Kind of poker how to beat the micro limits. How to beat cash games at the micros. The right approach. How a raiser plays
PokerListings has brought in micro-stakes guru Nathan "BlackRain79" Williams to create the best beginner's guide to hitting the low limits.
We have found the perfect recipe for breaking the microstakes: the best theoretical information about the strategy of playing at low limits, effective and proven concepts from Williams' book Crushing the Microstakes, as well as answers to questions from readers and analysis of submitted hands.
Any questions to BlackRain Webmasters PokerListings. Answerswillpublishmonthly.
A plan to take the micro limits always starts with a solid preflop strategy. The correct range of hands before flop play always makes post-flop decisions easier.
In this two-part article, we'll show you how to shape this range.
Ego and tricks aside!
First, we need to define the objectives that we want to achieve. At the micros, the main thing is to extract value from strong hands and refuse to play in situations where there is a small pot at stake or there is a chance of losing a lot of money.
Sounds easy. So it is: you just need to follow the recommendations, do not listen to your own ego and give up any frills.
You don't have to beat your opponents at low stakes. Don't get hung up on all +EV situations. The point here is different. The goal is not to show your superiority over the player, but to extract the maximum profit from the right opponents. Focus on the highest value situations, not all of them.
Take the initiative, be in position
Microstakes has one luxury that other bets cannot afford: tons of weak players. Therefore, there are a lot of profitable situations. Why focus on minor benefits when it's easier to wait for extremely positive, reliable moments? This is the only way to achieve high win rates and reduce variability.
It is for these reasons that a basic preflop strategy starts with:
- Seizing the initiative
- Position games.
Before moving on to ranges, let's discuss our main goals.
Initiative: one of the most important advantages
in poker best hand wins not so often. More often than not, opponents miss the board. This is where poker comes in. Who will take the pot in this case: the player who bets? The one who acts aggressively? Yes sir.
This is initiative: bet, raise - instead of calling (playing passively). Preflop aggression means strength. And if anyone dares to answer, aggression on the subsequent streets will most likely bring victory.
Try to get the most out of every hand.
The initiative allows you to take the pot in two ways:
- With the best hand at showdown
- Forcing the opponent to fold.
However, putting the second point into practice is not so easy. At the micros, players can call even with mediocre hands.
And then a problem arises: how to find out the strength of the player’s hand? Well, you can’t say for sure here, the main thing is that the odds are in your favor.
Let's give a very childish example: in the first situation, the opponent moves first and bets, in the second situation he moves first and checks. At the micros, in most cases, all actions mean exactly what they mean: a bet is strength, a check is weakness.
Here it is important to note one point: the opponent makes the first move.
Position: game with complete information
The position allows you to act in conditions of the most complete information. And since the game is quite straightforward at low stakes, this is exactly what you need. Remember: aggression really means strength, passivity is tantamount to weakness.
There are exceptions, where without them, but the money is still made on the rules.
The power of initiative and position
In poker, as we have already noted, the best hand is not so important, it is more important to act in a favorable situation.
By joint efforts, initiative and playing in position just create such a situation in which the pot can be won not only by hand strength, but also by aggression. Players often miss the flop, so the above factors make it possible to consistently pick up "dead money".
In addition, the post-flop is also simplified - the stage where big money is won.
starting range
So, let's move on to the practical part, to the ranges themselves. BlackRain79 elaborates on this in his book Crushing the Microstakes. Information about the ranges is taken just from there.
1. Raise
Opening first, always raise, take the initiative in your hands. If you have to act after the opener, in most cases it is better to 3-bet.
Position is important!
2. Try to play in position postflop
Always keep an eye on the dealer button: the closer it is, the more likely it is to have a positional advantage in the hand.
3. Arm strength matters
You can also play out of position, it's just that in such situations, the strength of the hand becomes a more significant factor.
4. Others Have Cards Too
Position is good, but still not a guarantee of victory. There is always a chance that one of the opponents has a strong hand. If there are few players in the pot, this probability is noticeably reduced. In early position, this factor becomes more important.
5. Balance Your Range
Another significant (but less important at the micros) factor. Even the most recent noobs will see through your "devious" plan if you open exclusively with AA or KK. That's why we're talking about a range - a set of hands strong enough to enter the pot and rich enough that other players can't read us.
Play tight, expand your range around the button
A) Early and middle positions
There is no need to explain why fewer hands are played from middle and even earlier positions. Behind a lot of players, there are high chances to run into a monster. In addition, the positional advantage can often be forgotten, so you have to rely on the strength of the hand. Therefore, it is better to play only the top of the range.
