Cash game 1/2 new player.

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Swagbeamlazer

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Hey guys hows it going, i was wondering if i could give you guys my strategy ill be implementing on my next cash game venture and i was wondering if you could tell me if im on the right track. Im a 19 year old player whos been taking cards a lot more seriously this last year playing at various venues around my local town learning the mentality of poker and learning the bare basics of reading my oppodents, i havr a social work background so that part is going well in good at reading but the actual startegy i think i need help with.

Last week i went to my local casino and there were tonnes of limper even on 3BB raises 3-5 people would still participate at the 1/2 table. So should i be raising over the top making my bets 10-15 Bbs while playing to get rid of competition early and make it heads up?? I know to not limp too often against all these players because ill hardly win.

I read negreanus book recently and i plan to implement the beginners style to the table because i feel itll work being extremely aggressive and tight. Obviously looking into position and ttying my best to analyze my oppodents.

In assuming itll limp central again and im really going to try and implement the style i said above. Any other advice?

Thank you very much again
 
quick

quick

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Hey guys hows it going, i was wondering if i could give you guys my strategy ill be implementing on my next cash game venture and i was wondering if you could tell me if im on the right track. Im a 19 year old player whos been taking cards a lot more seriously this last year playing at various venues around my local town learning the mentality of poker and learning the bare basics of reading my oppodents, i havr a social work background so that part is going well in good at reading but the actual startegy i think i need help with.

Last week i went to my local casino and there were tonnes of limper even on 3BB raises 3-5 people would still participate at the 1/2 table. So should i be raising over the top making my bets 10-15 Bbs while playing to get rid of competition early and make it heads up?? I know to not limp too often against all these players because ill hardly win.

I read negreanus book recently and i plan to implement the beginners style to the table because i feel itll work being extremely aggressive and tight. Obviously looking into position and ttying my best to analyze my oppodents.

In assuming itll limp central again and im really going to try and implement the style i said above. Any other advice?

Thank you very much again

Welcome! I started playing live casino poker a few months ago after playing years online (and like you I have a background similar, clinical psych which helps a lot with my reading ability and also ability to put off false tells) and definitely agree with the tight aggressive strategy. You'll see a lot of "regs" who play super loose and aggressive and while they might make big wins, they often leave empty handed a few buy ins down because they fail to read who are the fish who won't fold and who are the tighter players who might fold to their aggression.

As for bet sizing, feel out the table when you sit down. 3BB is probably too small for most 1-2 tables, although other night I was at a table where 3-4BB was the standard. Generally though you'll see more in the 5-7BB range and occasionally some 8-10BB pre flop raises. I tend to open for around 4-6BB but if I keep getting too many folds and notice others opening for 3BB, I'll stick to 4BB. If I see a few aggro players opening for over the top 10+BB raises, I'll stick with 5-6BB every time just to keep it consistent. You'd be surprised how if you take control of the standard pre flop raise size, the table will generally follow suit.

You should, after a few visits within an hour of sitting down be able to roughly identify the following players: the rock, the loose aggressive reg, the "Fun" fish, the gambler, and the TAG(like you). Sometimes there will be multiple of each. Also listen to table talk. I always present as quiet and unsure of myself but as time goes on I open up a bit and talk and this helps ID the players who "understand" the basic strategies, which I can then exploit. I'll know I can occasionally steal from them or float them , whereas the rec players and fish I'll know I can't do because they won't fold often.

But mostly play tight, fold often, and occasionally play an orbit if you've been folding a lot. Some of the more aggressive players might make money quicker but then also lose quicker too. Slow and steady in 1/2 wins. I've sat for hours before making big moves and STILL get paid off. It's also good if you ID the "slightly better players" who will try to steal pots, float you, and bully you. When your OOP with a good hand, if you KNOW you have action behind you from one of these players, you can turn the tables without getting fancy and let them build the pot for you. :)

Definitely pay attention to hands you aren't in. See how others play. There's a lot of free info out there.
 
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iFishForFlush

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Every table is different, try and adjust to your table dynamic in a manner of play style that will make it profitable, if it's a tight table loosen up steal a lot of smaller pots. If it's a loose table play tight and trap. It all depends but from my experience at a 1/2 table you should generally play pretty tight and you'll get paid off.
 
GameTheoryOptional

GameTheoryOptional

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read as many poker books from reputable people as you can. jonathan little, verneer, jarred tindler to name a few
 
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kmart99

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Honestly, I'd start online before playing live. Online is much harder so you'll learn way more. I'd also advise against playing DNegs' small ball strategy or beginner strategy because those are far more effective in tourneys than they are in cash games.

If you are going to play cash games live vs limpers you'll likely need to build a 'limp behind' range from the btn and CO in conjunction with your RFI range .

I also don't recommend playing live $1/$2 with a BR below $6k. If youre online don't even start at $1/$2, start at 5c/10c or 10c/25c with a 30 buy-in BR. 5c/10c online on Stars is harder than 99% of cash games $5/$10 NL or lower. It's just the truth. If you can beat 10NL online for +1bb/100 after 100k hands, than you'll be able to murder $1/$2 live. IMO.
 
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kmart99

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For your question about raising 10-15 bbs to get heads up.....

If you're the first person in and nobody else has limped, raise to 4bb($8) with ALL the hands you wish to play. AKs? $8, 87s? $8, KQo? 8$.

If there are Limpers in the pot already, don't think about it as trying to get heads up, think about it like 'I want to build a pot IP with hands that are ahead of their ranges, have good equity vs their range, and have good realization vs their ranges.'
So if you are in the CO and there are already 2 Limpers, go to (4bb+(#limpersbb+1bb))=$15 with a range that will realize equity well vs their limping range
If there are 3 Limpers before you, your opening size would be $17, 4 Limpers? $19(or $20 for simplicity). With each additional limper, tighten your range a little, but balance it with the odd bluff steal because all that dead money is worth it. Just don't do it at a rate where ppl will know what you're doing.

The more fish in the pot the better. Live games can often be about playing against players on tilt who are prone to big mistakes. If there's someone at your table who is tilting or limps lots, passively check-calls all his straight draws and flush draws then folds every single time they brick, play as many pots vs them as possible.

GL bro.
 
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kmart99

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Also, learn how to bluff. Hand selection&board texture are complex when choosing when to bluff, but without this skill youll find yourself just waiting for a big hand, and maybe getting paid, maybe not.

If you don't have proper bluffing strategies implemented in your game you will likely never get a winrate above 3-4bb/100. Even live. Assuming you're even a winning player to begin with.
 
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