dd_decker
Rock Star
Silver Level
The micro tables are hard.
A small buy in allows people to play a lot of hands and it's not unusual to see 4-5 people take a flop.
That makes it difficult.
The range of hands being played on a micro table, especially preflop can be VERY wide.
Remember some of the basic rules of good poker
Raise if you have a hand worthy of playing, a limp just invites more people into the hand.
Position is important but on a micro stakes table, a good starting hand is more important (IMO)
People will call with just about anything so make sure you have something to start with.
Post flop is a different matter, if you hit it, then bet it.
Trying to trap can be dangerous and bluffing is even more so.
Micro stakes brings out most of the fishes and the fisherman!
They will call that gut shot, the flush draw and even play a small pair to over cards and as you mentioned that will hit it sometimes.
And then they think they are playing good poker so they're not going to stop.
Wait to you get that strong pocket pair, or hit a great flop and then take their money, eventually you will see a good return.
Great Post!
I don't think there is any difference at all between .02, .05 or .10. It's all the same animal... The Donkey!
jewboy07
Visionary
Silver Level
blueskies
Legend
Loyaler
I played 6600 hands at 2cNL. I am about even at 5c NL after 3500 or so hands... I thought people were just trying to run me over and played too aggressively with top pairs.
Sumun
Rock Star
Silver Level
he has straight, not ace high
thats way better, anyway you had a strongest hand
about the difference of playing, i cant give an opinion as im not very experienced about it, my way to win by now is being tight, have brm, and not going on tilt
salim271
Legend
Silver Level
No he doesnt have a straight, he has 5678... he needs a 9 or a 4 to have a straight.
jewboy07
Visionary
Silver Level
[] can read...
M
MagicFlopper
Rising Star
Bronze Level
I mainly notice that people play with a wider range of hands (i.e. a lot of noobies learning the game) This can make it tricky to read their hands sometimes. Just observing who's doing what and when, who seems to understand position, who doesn't. Pick out the calling stations, hit em with a good hand and your laughing.
B
boro
Enthusiast
Silver Level
Table Selection
Hi,
may I answer I played 2NL alot, now moved to 5NL.
My criteria:
1. High percentage of players to the flop = cheap flops, so more speculative hands are playable to me and usually less preflop raises so I could alternatively be more agressive. But could also mean lots of calling stations that will pay any raise, therefore point two..
2. Low Average Pot = tight/passive table. But could also be an agressive player who always bets players out of the pot.
The "buts" are decided at the table and if they are valid I simply leave or try to adjust my play.
This is my explanation, could be wrong, but it worked well for me at 2NL. It is not the usual style of playing poker, as higher limit players will say. But I think Micros are different anyways. Now with 5NL it is basically the same. But I think it becomes less important as I want (try) to lower my VPIP and therefore my played hands. Still stick to it tough.
5NL is different from 2NL, more money in play and this can get me tilted faster. It took me a while to adjust bet sizes/raises. The players are only miniscule better, but there are more Regs.
Regards,
Boro
Hi,
may I answer
I played 2NL alot, now moved to 5NL.My criteria:
1. High percentage of players to the flop = cheap flops, so more speculative hands are playable to me and usually less preflop raises so I could alternatively be more agressive. But could also mean lots of calling stations that will pay any raise, therefore point two..
2. Low Average Pot = tight/passive table. But could also be an agressive player who always bets players out of the pot.
The "buts" are decided at the table and if they are valid I simply leave or try to adjust my play.
This is my explanation, could be wrong, but it worked well for me at 2NL. It is not the usual style of playing poker, as higher limit players will say. But I think Micros are different anyways. Now with 5NL it is basically the same. But I think it becomes less important as I want (try) to lower my VPIP and therefore my played hands. Still stick to it tough.
5NL is different from 2NL, more money in play and this can get me tilted faster. It took me a while to adjust bet sizes/raises. The players are only miniscule better, but there are more Regs.
