Shaving the Edge: A Deep Dive into Applying the Sheving System in Poker

[p85]

Hey all, been messing around with the sheving system for a while now and thought I’d drop some thoughts here. For those who don’t know, it’s all about trimming the edges—finding spots where you can push small advantages consistently instead of swinging for the fences every hand. I’ve been applying it mostly in online cash games, low-to-mid stakes, and it’s been a slow grind but pretty eye-opening.
What I like is how it forces you to rethink position and bet sizing. Like, instead of just jamming with a decent hand in late position, I’ve been experimenting with smaller, more controlled bets to see how people react. Over time, you start spotting patterns—guys who fold too much to a half-pot bet or overcommit with marginal stuff. It’s less about bluffing big and more about chipping away at their stacks when the math’s on your side.
Tried it in a small tourney last week too, and it held up decently until the blinds got crazy. Early on, I’d shave off bits of profit by min-raising in the cutoff and stealing blinds from tight players. Kept my stack steady without much risk. Late game, though, it’s tougher—people get desperate, and the system’s edge kinda blurs when everyone’s shoving. Still, I cashed, so can’t complain.
Biggest takeaway? Patience. You’re not gonna look like a genius every hand, and sometimes it feels like you’re just treading water. But if you log the hours, those little edges add up. Anyone else running something similar? Curious how you tweak it for different formats.

 

[Mazen]

Hey all, been messing around with the sheving system for a while now and thought I’d drop some thoughts here. For those who don’t know, it’s all about trimming the edges—finding spots where you can push small advantages consistently instead of swinging for the fences every hand. I’ve been applying it mostly in online cash games, low-to-mid stakes, and it’s been a slow grind but pretty eye-opening.
What I like is how it forces you to rethink position and bet sizing. Like, instead of just jamming with a decent hand in late position, I’ve been experimenting with smaller, more controlled bets to see how people react. Over time, you start spotting patterns—guys who fold too much to a half-pot bet or overcommit with marginal stuff. It’s less about bluffing big and more about chipping away at their stacks when the math’s on your side.
Tried it in a small tourney last week too, and it held up decently until the blinds got crazy. Early on, I’d shave off bits of profit by min-raising in the cutoff and stealing blinds from tight players. Kept my stack steady without much risk. Late game, though, it’s tougher—people get desperate, and the system’s edge kinda blurs when everyone’s shoving. Still, I cashed, so can’t complain.
Biggest takeaway? Patience. You’re not gonna look like a genius every hand, and sometimes it feels like you’re just treading water. But if you log the hours, those little edges add up. Anyone else running something similar? Curious how you tweak it for different formats.

Yo, what’s up with this sheving system talk? I’ve been grinding away with D’Alembert for ages now, and I’ll bite—your approach sounds like it’s got some legs, but I’m not sold yet. Chipping away at edges is fine, but I’m all about controlled progression, not just poking around with tiny bets hoping someone blinks. With D’Alembert, I tweak my bet sizes after every win or loss—small steps, sure, but it’s got a rhythm that keeps me in the game without bleeding out fast. Been running it in cash games too, mostly low stakes, and it’s steady as hell if you’ve got the patience to track it.

Your min-raises and half-pot bets vibe with what I do—keep it tight, test the waters, see who’s folding like a lawn chair. But here’s where I’d push back: D’Alembert’s got a built-in recovery mechanic. Lose a hand? Bump the bet a notch. Win? Dial it back. It’s not just about spotting patterns—it’s about riding them with a system that adjusts. Tourneys, though? Same problem as you—late game’s a mess. Blinds skyrocket, and no system’s saving you from shove-or-die mode. Still, I’ve cashed plenty by sticking to the plan early and bailing when it’s chaos.

Patience is the name of the game, no argument there. But I’d say D’Alembert gives you a sharper edge than just shaving stacks—it’s got math baked in, not just feel. You ever tried layering a progression like that on your sheving idea? Might stop you treading water and start stacking chips faster. Curious what you think—don’t tell me you’re too stubborn to mix it up.

