Struggling at the micros - Online 1/2c 6 max

#1 May 12th, 2020, 7:11 PM

Hi there,

I am playing online poker for 6 months now, predominantly 1c/2c cash game 6-Max online.

I started with USD 20 / 10 buy-ins at PokerStars playing c. 3500 hands and lost my bankroll. Afterwards studying a lot.

At poker888, I deposited USD 20 incl. bonus and freerolls US +20. Played c. 28000 hands and lost my bankroll of USD 40 / 20 buyins

At party poker, I am currently USD 30/15 buyins down after playing 20000 hands. With swings of +/-15-20 buyins.

HM3 win rate charts attached: Blue=Win at Showdown, Green=Net Won, Brown=Non-Showdown Wins

I have studied Massive Profit at the Micros (Blackrain), Chardchart 30day online course, Johnathan Little GTO optimal play and lots web literature.

For pre-flop play, I use predominantly GTO charts. According to PartyPoker leak assessment stats in pre and post flop play are fine, no major leaks identified. Instead high ratings at A-B level. Except for river agg % which is 51% instead of 33-39%. I have also reduced river agg % slightly but not impacting my winnings.

Cooler, bad beats and luck are in balance i.e. had the regular stuff AA over KK situations but QQ vs AA with a lucky set on the river. Sometimes, I feel that I am paying opponents off i.e. I have a set on the river, getting raised all-in after triple barrelling to find out my opponents have a straight or a flush sometimes full house vs. better full house, etc. If I have a the nuts opponents sometimes fold to an all-in raise and I am not getting paid. However on the opposite I get check raised on the flop with all-in Hero 7-8s / Flop:5-2-8 to find out my opponent check raised with A-Q for all-in and I win a nice pot (almost on tilt). Overall I think my MDF is fine to play unexploitable, since opponents are sometimes extremely loose so calling down with top pair on the flop makes sense and always raise/call all-in with sets, flush, straight or better.

I am a bit lost identifying the flaw in my game and unsure what to do next having played 50000 hands with bad results and w/o profit.

Welcome your thoughts about potential flaws, how to best approach and perhaps what else to study, questions? Or is 1c/2c max online cash perhaps to tough and not the place to be due to the high number of regs, pros, grinders who are always around and betting the hell out of it.

Best

Meister

#2 May 12th, 2020, 8:12 PM

Ok, It's hard to identify where you are going wrong without more specific details. Let me tell you, at the micros, you can literally not go wrong just played 20% of hands and only betting when you have a hand. If you NEVER bluffed at 2nl, you would break even at the very least. Not saying you should do that, but it's worth considering as it would make you a breakeven player or a small winning player.

Also I am willing to bet that you call way too much with marginal hands on dangerous boards. Look at board texture. Is it safe, or is it unsafe?

The only way you can really get help is by posting hand histories. Not of coolers, but of lots and lots of medium sized pots.

#3 May 12th, 2020, 9:07 PM

Thanks that's already helpful.

Attached I have additional stats incl. hand histories from 20000hand at PartyPoker which might provide additional insights.

- Positional play
- River bet efficiency
- River call efficiency
- CBET success based on board texture

Should I upload hand histories in txt or which format?

#4 May 13th, 2020, 12:39 AM

Hi,

One hand for review from todays online 6-max cash 1c/2c.

LJ: RFI 3.5bb (LAG player) (Stack 100bb)
BU: Hero 9d-8d calls (Stack 110bb)
SB: Calls
BB: Calls

Pot: 11b
Flop: Qd-8d-6s
LJ: Bet 7bb
Hero: All-in
SB: Folds
BB: Folds

River: Qd-8d-6s-6d-10h
LJ Shows QQ

Not sure if I have played correctly at the flop (Hero). Thought I have enough fold equity and 12 outer: 9 (flush outs) + 3 (two pairs). LAG opponent rivered a full house.

#5 May 13th, 2020, 1:50 AM

Way too aggressive for my taste. to push with middle pair is a little much for me but flush draw kind of makes up for it but why push? Is there really fold equity there for opponent if hes not putting you on a Q? what is your opponents range? Better to win a small pot then lose a big one!

#6 May 13th, 2020, 12:13 PM

Originally Posted by Meister7775

Hi,

One hand for review from todays online 6-max cash 1c/2c.

LJ: RFI 3.5bb (LAG player) (Stack 100bb)
BU: Hero 9d-8d calls (Stack 110bb)
SB: Calls
BB: Calls

Pot: 11b
Flop: Qd-8d-6s
LJ: Bet 7bb
Hero: All-in
SB: Folds
BB: Folds

River: Qd-8d-6s-6d-10h
LJ Shows QQ

Not sure if I have played correctly at the flop (Hero). Thought I have enough fold equity and 12 outer: 9 (flush outs) + 3 (two pairs). LAG opponent rivered a full house.

In your analysis you hold the 8d and also show 8d on the flop. I think perhaps it was the 8 of spades and the 6 of diamonds? Anyway if that's the case then you have a pair and a flush draw which is 30% against a flopped set.

It's still only 47% against AA with the ace of diamonds in villains hand and 53% if he doesn't have a diamond. And about 47% against all top pair type hands that hold a diamond. 50% against those that don't.

You need to ask what Villian's continuing range is here. Is he calling you with top pair? Perhaps. Depends on the nittyness of villain and your image.

So lets input this.

Against villain's calling range (and I'm being generous) you have 50% equity at best case scenario.
A lot of the time they'll have better than top pair, which means you're significantly behind.

How often do they fold here? Well that's difficult to say, but the pot is definitely not big enough for you to profit for all the times they fold, along with the times they call.

If the pot was 3/4bet then it changes a lot. There is now a lot more money in the pot, so the value of your fold equity goes up.

In a simple 2bet pot here, with few callers, it is not +EV to shove this hand. It's not massively -EV either. It's break even. But with rake, you need to be more careful.

