How Not to Lose

Hello Calvin:

There are THREE CRUCIAL REASONS why most players LOSE money
at online poker.

I've listed them below... keep reading to see if they sound
familiar for YOUR situation.

Reason #1: Not Picking The Right Game Type

OK, so here's my big "aha" for online poker.

It was this "aha" that INSTANTLY transformed my winnings
from "decent" to "tremendous"...

Are you ready?

Here we go:

One of the biggest SECRETS to winning online is to play the
RIGHT GAME TYPE for YOUR UNIQUE STYLE.

Not only that... but you need to ADAPT your strategy for
EACH GAME TYPE you enter.

Let me explain...

When I say "game type", I'm referring to the many variations
of ring games and tournaments. That includes shorthanded
games, "turbo" versions, heads-up matches, and more.

The KEY is that your strategy should NOT be the same for
each game.

For example, the "tight-aggressive squared" method works
great for 10-player Sit and Go's... but you certainly
wouldn't want to use it in a four person ring game!

Or as another example: You wouldn't approach a multi-table
tournament the same way you'd approach a heads-up match...

Every tactic and technique around starting hands,
positioning, and betting is COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.

Period.

In some game types, BLUFFING is very effective. In other
types you'll hardly EVER want to bluff. The same goes with
slow-playing, check-raising, and so on.

So the question becomes...

How do you know the RIGHT strategy for any given game type?

I'll share my answer with you in a moment, but first let's
take a look at the SECOND REASON why most players lose
online...


Reason #2: Choosing The Wrong Stakes

This is fairly straightforward. Most players UNDERSTAND that
they shouldn't play a game that's too "high stakes" for
them...

But what most players FAIL TO DO is adjust their "poker
approach" ACCORDING to the stakes.

To put this in perspective, let's use baseball as an
example.

Your strategy in a game with a bunch of 14-year olds would
certainly be a lot different than if you were playing
against the WHITE SOX, am I right?

Obviously you'd have to adjust your HITTING, since you'd be
facing a more skilled pitcher. And you'd have to adjust your
DEFENSE... since the hitters would be better.

And so on.

But these are just ADJUSTMENTS.

Now let me ask you: Would you have to change your
FUNDAMENTAL STRATEGY to go from 14-year olds to the "pros"?

The answer is YES.

Because CORE PARTS of the game would be affected.

Not as many "runs" would be scored... the field would be
much bigger... there would be nine innings instead of
seven... and so on.

OK, so now let's relate this back to poker:

In low-stakes games, you can get away with certain things
that you CANNOT get away with in high-stakes games...

You may be able to time all your bluffs when you're on the
button in a low-stakes game, because not everyone is aware
of your positioning.

You might be able to consistently buy pots when the flop
comes rags, because no one has the guts to make a stand
against you.

These are ADJUSTMENTS.

Your FUNDAMENTAL STRATEGY will be different too.

At some stakes, you'll be able to "play around" more with
special traps, feeler bets, and bluffs.

At other stakes, there will be NO ROOM for these tactics
since every pot will be CRUCIAL. (The blinds structure is
also a big determinant in this.)

OK, so the point is things ARE NOT the same for each level
of stakes.

There are clear and distinct differences between low-stakes,
middle-stakes, and high-stakes... and therefore CLEAR
STRATEGIC DIFFERENCES FOR WINNING.


Reason #3: Not Playing At The Right Online Casinos

The third crucial mistake is thinking that every online
casino is the same.

Let me say this as clearly as possible:

ALL CASINOS ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL.

And here's why:

A big reason is because the PLAYERS are different from
casino to casino... since the WAY each poker room attracts
its players is different.

The ADVERTISING is different.

Some online casinos give huge bonuses... others do mass
advertising targeted at "beginners"... others try to be
"exclusive" for high-quality players.

And so on...

Get it?

Do you see how this could have a DRAMATIC IMPACT on how the
GAMES will be different?

At one casino you may be playing against a bunch of fresh
"newbies". But the same game type and same stakes at a
DIFFERENT casino might be full of EXPERIENCED players.

This means you might consistently LOSE at $10 Sit and Go's
at one card room... but WIN all the time at another.

Crazy, huh?

I've seen it happen all the time.

You may be LOSING at online poker right now... and the
problem may not be your SKILLS.

It may be that you're simply playing in the WRONG PLACES!

So how do you know what the RIGHT places are exactly?

Unfortunately there's no "one size fits all" answer to
this.


P.S. This info is courtesy of Roy


SHERMSTICK

Adjusting to your competition is a key factor in winning. You must develop the ability to recognize player styles quickly online. Luckily, the more you play the easier this becomes if you have any talent at it. Also if you play the same games at the same places often you need to take notes on players.

Thank you for the info, especially the info about room selection. Eye opening to say the least.