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Techniques For Winning At Online Poker
Published by: badb0iie
, On: Dec-13-2006
*** QUESTION FROM A READER ***
Roy,
Great article.
I had one question to you. Wouldn't you advise calling with all pairs even with when facing a raise?
I play 25 NL on Party and I will call a raise with any pair as long as the raise is less than 10% of the opposing players stack. My thinking, with a monster hand like AA or KK that he is raising; when I do hit my set I am taking his whole stack.
So I hit my set statistically 1 in 8 times and call any raise with any pair as long as its 10% or less of a players stack. I make most of my money on the no limit tables doing this.
My basic strategy is to raise the same with every hand as to not giveaway my hand.
AA, KK - raise 8 times the big blind (which is $2 on a 25NL table) and if someone has raised before me I usually put them to the test and reraise 3 times the amount they have put in or go all in.
AK, AQ - I raise 8 times the big blind if no one has raised in front of me. If someone has limped or no one has entered the pot I will raise 8 times the big blind. If the pot has been raised before me, I will only call if I have a decent read on the player.
QQ, JJ - I raise 8 times the big blind if no one has raised in front of me. If someone has limped or no one has entered the pot I will raise 8 times the big blind. If the pot has been raised before me, I will call and play cautiously post flop if I don't flop trips or my pocket pair is not the higher than the board.
AJ - This hand has gotten me in trouble. I usually limp in or call the big blind. I throw away to any raise before me and usually fold it if a raise comes behind me.
1010, 99, 88, 77, 66, 55, 44, 33, 22 - call the big blind. maybe raise 1010 and 99 in late position if no one has entered the pot. I will call a raise up 10% of the raising players stack. Post flop I know where I stand if I hit my set or not, or my pocket pair is above what the board shows.
I usually move tables quickly after I double my stack up, because most players will learn how you play and its hard to get action on raises after they learn you play real hands and push with them.
- S.
>>> MY COMMENTS:
Wow. What great insights.
You've hit on some KILLER strategies here that can be instantly implemented to win more money at online poker.
First of all, I noticed that you said, "My basic strategy is to raise the same with every hand as to not giveaway my hand."
This is brilliant. I often employ this technique myself, because it keeps your opponents COMPLETELY off-balance... guessing at what you're holding.
You also brought up a great point about the value of hitting trips when you wrote, "When I do hit my set I am taking his whole stack."
This concept can be taken FURTHER...
In online poker, IMPLIED ODDS are a more important consideration than in offline poker. The reason is because of the common LOOSE-AGGRESSIVE style of play...
When you make a significant bet, your chances of getting action are much higher than in your average home game or casino.
That's why I like to limp-in with suited connectors... because if I hit my flush or straight I'm CONFIDENT that I'm going to win a huge pot from someone.
The key is to NOT "chase" your outs. Don't stay in a hand and call all way down to the river with your draws... it's not worth it. Bet the draw upfront, and if you get raised just muck it.
As for your question regarding pairs...
It sounds to me like you're playing RING GAMES and not Sit and Go's. When I play a low-stakes ring game, my strategy is about the same as yours.
The biggest difference for me is that I hate getting up and moving tables so frequently. I've found that when players begin losing money to you, they often WON'T STOP. They'll just keep losing money... DETERMINED to beat you.
And of course, that's when you get the WINDFALL of profits from them... since they're on tilt and OUTRAGED that they can't seem to break you.
What I'll do is show an occasional bluff... or even get busted on a bluff... that way they remain confused about my style of play.
Remember: No limit Texas Holdem is PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE. As soon as you find a "fish" you can consistently beat, don't leave! Just keep playing until THEY decide enough is enough.
OK, back to pairs. When I'm in a ring game, I will call small raises with pocket pairs, in hopes of busting my opponents.
But in Sit and Go's I'm more cautious. And the reason is simple...
In RING GAMES, I'll often play the "odds". Yes, there's a 1 in 8 chance that I'll make my trips. And so I'll play my pairs and take down huge pots when I hit.
But in SIT And GO'S I can't always afford to put my chips into the middle. Remember, there's only ONE MAIN STRATEGY for Sit and Go's:
SURVIVAL.
If you don't make it to the top three players in a 10-man Sit and Go, you're not in the money, which means you've FAILED.
And in your average Sit and Go, you'll probably only get a pocket pair once or twice (or maybe a few times if you're lucky) before the field gets down to three players.