Honestly, it's not totally incorrect to shove here. I've been plugging in the numbers to a fold equity calculator and if he folds 50% of the time or more, it's profitable. Having said that, it's far better +EV to simply call, and keep their bluffing range in, rather than fold out all the hands you beat, and only get called from ones that are flipping at best, or have you crushed.

#7 May 13th, 2020, 12:26 PM

Also, looking at your stats, you have a very high VPIP in the SB and the BB. Your winrate in the SB in particular is pretty bad.

You want about -20bb/100 in SB and -40bb in the BB. That's acceptable. You should really be tightening your range when out of position, which you will be in the blinds a lot!

Steal from the button with 50% if you like, but tighten that up in the SB. Also you have a 10% 3bet in the SB. I assume this is you restealing against a button or cutoff open, however you need to do this profitably against players who have a 80% + fold to 3bet stat over a signifiant sample. Don't 3bet your Ax garbage against players who are going to call you. You'll burn money.

These are my 2nl stats. Use them how you wish Struggling at the micros - Online 1/2c 6 max

Struggling at the micros - Online 1/2c 6 max

#8 May 13th, 2020, 1:18 PM

1) Choose the right poker site

For 2NL cash games the best site is PokerStars, because they have the lowest rake of only 3,5%. 888 Poker is especially bad in this regard, and PartyPoker dont allow external HUDs.

2) Play less hands

Your VPIP is more than 30%, which is way to much. If you are struggling, you should bring it down to 20% for 6-max. When you are profitable, you can gradually move towards a LAG-style and increase it to 25% and possibly boyond.

3) Be positionally aware

You are playing way to many hands from SB in particular and not enough from BTN.

4) Forget GTO and fancy play

You are bringing a gun to a knifefight, when you study GTO to play 2NL or for that matter all the way up through the micros. The most clear sign is your showdown vs. nonshowdown winnings. Your nonshowdown winnings are higher than showdown winnings on both sites, and this is completely wrong.

Even at 25NL on PokerStars my nonshowdown winnings are a massively negative number especially post COVID-19. But this is ok, because my showdown winnings is an even more massively positive number, which bring my total winrate into dubble digit territory.

And this is how, you beat soft games. What do recreational players love to do? Call, call, call. So what should we do against them? Valuebet, valuebet, valuebet. Its really that simple. Sure I do some bluff catching as well, and I C-bet the flop a lot, but that is often not even really a bluff, because their range is so wide.

Your won at showdown is only a little over 40%, and this number need to be above 50% for optimal results in the micros. Playing less hands will help already, and the rest will come from folding bluff catchers more often and bluffing way less especially on turns and rivers.

5) Adjust to individual opponents / player types

Your overall stats should reflect, that you play against recreational players, because otherwise its pointless to play 2NL or any micro game for that matter. However with that being said, there are also regulars (mostly bad) at 2NL, and you want to play differently against them than against the fish. This is why, its very benefitial to use a HUD, which boils back to, why PokerStars is the best site for 2NL or frankly probably any cash games.

You read some of Blackrain79s stuff already, but this free article contain more recent and usefull tips on, how to beat soft games.

https://www.blackrain79.com/search?u...&by-date=false

#9 May 14th, 2020, 2:26 AM

Thanks thats really helpful and your stats-winrate show that there is opportunity to win at the micro if you know how!! Impressive and a long way to go on my end!

Today, I had a break even or slightly loosing session playing two tables tight for 4h...overall disappointing always on the wrong side. That might be the major flaw in my game. 4 hours are a fairly good representation of the 20000 hands played before with similar situations.

It started with a big win...A-A (90bb). Afterwards spiral downwards..

A major suck out is hitting big. Full house over full house where I lost 45bb....I had JJ opponent called with Q-8o from the SB
River: Q-Q-J-6-6 Struggling at the micros - Online 1/2c 6 max

5 example situations where I am not sure if played correctly, but for sure loosing pots and bb I could not win back.

I start with a positive aggressive play:

1.)
CU (Hero): 9s-8s Hero (Stack 90bb)
RFI: 3bb
SB (LAG): 11bb 3-Bet (Stack 150bb)
CU: 33bb 4-Bet
SB: Fold

LAG was always 3-Betting and I had simply enough; really did not want to play 9-8s against him. Therefore 4-Bet as a bluff.....?

Here a hero fold loosing medium pot.
2.)
LJ (LAG): RFI 3bb (Stack: 130bb)
BU (Hero): Qs-Js Call (90bb)

Flop: 8s-6d-Qd
LJ: Check
Hero: 3.5bb Bet
LJ: Call
Turn:

8s-6d-Qd-2h
Hero: Check
LJ: Check

River:

8s-6d-Qd-2h-3h

Hero: 7.5bb Bet
LJ: All-in

Hero: Fold

Was not sure what to do. In the past I would have called and lost my stack 80% of the time...this time I folded. If I play in this way, and fold top pair medium kicker, I loose 25% of my stack due to the previous betting rounds in the pot...so not profitable as well.

Hero calls, loosing medium pot:

3.)
CU (Hero): 9d-9s RFI 3bb (Stack: 80bb)
SB (REG): 3-Bet 10bb (100bb)
Hero: Call
Flop: 7h-6d-5s
Hero: 3.5bb Bet
SB: Check
Hero: Check
Turn:

7h-6d-5s-5d

SB: Check
Hero: Check
River: 7h-6d-5s-5d-4s
SB: 10bb Bet

Hero: Call

SB has 7d-7s set

This was the wrong call and cost c. 20% of the stack...I would never have expected a 3-Bet from the opponent with 7-7 therefore put him on the wrong range i.e. A-x crap...But this is a major problem that you cannot put opponents on a range at the micro stakes. Everthing is possible.
5.)

LJ (Limper): 1bb (130bb)
SB (Hero): Qs-Ks Raise 4bb (Stack: 90bb)BB: Call
LJ: Call
Flop: Qh-5c-10s
Hero: Check
LJ: 5.5bb Bet
Hero: Call
BB: Fold
Turn:

Qh-5c-10s-Ah

Hero: Check
LJ: 11bb Bet

Hero: Call

River: Qh-5c-10s-Ah-8h
Hero: Check
LJ: Check

LJ has As-Kh and wins a nice pot...Limping with A-K Struggling at the micros - Online 1/2c 6 max

So which range. Is folding the turn the right play or bluffing the river with and All-in shove getting the As-Kh to fold with a flush threat? I think opponents capable of limping A-K from the LJ are likely to call the bluff...

