Jblocher1
Legend
Silver Level
This ones In celebration of my 1k post marker. I'm gonna run through some basic analysis so all you newer players can have a place to start. So I will only do cash and MTT... Because I have not much volume put into STT's other than 6 player hypers. So here goes nothing 
Cash: alright guys, first things first.... Make sure that during your session.... You won't be bored. It's very important... In the past I have had sessions where I started off playing great, but as the game progressed I began opening like 60% of hands just for the sake of being involved in a hand. Don't be that guy who gets caught raising every other hand. People will adjust and 3 bet you often making your life pretty difficult. Do whatever it takes to not feel bored during your session... If that means playing multiple tables to keep you in line... Or listening to music... You won't play optimally if you feel bored at the table. Don't play to play, play to win.
Alright.... Position is very very important. People often come to the forum asking why it's so important. First of all, position pretty much determines which hands you should be opening. If we are UTG holding 10J... We should be open folding usually. (Depending on table dynamics) but the real question is why? It's 10J those cards r pretty good, why not open raise? Well.... The Reason is we are first to act preflop. After we raise... We still have many other players to act after us, any of which could 3 bet. When they 3 bet we are forced to fold most of the time. Therefore, when we are UTG we shouldn't really be opening any hands that can't call a 3 bet. There's is also the fact that other than the small and big blind.... We are first to act post flop on every street. Not really a spot we wanna find ourselves in with marginal holdings such as 10J.
Now lets take the same hand of 10J only now we are on the button, if it folds around to us, we should be opening this on the button usually. That begs the question of.... "Well if I'm folding it UTG... Why would I open it on the button? The answer being that no matter who calls (if anyone) we have the huge advantage of acting last after each Street after pre. NEVER EVER EVER EVER... Underestimate the importance of acting after your opponent. You must recognize that your opponent misses the flop about 70% of the time. A lot of the time, at the micros when our opponent misses the flop he will be check folding. When he checks to us.... We can c bet regardless of whether or not we hit the flop because we will get folds often enough to make it profitable. You will wanna be playing most of your hands out of late position, so the button and cut off (only speaking about six max because that's all I play)
A lot of micro players make the mistake of just giving up hands when they miss. Take advantage of this. At the micros opponents will often donk out OOP when they hit flops... They won't check it to u too often (of course there are exceptions and this is just my experience). The fact is... The right way to play at the micros is pretty much straight up TAG ABC poker. bluffing regs who miss will be pretty simple, they aren't getting crafty. So basically.... Know your opponent. It's true.... I'm writing a guide.... But the truth is, specific table dynamics are more important than any guide I can write u. In order to figure that out we should go over the different types of players (basics)
1. Tight passive: arguably the worst possible way to play. This type of player won't open very many hands.... And they will play passively post flop making them easy to bluff, they will rarely be an aggressor without the stone cold nuts or something close to it.
2. Loose passive: also bad way to play, this type of player will open a wide range of hands, but then shut down post flop and will quit being aggressive. Applying pressure post flop should do the trick.
3. Then you have the loose aggressive players, your LAG's.... These players come in two forms. The good lags and the bad lags. Lets start with bad though. These players will be opening crazy wide, and just will bet bet bet post flop. They will be in a lot of pots and they will literally bleed chips to u. Slowing the pace down and getting them to dig their own hole will work usually. The good ones are a lot harder. They open wide, and then bet bet bet... But they can sense strength in their opponents and will know when it's time to shut down.
4. Lastly we have our right aggresives or TAGS.... They are mostly regs. They will open a tight range of hands... They are often positionally aware. They will hammer their good hands for value. In my opinion.... New players to the micros should be focusing on playing a successful TAG style.
Alright guys this is pretty basic stuff, hope it helps. Also..... Always sit 100BB deep.... Don't sit a shorty. Lets say u have 20BB and you get quads when ur opponent has a boat. U can only win 20BB from your opponent if your opponent were 100BB deep. If both were 100BB deep... You still stack off your opponent likely, only u gain 100BB as opposed to 20. Don't lose value.