B) Hijack (two places before the button)
Hijack is considered a middle position, although it is neither a middle nor a late position. Behind only the cut-off (the place preceding the button), the button and the blinds - not many hands to seriously fear the top range.
Post-flop, you will only have the cut-offs and the button in position (if they even go into the pot at all). All this does not mean that we can open with "any to"; but our range is much wider than on MP1, MP2 or early positions.
AT)Cut-off and button
Money in poker is made on the cut-offs and the button, especially the button. The odds of hitting a strong hand are even lower, and the button will always be in position. The range can be expanded as much as possible (within reasonable limits): here we play about three times more hands than from early positions.
However, there is still a difference in ranges between the cut-offs and the button. Players on the "button" come under raises much more often, keep this in mind.
Ranges
Ranges, ranges...
With positions sorted out, let's move on to more practical things: it's time to determine which hands should be played in certain places.
This part is taken entirely from Williams' book. CrushingtheMicrostakes, nothing much to add to it. All ranges listed below are just guidelines. No one is forcing you to follow them blindly.
Oh, and one more thing: the money saved (not lost) is part of your profit.
Open raise (nobody has entered the pot before you)
Early positions (UTG/UTG+1 and UTG+2):
22+ (22 and pairs over, in this case: 22,33,44,55,66,77,88,99,TT,JJ,QQ,KK and AA)
AQs+ (AQ suited or higher: AK suited)
AQo+ (AQ offsuit and higher: AK offsuit)
MP1 & MP2(middle positions):
HJ(Hijack):
A8s+, KJs+, QJs, 78s+
ATo+, KJo+, QJo+
CO(Cat-off):
A2s+, K8s+, Q9s+, J8s+, 56s+, 57s+
A2o+, K8o+, Q9o+, J8o+
BTN (Button):
A2s+, K2s+, Q7s+, J8s+, 56s+, 57s+, 47s+
A2o+, K2o+, Q7o+, J8o+, T8o+
SB(small blind):
A9s+, KJs+, QJs, 78s
A9o+, KJo+, QJo
BB(big blind):
A9s+, KJs+, QJs, 78s
A9o+, KJo+, QJo
Open raise amount: A 4x raise from most positions is considered standard. From the cut-off and the button, it is better to open with a 3-raise.
What to do with limpers
Limps don't really affect ranges. You still need to raise and take the initiative into your own hands. The only change that can be made is not to play the lower part of the range, to narrow it a little bit. Very often the limpers will call your raise, so it's best to play tight.
Raise size with limpers
In position, raise to four big blinds, plus 1 big blind for each limper.
Who is a limper?
Out of position, the scheme is the same, only we need to add another big blind from above - after all, we will be at a disadvantage.
What to do when there is already an open raiser
There are three options in situations like this: 3-bet (reraise), call, or fold.
In this regard, we must immediately recall what we said about the initiative, about its importance. You should be 3-betting and folding much more often than calling. Passive actions give an advantage to the opponent.
However, there are situations when calling is the best decision.
Preflop Strategy, Part 2
Any questions BlackRain'yand distributions for analysis leave in the comments or sendWebmasters PokerListings. Answers will be posted monthly.
ATfirst partwe described the most important factors profitable game at low stakes, brought among other things an open-raising range from Williams' bookCrushingtheMicrostakesand started the topic of 3-bets.
When someone raises to you, there are three options: reraise (3-bet), call, or fold. 3-betting and folding is much preferable, but in some cases calling is considered the best solution.
BlackRain79 elaborates on these exceptions in his book, there are three in total:
You have a small or medium pocket pair. Sets make a lot of money, but 3-betting with them is inconvenient: we won’t be able to call a 3-bet, and we will hit the flop quite rarely.
You have a decent calling hand that loses value when you 3-bet. With hands type A-K or J-J has to re-raise often, and rightly so. However, sometimes it's better to just call.
Imagine the situation: a hardcore nit opens from early position. His range is so tight and strong that he will fold all weaker hands to our 3-bet and only call with bigger monsters.
You have a speculative hand and the fish entered the pot. In this situation, there is one important condition: you must be in position. Otherwise, calling is not profitable.
With suited connectors, suited aces and "pictures" it is extremely profitable to play against fish, only the pot should be small and a positional advantage is desirable.
In all other cases, we want to either 3-bet or fold. The decision will depend on a number of factors.
1. Position on the raiser
Ask yourself the following question first: Are we in position to the opener? It's also important to estimate his approximate range: a raise from early position is almost always stronger than a raise from late position. In short, play tighter against raises from early position and more aggressively against raises from late position.