Comments welcome!

Will start fresh tomorrow Struggling at the micros - Online 1/2c 6 max

#10 May 14th, 2020, 4:03 AM

You never tilted off any of your winnings? If I am playing my A game I can grind 2bb/100 hands in 0.01/0.02 NL

But I can tilt off 3 buy ins in 5 min. So my actual 0.01/0.02 NL is like -10bb/100 hands.

#11 May 14th, 2020, 4:23 AM

Just to clarify, that red and blue line on your graphs are win without showdown (red) and win with showdown (blue)?

#12 May 14th, 2020, 12:40 PM

Your hand histories are ok, but they do lack lots of information. We need villain's stats, and not just "Tag" or "reg" or "lag" because it would be useful if we could actually verify your assessment as being correct when you label players this way. Do you have hud stats?

Hand 1: Fine in theory. But I have a suspicion you are doing this too often. At the micro stakes you want to CLEARLY define whether you are raising for value or as a bluff. If you are unsure, it's safer to fold. So, you can throw in the odd 4bet bluff with 98s but it really should be once or twice a session at best. Also, against true lags, you'll profit more by 4betting as a bluff and flat calling a three bet with paired value hands. So flat KK/AA, (not QQ yet as you might make postflop mistakes) and 4bet AK/AQs TT-QQ. Flat call 77+ and fold the rest.

2)Clear fold on river.

3) you didn't lose too much, there is a lot of Ax in his range here. Don't call three streets, but definitely call 1 street, and perhaps 2.

4) Cbet Flop! Don't need to be clever, you have top pair against a fish. Just bet for value and deny equity. Don't bluff river, don't ever bluff in this spot at 2nl. You're trying to be way too clever. Fish at 2nl can hardly see their own two cards through all the drooling, they don't think for one second what you have, just what they have.

Example at 25nl yesterday, I had AcTc and hit the nut flush, and the river bought fourth club. FOUR clubs on board, I shove river for value $19 and fish calls with AJ for top 2 pair without a club. I won $50 pot. Imagine if you shove there trying to rep the flush and fish just call you down with 2 pair. It happens ALL the time.

2nl= BET when you have a hand. Fold when you don't. That's literally it. Big hand = big pot. Small hand = small pot.

#13 May 14th, 2020, 12:41 PM

If you really want to get better, I suggest you make a 1 hour film of you playing four tables at 2nl (you play four tables right?) and just upload it and I will watch it and comment on what I see.

#14 May 14th, 2020, 1:45 PM

This is about the first hand you posted....

First thing that i notice is that you call from the button... WHY?
Now the 2 players behind you get pot odds to look at a flop with marginal hands...
You basically invite them to get lucky against you...
In this case it didn't matter, they folded on the flop. But next time you might lose against
one of these players, when you could have pushed them out of the hand with a 3bet...

But what has caught my attention the most:

According to your posting you had an 8 of diamonds... AND THEN A 8d HITS THE FLOP...

So you either play on a scam site or there is something wrong with the hand posting...
If it wasn't an 8 of diamonds on the board then you didn't have a flush draw and shoved with just middle pair....

You also complain about your opponent rivering a full house when he made it on the turn...
"LAG opponent rivered a full house."
But he would have you beaten even without making a full house. His flopped set would have been the winning hand too...
He is not getting lucky after he called your shove.

Mistakes happen... But this could also be a sign of not being focused enough. If you do not recall the hand correctly then there is no use in analysing it...

And this goes on...

"Hero calls, loosing medium pot:

3.)
CU (Hero): 9d-9s RFI 3bb (Stack: 80bb)
SB (REG): 3-Bet 10bb (100bb)
Hero: Call
Flop: 7h-6d-5s
Hero: 3.5bb Bet
SB: Check
Hero: Check
Turn:

7h-6d-5s-5d

SB: Check
Hero: Check
River: 7h-6d-5s-5d-4s
SB: 10bb Bet
Hero: Call

SB has 7d-7s set

This was the wrong call and cost c. 20% of the stack...I would never have expected a 3-Bet from the opponent with 7-7 therefore put him on the wrong range i.e. A-x crap...But this is a major problem that you cannot put opponents on a range at the micro stakes. Everthing is possible.

I would love to know how your opponent could stay in the hand by checking after you made a 3.5 BB bet ?!?
And why do you bet 3.5BB into a 21BB pot? With 6:1 pot odds you are giving your opponent a chance to
profitably call with a lot of hands....

And then you say you put him on a range of A-x....

That is more like putting him on a hand, than giving him a range...

Why do you think he doesn't have a pocket pair 10+ ???

I think that would fit his pre-flop betting perfectly....

#15 May 14th, 2020, 2:23 PM

Too late to keep editing prior post...

Even his 7-7 is in the top 15% of hole cards... That's far from "anything is possible"....
Aggressive players will 3bet with as much as 20% range on a 6max table,
especially when your bet could just be a steal attempt from the cut-off...

#16 May 14th, 2020, 3:59 PM

A few quick comments on your hands:

Hand 1 98s
4-betting 98s is a little FPS (Fancy Play Syndrome) and fits well into the picture of, what your main issue is. It worked this time, but in general people at 2NL dont like to fold to 3-bets or 4-bets, so this is something, you need to stop doing for now. Also your rationale, that you "had enough of him" is tilt, which is another winrate killer.

Hand 2 QJs
When he check to you, your top pair is usually good, and I want to bet it for value not just on the flop but also the turn. It can be fine then to check back some rivers, but the turn is where, you need to get value from his draws.

As played its really difficult to understand, what he can even have, when he check-jam for several times the pot. Like 5d4d exactly, which backdoored into a straight? Or a sandbagged set? Its really weird, but as you say, making these "curiosity calls" for stacks with one pair is a good way to set money on fire, so I like your river line as played.