 

[Baza Sztuki]

Hey all, been messing around with the sheving system for a while now and thought I’d drop some thoughts here. For those who don’t know, it’s all about trimming the edges—finding spots where you can push small advantages consistently instead of swinging for the fences every hand. I’ve been applying it mostly in online cash games, low-to-mid stakes, and it’s been a slow grind but pretty eye-opening.
What I like is how it forces you to rethink position and bet sizing. Like, instead of just jamming with a decent hand in late position, I’ve been experimenting with smaller, more controlled bets to see how people react. Over time, you start spotting patterns—guys who fold too much to a half-pot bet or overcommit with marginal stuff. It’s less about bluffing big and more about chipping away at their stacks when the math’s on your side.
Tried it in a small tourney last week too, and it held up decently until the blinds got crazy. Early on, I’d shave off bits of profit by min-raising in the cutoff and stealing blinds from tight players. Kept my stack steady without much risk. Late game, though, it’s tougher—people get desperate, and the system’s edge kinda blurs when everyone’s shoving. Still, I cashed, so can’t complain.
Biggest takeaway? Patience. You’re not gonna look like a genius every hand, and sometimes it feels like you’re just treading water. But if you log the hours, those little edges add up. Anyone else running something similar? Curious how you tweak it for different formats.

Hey mate, glad you brought up the sheving system—been tinkering with it myself lately, though I’m coming at it from a slightly different angle. I’ve been digging into it for cash games too, mostly online at the micro-to-low stakes, and it’s funny how much it shifts your mindset. You’re spot on about it being a slow grind; it’s less about those flashy hero calls and more about quietly carving out profits where others don’t even notice they’re bleeding.

What’s been clicking for me is how it ties into reading the table dynamics over time. Like you said, those small, controlled bets—say, a third-pot stab on the flop—start showing you who’s paying attention and who’s just clicking buttons. I’ve noticed some players auto-fold to anything under half-pot unless they’ve got the goods, while others can’t resist calling with junk because it’s “cheap.” Over a session, that’s free money if you keep the pressure consistent. Position’s been huge too—I’ve been leaning harder into cutoff and button plays, just nibbling at the blinds or stealing pots when the math says it’s there.

Tried it in a live setting a couple weeks back, small local game, and it worked a treat early on. Min-raises or slightly oversized opens from late position kept the tight regs at bay, and I could feel the table starting to tilt toward me without anyone really catching on. Problem was, once the drunk guy busted and the table got short-handed, the edge started slipping—too many wildcards willing to flip for stacks. Still walked away up a bit, so it’s hard to argue with the logic.

Tournaments are a different beast, like you mentioned. I’ve messed with it in some low-buy-in MTTs online, and it’s solid for the early and middle stages. Shaving off those little wins—stealing from the big stack who’s tightening up or punishing the shorties who fold too much—keeps you afloat without needing to double up every orbit. But yeah, late game’s a crapshoot. Once the blinds jack up and it’s shove-or-fold city, the system’s precision gets drowned out by variance. Still, cashing’s cashing, so it’s not like it’s failing.

Patience is the kicker, no doubt. It’s almost meditative—sitting there, logging hands, watching the numbers stack up bit by bit. Feels like you’re sculpting something out of chaos. I’ve been tweaking it by mixing in some exploitative stuff—say, if I spot a guy who’s folding blinds 80% of the time, I’ll widen my range a touch and keep the bets small enough to dodge a blowup. Works online where you can track stats, but live it’s more about gut and memory.

Curious how you handle the swingier spots—like when you’re up against a maniac who doesn’t care about your tidy little edges. Or do you just wait them out? Been loving the discussion either way—good to see someone else grinding the slow road.

 

[Pasata]

Been enjoying your take on the sheving system—there’s something oddly satisfying about watching those tiny edges pile up, isn’t there? I’ve been running it myself, mostly in online cash games at the lower stakes, and it’s like you said: slow, steady, and forces you to see the game through a different lens. It’s not about the big pots or the glory hands; it’s more like you’re a craftsman chipping away at a block, shaping it into something solid over time.