Regards,
Boro
blueskies
Legend
Loyaler
I find that I have the most trouble with extremely loose players sitting on my immediate left. I seem to always run into them when I am on one of those runs where I can’t hit anything on the board. (Why don’t I run into these guys when I am on a lucky streak?) They are supposed to be easy pickings, but not so for me. They’ll call anything and they have position most of the time (when on my left), so I can’t really bet them off a hand or know what they have. And when you don’t have anything, you gotta check or bluff at the pot. Then they throw a raise behind you, and you gotta fold. I really should leave, but I get angry when their 94os beats my AQ suited, and I stay around, only to lose more. Been on a wild swing of late. Dropped from $42 profit down to $15 in a week (worst run ever) but have gotten it back to +$34.
thepokerkid123
Visionary
Silver Level
Change tables when one of them is on your left.
It is just generally -EV to have someone on your immediate left playing like 60% of hands. Any hand you play has a very high chance of being OOP. The only position that's really profitable is the button and you have to play like a nit in every other position.
Just change seats/tables.
blueskies
Legend
Loyaler
Vent.
I've now played almost exactly 10K hands at 2c/5c and I am either even or down a couple of bucks (PTR's data is incomplete). I've gotten as high as $15 in profits only to sink to -$20 even.
It's pretty discouraging. I think I'll quit poker for a while after my initial bonus period is over. I guess I am only fit to play at the lowest stakes, where I was winning at a 10BB per 100 hands pace.
I am pretty much playing the same way (PTR's grading of my play at the two different levels has very similar grades. Analysis similar as well.) but the results have been much worse. Maybe I was just luckier at the 2c tables.
Tonight played 250 hands and had to fight and scratch just to win 17 lousy cents. Not worth it.
Got cleaned out in a JJ vs. 33 matchup early on which cost me a buy in and I spent the rest of the night just trying to get back to even. He spikes a 3, of course. Chopped the pot with the nut straight twice. (That's been happening a lot to me lately). Lost a good sized pot with top pair J kicker to top pair K kicker.
Flopped a straight only to have to fold as a third spade connected on the turn. (I really hate the spade and heart suits in particular) Two other players had called my big reraise on the flop, and one player led out with a huge bet on the turn. He actually only hit 2 pairs on the turn, but the other guy did have the flush so I would have been cleaned out had I called.
It's just very disheartening to continue to have multiple hands like this everyday. Maybe I should loosen up preflop. I mean these guys call anything with anything and win way more frequently than I do. If I play fewer hands, then I can't win as many hands as looser guys.
I've now played almost exactly 10K hands at 2c/5c and I am either even or down a couple of bucks (PTR's data is incomplete). I've gotten as high as $15 in profits only to sink to -$20 even.
It's pretty discouraging. I think I'll quit poker for a while after my initial bonus period is over. I guess I am only fit to play at the lowest stakes, where I was winning at a 10BB per 100 hands pace.
I am pretty much playing the same way (PTR's grading of my play at the two different levels has very similar grades. Analysis similar as well.) but the results have been much worse. Maybe I was just luckier at the 2c tables.
Tonight played 250 hands and had to fight and scratch just to win 17 lousy cents. Not worth it.
Got cleaned out in a JJ vs. 33 matchup early on which cost me a buy in and I spent the rest of the night just trying to get back to even. He spikes a 3, of course. Chopped the pot with the nut straight twice. (That's been happening a lot to me lately). Lost a good sized pot with top pair J kicker to top pair K kicker.
Flopped a straight only to have to fold as a third spade connected on the turn. (I really hate the spade and heart suits in particular) Two other players had called my big reraise on the flop, and one player led out with a huge bet on the turn. He actually only hit 2 pairs on the turn, but the other guy did have the flush so I would have been cleaned out had I called.
It's just very disheartening to continue to have multiple hands like this everyday. Maybe I should loosen up preflop. I mean these guys call anything with anything and win way more frequently than I do. If I play fewer hands, then I can't win as many hands as looser guys.