Hand 3 99
Are you sure, the bet sizes are correct here? If you only bet 3,5BB on the flop into a pot of 21BB, that is way to small. You need to bet for value/protection, when he check to you. As in hand 2 you should also bet the turn. You should be ahead most of the time, when he check to you, even though this time he was sandbagging a monster.

The river is difficult for me to analyse, because I dont play the hand this passive, so I dont see the river like this. Any 8 or 3 has a straight now, and any 5 has trips. On the other hand he should have a lot of just overcards here, since you did not make him pay. So I guess its fine to call a 10BB bet into a 28BB pot.

Hand 4 KQs
Bet the flop for value. Rest of the hand is fine. Sure its a "WTF" feeling, when he flip over AK after limp-calling pre, but this is, what fish do. He got lucky on the turn and won a pretty small pot by playing so passive. It is, what it is.

#17 May 14th, 2020, 5:07 PM

Hi all,

Thank you so much for the input which is very valuable and much better than studying alone. I try to accommodate all the input in my game as best as I can today.

Apologies, the first hand I posted was wrong and caused a bit confusion. It was Qd-8s-6d-6h-10d, so I rivered the flush but was beaten by a full-house (-; Again. an aggro fish play in hindsight and need to get rid of in my game even when frustrated.

I also double checked 9-9 vs. 7-7-7 play and the flop was checked through by opponent and me...very passive play and not optimal. He sandbagged and perhaps wanted to get me check-raised all-in which did not work out due to my passiveness (-; I tend to play medium and low pair passive; small pot as long as I don't river a set.

Now, I will start todays session c. 4-6 hours and think that I can win. Struggling at the micros - Online 1/2c 6 max

Need to find out how to make the video first. Struggling at the micros - Online 1/2c 6 max

I am only comfortable with 2 tables at the moment.

Will be back soon. Thanks!

#18 May 15th, 2020, 1:14 PM

If you download Streamlabs OBS you can stream it to a twitch account you make. That will save you having to download and upload the video.

#19 May 15th, 2020, 2:25 PM

Hi,

Back from yesterday session which was 850 hands, VPIP 20%, PFR 14% / a bit passive. Winnings of USD 2.16 / 12.7 bb/100 Struggling at the micros - Online 1/2c 6 max

Adjustments:
SB/BB
I folded all the crap, I checked from the SB and BB what you recommended. It is in contrast to GTO range however the right thing to do for 2/1c cash online. I tightened up on all positions when there was a raise in front of me; however opened up a lot more from the BU with all sort of crappy hands such as Q-5s, A-low off-suit etc. Figured out that most opponents who call from the SB/BB fold immediately if they do not hit something which is statistically 60% of the time. So I CBET 100% if they check. However fold if they donk and I have nothing. If they call my CBET and I have nothing on the turn, I give up not getting in trouble with fancy bluffs as before.

Low/Mid pair
I tried set mining thus not committing to calling anything if I did not hit a set and see overcards instead. If I hit a set which 10% probability, basically calling, raise, -re-raise on the river getting as much chips in the middle as possible.

Coolers
Got coolered as always with nut flush vs. full house (see two days ago - curious about probability that happing over 2000hands?), AA cracked via TT set however this time balancing out with wins from the a. set mining, b. cracking a slowplayed AA from an opponent with a straight.
Something to be aware of is probability for a full-house: It is 1% which is not as low as expected. So even with a nut flush to watch out for if the opponent is re-raising on a paired board. Question: The nut flush is not always the nuts and might fold to a re-raise on a paired board?

Fancy play: Was running a huge bluff and got called again... Struggling at the micros - Online 1/2c 6 max

I have a video prepared but the CardChat uploader is rejecting - the video is compressed and meeting the size requirements...
@General: Will try Streamlabs asap.

I have attached a zip file containing the download of the all the hand histories which can be imported into HM3 or PokerTracker for review.

Best

Meister

#20 May 15th, 2020, 3:53 PM

Ok cool, sounds like you're making reasonable adjustments. You're using a HUD right?

I have a tip for you that will save you huge amounts of money in the long term.

If Villian has stats somewhere around 18/12/2 or more nitty than that, they almost NEVER stack off with a flush on a paired board in a 2bet pot.

Furthermore, they'll never stack off with a straight on a flush board. 2nl is full of nits to go along with the fish. Nits hate to stack off without the stone cold nuts or close to. Remember that.

Finally, if a nit with stats like that above flat calls pre flop, and then raises/ shoves all in on the flop or turn on a dry board, it is almost always a set. Im talking 99/100 times, its a set. Nits are so transparent. They 3bet QQ+ sometimes 3bet JJ and just flat with 22+ and hope to hit a set. Big overpairs need to be laid down when the pot is 2bet, and villain raises flop or turn and jams turn/river.

PS
Most "TAGs" at 2nl are not actually TAGs. Their pre flop range of something like 20/18/3 makes them look more loose than they really are. Pre flop TAGs are almost always post-flop NITS. Remember that too. Sure, they'll run more bluffs, perhaps double barrel flop and turn, but that's still not for much more than 20% of their stack. These "tags" will still only stack off with the nuts, or close to, just like our earlier nit.

#21 May 15th, 2020, 11:34 PM

Thats a very good thought, so will be aware of these NITs. I was too much focused on pre flop ranges. The NITs are very exploitable if I make a hero fold facing extreme aggression from them.

I have uploaded the videos at YouTube

Poker Microstakes 2 1c 6max online Part II

You Tube

Poker Micro Stakes 2 1c 6max online Part I

You Tube

Starting the next session now. I am currently at party poker because I thought that I could benefit from HUD ban in terms of weaker play.

#22 May 16th, 2020, 12:09 AM

This is great, I mean without a HUD it's going to be a tough analysis but I can definitely take a look. Will do tomorrow. Thanks for upload.

