3 Things You should be able to do before you leave 10$ NL

So, I spent a few months playing 2$ & 10$ no limit, and I was a big winner over that period rapidly building my bankroll. Here's a list of the biggest things that you should be able to do well before leaving to move up to higher stakes.

1) Value bet. You must get value out of your big hands to make up for the times when you get unlucky. You cannot slowplay your hands in cash games and expect to be paid off sufficiently since stacks are so deep, and your opponents are so weak/passive at micro-limits.

For a good example of value betting, see below.

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10$ No Limit, 6 max

C9 is on the Button with and a $10 stack
Donkey/Calling Station is in the big blind with a $10 stack

Preflop:

Folds to C9
C9 raises to $0.4
SB folds, Donkey calls.
Potsize = $0.85

Flop:

Donkey checks
C9 bets $0.80
Donkey calls
Potsize = $2.45

Turn:

Donkey checks
C9 bets $2.10
Donkey calls
Potsize = $6.65

River:
Donkey checks
C9 goes all in for $6.70
Donkey calls, shows

C9 wins $20
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So in the above example, I bet enough on each street to get all in by the river. I didn't slowplay, or try anything fancy. I just valuebet each street for close to pot, and it allowed me to get maximum value from this poor player. Hands like this will be your bread & butter.



2) Fold hands that do not hit flops to a raise. Hands like or . They're un-suited, they will very rarely make a straight draw, and even when they flop a pair, you won't be all that happy about it. Fold these hands preflop to a raise, and you will be much better off. Here's an example:

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10$ No Limit, 6 max

Solid Player is in middle position with a $10 stack
C9 is on the Button with and a $10 stack

Preflop:

Folds to Solid Player
Solid Player raises to $0.35
Folds to C9
C9 folds
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While this may seem tight, it will save you big money in the long run. If you call a raise, you need to make sure that your hand has *many* ways of hitting the flop well. Hands like are much better to call raises with because they can flop many straight draws, a flush draw, as well as top pair that is less likely to be dominated and easier to get away from.

3) Fold top pair or less to a raise on the flop. Weak/bad players will play for their entire stacks with just top pair, and this is a terrible thing to do. When your opponent raises on the flop, you should fold everything top pair/top kicker or worse. There are some exceptions to this rule, but you would do just fine folding top pair or worse anytime you are raised on the flop.

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10$ No Limit, 6 max

C9 is in the cut off with and a $10 stack.
Villain is in the small blind with a $10 stack.

Preflop:

Folds to C9.
C9 raises to $0.4
Villain calls $0.35 from the small blind.
Potsize = $0.90

Flop:

Villain checks.
C9 bets $0.75
Villain raises to $2.75
C9 folds.
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Once we are raised on this flop, we are crushed by the range of hands that villain does this with. This is an insta-fold unless our opponent has been doing this a lot. A raise on the flop usually means that he wants to get all in, and no one wants to get all in with KT, which is really the only hand that we beat.

Good post. I think, as an addendum, would be knowing who you CAN get a stack from with top pr. There are many players at these limits who will play TP bad kicker for their stacks. Or even middle pr.

Yeah, there are certainly donkeys who will. But even then, they usually won't be raising the flop with top pair, no kicker. They'll just weakly call off their whole stacks.

Only true maniacs will stack off with top pair, no kicker on the flop. And it usually becomes pretty obvious that they're maniacs within' 5-10 hands. Then yeah, go ahead and get it in with top pair top kicker against them. But these players are few & far between (and they go broke really fast). So even if you miss out on the opportunity to take money from these guys, you should still earn a tidy profit.

Great post as per usual c9. I really think all your posts on how to beat the micros are a must-read for just about everyone playing at those levels. Thank you.

There were a couple playing $10 at FT a few months back. I'm sure he's not a forum reader, so saying "LuckyMe1123" won't really be outing anyone. Over the course of 3 weeks, I think I got about 10 buyins from him. Going to make my first echeck deposit there and start at $25 NL.

Great post...

1 & 2 I've got down...still working on #3.

I would add that knowing when (and when not) to make a c-bet is also a valuable skill at these levels.

Thanks for the great guide. I'm sure it will help a lot of people and as for myself I know that I need to work on folding mediocre hands like A 10 and KJ to a preflop raise, because I can see that I am loosing money by playing them. Once again thanks a lot for the guide and I hope to put it to good use.

Well thank you for the good advice. Once I get a roll on FTP I'll try out micro limit cash games and see how this works for me..although me being a somewhat bad player, I don't know if I'll be able to get away from top pair 2nd best kicker in that last example...maybe now I'll be able to

Great post. This is why I like cc. The poker knowledge is second to none on this forum as far as Im concerned.


Thanks

Excellent post.

I found that even though I had read about it in poker books, I actually learned how to value bet at the 10NL tables. I think value betting is something that really comes with experience, and it can really make the difference between being a decent poker player and being a good poker player.

great post c9...but dont yu think if keep vlue betting too much as in th firsdt case,yu give ur opponent,a chance to look at the turn nd river,like for instance if hits two pair and still check calls,we probably would get owned....but since yu seemed to hav played a lot at these levels,i would like to get ur take on this in the long run

This is an awesome post. These 3 skills are very essential in playing smaller stakes poker. I wish I had read this post a little earlier lol. Great info and I will definitely take this to heart when playing again. Thanks!

another great post c9, super kudos +age

Great Post C9, thanks for the advice

Why deposit if you beat your current level? Move up once you grind enough at 10NL to create a big enough bankroll for 25NL.

BR management is not only about avoiding going broke, IMO, it's also a pretty good rule of thumb when going up to ensure that you have a large enough sample of hands at a large enough win rate to prove that you were indeed a winning player at the lower level to justify moving up to a higher and harder level.

I must agree with everyone else. Quality information here that can help/refresh all players (I speak on behalf of the "help" side)

Once again C9 - great post.

Great post. I personally avoid ring games (b/c I lose my br there, habitually). But, I am trying to look for more and more info that will give me the courage to go back to them. Sngos are a tedious way to build BR, but its where I am a solid player.

Thaks for the grreat info!