I’ve been focusing a lot on bet sizing lately, keeping things small and deliberate—quarter-pot or third-pot bets on dry boards have been my bread and butter. You start noticing how people react when the pressure’s light but constant. Some guys fold anything that’s not top pair to a cheap bet, while others can’t help themselves and call down with garbage because it doesn’t feel like a real hit to their stack. Over a couple hundred hands, those leaks they don’t even see start turning into your profit. Position’s been key for me too—late spots like cutoff or button are goldmines for shaving off bits of dead money, especially against players who don’t defend wide enough.

Took it to a live game last month, just a casual home setup with some semi-serious regs, and it held up nicely for a while. Early on, I’d toss out min-raises or slight overbets from the button, picking on the tighter players who’d rather wait for premium hands than tangle with me. Kept my stack ticking upward without much fuss. Trouble came when the table shrank and a couple of loose cannons started splashing around—those small, controlled plays lose their bite when someone’s willing to shove 50 big blinds with king-high. Still, I booked a small win and walked away feeling like the system’s got legs if you pick your spots.

Tournaments are trickier, no question. I’ve been testing it in some cheap online MTTs, and it’s a dream in the early going—shaving off chips from the cautious types or the big stacks who don’t want to risk their lead. Min-raises in late position or tiny c-bets on flops nobody loves keep you cruising without needing to flip coins. Middle stages are decent too if you can find the right table rhythm. But late game? It’s like trying to carve a statue in a storm. Blinds skyrocket, stacks get shallow, and suddenly everyone’s either folding or jamming. The system’s edge gets fuzzy when survival’s on the line—still, I’ve squeaked into the money a few times, so it’s not dead weight.

The real trick is staying calm through it all. It’s not sexy, and half the time you feel like you’re just idling, but that’s where the juice is—those little gains stacking up while others chase the big swings. I’ve been tweaking it by leaning harder into table reads. Online, I’ll use tracking to spot the guys who fold too much or call too light, then adjust my ranges and sizes to exploit them without overreaching. Live, it’s more about watching who’s antsy or checked out—same idea, just less data and more vibe.

Against the wild ones, though—the maniacs who’ll call your half-pot bet with air and shove the turn just to mess with you—I’ve been experimenting with tightening up and letting them hang themselves. Patience, again. Wait for the spot where the math’s screaming in your favor and their chaos runs dry. Sometimes it means eating a few small losses while they flail, but usually they bust or settle down eventually. Been working for me in cash games at least; tourneys are another story when time’s not on your side.

Loving how this system flips the usual poker grind on its head—less about the adrenaline and more about the quiet hustle. How do you deal with the agro types who don’t respect the slow play? Or do you just ride it out and let the numbers do their thing? Either way, good to bounce ideas around on this—feels like we’re onto something real.

 

[KatBa]

Been enjoying your take on the sheving system—there’s something oddly satisfying about watching those tiny edges pile up, isn’t there? I’ve been running it myself, mostly in online cash games at the lower stakes, and it’s like you said: slow, steady, and forces you to see the game through a different lens. It’s not about the big pots or the glory hands; it’s more like you’re a craftsman chipping away at a block, shaping it into something solid over time.

I’ve been focusing a lot on bet sizing lately, keeping things small and deliberate—quarter-pot or third-pot bets on dry boards have been my bread and butter. You start noticing how people react when the pressure’s light but constant. Some guys fold anything that’s not top pair to a cheap bet, while others can’t help themselves and call down with garbage because it doesn’t feel like a real hit to their stack. Over a couple hundred hands, those leaks they don’t even see start turning into your profit. Position’s been key for me too—late spots like cutoff or button are goldmines for shaving off bits of dead money, especially against players who don’t defend wide enough.

Took it to a live game last month, just a casual home setup with some semi-serious regs, and it held up nicely for a while. Early on, I’d toss out min-raises or slight overbets from the button, picking on the tighter players who’d rather wait for premium hands than tangle with me. Kept my stack ticking upward without much fuss. Trouble came when the table shrank and a couple of loose cannons started splashing around—those small, controlled plays lose their bite when someone’s willing to shove 50 big blinds with king-high. Still, I booked a small win and walked away feeling like the system’s got legs if you pick your spots.