2. How does the raiser play?
In addition to the position, we pay attention to the opponent's style of play. If you do not use HUD programs, evaluate the image of the players.
To form the image of an opponent, answer the questions:
- What range does it usually open with?
- How often does he fold to 3-bets?
- What will he 4-bet with?
- How often does he fold to c-bets?
- Is he aggressive postflop?
3. Will you have position postflop?
And once again the position. This factor is extremely important, it increases the chance to take the pot by several times: on each street you will have the opportunity to put pressure on your opponent and extract value. So please answer the question beforehand.
3Bet for Value Only!
One of the key points in the whole preflop strategy, which BlackRain also stops at: there is no point in 3-betting with speculative hands, this will only cause problems. Yes, you need to have balanced 3-bet and 4-bet ranges at higher stakes, but you don't have to worry about that at micro stakes.
You should almost always reraise for value. Otherwise, it's better to just fold.
Note: For a better idea of which hands are good against certain ranges, get familiar with Pokerstove.. Drive in ranges, your hand and compare equity. Over time, you will develop a proper 3-bet range.
Here is a small example. Let's say a nit opens with UTG. Look at PokerStove– Only AA and KK are suitable for 3-betting. Go back to the beginning of the article where we talked about exceptions, hands like AK are not suitable for reraising in this case. Naturally, against a loose opponent, AK and JJ would be very useful.
How general rule: Always 3-bet for value with your top range - QQ+ and AK.
Hand playability in 3-bet pots
In addition to equity, it is important to evaluate the playability of hands. Naturally, ideally, a position is needed.
3-betting with J-J out of position against an aggressive player is not very rational. Post-flop, he will pressure you with bets and you won't know who has the best hand right now.
Remember: preflop is the foundation of the hand; get ahead of yourself, plan your actions with an eye on the playability of the hand in conjunction with the position and type of opponent.
It's better to just call and not run the pot if the chances of getting into an uncomfortable position are high enough. Sometimes you have to fold even strong hands if both calling and 3-betting seem inappropriate.
Should you 3-bet light at all?
A 3-bet without a strong hand is called light (from the word light- light). Any mid-stakes and high-stakes player should have this trick in their arsenal, but micro-stakes players don't need it.
Remember: at low stakes, 3-betting is enough for value.
In some situations, light 3-bets can be profitable, however, the following conditions must be met:
- You must be in position
- Your opponent often folds to 3-bets and c-bets.
Light 3-bets are built on fold equity, and to maximize fold equity, these conditions are required. Don't overdo it with reraises, sometimes your hands are itchy to over-twist with a nice starter, that's normal. But at the micros, such tricks do not end very well. In general, use light 3-bet very carefully, wisely.
What hands should you 3-bet light with?
In addition to the above conditions, light 3-bets can be played with hands that are not problematic post-flop.
Let's say we 3-bet light with A-4s and the flop comes A-7-T. We c-bet, we get a raise. The situation is difficult for most beginners: top pair, fairly large pot. Actually, it's an easy fold. Why even play hands like this if it's a shame to fold them?
The same is true for starters. type K-J, A-T, etc., it's easy to get dominated with such. If you're having trouble with those too, then twirl light with suited connectors (98s, 87s, 76s, etc.). You hit the flop less often with them, so it will be easier to refuse to continue the game.
And when connectors hit the flop, they make big money, it will be hard for your opponent to read you.
Anyone who has no difficulty folding in obvious spots can reraise light with high cards, suited aces, suited connectors. Theoretically, this also includes small and medium pockets. But they are rather exceptions - read what we wrote at the very beginning.
3-bet value
The first thing to determine is whether you are sitting in a position. If the answer is yes, the reraise must be three times the original raise, otherwise four times.
When an opponent 3-bets
Now the situation is reversed: you open, get reraised. At the micros, in most situations, the most reasonable action is to fold. In the case of a call, we will be left without initiative and will play the game "hit the flop or fold". We don't hit the flop very often, so we'll have to fold a lot.
Besides, who said that we will be paid a combination after hitting the flop. The opponent will not just invest the entire stack. So losing 10-12 BBs here and there adds up to a decent negative result.
Yes, and playing out of position, as you now know, is not the smartest idea: to play a guessing game, while all the information is in the hands of the opponent. Extracting value on a successful flop out of position is also not easy.
With hands like AA and KK, 4-bet/all-in suggests itself.
