A guide to beating Micro and small stakes? Maybe.....

Looking back over the past year, here are a few things I have learned about micro cash games. Don’t apply this to your average donkament poker unless you play really deep (and why play them anyway?) as much is different in that type of poker, having been through the sitngo and MTT route myself prior to cash.

1. Don’t play cash under-rolled.
It will tilt you when you lose. Your life will become fucked up.

2. Don’t tilt
This I can’t help you with, and I have realised it’s the most important thing, after bankroll management. Many otherwise good players simply cannot deal with running into bad variance, and end up losing far more than they need to. If your all time graph, over at least 100k hands is not smoothish, but instead very jaggedy and up and down, then I suspect you have this problem. Deal with it. Don’t watch videos by Jared, don’t read books, they can’t ultimately help you. Only you yourself can. So no advice. It would be wasted.

3. Don’t be a scaredy cat.
If you’re not prepared to put your stack on the line sometimes, play darts or snooker instead. You’re pissing it away. Its No-Limit for Christ sakes, which is positively made for bluffing, and where the boring maths geeks and nits play second fiddle to the real players, those who are prepared to gamble based on look and feel of boards and histories. But most importantly, stop always checking the river without the nuts. Learn to value bet.

4. Don’t be obsessed with winning.
Unfortunately most ignore or are simply unable to comprehend this very fundamental advice, which is very specific to poker.

5. Learn to hate your opponents without being in the slightest bit emotional.
And NEVER be emotional when a player who annoys you proceeds to bust you. Learn how to deal with this. But respect players while hating them, and switch off the hating after playing.

6. Don’t be a lazy student of the game.
Everyone watches training vids, reads books and the WSOP on the telly. That’s the easy part. The hard part is the analysis. I started to post examples on this blog, but that just scratches the surface. Its subjective and complicated, but you will learn. Work hard, or stop moaning when you lose.

7. Don’t cry about coolers and bad luck
Aside from the fact it’s boring, it fucks you up and tilts you.

8. Don’t be scared of making mistakes. Experiment. Think of it as an investment rather than a cost.

9. Don’t let yourself be run over
Although all good players 3bet, many play terribly post flop in these inflated pots. If you follow this blog you may know that much of my bankroll has been provided by the aggrodonks and the spewtards. They infest the low limits.. Although each has subtle differences, both will bully the hell out of you if you let them. And many do. Sometimes you just have to make a stand.

Here a 22/16/11%3bet aggrodonk bets my button steal for the 3rd time in around 5 attempts by me. I want to let him know he cant get away with that. So I call with a trash K4o with the aim of either taking it away from him on the turn, or losing my stack to him but letting him know that I will be calling him from now on every time, as he sees the trash I floated with.

$0.50/$1 No Limit Hold'em Cash Game, 5 Players
Poker Tools by Stoxpoker - Hand Details

BB: $213.55 (213.6 bb)
MP: $59.05 (59.1 bb)
CO: $157.90 (157.9 bb)
Hero (BTN): $111.55 (111.6 bb)
SB: $165.10 (165.1 bb)

Pre-Flop: Hero is BTN with K 4
MP folds, CO folds, Hero raises to $3, SB folds, BB raises to $9, Hero calls $6

Flop: ($18.50) 9 7 2 (2 players)
BB bets $12, Hero calls $12

Turn: ($42.50) 2 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $28, BB folds

Results: $42.50 pot ($2.10 rake)
Final Board: 9 7 2 2
Hero mucked K 4 (a pair of Twos) and won $40.40 ($19.40 net)

Needless to say he never 3bet me again for that session.


Hope that is of interest. Thanks for reading.

3bet obsession is a losing strategy

I have been playing ring games seriously for nearly 10months now. I started at 5nl and really did do the whole bank roll thing, and now I am seriously overrolled for 100nl as per the standard "rules" posted by those in the know. So I am no authority on the game as yet, but I have been through the grind.

