressure of big spots affects people’s play, etc.

The games are much softer and action-packed in LA. Las Vegas tends to have lots of cash games pros that make the average table pretty nitty. I haven’t played cash internationally in a while, but my favorite places with good action were in Melbourne/Sydney and Johannesburg.

Hi najisami!
Thanks for your question. I’ve played in Morocco and South Africa Those are some of my funnest memories of playing abroad.
I’m not sure where you’ve seen me play, but when I play online, I always show the opponent’s stacks in BBs if the software allows it. If you’re talking about my live vlogs, I usually show the amount of actual chips they have and will refer to how many BBs they have in the voice over That’s mostly for time’s sake. It takes a lot of time for each graphic. Much easier to have less

Great question. Hypers are fun and super profitable if you can really good at two things: short stack dynamics + ICM. A lot of people still struggle with not knowing the real dollar value of how final tables or the money bubble should change the range of hands they play. If you understand those dynamics, you will be printing money off of the players who ‘punt it off’ so to speak. Dara O’Kearney’s book ‘End Game Strategy’ is a great read for brushing up on ICM awareness.

Hi Ashley tanks for your response, Can you tell me if you learning only from your partner Jesse or you read some book to learn more?, if you can share what book you read to improve your skills?
Thanks for your advice.

 

[Gh0stL]

Thanks for the support! It’s funny how poker can be brutal at times, yet so rewarding when everything comes together.

you’re welcome

There are certainly boards that are better for the big blind (ie. 875, 765) so you can lead sometimes. But if you don’t have bluffs in mind beforehand, you might be too heavily weighted towards strong hands when you do it. So yes, I’d stick to checking 100% as BB until you’ve picked out some bluffs ahead of time.


Hey Andyreas,
It’s pretty common for poker players to want to PLAY instead of study It can be tough to do the off-the-table work. But I think of it as my chance to find cool new moves, learning as much as possible so that my next session is a ‘test’ on what I learned. It’s hard to feel like you’re making progress in poker. Studying and feeling more confident in certain spots (especially when you’re feeling stuck) is a great way to KNOW that you’re improving
I’d recommend starting out with a one month subscription to a site like RunItOnce or Upswing. Get their cheapest MTT option. Then, watch videos/take notes/ask the coach questions in the comments. You will notice the coaches using software in their videos. By watching them utilize the tools, you can get familiar with how to use it and THEN maybe you decide to buy it and study on your own. You will know which tools are going to be the most cost-effective for you at your current level. I hope this helps spark your love for studying Good luck!!


This depend on so many things: what stakes do you play now and what stakes would you like to get to? Do you work a full time job, have family or other hobbies that take up your time? Are you familiar with poker software like solvers?
If you don’t have much time and are playing small stakes, buying subscriptions to the best tools/software in the industry will be a waste of your money. You can easily get a subscription to training sites like RunItOnce or Upswing and watch the basic coaching videos.
If you give me a bit more context for your personal situation, I can elaborate with more specific advice.

Hey lou,
Thanks for following along. I’m in the fortunate position to have never gone broke. I have been staked by my fiancé/coach the whole time I’ve been playing poker. I also have other streams of income so my financial situation will never be at risk if poker goes poorly. I also keep a decently strict bankroll management style. Occasionally, I’ll play in games that are WAY too big for me, but I view those as rare and valuable experiences for improving

Thanks for your question, kley After all of my travels, Vegas poker has definitely been the toughest. During the WSOP or big series at other casinos, you’re going to be playing against some of the biggest names in tournament poker. It can be intimidating because they’re so good (and aggressive).

It depends on the buy in. If it’s a small tournament, I don’t think anything of it. I go home and play online If it’s a bigger buy in that I was taking a shot at (I.e. the $10k WSOP Main), I usually feel pretty defeated afterwards….sometimes for a few days. I don’t usually feel too bad about bad beats, unless I’ve taken a lot of them back-to-back over a long period of time. I get more upset about mistakes I made to bust.