Calling a 3-bet should be according to the situation and depending on the opponent. It is clear that you need to call the reraises of a loose, passive player more often than to respond to the aggression of tight-aggressive comrades.
In general, you need to take into account the position, image / statistics of the opponent, as well as the playability of the hand. Being ahead of the enemy's range is fine, but what's the use of it on an A-J-6 flop with 88 out of position.
Think ahead about your actions. If you have doubts - fold. At the micros, there are plenty of profitable situations, you don’t need to cling to each of them.
4-bet value
4-bets should be 2.5-3 times bigger than your opponent's reraise. Don't be afraid to heavily twist aggressive, action-packed opponents.
When an opponent 4-bets
Responding with aggression (shoving) to an enemy 4-bet is worth it with only two hands: AA and KK. And even then sometimes you have to put kings into exceptions, if a terrible nit 4-bets, then he will only play with AA.
Perhaps many of you have also mentioned QQ, another obvious 5-bet candidate. Against individual opponents this makes sense, but keep in mind that queens only have 53% equity against a loose 4-bet range: TT+, AQs+, AKo.
And if this range is narrower (which is very important), the equity will be even lower. In some cases, it's better to think about calling, depending on pot odds/equity. But at the micros, it's still not profitable. What's the point of risking that much if a more reliable option for making big profits will soon appear?
5-bet/all-in value
You can call 4-bets with a simple and straightforward all-in (with AA and KK hands).
Conclusion:
At low limits, completely different laws apply than at high stakes. And an appropriate strategy is required.
Many people will say that playing ABC poker is not cool, but passing many +EV situations is not “toddler”. Decide what's more important to you - making money or boosting your ego. What is needed is a high win rate, limited variance, a quick move to higher limits or a risky bluff to force an opponent to fold.
Our strategy is perfect for the first option. In this article, we have described a reliable, profitable system for playing preflop. Not every pot depends on the preflop, but a good preflop strategy in any case provides a basis of knowledge and skills for carefree play on subsequent streets.
The most important factors when playing preflop:
- Position
- Initiative
- arm strength
- Hand playability
- Evaluation of opponents.
Taking these factors into account before or during a hand will lead to much more efficient decisions. And this is what poker consists of: the ability to use your advantage!
Micro Limits is a variation of online poker with betting ranges from 1/2 cent to 10/20. Due to the small stack size, the game at this limit is looser than, for example, at the $1/$2 level.
On the Internet, you can often see the statement that it is impossible to win at the micros. They are based on the fact that many microstakes players rely too much on luck and constantly enter the game in the hope of hitting their draw. This calculation of no luck, allegedly, does not allow good players to win at this limit.
Just as the first statement is true, the second is false. If there are a lot of players at the micro limit who are betting their draws with bad pot odds and underhanded hands, why can't you beat them at this level? Below are a few important notes that you should definitely read before you next sit down at the table.
1. Don't try to outplay your opponents
When you sit down at the table, you may be in the happy delusion that you the best player at the table. However, self-confidence at the micros very quickly leads to disastrous results. If you try to represent a set and lose to an opponent with top pair, you have no one to blame but yourself. Remember that you are not playing to win each particular draw, but to earn money by playing poker.
2. Microstakes players love to hunt.
You can expect microstakes players to have little knowledge of poker. For example, if you bet the size of the pot and your opponent calls, you can assume that he is "hunting" for flush and straight draws and is not familiar with the concept of pot odds (pot odds). Remember, if your opponent calls you with bad pot odds in the hope of hitting a draw, then it is very good for you, because such mistakes will bring you profit in the long run. It is also necessary to remember that when playing with several opponents, the bet must be so large as to make the pot odds for each opponent bad.
3. Sit at the table with the maximum buy-in and don't be afraid to lose it
Thanks to the looser behavior of players at the micros, you can count on opponents at the table to call all-in with any made hand and any draw. If you sit at the table with the maximum pot, then you significantly increase your chances of making a good profit. Remember that situations in which you have a 100% best hand on the flop are not very common and if this happens, then do not be afraid to put your entire stack into the pot.
4. Don't teach your opponents how to play.
After a terrible bet beat from a very weak player, the first thing you want to do is comment on how badly he played. Do not hurry. Do you want him to call your next set with only a gutshot? You don't have to worry about losing that particular hand. Leave the player in the dark and let him play just as bad in the next hand.
5. Bet Good Hands and Fold Bad Hands
This is one of the simplest poker strategies and works great at the micros. You don't have to be too clever to win, if you have a good hand - bet, a bad one - fold. Don't be afraid to scare off other players with your bet, in most cases they will call you with any hand.
