most important skills in LL Hold'em?

I just got done reading the excerpt from one of Sklansky's books "Knowing What's Important" from "Getting the Best Of It." It says that "you may very well do better by concentrating on only a few factors rather than on a great number of factors with lesser importance." When I think about it, here are my top three picks for the most important skills in LL Hold'em:


1) Playing well on the flop. I think that this skill is crucial to winning at LL. Realizing when you're dead, when you're vulnerable, when you're strong, and knowing what action to take on the flop is key.


2) Knowing your odds. It's very tempting to stay in with a flush draw against one player...even when the pot is not justifying your draw if you must call. Some players I know continue to draw when the pot is clearly not justifying their investment, even if you can count implied odds. You don't have to know the decimals of every probability that could come up in a game, but having a quick estimate in your head will make more plays apparent (such as raising with a draw when you're getting three or more callers.)


3) Discipline. It's very easy to go on tilt in a loose LL game, where everyone's trying to suck out on your good hands. Bad beats can ruin your winning game plan. Having the ability to play on (and play well) after a ridiculous bad beat is essential...especially after a string of losing sessions in which your playing advantage is not apparent.


It's hard to pick three, but I want to keep the post short and find out what other players think are essential skills for LL Hold'em. Agree, disagree, have your own list? I'd like to see your opinions. Further, I'd like to see what skill you all think is the SINGLE most important skill in LL Hold'em, above all else? I've heard that it's "winning when you have top pair," but I think that falls under "playing well on the flop." Any ideas?

1) Excellent point. Knowing not just how to play the flop but anticipating how you WILL play the flop goes a long way in avoiding pre-flop mistakes.


2) Marginal point, lousy argument. Heads-up with no raised produces a pot almost worth drawing to a flush (that is, drawing is a small mistake). All other pots (with no pair on board) justify calling any single bet. Knowing your odds helps in marginal situations, but by definition marginal situations can produce only small mistakes.


Dare I suggest that 2) is "Adjusting play for the size of the pot". Meaning you need to take more chances in the big pots.


3) Good point, but "emotional control" may be more useful.


- Louie

I'd say avoiding tilt personally. That is the biggest leak in my game (I play mostly low limit Paradise Poker, and rarely low limit casino poker).


When I win, I win steadily and usually at a rate of 10 or so big bets an hour. When I lose, I lose maybe double what I should sometimes, due to tilting and playing more hands to "win back" what I've lost and get "even"... very VERY easy to do at low limits.


It's very easy to play properly at low limits I think(tight-aggressive, with adjustments for more callers). For example, limping with AK from EP or MP with limpers in front, since you need to flop the A or K to win. Flop an A or K, and hope someone to your immediate close to immediate right bets so you can raise and destroy odds.


- Tony

Louie -


You're right on about #1 - knowing what kind of flop you want with your hand and how you will play different flops is key. I usually ask myself before I play a hand, "what kind of flop do I want with this, and how likely am I to get it?" If I have to dream up some miracle flop for my hand, I fold without hesitation. This is mostly routine, and I don't have to think about it very much. I get in a lot of trouble if I start loosening up (especially in early position.)


You're right about #2 - adjusting play for the size of the pot is a more accurate statement. Especially in a loose LL game, where eight players see the preflop, and calling a raise preflop is just routine for most LL players. The pot on the flop can justify calling (and raising) with many drawing hands. Slowplaying is rarely correct, since the pot is usually big to begin with. You only need to win one or two big pots to make a good winning session.


#3 - having emotional control is, again, more correct...it encompasses more than just "not going on tilt." Some players have told me about going on "mini-tilt." This means that they are not on a wild tilt, playing just about any hand they get (their F game)...but rather, they are making loose calls they know to be incorrect, occasionally trying to bluff/steamroll the calling stations, etc. They're playing their B- game instead of their A game. It's not particularly devastating, but it will make a losing situation worse.

3) Happy-tilt happens to. Winning a couple of fair sized pots and thinking you own the world. Certainly not as horrible as the Wild-tilt but you're off your A-game.


Sincerly, Andreas

I think also realizing that you're not always playing against the nuts. I think my game got much better once I realized that a lot of people in LL hold'em games represent far better hands through their betting than they actually have.


I folded many, many winning hands to figure this out. but now, I don't drop hands when I have cards unless it's clearly evident that I'm beaten.