Hi Patrice!
Yes there are definitely seasons when poker is more prominent in Vegas. However, it’s easier to point out when poker is slow: August is completely dead. Everyone leaves after the WSOP and many players take vacation in August. Plus, it’s super hot and nobody wants to be here January, April/May can also be slower times for poker in Vegas. Other than that, there’s usually a series in town or daily’s that are worth playing.
The best time of year to come financially is February/early March. But that’s because it’s still pretty cold and there’s nothing much going on in the city (but there are good tournaments at Venetian and Wynn during that time). So if you don’t mind the cold, that could be a good time to visit for cheap. The best months of weather are: April, May, October, November. The cost for rooms depends on the events that are in town.
Hope you enjoy your visit when you make it out here!

I tend to stay quiet and try to look at the board the whole time When I’m not playing poker, I’m usually quite expressive with my face so it’s easiest for me to remain stoic during a hand. If my opponent is taking a while, I try to focus on my breath and relaxing the tension in my face/neck/shoulders so I don’t give anything away.

3rd place in a huge $109 event for $85,000 on ACR

Bad beats are definitely the worst part of the game. I try to make sure I’m playing small enough tournaments that I don’t run the risk of busting my bankroll. If I’m risking going broke, then the bad beats and losses feel WAY worse and wreak havoc on you mentally. So try to play tournaments that are within your budget. You can also reduce your variance by playing in smaller fields (150 players or less).

Anything Beyoncé! I immediately feel fierce and ready to battle when I put on her stuff. I just love a good dance vibe while I play. Anything uplifting is also good: Post Malone, Miley, Dua Lipa, Ed Sheeran, Lizzo, Bruno Mars all come to mind as artists that I frequently put on when I need a pick me up mid session

Hi Ashley thanks for your answer.
Can you share with us what article, book or video to understand much better the variance?
Thanks for your advice.

 

[werty328]

Hello. I have a question to you as the expert on the game in tournaments. I'm pretty good at cash games, but are now trying to raise the level of play in MMT: I can safely double your starting stack in the tournament at an early stage , but Ican't hold it long, for some reason, I am lose my stack very quickly. I often go with 3-bet and the top cards , but junk cards I fold. I understand that can't just throw chips, but I'm still missing something. Please give me advice on how to improve my game, given what I do.

 

[kley126]

When I play an MTT and I manage to enter charges I feel that I stagnate and I can not raise my stack in what could be failing? that would harass me

 

[RhinoRyan89]

Hi Ashley

Welcome to Cardschat

From reading your opening post i noticed one destination in the world you didn't mention traveling to play poker.

So my first question is have you ever played any poker tournaments in Asia like Macau or do you ever plan to.

Thanks in advance

Glon the grind all and as always see you at the tables.

 

[Luvart]

-Question:

Many times I find myself being in the top 10 places during the early stages of a tourney, but then I get completely card dead and my stack gets diminshed. Any tip for that?

 

[EddMaster]

Hi Ashley,

I’ve never played in vegas before (and not even been there tbh), but would like to go and play a big tourney there at some point in my life.

If you can recall your first ever large MTT, can you describe what the experience was like and did you place ITM? Additionally, how did your play in that tournament compare to how you play now (i.e. what did you do wrong the first time that you corrected as you progressed as a player)?

Thanks. ✌🏼

 

[lcid86]

Good luck at the wsop. What results would make you consider it a successful trip?

 

[Chica_bonita]

Hello, Ashley. 🤗
Could you tell us a little bit about your poker tandem with Jesse? What are the pros and cons of both of you being professional poker players? Have you ever played against each other in tournaments?

 

[sumdumguy]

I need some good advice for my first live tournament, are they going to be professionals (sharks) and passionate about the game, something to calm my nerves and not die trying?

 

[Nandabio81]

Pleasful to meet you!
My question is whether I should pay the pre-flop with low-value sequential cards?

 

[sumdumguy]

Regards Ashley;

I was in a good position in a local tournament, but I lack guidance regarding the effective preflod and postflod stack, can you give me some of your annotations for future events?

 

[DarkFore5t]

Hy there.
Would you be so kind and enlighten me with all the positive information about rebuy's.
Are they good? What should one take into account before using them...