I have notice a spot where there is such big money that is there for the taking, that I would advise all newish micros like me to concentrate on the 3bet pot. The whole 3bet thing has just gotten silly amongst a fairly large proportion of micro players, from 50nl upwards. Below 50nl I really would play fit or fold in any 3bet situation, fitting only with premiums. But at 50nl upwards, otherwise good players display a massive leak in their games by a stupid obsession with 3betting and 100% contbet follow through without thinking through the most profitable line. If you can get your head round this, you can be come a VERY profitable player, with a minimum amount of post flop skill in my view.

When 3betting, you need to think about why you are doing it, and this is where their leaks start. If its a bluff, think why, and what to do if called. If its for value, think why, and what to do by the turn. If its because you don't believe your opponent, well....that ain't enough. There's loads more to say about this, but I know I am a winning player with a (comparatively) low 3bet %, and I am happy for that. The simple fact is, if I believe I am ahead of my opponent, and I think he will keep betting into me post flop, but fold if I 3bet, then I am simply calling. OOP there are a few more things to think about, but you are losing a ton of value by auto 3betting premiums 100% of the time and balancing with 3bet bluffs 20-30% of time. A ton.

Now don't convince yourself that this is metagame and all that baloney. If you have 5k hands on your villain, and a load of history then maybe. But at the micros, with players moving up or down and, depending on your site, a huge player pool, there is no metagame. Furthermore, there are just to many players who will never fold with any piece of any flop, so forget metagame.

There just seems to be this fear amongst many thinking players at these micros to play a bit of real poker. I have argued this in previous posts about short stacking, as a strategy too. Now, if you are happy with a high 3bet (with the intention of getting your opponent to fold) strategy, (and I am CONVINCED you want them to fold, despite what you might argue) and you are winning, than that is fine by me. But I don't believe this playing type will be able to go above 200nl without getting completely slaughtered. And unless you wanna be a multi tabling or shstacking robot, that's where any pro or semi pro ambition has to be at. The hard truth is, you need to learn to play post flop, and building big pots pre against random opponents is not, therefore, where its at.

Playing Spewtards

Here is some more musings on my little mini series of player types at the 6max micros.

The main difference between the aggro donks and the spewtards is the all-in button.

Whereas the aggros are capable of finally make a laydown after the 4 or 5bet missile comes in, the spewtards, on the contrary, feel they are so committed by then, that its cross fingers and hope hope hope.

Spewtards think they can push anyone of TP by CRAI with, well.......nothing. Aside from never thinking about the opposite player, and whether he has adjusted to the spewtard's glaring tendencies, they usually pick spots where said opponent is sitting on the near nuts, set, straight etc, probably the hand they are trying to rep. Tags will also call their oop all-in turn shoves (the spewtard will have cr'd the low flop, which the TAG will have called) with just overpairs, cos.....well....... it's a spewtard after all.

Be quick with your note taking on the Spewtard, because they don't hang around when they get busted. Some immediately go to another table where they can CR shove with renewed vigour until they get looked up again.

The spewtard can be identified with LAG preflop stats and a high CR% on flop and turn. They also tend to proliferate at sites where the all in button sits conveniently close to the bet slider. (I owe thanks to full tilt for the many double ups as a result of their software being suited to the spewtard tendencies)

When I am running card dead, and just sitting there folding and folding, spewtards can make an otherwise boring session into an extremely entertaining and funny hour or so, seeing them getting busted time after time.

I will post a typical hand history that illustrates the Spewtard next post.

Playing Aggro Donks Part 2

This is part 2 on my thoughts on the overagrro donks who think they are so baller at 50nl 6max. See my previous post for aggro donks part 1.

Another thing the Aggro donk can't help himself over is the battle of the blinds. If he is in the bb and sb limps, he loves to raise regardless of his holdings, cos that's what they do in the CR videos. He doesn't think back to what happened before, or whether it's a typical thing from his opponent, he does it because "that's what aggressive players do, and aggression pays".