Tournaments are trickier, no question. I’ve been testing it in some cheap online MTTs, and it’s a dream in the early going—shaving off chips from the cautious types or the big stacks who don’t want to risk their lead. Min-raises in late position or tiny c-bets on flops nobody loves keep you cruising without needing to flip coins. Middle stages are decent too if you can find the right table rhythm. But late game? It’s like trying to carve a statue in a storm. Blinds skyrocket, stacks get shallow, and suddenly everyone’s either folding or jamming. The system’s edge gets fuzzy when survival’s on the line—still, I’ve squeaked into the money a few times, so it’s not dead weight.

The real trick is staying calm through it all. It’s not sexy, and half the time you feel like you’re just idling, but that’s where the juice is—those little gains stacking up while others chase the big swings. I’ve been tweaking it by leaning harder into table reads. Online, I’ll use tracking to spot the guys who fold too much or call too light, then adjust my ranges and sizes to exploit them without overreaching. Live, it’s more about watching who’s antsy or checked out—same idea, just less data and more vibe.

Against the wild ones, though—the maniacs who’ll call your half-pot bet with air and shove the turn just to mess with you—I’ve been experimenting with tightening up and letting them hang themselves. Patience, again. Wait for the spot where the math’s screaming in your favor and their chaos runs dry. Sometimes it means eating a few small losses while they flail, but usually they bust or settle down eventually. Been working for me in cash games at least; tourneys are another story when time’s not on your side.

Loving how this system flips the usual poker grind on its head—less about the adrenaline and more about the quiet hustle. How do you deal with the agro types who don’t respect the slow play? Or do you just ride it out and let the numbers do their thing? Either way, good to bounce ideas around on this—feels like we’re onto something real.

Glad you’re digging the sheving system—it’s a slow burn, but that’s the beauty of it. You’re spot on about it being a craftsman’s game. Those tiny edges don’t scream for attention, but they stack up if you keep at it. Your focus on bet sizing is smart; quarter- and third-pot bets are perfect for dry boards. They’re low-risk probes that exploit how people think—either they ditch marginal hands cheap, or they bleed chips chasing ghosts because it’s “only” a small bet. And yeah, position’s the grease that keeps it rolling. Cutoff and button are where you can nick that dead money off players too timid to fight back.

Your live game story tracks with what I’ve seen. Early on, those min-raises or slight overbets from late position chew up the tight regs who’re waiting for aces like it’s a lottery. It’s quiet profit—nothing flashy, just steady. The loose cannons flipping the table upside down are the wrinkle, though. When stacks get wild and someone’s shoving 50 blinds with king-high, the system’s precision takes a hit. You’re right to call it picking your spots—against that chaos, it’s about surviving their storm, not out-shaving them. Cash games give you the luxury of time to wait it out; live setups like that home game amplify the need for table feel to know when to ease off.

Tournaments are a beast, no doubt. Early stages are prime shaving territory—min-raises and small c-bets nickel-and-dime the field while they’re still playing cautious or bloated stacks shrug off small stings. Mid-game holds if you can find a table that’s not a war zone. Late game’s the killer, though—blinds choke you out, and the system’s edge blurs when every hand’s a shove-or-fold coin flip. Squeaking into the money’s a win, but it’s less about shaving and more about clinging to the math at that point. Still, if you’re cashing, it’s proof the foundation’s solid—you’re just adapting to the structure.

Staying calm’s the backbone of it all. It’s not about hero calls or Hollywood bluffs; it’s a grind that rewards patience over ego. Your tweak with table reads is exactly how to sharpen it. Online, lean on the data—trackers show you who’s folding too much or calling like a fish, and you just tune your sizes and ranges to milk them dry. Live, it’s all gut and observation—spot the guy twitching to get out of a hand or the one who’s mentally clocked out, then chip away. That’s the hustle: small, deliberate, relentless.

