Working with Frequency Locks

Unlocking the Power of Frequency Locking

In poker, it's essential to not only play optimally but also to understand and exploit your opponents' mistakes. Frequency locking in HRC allows you to model these errors and learn how to capitalize on them, deepening your understanding of strategic play.

By experimenting with different scenarios, you can discover effective ways to exploit common leaks. Frequency locking is especially useful in situations where traditional combo locking is limited, such as:

• Postflop Control: Combo locking isn't available postflop, but frequency locking lets you influence actions on later streets.
• Simplified Preflop in Complex Spots: When you have more than two options preflop (e.g., fold, call, raise), frequency locking is much easier to set up than managing overlapping combo locks.
• Analyzing and Exploiting Opponents' Tendencies: Want to see what happens if an opponent overbluffs or overfolds the flop? Frequency locking lets you model their leaks and explore counter-strategies across multiple streets, helping you understand how to adjust your strategy and take advantage of their mistakes.

How Does Frequency Locking Work?

You can subtly influence the solver's decisions by adjusting the appeal of different actions. Frequency locking works by applying an "edge" to an action's Expected Value (EV) during strategy generation.

• Setting the Frequency: You simply tell the solver how often you want an action to occur (e.g., bet 60% of the time).
• Automatic Edge Calculation: The solver automatically figures out the "edge" needed to make that happen.
• Influencing Action Selection: The solver no longer simply picks the highest EV action. Instead, it considers this adjusted value (EV - edge), shifting the strategy towards your target frequency.
• Direct Edge Control (Advanced): For more advanced users, HRC also allows you to directly set the "edge" value. A positive edge makes the action less likely, while a negative edge makes it more likely.

How to Use Frequency Locking

Applying a frequency lock in HRC is straightforward:

1. Select the Node: Choose the decision point where you want to influence the action frequencies.

2. Right-Click: Right-click on the selected node.

3. Choose "Frequency Lock": Select the "Frequency Lock" option from the context menu. This opens a configuration dialog.

4. Set Your Frequencies or Edge: In the dialog, you can:

   • Enter the desired target frequency for one or more actions (e.g., bet 60% of the time).
   • Directly specify a fixed edge for an action. Remember, a positive edge makes the action less likely, and a negative edge makes it more likely.

5. Leave One Action Unlocked: Ensure that at least one action remains unlocked to give the solver flexibility.

Important: After setting up or modifying a frequency lock, remember to rerun sampling for the desired part of the game tree with the 'reset regret' option checked. The frequency lock will only be applied when you run new sampling.

To remove a frequency lock, simply:

1. Open the Frequency Lock Dialog: Right-click on the locked node and select "Frequency Lock."
2. Click "Reset": Use the 'Reset' option within the dialog to remove the lock, and then click 'OK'.

Key Concepts

• Action Frequency vs. Combo Percentage: It's crucial to remember that frequency locking targets how often an action is taken when the node is reached, not the exact percentage of hand combinations used for that action. Due to factors like card removal, the actual combination percentage might differ slightly from your target frequency.

  • Example: The button opens 60% of hands, locking their fold to 3-bets at 25% doesn't mean they'll fold exactly 15% of hands. The actual folded range will be close but may vary due to card removal effects from the opponent's 3-betting range and card bunching.

• Impact on EVs: Applying a frequency lock naturally changes how you should play earlier in the hand. The solver accounts for this by adjusting the entire strategy to accommodate the changes. Importantly, the 'edge' used to influence action selection in the locked node does not distort the EVs themselves. Therefore, while the EVs in earlier nodes will shift to reflect the new strategy, they still accurately represent the parameters of the original game. This is the same as if you were always playing with those adjusted strategies.

Best Practices and Considerations

• Start Simple: Begin by analyzing single deviations to understand how frequency locking affects the overall strategy.
• Avoid Overlapping Locks: Be cautious about using multiple frequency locks for the same player in a single line, especially for consecutive actions (e.g., forcing a very wide 3-bet range, and then making the player overfold to 4-bets). Doing this can sometimes lead to suboptimal results, where the solver achieves your target frequencies but does so in a way that may not maximize EV under those constraints.
• Multiple Actions in One Node: You can safely set frequency targets for multiple actions within the same decision point (e.g., call and raise frequencies). Just ensure that at least one action remains unlocked for the solver to work with.

Conclusion

Frequency locking in HRC provides a unique way to analyze and adjust your strategy based on your opponents' tendencies. By understanding how to leverage this feature effectively, you can take your understanding of the game to the next level.

Remember to start with simple adjustments to your opponents' strategies, analyze the impact on your overall strategy, and gradually explore more complex scenarios.

So, dive in, explore the possibilities, and discover the power of frequency locking in HRC!