Micro-stakes table images/ strategies

akaRobbo

akaRobbo

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So recently ive adopted a new strategy at 5NL. Play like a NIT for around the first 100 hands. Only betting with the best hand, showdown winning hands everytime, never bluffing, to create super tight table image. Then just loosen up, play a normal TAG game. I have found C- bets on appropriate boards work extremely well as do 3-bets afterwards. This allows you to win a decent amount of pots off of the Regs OTF and sometimes the turn, which you might not have been able to if you hadn't have created the image of a NIT.

I used to, well kinda still do just play ABC poker at 5NL and it seems to work well because of all the fish and bad players. But when you get onto tables with a few regs, and better players win-rate decreases a lot and ABC is nowhere near as effective. This strategy has helped deal with this though, even some of the fish can be forced off pots by c-betting appropriate flops when you miss :D .

Do you use any different strategies? What is the best way to play 5NL in your opinion?
 
shanest

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Going to try this. I really want to take my game to the next level and that means thinking more about how my opponents perceive me
 
zipper2000

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akaRobbo said:
So recently ive adopted a new strategy at 5NL. Play like a NIT for around the first 100 hands. Only betting with the best hand, showdown winning hands everytime, never bluffing, to create super tight table image. Then just loosen up, play a normal TAG game. I have found C- bets on appropriate boards work extremely well as do 3-bets afterwards. This allows you to win a decent amount of pots off of the Regs OTF and sometimes the turn, which you might not have been able to if you hadn't have created the image of a NIT.

I used to, well kinda still do just play ABC poker at 5NL and it seems to work well because of all the fish and bad players. But when you get onto tables with a few regs, and better players win-rate decreases a lot and ABC is nowhere near as effective. This strategy has helped deal with this though, even some of the fish can be forced off pots by c-betting appropriate flops when you miss :D .

Do you use any different strategies? What is the best way to play 5NL in your opinion?
Click to expand...

I have played 3000 in 3 days on NL2 on stars, in good +, so first of all played abc poker and NIT strategy, when you have nuts, be so aggressive, change to TAG strategy, i think its work till NL25.
 
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Sounds a lot like a good strategy. I like it, but can you create the image in less time, so then you don't have to act like a nit for an hour or so? Also try to watch the regs and pick their tendencies and their weak plays e.g. checking behind instead of c-betting with the nuts.

If I were to play 5NL, I would play some ABC with a mix up here and there. Against regs, I would tend to play small ball and even calling with a gutshot on the flop hoping to catch on the turn for implied odds. I bet my AK, AQ hard when I hit that ace. Because I know that many people will call me off with even A2 offsuit.
 
Akorps

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That strategy of playing very tight early, then loosening up later, sometimes works in tournaments also.
 
Aces2w1n

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Akorps that's definetly my middle game strategy with tourneys... But more TAGish when I'm deepstacked.
 
The1AceJack

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I think it's important not just to think about the style you are trying to play, but also how the table may be reading you. I could be playing very TAG with a lot of good hands in succession; but if I never showdown and keep winning, the table may just see me as an ATC nut.
 
micromachine

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akaRobbo said:
So recently ive adopted a new strategy at 5NL. Play like a NIT for around the first 100 hands. Only betting with the best hand, showdown winning hands everytime, never bluffing, to create super tight table image. Then just loosen up, play a normal TAG game. I have found C- bets on appropriate boards work extremely well as do 3-bets afterwards. This allows you to win a decent amount of pots off of the Regs OTF and sometimes the turn, which you might not have been able to if you hadn't have created the image of a NIT.

I used to, well kinda still do just play ABC poker at 5NL and it seems to work well because of all the fish and bad players. But when you get onto tables with a few regs, and better players win-rate decreases a lot and ABC is nowhere near as effective. This strategy has helped deal with this though, even some of the fish can be forced off pots by c-betting appropriate flops when you miss :D .

Do you use any different strategies? What is the best way to play 5NL in your opinion?
Click to expand...

A lot of the regs will be multi tabling and won't necessarily notice that you have been nitting up during the session, instead they will just use the stats they have on you and they will see that you are a TAG overall. It won't work against the fish either, they aren't paying enough attention.

IMO the best way to play 5nl is LAG because nearly all of the regs are nits and TAGs and they don't necessarily know how to adjust to, for example, getting 3bet a lot.
 
akaRobbo

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micromachine said:
IMO the best way to play 5nl is LAG because nearly all of the regs are nits and TAGs and they don't necessarily know how to adjust to, for example, getting 3bet a lot.
Click to expand...

Yeah I agree LAG will be effect against the regs, especially if you've got position on them. From experience they do seem to be easily pushed off pots sometimes if you raise them, because they are used to playing one way against the fish, who are only calling them when the reg is first to act.

Against the fish though you would have to altar your game back to only betting with the best hand because there is virtually no fold equity with them, so LAG wouldn't be entirely the best option would it? Just need to mix it up I guess?
 
micromachine

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Yeah, generally just value bets vs the fish and stations although some like to see a flop and even turn but back down in the face of further betting, so these guys can be exploited by LAG play. Also I find it tends to irritate everyone at the table after a while, fish and regs, and causes them to make mistakes :D
 
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