Max is a true all around grinder
By: isnortbooze
Max is a true all around grinder, having conquered the high stakes online PLO and NLHE games. He has since moved on to concentrate on the live tournament circuit and is doing quite well!
If you hadn't heard of Max Silver before this year's World Series of Poker, you most likely have now, after he cemented himself in the history books taking down a gold bracelet in the $3,000 6-max limit hold 'em. But if you you follow online poker closely, you are probably familiar with his online moniker, goodeh99. Max is a true all around grinder, having conquered the high stakes online PLO and NLHE games in the earlier parts of this decade. He has since moved on to concentrate on the juicy live tournament circuit and is doing quite well! Besides winning $172,645 with his WSOP bracelet, this year he had a first place in a $215 limit turbo event in Monte Carlo, worth $46,963. Oh, and did I mention a $176,399 score for coming in 45th place in this year's WSOP Main Event. OH! And did I mention a $216,211 score for coming in 33rd place in last year's main event! So it's safe to say he has proven himself in the poker world after mastering cash games and MTTs, both online and live.
SnapShove App
Besides the live tournament grind, he managed to find the time to develop an app called SnapShove. I recommended this app when I did my article on short-stacked play and it is definitely an amazing tool. He developed the app during an 8 month period after realizing that there wasn't an instant way to determine if it is mathematically correct to shove or fold in certain situations. Sure you can look through pages of Nash charts (which he actually incorporated into his formulas) or enter the info into online software, but SnapShove puts the data right into the palm of your hand. You simply enter in your position, number of people at the table, number of big blinds and ante level and it calculates the GTO play. Either (snap)shove, call or fold. He has recently updated the app to include reshoving spots as well. Once you have entered the initial data, it automatically keeps track of your position and blind levels and you can simply click a button after that to find out the +ev play on the next hand. It also has a training mode where it quizzes you on what to do in certain spots so you can practice you jamming ranges for those times when you can't check your phone.
Max Silver Interview
I got to speak with Silver about his switch to live play, his interest in crypto-currencies and the SnapShove app. We definitely had some fun when I quizzed him on a few scenarios to make sure he could pass he own push-fold test (he did!).
An All-Around Master
I have to admit I was surprised to hear that the bracelet Max Silver won was in limit hold 'em, considering he is the creator of a push-fold application. But that just goes to show you how versatile of a player he is. He has truly mastered all facets of the game. I spent a lot of time with the SnapShove app when I first got it and without a doubt, it helped tune up my shoving ranges. I know several high stakes pros who use it, as well. In fact, you could say it has changed the poker world. I rarely go to a live tournament where I don't seat least a few people pulling out their phones, to double-check the optimal move. Of course, you have to rely on other factors, such as the looseness of the players behind you and live reads, but when you have the perfect math, all those things go hand in hand together and you have the best opportunity to make the perfect play! So check it out in the Apple or Google play store. There is a FREE version with many of the features you need to test it out and see if you like enough to get the advanced capabilites of the full version. I definitely recommend trying it out. Max did the work so you don't have to!
What do you think of the SnapShove app? Love to hear your feedback!