So what I've found is that it's often better for me to LIMP-IN with my pocket pair and hope for trips. If someone makes a decent raise, I'll usually muck it unless I'm the chip leader.
Thanks for your comments man... and keep up the good work.
*** SUCCESS STORY ***
Hi Roy...
I had been receiving e-tips from you after visiting your website, but was reluctant to buy your book because I had never heard of you. I bought some books by Sklansky and Ed Miller... they gave me some good foundations, but Sklansky's book is very complicated and rigid.
I decided to buy your book after reading of your offer regarding Tournament Tactics as those are the games that I play and was looking for some help in the Multi-table tournaments.
I purchased your book tonight and am glad that I did, many of the questions that had been dangling in my mind were answered in your book, especially regarding pocket pairs and playing the Group 1 hands, Ace and under hands and "Watching the Gun".
Great insights!
There are so many areas that you touched on that helped clarify situations for me, that had been troubling me and I am anxiously ready to play in some tournaments tonight.
Thanks again for sharing your experiences and thoughts, it was a great help to me. I look forward to reading your Tournament Tactics book.
- T.R. Louisville, Ky
>>> MY COMMENTS:
Thanks for your feedback man, I appreciate it.
Good luck in those multi-table games...
*** QUESTION FROM A READER ***
First of all.....the tips that you send are very informational, very helpful, and enjoyable to read. But here's my question....assuming that you send these free tips to probably a vast majority of players who currently hold an account at any given online poker site......how beneficial is it to follow these tips provided that nearly 75-80% of the people I am playing against on the computer have read the same damn e-mail that I just read???
Help me understand that.
I mean, how can I gain an advantage if 7-8 out of the 10 players that I am against at a sit n go are trying to employ the same betting styles as I am due to a "mass email" that they also received in their inbox.....how do you play against that?
- M.R.
>>> MY COMMENTS:
Hahaha... Well, GOOD QUESTION!
The truth is, there are MILLIONS Of people who play online poker...
I recently heard a statistic that for any given day, more people in the United States play online poker than play GOLF!
That's insane.
All I can say is that I WISH 70-80% of the players you face were reading my emails... because if that were the case, I'd be a very rich man.
My newsletters aren't "mass emails". They're only sent to those people who subscribed at my website and gave me their email addresses. A more likely statistic is that .0001% of the players you're up against have read my newsletters...
...Which puts you at a HUGE ADVANTAGE.
But I'll tell you what... don't take my word for it.
Go out and implement my tactics and strategies in YOUR NEXT POKER GAME.
If they help you win more money, great. I've done my job.
If not, then just go to the very end of this email and click the "unsubscribe" link... and you'll never hear from me again. Ever.
Of course, your opponents will be glad you did!
Lol.
*** QUESTION FROM A READER ***
Hi Roy - Thanks very much for your new guide "Tournament Tactics". I put your tactics in to practice that very evening, entering my first "Sit & Go". Guess what - I came Second!
At my second Sit & Go tournament I also finished second. Thank you so much. I really can't praise your books highly enough.
Thanks again.
Also, a question for you.
In a Sit & Go tournament, having made it to the final 3, I find I'm usually bullied over the blinds. Maybe I'm too conservative with the hands I'm prepared to play. Can you make any suggestions on how I might make it to first place? Thanks.
Thanks very much.
- Lisa D. Sandhurst, UK
>>> MY COMMENTS:
Lisa, congratulations on your money finishes for YOUR VERY FIRST Sit and Go's...
That's fantastic.
To answer your question about getting bullied:
The key for Sit and Go's is to PLAY FOR FIRST after you get to the top three.
If you've used my strategies for MAKING it into the final three, chances are your opponents will view you as a relatively tight player...
You must immediately "shift" into super-aggressive mode. Your goal should be to win the blinds as much as possible by PLAYING YOUR POSITIONING and READING YOUR OPPONENTS.
Don't let your opponents see a cheap flop. Make them pay for it.
If you get a pocket pair, two face cards, or an Ace, you can pretty much assume you have the best hand. It won't always be the case, of course, but with the blinds so high, you must assume.
Don't patiently wait for good hands once you've made the money...
Instead...
Come out of the gates like a RAGING BULL and make your opponents PAY.
You'll steal some quick pots early, your opponents will go on tilt, and then you'll get all-in action for your real hands.