6. Beware of raises
At the micros, players rarely raise preflop without a good hand. Most players have a plan where they want to see almost every flop, make a strong hand, and bet big to make a lot of money at once. Your opponents will not think about what you have in your hand, they play the game based only on the strength of their own hand. That's why they call a small raise with a small pocket pair on the flop. If a player raises preflop and then bets on every street, then treat it with due attention, it is quite possible that he has a really good hand.
7. Don't Bluff
This point is very similar to the first one, because bluffing is one of the ways to outplay an opponent. Remember that most players will want to see the flop, so bluffing won't be effective. Opponents will call with any saw hand and it is unlikely that they will be able to take the pot.
8. Don't worry about your image.
If you only play premium hands and only bet the best of them, then you don't have to worry about your opponents adjusting to your play. Microstakes players are caustic about how their opponents play. So you don't have to worry about diversifying your game.
As you can see, the game at the micros is not much different from the others. If you learn the basics of poker, you will easily beat this limit, of course, if you play with concentration and calmness. This micro-stakes game can be made profitable by playing multiple tables at the same time, especially since it does not require much attention to watching your opponents. Play simple poker, follow the tips given above and you will conquer the micro limits!
In online poker. Such games with low stakes on the Internet are very popular. Here you can hone your skills, acquire the necessary skills and experience at a very reasonable price. After all, a small loss in one hand of $5 - $10 does not bring much concern. But many players hang around the micros for a long time because they can't beat them.
It may come as a surprise to some that it's hard to beat the micros, but online poker has changed a lot in recent years and playing the micros isn't all that easy.
But the fact that they can be beaten, with an understanding of the basic concepts and with the right approach, is beyond doubt.
You have to deal with failure.
Here it is necessary to develop the right attitude towards poker, especially for those who come from live poker or beginners. Poker should be treated like a business
You have to understand that bad things can happen to anyone. When you play 8-12 tables at once, this happens quite often. If a micro-limit player cannot or does not want to play for long distances, then he is unlikely to succeed. Do not wait for some magic pill that solves all your problems at once. Some players believe that successful poker players are almost geniuses, able to outplay all opponents. This is far from true. The more hands you play, the more experience you gain and, in the end, success will be on your side.
Believe in success in the long run
Those who make money from poker play, following their approach, day after day a lot. They don't jump limits, but they find a way to minimize tilt. And there is no special secret here. They just do their best.
First of all, you need to control your emotions, even at the end of the game day. You need to strictly adhere to your game plan and do not scatter chips during tilt.
Of course, this does not mean that becoming an insensitive robot will automatically become a poker genius. Although for many people the control of emotions is already a big deal. However, it is impossible to completely overcome tilt, you will always have to fight it.
All players, without exception, are subject to tilt, but someone copes with it better, and someone worse. If you understand that you need to look at the results in the long term, then problems with tilt will become less of a concern. And success at the micros will come much faster.
Understanding the problems of poker will greatly speed up this process.
There are many talented and smart players who have collapsed because they put up with the exit bad cards from the deck could not. No poker expert can help you realize this and direct your poker mind in the right direction. You need to figure it out on your own and move towards success.
How to beat cash games at the micros. and table selection.
Consider the programs presented by Pokertracker and Holdem Manager, the so-called HUDs. Recently, these companies have released new versions of these programs. One of these programs is a must-see. When playing at the micros, you also need to master the HUD. A good selection of tables and a well-designed HUD - regardless of the limit, this is already the key to success in poker. It is possible to take a trial version. The main value of such programs lies in their ability to collect and process statistics from the site on which you play. They present information about the game and the actions of the opponent in a convenient way. The data obtained can be used directly during the game, and at the same time collect new information. Thanks to this, you can instantly determine the type of opponents and make the best decision.
Better if there is less data in the HUD.
We advise you to reduce your HUD to a minimum. For novice players, such indicators are quite enough - AF, VPIP, PFR. According to the last two indicators, you can especially accurately determine the type of opponent even at a short distance of 10 distributions.
A player playing 90% of his hands shows that he is a bad player. A tight regular will have a VPIP of 10%. Aggressiveness of the enemy will show PFR. For example, if the opponent's VPIP/PFR is 90/10, then he is a passive fish. For a "maniac" this figure will be 90/80.
If a player plays aggressively preflop, he will act the same way postflop. Accordingly, playing passively on the preflop, the player also acts on the postflop.
AF - aggression factor, will also help you a lot. But in this case, a large sample will be needed. The aggression factor for passive players is usually less than 3, for aggressive players it is always more than 4.
