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#1
08-15-2005, 11:41 AM
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Some low limit suggestions
I play mostly low limit hold em, (5-10) and do fairly well at it. I have some good suggestions for beginners or struggling players.
1) The rubber band concept. This is one of the most important concepts in Texas Hold'Em poker. You have to constantly be adjusting what you play and how you play based on what other players at the table are doing. You cant stick to a set plan or book to maximize profits. You constantly have to be stretching or shrinking the rubber band to adjust to who you are playing with. 2) Multi-way vs. Not multi-way When not playing a hand, keep an eye for how many people are taking the flop and for how many bets. See how much action there is on the flop and how many people stay after that. If alot of people are taking the flop (as is common in low limit games) you need to start playing more hands, even out of position. I consider 5 players to the flop the borderline. If 5 or more are taking the flop, play more hands, especially drawing hands like suited connected. If 5 or less are taking the flop, play more high cards. You have to establish whether the pots are going multi-way or not. If they are going multi-way you need to call more hands but need to fold more on the flop if you dont flop a big draw or two pair or better. If the game is tighter, and the pots are going 4 or less people, you have to tighten up and play less drawing hands. In a multiway game, you dont need to have the best hand before the flop, but in non-multiway play, it is a good idea to have the best hand before the flop. 3) Before the flop: to raise or not to raise Raising before the flop can accomplish different things. In tight games it can knock out players and keep the pot heads up or short handed. In loose games it can knock out a few players and keep the pot around 5 or 6 players. It can make the pot bigger so people are more likely to chase and get tied to the pot to the river. It can get more money in the pot with the "favorite." In tight games, it can possibly make someone fold a better hand. You need to take all these things in consideration when you raise before the flop. Reckless raising before the flop is one of halmarks of an amateur player. 4)Take advantage of the inherent errors of the game. Watch the players and see what type of errors they make. Whatever errors they make, play in such a way that takes advantage of these error and doesnt lessen them. For example if the game is loose, play in such a way that makes it loser, not tighter. If the game is too tight, play in such a way that makes it tighter. If the game is too passive, play in such a way that makes it more passive, etc. etc. One mistake beginning players make is that they go against the flow of the game. For example, they sit down in a loose passive game, they keep trying to push unsuited high cards from before the flop on, they get outdrawn, and they go on tilt. What they dont see is that they are a) playing the wrong type of hand for this game 2) they are raising with this hand- the raise makes the pot bigger, which "reduces" their error of staying too long, 3) they are getting married to their own one pair hand which frequently doesnt win in a multiway pot. Or a player that constantly calls raises in a tight game with JQs, flops a draw, raises and re-raises heads-up on the flop, and misses and loses a lot of bets. Clearly, the JQs would be a better hand to raise with in the first game, and the AQ or AK would be a better hand to play and raise with in the tight game. This post has gone on longer than I had planned. Apparently, Texas Hold'Em is an extremely complicated form of poker. Let me conclude by listing a few types of games and the kinds of hands I would play and how I would play them. 1) A wild game. This game usually occurs on weekend nights when lots of young macho guys are in the game. It is constantly getting capped and many people are staying because, although they dont have a 4-bet hand, they feel their hand to be superior to the loose raiser's hand. Consequently it is multiway and capped in many pots. You need to play big pairs, AKs, AQs in this game. These are the only types of hands that can take all these heat pre-flop and on the flop. You're hoping to flop a big set or a big draw. Throw away small pairs and suited connectors in this game. 2)A loose-passive game. This usually occurs early in afternoon, when people start to get a little sleepy from lunch. If your opponents are older people and females, this tends to promote loose and passive. The pots are going multiway, but there isnt much raising. Players tend to check alot when they miss the flop because there are so many opponents and they know that can not steal. Also, these players are very unsure of themselves and tend to check alot. Play suited connected cards. Play them from any position. Since they are not raising, you do not raise, either. If you get dealt a big pair, you might consider raising, but if many folks call you might have to give up, unless you flop a set. The same with over cards. Only raise pre-flop if you think you can knock out players. If your raise will not knock out players, consider waiting until the flop to raise. After all, you might totally miss the flop and you'll be glad you didn't raise your AK or AQ. 3) Loose but aggressive. This game features moderate raising before the flop, but many players. The flops get capped frequently as everyone is trying to protect their hand and knock out players. Play pocket pairs and Axs. Do not raise. Let your opponents raise. When you flop a set or 4 flush, sit back and let the bets roll in. 5) Too tight and passive. This occurs in high rake games and when people are playing games over their head. Look for good stealing opportunities. Semi-bluff bet more. Be careful of calling early position raises. Lay down big hands more often. For example there is a raise and re-raise. Consider laying down JJ and even QQ. Dont over value AK and AQ. Occasionally raise with suited connected cards to throw your opponents off. Limp more with AA or KK under the gun. Bet the river more when you cant win a show-down and even consider check-raise bluff. Consider playing small pairs in heads-up pots, especially if overs do not fall. Use more deception against tougher players. These means playing more passive, not to be a donk, but so that you get a great deal of information about what they hold, but they have little information about what you hold. Beware of people "sitting in the weeds." Beware of being someone's check-raise sucker. Well I hope those of you who read this gain from it. The main idea I wanted to stress is that you must constantly adjust adjust adjust to who you are playing with and what they are doing. Dont get in a rut where you pretty much play the same way everytime you sit down at the table. And most importantly, dont play your hand in a box. Play WITH the people you are sitting at the table with. 
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