When I have one of these types on my left, from the sb I may limp, (it's usually the only time I ever do) with, say a pp or Ahigh or good SC, and either repop him big preflop or cr the flop. watch them time down and fold, hollywooding their big laydown.

I keep the chat box switched on, because some aggro donks love to express how good they are at poker (not), by slagging off another player. If they get beaten, the other play got lucky, etc etc. They like to needle players Mike Matusow style, completely lacking in any class or dignity.

Checking some of the typical aggro donks data, quite often they are moving down from a higher level, (prob after having been crushed there) and have a low opinion of the lowly opposition at said limits.

July results

Here's the graph for my play in July. It was all at 50nl 6max, and I had a great time. I experimented with different aspects of my game. I played highball v the aggrodonks (see previous post) and tried out some limping along v the superdonks (as opposed to isolating) with somehands (pp and conectors) to see how it works.

I do think I could have had a slightly higher winrate, but for my trying out different plays.

Variance was against me for some of the month, and please note the 10bi loss at the 1st session of the month, which put the pressure on me from the off.

With rakeback and a FT bonus, it was decent enough for me for 50nl. Next month its time to try out 100nl 6max.

Playing Aggro Donks

Man, I used to get tired of playing against the nit regs at full ring (was I one too???), but at 6max it's the aggro donks that seem to think they're the thang and proliferate there. Quite incapable of playing post flop, obsessed with keeping their vpip/pfr stats as close as possible to each other, they think it's uncool to flat call preflop, and instead you can hear them saying "duhhhhhh......it's 3bet or fold with this small pocket pair. Can't set mine at 6max.....duhhhh" Flush draw? Oh.....Check raise all in regardless of the other guys holding, "fold equity" they say.

Post flop they have no dynamic, and its double barreling or folding etc etc. Hand reading isn't in the aggro donk's vocabulary, neither is varied bet sizing. They range from around 21/20 to 34/29 but always have a very high 3bet% and a lowish cont bet after 3betting (suggest you find that stat offline). If you can catch on, and be prepared for a somewhat higher variance style of play, they will pay you off handsomely.

The aggro donk can never understand why he can't get above or even reach 200nl, as they whine in the forums, but its because they can't play proper poker. They take tournament pre and post flop strategies and apply them blindly to cash.

I used to avoid locking horns with them, and did just fine, but as the month closes I have been experimenting with a higher variance style of play before I move back up to 100nl and try 6 max there. It's more out of curiousity to see what exactly they are playing with. It's brought my win rate down a bit, but who cares.

Here's a typical hand.
Aggro donk has position on me and I have been playing pretty tight at that particular table. His stats are 25/23 with a 13.2% 3bet stat, classic aggro profile.

$0.25/$0.50 No Limit Hold'em Cash Game, 5 Players

Poker Tools by Stoxpoker - Hand Details

BB: $56.05 (112.1 bb)
Hero (MP1): $145.35 (290.7 bb)
MP2: $63.15 (126.3 bb)
CO: $16.50 (33 bb)
BTN: $88.20 (176.4 bb)

Pre-Flop: Hero is MP1 with Q J
sometimes I will throw this UTg but as I have been very quiet with a low VPIP, this is an excellent way to open

Hero raises to $1.50, MP2 raises to $5, 3 folds, Hero raises to $14.50, MP2 calls $9.50

MP2 aggro donk 3bets me, and I decide to rep AA-KK and 4bet, he's been 3betting everyone relentlessly, and guess he will have to fold unless he has JJ-AA, AK, in which case he will definitely shove (I hope) and I can fold. He surprises me by flat calling. The only hands that might do that are TT-QQ and maybe AK-AQ. JJ and QQ are unlikely (although possible) due to my holding and the fact that JJ-QQ are still like AA to aggro donks. I am very unhappy that he called however, as I have a weakish holding OOP. I just wanted him to fold.....

