Explanation of Levelling
The idea of \" levelling \" is deeply rooted in psychology and can be effectively explained using a practical scenario.
Picture this: player A makes an opening raise, gets 3-bet by player B, and then folds. When the next hand starts, the same sequence occurs: player B makes a 3-bet and player A folds yet again. However, in the third round, player B 3-bets once more, but this time player A responds with a 4-bet. What’s happening here?
There are a couple of possibilities. One could be that player A feels frustrated and is throwing in a lighter 4-bet, or perhaps player B has finally encountered the upper tier of player A's hands. Which scenario is accurate?
It could be either situation. If player B has a good read on player A's mental state, they will likely think on the right \" level \" and adapt their strategy effectively. On the contrary, being on the wrong level would lead player B to make decisions that are far from optimal.
Within these levels , there's a seemingly endless array of smaller levels , much like the effect created by two mirrors reflecting each other. As player B tries to decipher player A's psychological framework, they must also consider that player A could be adjusting their approach based on their perceptions of player B. For example, player A might opt for a 4-bet primarily because they believe player B will view it as a weaker, lighter 4-bet, despite it only containing premium hands.
The intricacies of these levels can extend infinitely. Let’s say player B is aware that player A will think he’ll interpret the 4-bet as a strong value range. In that case, it's plausible that player A is actually making a light 4-bet as a form of strategic exploitation. Thus, if player B thinks one level deeper, he can understand that player A's 4-bet is indeed on the lighter side, based on his insight into how player A views him. If player A can think even one level deeper, he might revert to making pure value 4-bets again.
While there are countless levels to consider, players usually toggle between two basic strategies: leaning towards value bets or opting for bluffs. The objective is to stay just one level ahead of your opponent. However, if you find yourself two levels ahead, you might end up misplaying your hand. This tendency is often labeled as 'levelling ourselves.'
For example, imagine you're confronted with a river bet in a scenario where it's challenging for your opponent to bluff with a sufficient number of hands. A level 1 approach would simply be to think, \"My opponent is unlikely to be bluffing here, so I'll fold regularly.\" In contrast, a level 2 perspective would involve considering, \"My opponent knows I'm likely to dismiss the chance of a bluff, so they must be trying exceptionally hard to bluff here.\"
The level 2 approach in this scenario can wrongly inflate our opponent's acumen regarding the game, leading us to make the opposite of the best possible decision.
An Example of Levelling in Conversation -> We share a rich history together, which often leads to a significant amount of levelling between us.
Integrating Levelling into Your Poker Tactics
Levelling is an exceptionally intricate facet of poker, heavily influenced by human psychology. It's surprisingly easy to get lost in overly complex thought patterns like \"he thinks, that I think, that he thinks...\" and so on.
Many players might be shocked to discover that the typical opponent they encounter isn’t exactly contemplating these deep levels but is instead focused primarily on their own hands. Overestimating the thought processes of unknown opponents can lead us to serious strategic blunders.
While levelling can apply to any situation where two players’ thoughts influence one another, a few commonly referenced levels include:
Level 0 – No awareness of strategy.
Level 1 – Simply playing our own cards. (Beats level 0)
Level 2 – Adjusting our play based on the opponent’s potential range. (Beats level 1).
Level 3 – Playing according to how we perceive our own range. (Beats level 2, but may ironically lose to level 1)
See Also
Mental Game , A-game , C-game