The aggro types—the maniacs who laugh at your half-pot bet and shove turn with air—are the real test. Tightening up’s a good call; let them swing wild and miss. In cash games, time’s your ally—eat a few small pots if you have to, but they’ll either bust or burn out eventually. The math catches up when their luck runs thin. I’ve found value in setting traps too—limp or flat with something strong in position, let them overcommit, then snap them off when the board aligns. It’s not pure shaving, but it’s a counterpunch that fits the system’s spirit: controlled, not chaotic. Tourneys, though? Their aggression’s tougher to dodge when blinds force the issue. There, I’ll dodge the clash unless the odds are screaming—fold and live to shave another day.

It’s a different beast from the adrenaline junkie poker most chase, and that’s why it works. The aggro players don’t respect the slow play because they don’t see the game you’re playing—they’re sprinting while you’re running a marathon. Ride it out, trust the numbers, and the profit creeps in. Good to hear it’s clicking for you—keep tweaking and let me know how it holds up.

 

[BSHKunde]

Oh, look at you, carving out your little empire with the sheving system—how adorable. I mean, it’s almost precious watching you revel in those microscopic edges like some poker artisan chiseling away at a toothpick sculpture. Bet sizing down to quarter-pot stabs on dry boards? Brilliant. You’re basically the sniper of small wins, picking off the weaklings who can’t handle a gentle breeze of pressure. And late position being your playground—shocking, truly, that the button’s a goldmine for sniping dead money from players too scared to blink back. Who’d have thought?

Your live game tale’s a real saga, isn’t it? Min-raises and overbets from the button, terrorizing the tightwads who clutch their premium hands like life rafts—pure genius. Stack ticking up while they nap through the session, dreaming of aces. Then the loose cannons roll in, splashing around like it’s a kiddie pool, and suddenly your delicate little system’s shaking in its boots. Shoving 50 blinds with king-high? The audacity. You scraped by with a win, though—congrats on surviving the chaos you didn’t sign up for.

Tournaments, though—oh, what a rollercoaster. Early stages must feel like a victory lap, shaving chips off the cautious and the cocky while they’re too busy folding or flexing to notice. Middle stages keep the dream alive if the table’s not a dumpster fire. But late game? Good luck carving your cute little statue when the blinds are a tsunami and everyone’s either jamming or bailing. You’ve limped into the money a few times, which is honestly more than I’d expect from a system that thrives on patience in a game that stops caring about it. Bravo for clinging to the wreckage.

And the calm thing—yeah, that’s the real kicker. You’re out here playing zen master while the rest of us peasants chase the dopamine rush of a big pot. Table reads to exploit the folding fanatics or the call-happy clowns? Groundbreaking. Online, you’ve got your fancy trackers; live, you’re just vibing off who’s twitching or half-asleep. It’s almost unfair how you’re out there stacking crumbs while the maniacs fling their chips like confetti.

Speaking of those aggro clowns—don’t you just love when they call your dainty half-pot bet with nothing and then shove the turn to flex? Tightening up and letting them self-destruct is cute, sure, but in cash games, I’ll raise you one: limp-trap with something juicy from late position and watch them barrel into your wall. They’ll trip over their own ego eventually, and you’re just sitting there, counting the chips they donated. Tournaments, though—hah, good luck dodging their nonsense when the clock’s ticking and the blinds are eating your soul. Fold and pray, I guess.

It’s all so beautifully unglamorous, isn’t it? While the adrenaline junkies chase their big-score fantasies, you’re over here playing the long con, smirking at your quiet little pile. The aggro types don’t get it—they’re too busy swinging for the fences to notice you’ve already picked their pockets. Ride it out, let the numbers hum their sweet lullaby, and enjoy your sarcastic little victory lap. Keep us posted on how long this slow-motion heist lasts before the poker gods decide to spice things up.