#23 May 16th, 2020, 12:58 AM

Back from the session. Stacked off with AA and KK - no coolers and 2 buyins up to build bankroll. Call it a night and enjoy my winnings.

Tomorrow, I will play 888 or PokerStars using my HUD. Lots of data on the players over there and curious about your analysis.

#24 May 16th, 2020, 11:19 AM

If you could play on PokerStars, it would be great. I actually know a lot of the players there anyway. Ill watch your videos that you have posted already, but will be able to do more with a HUD on stars.

#25 May 17th, 2020, 1:12 PM

Poker Micro Stakes 2 1c 6max online Part I

4:39 A9s = Flat call pre with A9s out of position in the BB without reads. IP, this raise is ok. OOP, not so much.

6:10 Set of 3s= Bet 3/4th pot or even full pot with straight and flush draws with your set of 3s. Extract value, charge them to draw. They’ll call whatever the price is to hit if they have anything, and will fold regardless is they don’t. On turn, again, bet 3/4th pot or more.

10:20 9Ts = good check back on flop.

27:55 65s = For this price, you can call in the BB and play a flop in position.

28:36 KK = good 3bet price. Perfect sizing for 2nl. Perfect post flop play too. Unlucky turn card.
Is there no auto top up feature? If there is, turn it on J

29:51 QJo = This hand is too weak to be calling in MP2 v MP1, his range is much stronger than yours, you’ll often be dominated and what’s more, this matters even more when your stack is short. You’ll be pot committed on any top pair hand you make and you also don’t have the stack size to correctly draw to straights. Fold pre. If you were on the BU v CO, you could call this profitably. Once 3bet, good fold. Glad you didn’t call here.

Top up your stack to 100bb at all times J You can’t set mine as profitably without a full stack, and that’s where so much money comes from at 2nl.

44:34 K8o = You almost 3bet this hand. DON’T haha.

50:56 A4o = Raise, this is still ahead of all sorts of hands like KQ/Js, QJo KQo etc. Fold to 3bet. It’s ok to limp if BB is a rampant 3better though. Full range graph can be found here for SB v BB open ranges https://upswingpoker.com/use-these-4-rules-to-play-your-small-blind-smart/

Also, a nice rule of thumb in the SB v BB, is to check your top pair hands, and bet some of your air, and middle and bottom pairs. So check call with your pair of aces on this flop, and bet and Jack or 3.

51:21 TT = 3bet on the BU. You’re ahead of so much of his range. If he calls with AK/Q/J or any high unpaired hands, they’ll miss the flop 69% of the time, so you can Cbet and take the pot down. As played, your line post flop was fine.

53:18 A8s = Raise flop. One thing I’ve learnt at 2nl, is that so often, players bet 1/2pot with their air/weak Cbet range. And bet 3/4th pot with their value hands. Raise any 1/2pot bet with this draw. Call when they bet 3/4th pot bet or more. Good fold on turn, you don’t have the correct odds to draw, and also on a paired board, you’re less likely to have the nuts when you hit.

56:25 88 = You can sometimes call here, but also sometimes 3bet. You’re ahead of a lot of their range here and they’ll miss the flop a lot of the time.

1:00:26 QTs pre flop, this call is good, although you can occasionally mix in a 3bet. Post flop, I actually think you should raise his Cbet. Be careful with this, and don’t overdo it, but you have two overcards and a back door flush draw. He Cbet 1/2pot and this flop just doesn’t hit so many of his cards. If he bet 3/4th pot, you can fold. But with � pot here, you can raise with your equity. Check turn if you hit a pair for pot control, and also if you miss cos you’re now behind if he calls.

107:04 Don’t bet river here. It’s not enough for him to be scared of the flush, and he’s way ahead of your hand after he calls the flop. If he calls, you’re beat and if he checks back, you’re probably ahead of his air anyway with 99. What do you put him on when you bluff here? What are you trying to make him fold? Don’t bluff middle strength hands that have showdown value, a better hand to bluff here with is AJ/AT or TJs that missed etc.

1:18:42 T9s = Call here, you have a nice hand on the BU that can play some pots in position.

1:26 K3s = Don’t cbet this imo. Don’t bet turn, keep his bluffs in. Let him bluff his pocket pairs that contain a club.

#26 May 17th, 2020, 11:04 PM

Thanks for the comments!

4:39 A9s - The 3Bet was meant to balance my range (polarized / 3Bet as a bluff) because I did not wanted to plays this hand OOP (hoped to get them fold). Perhaps this does not make sense at micros and should 3 bet with an entire linear range only - discussed earlier.
Questions on flush play: On the flop I hit the flush draw and bet 50% pot. Opponent folded. Let's a assume opponent goes All-in. 1. Should I call ? Against a 3-Bet calling range TT+,ATs+,KQs, AQo+ of the opponent, I have c. 48% equity. 2. Let assume opponent calls and I do not hit flush on the turn. Shall I bet out or check the turn ?

Set of 3s. Comment on the set is very good and need to extract more value. On Party Poker is a auto top up feature and will switch on.

QJ - Was always calling even 3Bets, will have to change my game. I made the same mistake today again Struggling at the micros - Online 1/2c 6 max

A8s: Thanks and answers the question on flush play.

107.04 99: A mistake I make often and have to change.

PokerStars session 30min. USD - 0.81 / -42 bb/100

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zcmtw-Wmt4

Poker888 session 60min. USD 0.19 / 15.6

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYjvoNW3g5Qbb/100

In terms of bet sizing, I use often 50% or 60% or 100% pot size. Small bet sizing less often because it gets raised a lot and implies weak or drawing hands. Not sure if that�s the correct play?

#27 May 18th, 2020, 11:17 AM

Originally Posted by Meister7775

Thanks for the comments!

4:39 A9s - The 3Bet was meant to balance my range (polarized / 3Bet as a bluff) because I did not wanted to plays this hand OOP (hoped to get them fold). Perhaps this does not make sense at micros and should 3 bet with an entire linear range only - discussed earlier.
Questions on flush play: On the flop I hit the flush draw and bet 50% pot. Opponent folded. Let's a assume opponent goes All-in. 1. Should I call ? Against a 3-Bet calling range TT+,ATs+,KQs, AQo+ of the opponent, I have c. 48% equity. 2. Let assume opponent calls and I do not hit flush on the turn. Shall I bet out or check the turn ?

