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This is one important notion that will not only help you understand your opponents more but also give you insight on how they think, it will give you a little bit of information on them that you will have and know on very few hands.
Remember that in the previous chapter we talked about VPIP and PFR being the stats that are the most accurate on the fewest amounts of hands. Now, this is useful because the more we know about our opponents, the easier they are to figure out. Also, if we know this and they don’t, it’s called an edge.
Now let’s think deeply about this.
VPIP = Voluntarily Put Into Pot = The average percentage of hands that a player invests money into the pot preflop with, voluntarily
PFR = Pre-Flop Raise = The average amount of hands that a player likes to raise with plus the average amount of hands that a player likes to 3-bet with plus the amount of hands that a player likes to cold 4-bet with plus generally amount of cold all in’s.
By logic, this means that the numerical difference between VPIP and PFR will be:
VPIP – PFR = Average Limp % + Average Cold Call Raise % + Average Cold Call 3-bet % + Average Cold Call 4-bet % + Average Cold Call All in %.
First of all it’s very important to understand that most of the time players do not cold call 3-bets or 4-bets or all ins’, so most of this number will be the sum between the Limp % and the Cold Call Raise %.
If we’re facing a reg, generally this number will represent the Average Cold Call Raise %.
It’s very important to understand how to use this stat in accordance with the type of player that you are facing.
If you are facing a loose passive player, who’s stats read 40/5 then generally he’s going to be limping a lot and cold calling a lot(normally with approximately the same ranges).
Now let’s try to figure out the difference between different types of regs. Let’s enumerate a few and go from there:
VP/PF
15/13 – This is the “Full Ring Nit” as I like to call him because these are nitty stats for 9-max games, and in 6-max they are extremely nitty. VPIP – PFR = 2. You can tell that he is opening very tight and then when he’s getting raised he doesn’t like to call a lot and these players will almost also never 3-bet. You can tell by how tight they actually are. Mostly they only call pocket pairs preflop and super high broadways, and some premiums that they are scared to 3-bet.
19/17 – This is the standard 6-Max nitty guy who doesn’t defend a lot but opens a bit wider than the “Full Ring Nit” and is almost positionally aware. He opens wider in later positions but not even remotely as much as he should be opening. That’s the only difference between this individual and the first one. You can see that VPIP-PFR is still 2. He has the same calling ranges, maybe 3-bets a bit more(not much though), and I’d still be opening 100% vs this player and expect him to never adjust properly to my 100% SB steal. Again, they only call pocket pairs preflop and super high broadways, and some premiums that they are scared to 3-bet.
24/22 – This guy is the standard Nit-LAG who’s opening a lot more and stealing a lot more than a 19/17 but still not defending wide enough with a calling range that is very limited. VPIP-PFR is still 2. This guy is going to be at least 3-betting you a bit more than usual and giving you a fair share of trouble, but not up to 40% usually. If he catches onto the fact that you are stealing 100% vs his BB he will start 3-betting a lot wider but generally this guy is not range-knowledgeable. He will not be reacting with 45-50%, it’s usually going to be a lot wider so you can tighten up as described in the upwards range. These guys’ default calling range preflop is weighted towards pocket pairs and very few high broadways.
24/16 – this guy is usually going to be more passive than the guy right above, his VPIP-PFR is 8 so this means that he’s calling a lot wider, but this also generally means that he is going to be stealing and 3-betting a lot less than the usual suspects. Can still be a winning reg but there’s a large chance he’s just some sort of loose passive with reg tendencies.
30/20 – VPIP-PFR=10, but his PFR is still high. This looks like a very loose half reg half loose passive guy that is having fun at the tables, calling very wide and 3-betting and opening a lot. I would not steal 100% vs this guy if I’m in the SB.
29/25 – What you’ll be after reading this article. Damn straight baller.
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