TheUndertaker
Rock Star
Silver Level
Recently I found that I do better at the 0.02/0.05c tables I enter with $1.75 and seem to double it by the time leave not much but it's better than losing and one thing i haven't seen any suckouts still have idiot players thought trying to bluff using their entire stack lol.
Paj1975
Enthusiast
Silver Level
i read this thread earlier this evening. i used some of the advice at my game at the .1/.2 table. what a difference. i started with 1 euro and when i left i had a .56 profit with no ups and downs with my stack. i laid down many of the hands i'd normally go in with and instead raise when i had a hand. i was at .86 when i hit 88's and pretty much after that i made profit by going in with a hand and raising. i'd put more in but no one challenged me and nothing but profit. with the blinds i'd put the penny in or check if no hand and fold if it was raised. i know it won't be like that everytime but not having my stack go up and down all the time was nice. i got alot to learn about poker and pretty much gotta follow my own advice i give to others about learning about fitness. knowledge is power.
blueskies
Legend
Loyaler
Today I switched it up the other way, and dialed up the aggression. I think getting beat down the last few days, I got scared, always thinking my hand was no good if the other guy showed any strength at all. Today I just decided to stick it all in when I had a good hand and was likely to be ahead. Ended up winning about $3 in about 80 hands. Not that great but compared to the results in the previous few days, much better.
KK vs. AJ all in preflop, won. He had no business calling my all in shove, but I am glad he did.
Then I flopped two pais Q3 on a board of A3Q. Little did I know he flopped a flush. I kept betting pot size to try to chase away a club. He kept check calling, and I incorrectly put him on a weak ace. Could have checked the river (I had position) and showed down right there, but instead decided to value bet (no 4th club on the turn or river) and cost myself $2 more.
Then I had K10 two pairs with a flush draw on the board and shoved it on the turn. He called with a nut flush draw but couldn't hit.
I am just gonna shove it now if I think I am ahead. At least I win more if they don't hit their draws, as opposed to just putting in a pot size bet, which I was doing earlier.
KK vs. AJ all in preflop, won. He had no business calling my all in shove, but I am glad he did.
Then I flopped two pais Q3 on a board of A3Q. Little did I know he flopped a flush. I kept betting pot size to try to chase away a club. He kept check calling, and I incorrectly put him on a weak ace. Could have checked the river (I had position) and showed down right there, but instead decided to value bet (no 4th club on the turn or river) and cost myself $2 more.
Then I had K10 two pairs with a flush draw on the board and shoved it on the turn. He called with a nut flush draw but couldn't hit.
I am just gonna shove it now if I think I am ahead. At least I win more if they don't hit their draws, as opposed to just putting in a pot size bet, which I was doing earlier.
joeaugie
Enthusiast
Silver Level
It's pretty simple. There are far more people tilting off their last few bucks at .01/.02 NL, making it much easier to crush than .02/.05 NL
More people taking it serious at 5NL, IMO....that gradually becomes more and more true as you move up in limits.
A lot of people have skewed views about different limits because they haven't played a really large volume of hands at each level. If anyone ever says that 10NL is tougher than 25NL, it's a biased view based on how they ran.
It's pretty simple, as you move up, poker gets tougher because opponents are better.
More people taking it serious at 5NL, IMO....that gradually becomes more and more true as you move up in limits.
A lot of people have skewed views about different limits because they haven't played a really large volume of hands at each level. If anyone ever says that 10NL is tougher than 25NL, it's a biased view based on how they ran.
It's pretty simple, as you move up, poker gets tougher because opponents are better.
blueskies
Legend
Loyaler
Finally got beyond my previous peak. I am now $50+ in profits at PS, not counting the deposit bonuses. It took me more than 3 months to push past my previous $40 profit level. Sad. Avoided suckouts for 4 days for a change and managed to get on a nice run. Took 2 months to win $40, and 3 months to win $10… Grrrr.