It's ok to 3bet this hand occasionally in late position against a good thinking regular, but there aren't many of those at these stakes. You really shouldn't be worried about balancing your range at micro stakes. Seriously, just raise for value. No one is paying any attention at all, and it's the fish you want to target anyway. Don't 3bet this in the SB, you're out of position and his continuing range is much stronger than your hand. You may have 48% equity against his calling range on the flop, but he isn't shoving all in with this range on the flop. If they go all in, you can remove almost all of those hands from the equation and put him on pretty much JJ+, of which you are behind. You should fold if they shove the flop. And, tbh, this is the problem with 3betting A9s, even when you flop a draw, you're behind against his shove.

Set of 3s. Comment on the set is very good and need to extract more value. On Party Poker is a auto top up feature and will switch on.

Np

QJ - Was always calling even 3Bets, will have to change my game. I made the same mistake today again Struggling at the micros - Online 1/2c 6 max

Yeah fold that garbage xD

A8s: Thanks and answers the question on flush play.

107.04 99: A mistake I make often and have to change.

Happy to help

PokerStars session 30min. USD - 0.81 / -42 bb/100

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zcmtw-Wmt4

Poker888 session 60min. USD 0.19 / 15.6

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYjvoNW3g5Qbb/100

In terms of bet sizing, I use often 50% or 60% or 100% pot size. Small bet sizing less often because it gets raised a lot and implies weak or drawing hands. Not sure if that�s the correct play?

On a paired board, like 3TT or 5QQ or 277 that doesn't have draws you can also bet 1/3rd pot. If you have a value hand, it will mean you can get calls from ace high type hands, and also if the villian will fold, they'll fold for 1/3rd pot almost as much as they will fold to 1/2 pot. Saves you money on the cbet Struggling at the micros - Online 1/2c 6 max

Also, at micro stakes, your small sizing will not get raised anywhere near enough of the time as it should do. Really, I don't even use a balanced betting strategy. I crush 2nl and I bet 3/4th pot or full pot when I have a hand, and I bet 1/2pot when I have a middle or bluff hand. People are not watching your bet sizing. You can be totally exploitable and really crush the game. In fact, to achieve the highest win rates at 2nl you should play totally exploitable. Your money come from the fish, they're the ones who pay you off. Doesn't matter if the odd Reg or two works your game out, there are SO many tables and so many fish.

Here is the rule I use

Against total drooling fish I bet 100% pot on flop, turn and shove river if I want him to call. He'll call you down with any peice of the board most of the time

Against a nit, I bet 1/2pot as a bluff, and 2/3rd pot as a value bet on the flop. Same sizing on turn and river.

I only balance my bet sizing when I'm up against a clear TAG player who is really thinking about the game. Then I change my strategy, just to **** with them and stay balanced.

#28 May 18th, 2020, 11:21 AM

Will watch your poker stars videos later Struggling at the micros - Online 1/2c 6 max

#29 May 18th, 2020, 4:13 PM

Thanks, that's excellent analysis and really goes to the bottom of my leak Struggling at the micros - Online 1/2c 6 max

a. Not extracting enough value from big hands
b. Bluffing too much with marginal hands, crap hands
c. Calling with marginal hands
d. Trying to play a balanced strategy when there is no-one balanced at all. BTW: After I studied how to play a balanced strategy my win-rate was dropping even more which is indication that a balanced strategy at the Micro's is complete non-sense and will get you bust rapidly.

Will jump on another, completely unbalanced session at PokerStars and post tonight. Struggling at the micros - Online 1/2c 6 max

#30 May 18th, 2020, 6:42 PM

Hi,

here is my video from today's session. A difficult one...with ups and downs.

You Tube

2 Tables
65min
+ USD 2.87
139,3 bb/100

In particular difficult: Player EastAveBlue joining after 10min playing VPIP 42%, PFR 17%, 7% 3Bet, Aggf 3.9, Agg 37%.

Lost a number of pots against this opponent since I had to fold a lot...oftentimes I am getting a bit more aggressive and calling down quite loose.

I have a difficult time playing against these type of opponents.

Examples:
24:02 88 vs ? I called his 3Bet and folded post flop (not sure if I should have called him down post flop)

41:53 A9o vs ? He was 3Betting again and I bluffed 4-Bet 60c and he 5-Bet 180c. I folded and lost 66c.

45:35 88 vs. ? He was betting out on a flush board against my 88. On the river pot size 50c and I folded.

the other table
40:54 77 River bet? Again I think that is the wrong play like the 99 yesterday...there are no worse hands that could call me and only get raised with nuts or bluffed.

#31 May 18th, 2020, 7:16 PM

24:02 = Easy fold flop. Too many overcards. Imo, fold pre. Call with TT+ at 2nl.

41:53 = Villian is getting into your head. You really shouldn't be bluffing this hand. Raise for value or fold. Don't bluff these sorts of players. Either you're ahead with A9, in which case you should just shove all in, or fold to the 3bet. If you're gonna 4bet, you need to be ready to call a 5bet shove against aggro players.

45:35 = You played this really badly sorry dude. Fold flop. Even if he's playing crazy, that board just hits so much of his range. I say again, Fold flop! For every time he has Ace high or a lower pocket, he has an overcard that paired so much more.

40:54 = No way you bet river here Struggling at the micros - Online 1/2c 6 max

what are you getting value from????

#32 May 19th, 2020, 12:21 AM

Yeah, I think the hands highlighted in the last video where played wrong. In hindsight it appears clear to me but still difficult to action during live session.

Here is the second part of todays session, which was overall a loosing session but with lots of variety and interesting.

You Tube

USD -1.67
bb/100 -31,6
90min

Difficult player�s:
1 Makripodis VPIP 42%, PFR 15%, 3Bet 12%
2. KHODUSOV VPIP 27%, PFR 27% -> Shove-fold play with a 50BB stack. I lost AQ vs QJ against him....