Flop: ($29.50) 4 3 J (2 players)
Hero bets $18, MP2 raises to $48.65 and is all-in, Hero calls $30.65
Good flop for me, especially as I am surish he doesn't have JJ-QQ. TT more likely now, but AKs diamond very possible too in which case we are flipping. I am calling his all in 3bet.
Turn: ($126.80) 7 (2 players, 1 is all-in)
River: ($126.80) Q (2 players, 1 is all-in)

Results: $126.80 pot ($3.00 rake)

Hero showed Q J (two pairs, Queens and Jacks) and won $123.80 ($60.65 net)
MP2 showed 9 8 (high card Queen) and lost (-$63.15 net)

Aggro donk proceeds to complain in chat box how I could possibly 4bet there and what was I playing at, completely ignoring the fact that he 3bet bluffed with 98s from an UTG raiser (not the end of the world I guess, but still daft) and THEN called a 4bet with 98s against what looked like AA-KK.

They can't help themselves.

If he had just flat called pre, and 3bet my cont bet, I would have folded, even with TP, on such a bad draw board, as we were both deep and I wasn't committed, and was out of pos.

Edit: see aggro donks part 2 here

Best Time to Play at Microstakes

I played a meg session last night after I got home from my sister's barbecue. Its not something I normally do, and in fact I have only played twice before, late on a Saturday night.

The play felt more like 10nl than 50nl and it was an orgy of horrendous plays over horrendous plays. unfortunately I never ran particularly well but I still took 3 buy ins without having to think much. I would suggest if ever you wished to take a shot at a higher level, and had the stomach to take some weird bad beats by people playing Any Two Cards, 12midnight and onwards GMT is the time to do it.

I would also say I had had a good few glasses of wine, and played more laggy than I would normally, which is never optimal when surrounded my loose maniacs, when ABC TAG is the way.

Full Tilt update and HUD

Full Tilt have updated their software, and I am not impressed.

Aside from the bugs within the new re-player, my AHK scripts no longer work, and they have stopped allowing observed hands to be viewed within the HUD, unless you are actually active and posting. (Fair enough I suppose, although I have never understood the whole data mining thing, it only takes about 50 hands or so to determine the basics of how someone plays, and do we really have any more time to dissect their leaks? If we play against them very often, we get that info anyway?). I just like the idea of seeing players stats who are already in my (legit) database. It's somewhat contradictory to my last post where I noted that I use the HUD less and less, but the VPIP/PFR stats are pretty vital for multi-tabling.

So still playing 6-max and staying down at 50nl for the month. Its been a bit swingy this week, but I am still confident in the game structure and player standard, which still continues to amaze me with the amount of strange plays/CR-all-in-with-air and such.

I will end the post with this hand, up against a 32/3 guy who fell into the typical bad player trap, slow play your big (but very vulnerable) hands, let your opponents catch up and have you crushed, and only then get it all in. Note we are playing 200bbs as I had just doubled up, as had he. No check raise on the flop, and note also the staged re-raising on the river. I mean, what else could I have had??

$0.25/$0.50 No Limit Hold'em Cash Game, 6 Players

Poker Tools by Stoxpoker - Hand Details

BB: $99.80 (199.6 bb)
UTG: $44 (88 bb)
MP: $37.75 (75.5 bb)
CO: $50 (100 bb)
Hero (BTN): $97.15 (194.3 bb)
SB: $50 (100 bb)

Pre-Flop: Hero is BTN with Q A
2 folds, CO raises to $1.50, Hero calls $1.50, SB folds, BB calls $1

Flop: ($4.75) T 5 A (3 players)
BB checks, CO bets $3.45, Hero calls $3.45, BB calls $3.45

Turn: ($15.10) 9 (3 players)
BB checks, CO checks, Hero checks
For my part, I am taking a small risk here giving the free card with the nuts 3 way, but I have position. I am in a difficult spot if board pairs as I won't want to build a big pot probably.