Try that out and keep up the good work.
*** SUCCESS STORY ***
Roy, just wanted to let you know that I've been reading your letters for about 4 months, and bought your online book about 6 weeks ago. I put all the principles into play, and slowly began building my winnings with online 25/50 cent no limit games. I actually started improving so fast that I jumped up to the 2/4 games in a matter of weeks and made enough to cover a trip out to Vegas while the WSOP was going on.
I never made over to the Rio to watch because i was too busy raking it in where we were staying at the Mirage. Since I've been back, I've been having a hard time getting any of my friends to actually invite me over (as the first time I did I walked with EVERYONE's money).
That's it, just wanted to say thanks, keep up the good work, and good luck to you too.
- S.
>>> MY COMMENTS:
Yes... The side cash games in Vegas WERE pretty nice, weren't they?
Glad to hear about your success. Keep it up.
*** QUESTION FROM A READER ***
Hi Roy
Many thanks for your book, one of the best buys I have ever made, doing great in STT's and low limit NL/TH. (Will be moving up soon)
But could you give some advice on tournament play, would appreciate some advice.
I do ok, often hitting the money but have always managed to fall short of winning a tournament:
- 2nd 8 times.
- 3rd 15 times
- placed about 60 times
Would like some advice on Starting hands early mid and late play. Any help and thoughts would be greatly appreciated...
Many thanks in advance
By the way congratulations on that good finish in the WSOP well done
- J.W.
>>> MY COMMENTS:
You wrote that you need help on STARTING HANDS... but what it sounds like to me is that you need to re-adjust your FINAL TABLE strategies.
Getting second and third place so often means it would be a good idea to go practice some heads-up and short-handed games.
Call up a buddy and play heads-up poker with him for five or ten bucks a game... and play OVER and OVER and OVER and OVER again.
Try out different blinds structures, change tempos, and get comfortable with heads-up action.
If you find yourself short-stacked every time you make it to the money, try out different strategies for your MIDDLE-STAGE play...
In a tournament, right before players make it to the money, everyone TIGHTENS UP.
So here's what you should do:
THE OPPOSITE.
Push the action and take control. Try to steal some pots and get some momentum going... that way you have chips to play with later.
Keep working at it. You're getting close.
*** QUESTION FROM A READER ***
Roy... you wrote:
"Like I said, you've got to risk ALL your chips.
Now if you go all-in and one of those players makes a CALL, you'll win four out of five times.
So if you get five big hands a game, you only lose ONCE. Of course, that one you lose USUALLY won't wipe you out, because you'll have more chips from the OTHER big hands."
But whenever you go " All In " you are risking all your chips at that point. in other words..if you win 4 All In bets....and then lose that FIFTH All In bet, are you then Busted.. No money??
even though, you won 4 out of 5
thanks for your insight
- J.B.
>>> MY COMMENTS:
Let me clarify what I meant...
When you go all-in early in a tournament and WIN, you double-up.
And after winning a few of these "all-in" matches, you'll have a nice-sized stack in front of you.
So let's say you started with 1,000 in chips...
Then doubled-up to 2,000...
Then took out a player who only had 500, which put you at 2,500...
Then LOST to a player who had 1,000...
Now you're left with 1,500 in chips.
My advice is to TAKE ADVANTAGE of the loose-aggressive nature of online poker and push your stack in when the odds are way in your favor.
When that happens, you will STILL lose some matches due to "unlucky" cards.
There's nothing you can do about that.
But the chances are you'll have a BIGGER STACK than your opponents... and the occasional lost match won't break you.
Remember, if you want to win at poker, you need both the high-level "big picture" strategies... AND the detail-oriented "techniques" for specific pots and players.
You need a GAME PLAN... like how to shift gears for different stages of the game, how to manage your chip stack, and how to control your table image.
But you also need the DETAILS... stuff like how to calculate the pot odds, how to spot a bluff, and how to set up a trap play at the right time.
Think of it like a puzzle...
It's much harder to get started without the BOX to look at.
But you can't put the puzzle together with just the box... you also need all the PIECES.
When you download my eBook, you'll get the BOX. Here's the link:
Whether it's in a casino, a Sit and Go, a local cash game, a 1000-player tournament, or ALL OF THE ABOVE... my book and these tools will put you on the FAST TRACK for success.