0:10 TT vs. JJ Started outright 3 Betting. I hit set and he as well. I went all-in on the flop and got stacked. I think wrong play because the board was highly coordinated...i.e. straight and overcards

6:49 66 vs ?? BU . I folded to 3Bet. Think the right play because his stack was 50bb only?

7:54 QTs from the BU I should have played vs. limper

9:40 66 vs ?? I called the flop and turn bet and re-raised river...opponent folded...

21.10 AK bluff fold correct even that opponent bet 1/3 of the pot on the turn only?

23.22 KJs Betting the River for value? I did not because I thought multiway and opponent might have set and re-raise. However I could have been called by a number of worse hands...

24.43. AK I think the pot size bet was too high. I should have bet 1/3 or 1/2 pot keeping the opponent in right?

28.15....nice flush where I could stack opponent with second best hand Struggling at the micros - Online 1/2c 6 max

I had a number of time QQ and AK...would you always 3 Bet these hands or call occasionally?

I often end up with a 3 Bet AK in a situation such as
39.07...I think fold the turn is correct if opponent is betting into me.

49.48 Full house...I missed the raise for value extraction on the river

59.52 I managed to stack Makripodis with set of 2

From here sprial downwards:

1.03: Stacked with JJ vs AA from an opponent with 13% 3 Bet range.

1.12: Stacked with KK vs 8 set. After betting three streets for value opponent re-raised on the river and I called like a donkey. FOLD WHEN RERAISED ON THE RIVER!

1.18 Stacked with AQ vs QJ by opponent who played shove-fold with a short stack 40BB.
You must have experienced these shove-fold players. Any thought how to best combat them?

Call it a night to avoid tilt and more losses... Struggling at the micros - Online 1/2c 6 max

#33 May 20th, 2020, 2:04 PM

Got a university deadline for my dissertation due in 9 days, will take a look at this as soon as possible. Might take me a couple of days.

#34 May 20th, 2020, 4:50 PM

Sure. I wish you good luck with the dissertation and keep my fingers crossed this goes well. Assume you are studying something related to Math or Psychology with Poker relevance.

After implementing your guidance and strategy, I am experiencing incredible jumps in my win rate (up USD 19 / 1900hands; see attached).

BET when you have a hand. Fold when you don't. Big hand = big pot. Small hand = small pot.

That's literally it! Fold everything BUT the stone cold nuts against a re-raise from these NITs. Amazing how this works.

I owe you a profit share mate... Struggling at the micros - Online 1/2c 6 max

I am playing 4 tables keeping me so busy that I do not have time to think about all that fancy GTO theoretical play. Just follow very simple principles.

So much fun and back to the strolling fish at PokerStars. Will post my winnings from time to time and look forward to your comments on my play when you have finalized the PhD. Still my game can be improved and I am sure that I will experience depressing downswings from time to time again. Seen you post at 2-5nl, a level where I have ambitions in the future, however need to manage 1-2nl first...

Cheers!

#35 May 21st, 2020, 7:59 PM

You're very welcome, thank you kindly I hope it's still working out for you. No need for any share of the profit Struggling at the micros - Online 1/2c 6 max

Can you take me through your HUD please? It doesn't seem to be set up in the normal way. What does each stat mean? what order have you got them in.

#36 May 22nd, 2020, 10:30 AM

Here is a better view of my weekly stats which I also use to track opponents during play.

In HM3 there are slight differences to Poker Tracker.

Post flop aggression calculated as % player makes aggressive move.

Postf%, Flop Agg%, Turn Agg%, River Agg%

My River call efficiency not sure about i.e. how this should look like.....From left to right the first number "River Call Efficiency" is average return per USD 1 of river calls and check calls. The second number "River Call Efficiency BB'' is the same BB from the situational view of Holdem Manager (see diagram in the beginning of this post -> The steep declining diagram...)

I think a number of stats still need to be improved in my game.

#37 May 22nd, 2020, 12:39 PM

You should configure your hud like this:
https://www.blackrain79.com/2013/09/how-to-optimize-your-hud-for-todays.html

The three main stats that should be at the top of your hud and is really standard are VPIP/PFR/Agg

Should look like this: 25/22/4 or 12/2/1 or 70/60/5.

Try not to focus too much on your stats for the sake of plugging leaks right now, you're better off just playing a totally exploitative style that focuses on your villain's tendancies. My stats for fullring fish infested games are totally different from my 6max reg games

Stats for fish games = 25/12/2 or something close to that. Stats for reg games = 24/20/4.

Try and make good decisions rather than worrying about stats. The stats will reflect the good decisions. And also your stats could be "bad" but if they win money then it's worth it at the micros. If people always call way too mcuh, you don't need to have high aggression or PFR. etc

#38 May 30th, 2020, 10:33 AM

How are you getting on?

#39 June 1st, 2020, 6:28 PM

Hi,

everything went very well until the last hour today where I intended to make a video for the forum, to show how I have improved my play. It turned out to be a real disaster...I lost 3.5 buy-ins (USD 6.7) in just one hour...see video below.

It is just unbelievable how sometimes bad beats/coolers can accumulate in a very short period of time and hours of play going out of the window, literally burning through my bankroll...

Not sure what I have done wrong and let me know your comments on the video.

You Tube

Explanation of key HUD stats left to right:
SUM: Player name, hands played
PRE: VPIP, PFR, 3Bet, Fold to 3 Bet, Fold to Steal (green)
BET: Agg, Flop CBet% (orange) FOL: Postflop fold, Fold vs. CBet (yellow)
SHO: WTSD%, W$SD% (red)

Progress report on key stats:
Net won: USD 21.-
Hands played: 16000
Winrate bb/100: 6.7
Really depressing sometimes...yesterday evening I still had over 8.8bb/100 win rate.

#40 June 1st, 2020, 10:27 PM

Here is another cooler highlight not on the video from todays evening.