River: ($15.10) J (3 players)
BB bets $15.10, CO folds, Hero raises to $41.50, BB raises to $67.90, Hero raises to $92.20 and is all-in, BB calls $24.30

Results: $199.50 pot ($3.00 rake)

BB mucked T T (three of a kind, Tens) and lost (-$97.15 net)
Hero showed Q A (a flush, Ace high) and won $196.50 ($99.35 net)

Using the HUD and understanding stats

I am noticing my using the HUD stats that come with Holdem Manager less and less these days. In fact the only stat I place real attention to is VPIP. That makes the appeal of moving to sites that do not integrate into HEM data analysis and display somewhat more appealing.

That’s not to say I understand all those bloody stats. Truth of the matter is they bamboozle me. But when deciding whether to call his river shove on what could be a busted draw, relying on a HUD to help you is pretty risky actually. Am I really gonna make a decision based on his “won when went to showdown stat”? I wouldn’t know what it should be.

I know there are vids and discussions out there explaining what is optimal ranges for these stats, but I am not going to base a decision solely on them. Would it sway me at all in the above example? Would it make 10% difference, 20%…..?

There’s no right answer here but my instinct is certainly to try to move away from relying on a HUD

I certainly find that cards appear less important in 6max, where the game has more of a rhythm to it. I know a guy’s going to 3bet me in the blinds before he has even done it often, and sometimes I have made my mind up about what I am going to do when an inevitable bet comes, regardless of my own cards. Stats I use here are STEAL, CONT BET and 3BET, and this is the other end of the HUD that still helps me. There’s a Zen like tranquillity when you have this state of mind, where getting stacked doesn’t seem to have any bearing in proceedings…….although I promise it doesn’t happen to me often! (being in a Zen like state that is, I get stacked all the time..)

June 2009 review

Another weird month, where I continued to experiment with aspects of my game, and for the first time since turning to cash game, tried out 6max in place of full ring.

With regards to full ring, the line is too up and down for my liking, due to I think my pushing spots too much, due to a little impatience. At these stakes and game type, it's just a case of waiting patiently, as folks WILL gladly give you their stacks. But as with all aspects of poker, just because you know the right play, it doesn't mean you actually take it.

Anyway here is the FR graph

Definitely beginning to tire of full ring, at this limit at least. I think to take full advantage of the slowness of it, 16-24 tabling is definitely the answer for me, and I just don’t want to play poker like a robot. I have already questioned the motivation for short stacking, and I am beginning to think that FR multi-tabling beyond 6-8 tables is a similarly bland way to eke out a crust, which loses all the dimensions of no-limit I find enjoyable.

I also think these monthly graphs are not much use, reading the grinders blogs who can go through +100k hands break even stretches, for me a yearly graph showing 350k hands would be able to even out variance and show my correct win rate. But even that is on the thin side, where 1million hands seems to be the sample to note.

I assume that the higher stakes you play, and the deeper stacks you also play, the less hands you need to play as the skill level increases. I think??

Onward to 6max and although a smallish sample I found it more suited to my style of play.

There seem to be more spots to bluff and represent, whereas at FR these guys always have what I ‘ m repping.

And here is the 6max graph.

As you can see, it's been an enjoyable foray.

In summary, for both FR and 6max, for under £30k hands it’s a decent little profit for both games, before rakeback, but for the upcoming month I intend to remain around the 50 or 100nl to continue to learn 6max and check out how the variance might bite.

Adventure into 6max

Thanks to a conversation with "havin a laff" I decided to have a go at 6max towards the end of this month. A couple of reasons for this:

-I have never tried it seriously before

-I am getting reeeeally bored sitting watching the set miners at FR and find I start stealing with trashier hands each orbit.

-As many have read in previous posts, I hate the short stackers that populate the FR tables, but I guess their "strategy" doesn't work for 6max as there appears to be far fewer of them.

To do this I dropped down a level to 50nl and am mucking around with 4 tabling at present. I have no idea whether the rakeback is better or is cancelled out by paying more blinds, but I am sure I will find out. So far I have played around 300o hands.