You also need to include some more statistics in your HUD. For example, how often does an opponent c-bet the turn and flop, and how often does he fold to a c-bet. In addition, the percentage of steal and 3-bet is important, fold to 3-bet.
There is no need to clutter up your HUD with various numbers. Those ten indicators that we have given will provide maximum information for making the right decisions. You can always add a "popup" tab if you need more data.
An important point is the selection of tables.
The choice of tables is often treated without due responsibility. Since in modern poker a fish is an exception to the rule rather than the norm, and a competent selection of a table is of great importance.
The HUD will provide you with the necessary information for this. Every poker room has notes available to use.
It is better to make color marks on the fish. Each time you open the lobby, you will immediately be able to identify the tables where the fish are playing. This will be the reason for choosing one or another table.
It is very important to understand how much you earn at the micros by playing with fish. You can open a base in HM or PT and look at the biggest pots to see that they always have weak players.
Of course, knowing how to beat a regular would be nice, but that can only be important at higher stakes. At the micros, it’s more important for you to learn, as they say, “butcher”.
In order not to find yourself in a situation where only regulars will confront you, you must learn how to select tables correctly. At the micros, finding the right table isn't that hard.
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How to beat cash games at the micros. Preflop play
For a profitable strategy, you need to develop the right style, that is, the right hand play. In our opinion, the tight-aggressive style or TAG is more suitable for the micros.
Some players like the loose-aggressive style or LAG. But to successfully apply this approach to a beginner and a little more experienced player very hard. Applying this style, you will constantly find yourself in difficult situations with an ambiguous decision. In addition, downswings will often put psychological pressure on you, and it is still difficult for inexperienced players to fight tilt.
Let's talk about tight-aggressive style. Approximately 15% starting hands you need to play long tables, raising from 12%. You can expand your range at the "short" tables by playing 21/18. The free Pokerstove program will let you know which hand ranges are included. Enter these numbers and get this range in response. By following these parameters, you will be able to enter the pot with fairly strong hands most of the time. Therefore, your decisions will be much easier.
Sometimes you will call, sometimes you will limp. This option is possible if you do not have a very strong hand, and the opponents have already entered the pot limping in front of you. However, this should be the exception rather than the rule. More often than not, you need to raise preflop if you want to fight for the pot. One of the unwritten rules of poker: never limp first! In 100% of cases, you need to open a raise trade.
Instead of limping, raise and re-raise
Why raise instead of limp? After all, it seems that you can see the flop and get off cheaply without making a good hand. But profitable poker isn't about waiting for the nuts to pay. Most of the time in NLH, no one has a strong hand at all, and the pot is taken by the one who took the initiative. If you limp at , you can only take the pot if you make a hand. But you can still assign the pot with the help of Cbet when you open with a raise. In addition, when raising preflop, you will take a much larger pot. It follows that by calling and limping you lose money.
Pay attention to the position as well. Fewer hands need to be played from early position, and more from late position. Especially in the blinds, play tight. Do not forget that in poker, money is made mainly on the button. It's hard to argue with this old statement.
After analyzing the largest sample of hands, we came to the conclusion that winnings on the button always exceed the profits from other positions. Essentially, you need to make up for the money lost in the blinds every round. Of course, it is worth defending your blinds at least a little, but you should remember the main thing - there are more hands from profitable positions, less from unprofitable positions.
To sum it up: tight-aggressive play style will be preflop the best strategy. First of all, you need to play strong hands and do it as often as possible with raises and re-raises. In addition, you need to play as many hands as possible on the button than in other positions.
Micro limits(or micro limits) in online poker are games with blinds ranging from 1c/2c ($2NL) to 10c/25c ($25NL) in cash games. Due to the fact that players have a small amount of money in their stacks, games at these limits are much looser than, for example, at $1/$2 ($200NL) and higher limits.
If you read various forums and blogs, you will find that many beginner poker players argue that it is impossible to “beat” the micro-limits. They argue that too many players at these stakes rely heavily on luck, and because so many players are involved in every hand by seeing the flop, even very strong hands cannot be played profitably due to the "luck" of such opponents. It is with this that most people on the forums who fail to get above these limits explain the reasons for their failures.
Micro-limits are great to "beat", but subject to the correct strategy of the game.
First of all, despite the tiny amount of truth in what people on the forums say about microstakes, this idea is fundamentally wrong. How can you not beat the micros with so many players calling bad pot odds with their draws and also calling raises with marginal hands?
Below are the key points that will help you develop a profitable micro stakes strategies.