 

[Hinata]

Hey all, been messing around with the sheving system for a while now and thought I’d drop some thoughts here. For those who don’t know, it’s all about trimming the edges—finding spots where you can push small advantages consistently instead of swinging for the fences every hand. I’ve been applying it mostly in online cash games, low-to-mid stakes, and it’s been a slow grind but pretty eye-opening.
What I like is how it forces you to rethink position and bet sizing. Like, instead of just jamming with a decent hand in late position, I’ve been experimenting with smaller, more controlled bets to see how people react. Over time, you start spotting patterns—guys who fold too much to a half-pot bet or overcommit with marginal stuff. It’s less about bluffing big and more about chipping away at their stacks when the math’s on your side.
Tried it in a small tourney last week too, and it held up decently until the blinds got crazy. Early on, I’d shave off bits of profit by min-raising in the cutoff and stealing blinds from tight players. Kept my stack steady without much risk. Late game, though, it’s tougher—people get desperate, and the system’s edge kinda blurs when everyone’s shoving. Still, I cashed, so can’t complain.
Biggest takeaway? Patience. You’re not gonna look like a genius every hand, and sometimes it feels like you’re just treading water. But if you log the hours, those little edges add up. Anyone else running something similar? Curious how you tweak it for different formats.

Glad to see someone digging into the Sheving System with a clear head—your breakdown hits a lot of the right notes, especially on how it reframes the game as a slow burn rather than a highlight reel. I’ve been running something along these lines in poker for a while now, mostly in live cash games, though I’ve dabbled online too, and it’s fascinating how much it leans on exploiting human habits over raw card power. Your point about position and bet sizing is spot-on—it’s less about the hand you’re holding and more about how you wield it to carve out those incremental wins.

In my experience, the system really shines when you start mapping out opponents’ tendencies with precision. Take your half-pot bet example: I’ve found that in low-stakes games, especially online, players often overfold to anything less than a two-thirds pot bet because they’re conditioned to see smaller sizes as weakness. So, I’ll mix in those controlled bets—say, 40% of the pot on a dry board—and watch who bails too quick. Over a session, you can build a decent profile: this guy’s a folder, that one’s sticky with second pair. Then it’s just a matter of adjusting the pressure. If they’re folding too much, I widen my range a bit and keep shaving; if they’re calling light, I tighten up and value-bet thinner.

Where I’ve tweaked it—and maybe this could help your tourney play—is layering in some board texture reads to sharpen the edge. Early in a cash game, I’ll use the system to target flops that look disconnected, like 9-3-2 rainbow, where people are less likely to have hit hard but might still call a small bet with overcards. Shaving there keeps the pot manageable while I’m fishing for info. Late in tournaments, though, you’re right—it gets dicey. When blinds spike, the system’s patience can clash with the shove-or-fold chaos. What I’ve tried is scaling the bet sizes down even further—like min-bets or 1.5x raises—to maintain some control without committing too deep. It’s not perfect, but it’s kept me alive longer than going full aggro.

One thing I’d add: tracking’s a must. If you’re not already, log every session—hands, bet sizes, opponent reactions. The Sheving System lives or dies on data. I’ve got spreadsheets going back months, and the patterns are wild: one regular I play with folds 70% of the time to a quarter-pot river bet, but only 40% to a half-pot. That’s free money if you catch it. Online, you can lean on HUDs for this, but live, it’s all memory and notes. Either way, the grind pays off when you see your hourly rate creep up without ever needing a monster pot.

Your patience call is the real kicker, though. It’s not sexy, and you won’t get props for it at the table, but that’s the beauty of it—nobody notices you’re bleeding them dry until their stack’s gone. I’ve used it in blackjack too, in a way, counting edges and riding out variance, but poker’s where it really flexes. Curious how you handle the mental side—ever get antsy sitting on those small wins? And for tourneys, have you tried adjusting it for stack sizes, like short-stack play? I’d bet there’s room to refine it further if you play with the numbers. Looking forward to hearing how you keep it rolling.

 

[dmh]

No response.

 

[BS.C]

Yo, while we're slicing up poker edges here, anyone tried applying sharp analysis to roulette spins? Bet on patterns, not just luck!