A fish went all-in with a flush draw on the turn c. 18% equity vs. my A-J two pairs - both of us deep stacked.

I think I played this right...however sometimes close to give up poker because it needs so much time to win back these big pots.

#41 June 1st, 2020, 11:22 PM

Originally Posted by Meister7775

Here is another cooler highlight not on the video from todays evening.

A fish went all-in with a flush draw on the turn c. 18% equity vs. my A-J two pairs - both of us deep stacked.

I think I played this right...however sometimes close to give up poker because it needs so much time to win back these big pots.

I can't say you did bad, if i was you i would fold on turn and consider his hand a set
but it was bad luck that he took flash draw on turn nobody can blame

#42 June 2nd, 2020, 12:32 AM

More coolers...down 6 buyins...today. What a variance in one day!!!

#43 June 2nd, 2020, 11:45 PM

Hi,

In contrast to yesterday my run to today was just amazing - 7 buyin�s up - bankroll growing!!

1000 hands
68 bb/100
Net won: USD 13.9

Perhaps a variance of 4-6 buy-ins up and down is very normal in these games full of fish and something I need to manage better from the mindset perspective. My new self imposed rule is just stopp playing if I am more than 3 buyin's down + close a particular table if I loose one buyin against a crazy fish. Or is PokerStars rigged? I know it is not true because there is zero incentive for the platform to do so...(-:

#44 June 3rd, 2020, 10:09 AM

Hey mate, don't worry about coolers or suckouts, it will even out in the long run. Just play good poker which is what you're doing. If you are suffering badly, you could always use the "cashout" for a few days, just until things turn around.

I'll watch your video today and give some feedback. Struggling at the micros - Online 1/2c 6 max

#45 June 4th, 2020, 4:48 PM

Hey mate, I've got this far. I had to stop because some people came over. Will finish the rest tomorrow

1:59 K7s: you can call and see a flop for this price at 2nl. If you hit you could well get paid off.

6:32 A9s unlucky about the full house. Brutal slowroll. If the guy is a nit, you could just check/call river there. If he’s a fish, then shoving over the top is the correct play.

7:12 A9s again. Raise to 8-10 cents pre flop. For this price it’s unlikely anyone will fold, and you don’t have the best positon or the strongest hand. Isolate the fish with the small stack and get the reg to fold his garbage. Good half pot bet on flop.

8:19 JTo. Check the stack sizes of the blinds. The BB is really short stacked which means if he shoves you’ll be in a very “tough” spot technically speaking. Better off raising this 2x not 3x to steal.

11:07 AQs: You could argue for a flat call here some of the time, but I think with a hand as strong as AQs you need to be 3betting for value, and also to gain the initiative out of position. It will miss the flop 68% of the time or so, so you need to be 3betting to take the pot down when you miss with a strong cbet on most board textures.

Also, when hit, just shove river rather than bet $1. If he’s calling a dollar, he’s calling a shove. Bet for value

12:05 A3s you ran out of time here. You should be looking to bet turn for 2/3rd pot. There are lots of draws here you want to charge to see a river. On a dry ace high board, checking turn is fine as it’s more likely he’ll have a higher ace or better.

#46 June 4th, 2020, 5:36 PM

I'm only playing Freerolls now to build my bankroll. Sometimes my concentration is so good that I have won two entire freeroll tournments, that value $10. I have won two freerolls within the same week, two weeks ago. Which brought my bankroll up to + $20. Recently it sames like my concentration was off lately. I have lost that what I have won in freerolls. Every freeroll I play, I have being losing. I feel like I'm struggling. Thank you for the encouragement.

#47 June 7th, 2020, 4:29 AM

Originally Posted by Meister7775

Hi,

One hand for review from todays online 6-max cash 1c/2c.

LJ: RFI 3.5bb (LAG player) (Stack 100bb)
BU: Hero 9d-8d calls (Stack 110bb)
SB: Calls
BB: Calls

Pot: 11b
Flop: Qd-8d-6s
LJ: Bet 7bb
Hero: All-in
SB: Folds
BB: Folds

River: Qd-8d-6s-6d-10h
LJ Shows QQ

Not sure if I have played correctly at the flop (Hero). Thought I have enough fold equity and 12 outer: 9 (flush outs) + 3 (two pairs). LAG opponent rivered a full house.

I think in situations like this you do have some showdown value so it wouldn�t of hurt to play a little more cautions and see a turn and evaluate from there.

#48 June 7th, 2020, 10:31 AM

Hey Meister,

I would highly recommend that you don't use GTO charts for NL2. As I have stated many times, I think this is one of the main reasons why many small stakes players are struggling these days.

GTO is not an optimal strategy for extremely low limit games like this. In fact, it is probably harming your results, as I discuss in this article of mine:

https://www.blackrain79.com/2019/12/gto-poker-strategy.html

#49 June 7th, 2020, 11:38 AM

It is interesting what Nathan says about gto charts. I feel it can apply to charts generally once you reach a certain level of experience. They are great teaching tools and visual aids, fantastic for study and building the basics of your strategy, but can actually do you harm in some circumstances.

For a long time I allowed myself to become really tied to pre flop charts, referring frequently and trying to follow them as if they gave me some mathematical edge. I used them as a crutch and they hampered my ability to exploit specific opponents while avoiding others. I'd often either have charts printed out or visible on my screen.

I no longer use them playing micro cash and just now use a combination of my acquired knowledge through study and play AND a decision based on action/villains before me, my position, and villains yet to act.

I feel I play more instinctively now and with intention, i quickly understand why I'm folding, or raising etc. It also informs my possible actions for later in the hand, gets me thinking ahead.

I may occasionally get too wide or too loose, but at least I am acting with exploitative intent, which at the micro stakes is vital to crushing it.

More important than pre flop charts is an understanding of why and WHEN certain hands are strong. These days I work on the application of that knowledge rather than believing a chart has the answers for every question.

#50 June 7th, 2020, 1:28 PM

Beating a microclimate is very difficult and will take a lot of time and energy — is it worth it ?!

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