How do you adapt your play sharks&fishes [Archive]

09-15-2005, 09:09 PM

Hi all,

I'm getting decent at poker online, played a couple of home games also did ok but mainly it's just for fun. I have a game coming up full of new players whom I don't know. some peoples have been played for much longer than me and are pretty good apparently...there will for sure be fishes also.

How do you adapt here? Online you can change tables won't be an option there and it's the first time I'll play cash game instead of tourneys so.

John Bedtelyon

09-15-2005, 10:10 PM

You should be able to spot the sharks and fish quick. Watch for people overbetting (risking lots of chips to win very little) as they have no idea the actual basics of poker.

Watch for the people that fold three hands in a row, sounds silly but in a home game someone that folds and can sit there for even 3 hands is probably tighter than most in the game. These will probably be the better players.

Don't bluff the fish, if you see people in ever hand and they call down the whole way, make sure you have the goods on showdown if you're doing the betting. Sorry if this seems all too basic, but I hope it helps.

Another problem I always see in cash games for new people is that they play them like tournies. If you buy in for 20 dollars with $.25/.$50 blinds and are down to $3, you can always buy more chips! Don't think you have to play real tight then find a hand to push with, in a cash game you always have the option to buy more chips, use this option. Cash games are a lot different than tournies but the idea is all the same, accumulate more chips.

Treat the chips as chips and not as money. Don't think to yourself it's too much money to call a bet if calling the bet is the right thing to do. ie, don't play with money you can't afford to lose. If you're getting 6:1 on your money with the nut flush draw, don't lay it down, even if you have to put in your entire stack (assuming your made nut flush will be the nuts).

Hope you do well,

JMB