Will be back later to do a basic tourney guide, but feel free to add anything to make this more complete
Cash: alright guys, first things first.... Make sure that during your session.... You won't be bored. It's very important... In the past I have had sessions where I started off playing great, but as the game progressed I began opening like 60% of hands just for the sake of being involved in a hand. Don't be that guy who gets caught raising every other hand. People will adjust and 3 bet you often making your life pretty difficult. Do whatever it takes to not feel bored during your session... If that means playing multiple tables to keep you in line... Or listening to music... You won't play optimally if you feel bored at the table. Don't play to play, play to win.
Alright.... Position is very very important. People often come to the forum asking why it's so important. First of all, position pretty much determines which hands you should be opening. If we are UTG holding 10J... We should be open folding usually. (Depending on table dynamics) but the real question is why? It's 10J those cards r pretty good, why not open raise? Well.... The Reason is we are first to act preflop. After we raise... We still have many other players to act after us, any of which could 3 bet. When they 3 bet we are forced to fold most of the time. Therefore, when we are UTG we shouldn't really be opening any hands that can't call a 3 bet. There's is also the fact that other than the small and big blind.... We are first to act post flop on every street. Not really a spot we wanna find ourselves in with marginal holdings such as 10J.
Now lets take the same hand of 10J only now we are on the button, if it folds around to us, we should be opening this on the button usually. That begs the question of.... "Well if I'm folding it UTG... Why would I open it on the button? The answer being that no matter who calls (if anyone) we have the huge advantage of acting last after each Street after pre. NEVER EVER EVER EVER... Underestimate the importance of acting after your opponent. You must recognize that your opponent misses the flop about 70% of the time. A lot of the time, at the micros when our opponent misses the flop he will be check folding. When he checks to us.... We can c bet regardless of whether or not we hit the flop because we will get folds often enough to make it profitable. You will wanna be playing most of your hands out of late position, so the button and cut off (only speaking about six max because that's all I play)
A lot of micro players make the mistake of just giving up hands when they miss. Take advantage of this. At the micros opponents will often donk out OOP when they hit flops... They won't check it to u too often (of course there are exceptions and this is just my experience). The fact is... The right way to play at the micros is pretty much straight up TAG ABC poker. bluffing regs who miss will be pretty simple, they aren't getting crafty. So basically.... Know your opponent. It's true.... I'm writing a guide.... But the truth is, specific table dynamics are more important than any guide I can write u. In order to figure that out we should go over the different types of players (basics)
1. Tight passive: arguably the worst possible way to play. This type of player won't open very many hands.... And they will play passively post flop making them easy to bluff, they will rarely be an aggressor without the stone cold nuts or something close to it.
2. Loose passive: also bad way to play, this type of player will open a wide range of hands, but then shut down post flop and will quit being aggressive. Applying pressure post flop should do the trick.
3. Then you have the loose aggressive players, your LAG's.... These players come in two forms. The good lags and the bad lags. Lets start with bad though. These players will be opening crazy wide, and just will bet bet bet post flop. They will be in a lot of pots and they will literally bleed chips to u. Slowing the pace down and getting them to dig their own hole will work usually. The good ones are a lot harder. They open wide, and then bet bet bet... But they can sense strength in their opponents and will know when it's time to shut down.
4. Lastly we have our right aggresives or TAGS.... They are mostly regs. They will open a tight range of hands... They are often positionally aware. They will hammer their good hands for value. In my opinion.... New players to the micros should be focusing on playing a successful TAG style.
Alright guys this is pretty basic stuff, hope it helps. Also..... Always sit 100BB deep.... Don't sit a shorty. Lets say u have 20BB and you get quads when ur opponent has a boat. U can only win 20BB from your opponent if your opponent were 100BB deep. If both were 100BB deep... You still stack off your opponent likely, only u gain 100BB as opposed to 20. Don't lose value.
Will be back later to do a basic tourney guide, but feel free to add anything to make this more complete
