We are sure you're thinking, "what does my score mean?".

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The way we measure our performance against the Trainer is by tracking "EV Loss" or Expected Value Loss. The best possible result after you pick your action is an EV Loss of 0. This means your action breaks even against a perfect player.

When EV Loss isn’t 0, the number shown is the amount of big blinds that we would lose taking a specific action in the long run.

It is possible to make a poor play (high EV Loss) that results in you winning a specific hand. I’m sure you’ve all seen players make bad plays and win the pot or make the right play and lose the pot. Over time EV Loss will track closer and closer to actual losses.

We only care about EV Loss, we don’t care whether or not we win any one particular hand.

This allows us to have a long term mindset towards poker that focuses on the quality of our decisions and not short term results.

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Learn the Strategy Behind the 5 Cash Game Hands You Just Played!

In the hands featured in this scenario you’ll be on the Button in a Cash game, raising first-in against a very tough player in the Big Blind. You’ve seen this player 3-bet with a wide range from the Big Blind, but this time they choose to call. Since they 3-bet frequently their preflop calling range is very capped.

Tough players will sometimes donk-lead on certain turn cards after check-calling the flop. Typically this is done on equity changing cards that favor the check-caller’s range more than the preflop raiser’s range. If you hold mediocre made hands that suffer from reverse implied odds when facing a donk-lead, you should often simply fold. It’s difficult to get to showdown profitably in these cases.

Always keep in mind that overcards on the turn that help your range more than the check-caller’s range are great candidates on which to fire a second bullet. This helps protect your overall continuation betting strategy. Overbets on these cards with a polarized range of bluffs and made hands is often the best play.

Another key strategy adjustment is that you should often check back in position with your whole range when turn cards come that help Villain’s range much more than yours. This includes when you hold very strong hands. Your strong hands help maintain a balanced check-back range, plus it’s difficult to get value on big hands when you bet on cards that should hurt your range on average.

Remember that when checking-back on the flop with marginal hands like 2nd pair for pot control you should be prepared to call down the turn and river on many runouts. Checking will often induce bluffs from your opponent and you should be ready to pick them off.

Here are some tips when practicing with the WPT GTO Trainer:

• Your goal is to select the action for each individual hand that is as close to 0.00 EV as possible
• EV Loss of 0.00 is the same action a GTO Player would take
• 0.00 EV Loss means you broke even against a GTO Player
• EV Loss Color Coding Hint:
  • Green = Near GTO Play
  • Orange = Take Caution
  • Red = Probable Leak in Your Game

See how close you get to 0 EV Loss and high percentage plays, then reread the advice above from the LearnWPT Pros.

Keep practicing
-Team LearnWPT

Play More Hands From This Cash Game Spot

LearnWPT.com Members can play more hands from this Button Open Vs Big Blind Call pack by clicking here or to play more scenarios just like this use the Trainer Refine Filter to sort by Open Raise , select a pack, and click START SESSION!

If you have any questions regarding this scenario or your results send your questions in via the Ask a Pro feature.

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