1. Don't try to outplay your opponents
You should not, sitting down at the table, think that you are the best of the best at this table. Overconfidence will lead to a crash at the micros. If you try to win pots against your opponents by presenting sets or trips and find that your opponents are calling your bets with bottom pair before the showdown, you have only yourself to blame.
Remember that you are playing for money, not for self-respect and pride in winning pots, so only invest in hands when you have a strong hand.
2. Microstakes players like to call bets in hopes of completing their draws.
Microstakes players have a poor understanding of the game. So, they can call a pot-sized bet with both a straight draw and a middle pair or a made flush. What's more, when they call your bets with draws, they probably don't care about pot odds.
Remember that if your opponent calls your bet in the hope of completing a draw hand with bad pot odds, then it's good for you, as you will win in the long run. Just remember to bet a lot into a pot with a lot of opponents (if you have a strong hand) to give them bad calling odds.
Make sure you give your opponents bad odds to call your bet with their draws.
3. Enter the table with 100bb and don't be afraid to lose them
Due to the loose play at the micros, you can see opponents calling all-ins with weak made hands as well as draws. If you enter the table with as many BBs (big blinds) as possible, you will have a great opportunity to win more money.
If you decide to go all-in, make sure that this is the most profitable decision. Just remember that you will rarely have 100% on the flop, so you simply won't be able to win every hand. Don't be afraid to go all-in with strong hands.
You will win more hands than you will lose if you go all-in with strong hands, so to maximize profits, bring as much money to the table as possible.
4. Do not criticize or give advice in the chat to your opponents
After a terrible bad beat from an equally terrible player, the first thing you want to do is to criticize his game and tell him how badly he played and how lucky he was.
Not worth it. After all, in fact, his line of play was so bad that you should be in seventh heaven, because in the long run, such opponents will lose you a lot, a lot of money. For example, you had AA and your opponent had AQ preflop and won all-in preflop. No need to complain - you should be happy, because you had a 91% win rate, which means that in 100 such hands you will win 91 times, and lose only 9 times. As a result, you will be in a very big plus.
After all, you wouldn't be complaining if you won this hand. Keep your advice to yourself and give your opponent the opportunity to make the same mistake again and again.
5. Bet strong hands and fold weak hands
it basic game strategy Texas Hold'em , and it works great at the micros. There is no need to try to come up with tricky lines of play and lure opponents into traps. If you have a good hand, you should bet; if you have a bad hand, you should fold. There is no need to be afraid that your opponent will not pay you, because at the micro limits, opponents will call your bets with an absolute majority of their hands.
6. Beware of raises
Microstakes experience shows that players at these limits rarely raise preflop without a strong hand. The game plan for most players at the table is to see as many flops as possible, get a very strong hand, and only then start betting to win as much money as possible.
Your opponents don't care about your hand, they only play based on the strength of their hand. That is why they call raises of any size with medium pairs on the flop; because they have a couple. Thus, if you see a player who raised preflop and continues to bet on the following streets, beware of him, as he is more likely to have a good hand.
Players at the micros prefer to call rather than bet.
7. Don't Bluff
This point is similar to the first one, since bluffing is one of the ways to outplay your opponents. Remember that a huge number of players see the flop, so bluffing in any form will be a bad decision. Players will call your bets with any medium strength hand, so you should only bet when you have a strong enough hand, bad hands you should fold.
8. Don't care about your table image
If you only play premium hands and only bet when you're ahead, you have absolutely nothing to worry about other players picking up on your play. Players at the micros only care about their cards and don't care about your lines at all. Therefore, do not be afraid to change your game, as opponents will not even notice it. Therefore, you don't have to worry about shifting gears at the poker table, as no one will notice at these stakes.
At the micros, you're better off focusing on playing good ABC poker than your table image.
Poker pros unanimously say that microstakes are not for real game, because the size of the banks are very small and almost do not represent any value. For this reason, many players at the lowest stakes do not play poker, but rather a kind of lottery, relying more on luck than on pot odds. Despite this, you can still play at the micros with a good profit if you use the right strategy.
What are micro limits and how to beat them
Micro-limits in online poker are called cash games with blinds from 1c/2c (2NL) to 10c/25c (25NL). Since there is very little money in the stacks of participants in such tables, they do not really value it and play much more loosely than at higher stakes.
Iron discipline is a fundamental guarantee of success at the micros. Use a tight-aggressive style of play in all hands: if there are cards, bet, if not, fold. If you want to stay profitable in the long run, try not to shy away from ABC poker's straightforward tactics.
