Improving the Redline: Gains without Showdown

Online players who use software called “trackers”, such as Hold'em Manager (HM) and Poker Tracker (PT), are well aware of the much talked about Redline, or...

For live players or beginners, the red line represents winnings without showdown, that is, those hands that did not need to go to showdown to be resolved.

The graph of these winnings can be seen in HM or PT by clicking on the “display non-showdown winnings” button on the graphs page. A red line will appear on your graph, hence the name Redline.

But why is Redline relevant?

Lately, in online forums, we can observe a kind of competition between players to see who has the most rising red line, which means more wins than losses in pots without showdown.

But does it really matter?

Yes and no. Of course, you can still be a successful player with a negative red line. Different game styles do different things with their graphics.

The problem is when your red line looks like a steeply sloping arrow. Losing more than you win in non-showdown hands is a common weakness that many players have. A notable example is TwoPlusTwo forum “legend” Fgators.

Player Fgators is the author of a famous forum thread about Bad Beats and Variance, where he claims to be the unluckiest player in the world, because due to his constant streak of bad luck, he was unable to make a profit at poker. Fgators was a regular player and played many tables and thousands of hands. In those thousands of hands he undoubtedly suffered many bad beats. But that was not the reason he was unprofitable.

His red line was a depressing sight, a straight line down, almost the exact opposite of his blue line, which represented showdown winnings. Since he was losing so much money in no-showdown pots, it hardly mattered how much he won in showdown pots.

The profits would never make up for their losses.

What makes a Redline go straight down?

This is caused by one thing: putting money in the pot and then giving up.

That's right, if you regularly put money in the pot and then just fold the hand, your red line will suffer. Worse still, if you do this too often, even your win rate will suffer.

Some common ways a player can worsen their Redline are:

• Apply many continuation bets and in unfavorable situations for this;
• Not placing enough C-BETs on the turn (second barrel);
• Playing too far out of position;
• Calling too often with draws and playing them passively (forcing you to fold when the draw doesn't hit);
• Calling raises with weak hands only to fold to subsequent bets;
• Calling a lot of 3-BETs and then folding on the flop;
• Check-calling weak hands that are essentially a weak draw to two pair;
• Playing passively in pots where you were the aggressor with 3-BET preflop.

All of these examples hurt your red line. The main theme is putting a lot of money in the pot only to give up without even putting up a fight.

So how do you avoid a straight, descending Redline?

Almost all players who have a straight, downward sloping red line play a lot of tables.

What “too many tables” means to one person may be completely different than what it means to another. However, if you’re basically playing on autopilot, that means you’re playing too many hands, and your no-showdown winnings will suffer.

The easy and simple solution is: play fewer tables. Think about each decision and weigh your different choices rationally.

Some examples of how to improve your Redline

Apply fewer C-BETs and apply them in favorable situations. Focus on your opponent and his playing tendencies. If he is a calling station you should C-BET much less often than normal, for example.

Use C-BETs when the board seems to help your range, or if you are planning on firing a second or even a third barrel. If you are planning on just C-BETting the flop and folding if called, it is best to just check.

Shoot more second barrels. Ditch that horrible approach of betting the flop and calling it a day.

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Think about your opponent's calling range on the flop. Second barrel with cards that seem to have improved your perceived range. perceived range) and weaken your opponent's range.

Shoot more third barrels. Again, think about your opponent's range and perceived range.

Think about what kind of hand he probably has and think about how well that hand can hold up.

For example: you raise from the cut-off (CO), a conservative player calls from the big blind and the flop comes :Th :5h :3s . If you choose to C-BET you must be prepared to fire other bets on the turn and river, because with a flop like that, your opponent will rarely have a very good hand.

He would probably 3-BET preflop with most high pairs, and with hands like 88, 99 and AT he is unlikely to call three rounds of betting.

If you bet once or twice and then fold on the river you will be losing a lot of money in a no showdown pot.

Play draws aggressively. Paying on the flop and turn to fold on the river when you miss your draw is a sure loss in the long run.

When you play a draw aggressively you have the bonus of fold equity (Fold Equity). This can increase your no-showdown winnings, not hurt them.

Play more hands in position. One simple rule. When you are in position you are in control.

Think about it. If you call a raise out of position and then check-call the flop with a one-handed straight draw that doesn't hit on the turn, and he bets, you'll need to fold.

Now think about if you were in the same situation, but in position. You could win either by hitting the draw or by betting the turn after he checked.

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Apply more bluffs and semi-bluffs. As with the last example, don’t just play “all or nothing” poker, that is, playing only great hands and folding bad ones. Look for opponents who have red line disease and punish them.

Find players who C-BET the flop out of position, then check the turn and steal their pots by floating.

Think, think, think!

These are just a few examples of how to improve your winnings without a showdown.

The main thing to do is think. Think about why you are doing what you are doing and ask yourself what you are trying to achieve by doing it.

If you are just betting for the sake of betting, your entire game will suffer.

A consideration

If you are a winning player, it is best not to obsess over having a positive Redline. If your style is working for you, stick with it. The chances of something going wrong if you mess with it are high.

However, if you are an inexperienced player, and your red line looks like the descent of a Downhill track, it is better to make some changes, otherwise you will end up being just another average player in the crowd.

Author: Daniel Skolovy

Translated and adapted from the original: How to Improve Non-Showdown Winnings