In other words, your micro-stakes play should be very aggressive with strong hands (from 2 pair) and as tight as possible with weak hands. The lower stakes players just love to check, so if you want, you can often watch the next streets for free and get to showdown cheaply.
Features of the game for beginners at the micro limits
First of all, the micro-stakes game stands out for its sheer number of multi-handed hands. As a rule, several people see the flop at once, and at the same time, they can have completely arbitrary cards in their hands - from garbage like 7 and 2 to a pair of aces.
At these tables, players often deliver the blinds to see the flop. According to statistics, about 50% of microstakes fans do this. Since they don't need to bet anything in the pot to do this, many people limp into the game even with obviously losing hands.
Because of this important feature of the microstakes policy often already on the preflop, a good size pot is formed, which in some cases can be stolen at a high rate.
On the other hand, initiative at the micros is rarely respected, and practically any bet or raise can be supported by players even with very weak hands. Therefore, stealing the blinds here is a very dubious undertaking.
Another feature of the game at such tables is the overestimation of the ace and the "pictures". Beginners like to enter the pot with Ax (where x is the second card, which can be absolutely anything) and only a few will fold such a hand in response to a raise or all-in. Also, inexperienced players are hooked by any cards of the same suit. They dream of a flush, so they can even go in with 9s and 2s if they are the same suit and then call all the way down to the last street.
Raising at the micros is pretty rare. Therefore, even if everyone at the table said “check”, this does not guarantee that no one has anything. Many novice players are simply embarrassed to bet even in the presence of strong combinations, practicing a passive-loose style of play.
Start playing with the maximum allowed stack
Get off to a good start with a 100bb stack and don't worry too much about losing money. Due to the loose play at the micros, your opponents tend to support your all-ins not only with obviously weak hands, but also with all sorts of draws. The maximum number of big blinds you have will ultimately be the key to winning bigger amounts.
Play strong hands, fold weak hands
How to play at micro limits and win? The answer to this question lies in the following thesis. It is not worth wasting your energy and money on somehow trying to lure your opponents into ingenious traps. You have a good hand - bet, no - don't hesitate to fold. At the same time, do not worry that you will not be able to get from the opponent. If not this time, next time - at these stakes players usually support betting even with weak pairs or draws.
Good and potential hands (high pairs or AK suited) try to play as aggressively as possible preflop. Believe me, there will be many who will call your bet even with garbage on hand. Their goal is to see the flop.
If you decide to continue attacking post-flop, measure your bets against the size of the pot. Betting 1BB-3BB is unlikely to scare your opponents, but betting half the pot or even the whole pot is a serious bet. If your opponent calls your bet, hoping to hit a draw with bad pot odds, you'll be on the winning side in the long run. If there are too many players in the pot, bet big with a good hand. By doing so, you reduce the chances of your opponents to maintain your bet.
If the flop is completely unsuitable for your hand, just stop fighting (even with AK ). If there are three or more people in the bank besides you, one of them must have collected something.
Play draw hands
Playing aggressively at the micros is worth not only with made strong hands, but also with flush draws, as well as open-ended straight draws. At the same time, we recommend that you do not go beyond the bank. In this situation, you can safely bet or call the bets of others, but be on the lookout if someone has raised before you.
Beware of raises
Microstakes is different in that pre-flop players rarely take the initiative without a strong hand. More often than not, they prefer to just call to see the cards on the board. They start betting only if they get a good combination on one of the streets.
So if one of your tablemates decides to raise preflop and continues this tactic postflop, be on your guard. Most likely he formed a good combination. It is possible to stay in the hand when someone raises preflop, but with a very good hands: high pairs (AA, KK, QQ) or AK type connectors.
Don't bluff
Understanding that bluff plays a minimal role here will also help to play at micro-limits with profit. It is better to try not to demonstrate any “smart” play at all, since the small stakes are mostly played by beginners in poker, who are still alien to the analysis of bet sizes and opponents' strategies. Beginners at this stage play only taking into account their hand and the board. They will not get hung up and pay attention to your style of play and will stubbornly lead the case to showdan.
Bluffing at the micros is a negative decision. Opponents will support your bets with almost all medium hands. If you decide to bet, then make sure the strength of your hand, otherwise - fold.
Bet big with strong hands
Be prepared for the fact that, due to inexperience, players at small limits will support the largest bets (up to the size of the pot). They will do this both with an already formed flush or middle pair, and a gutshot. Therefore, in order to increase your profit at a distance, with a good hand with a large number of opponents, it is better to bet big. This can effectively reduce the chances of calling by those holding draws.
