What’s the Best Way to Win at Small-Stakes Poker?
Reality: Your Goals with Poker
Let’s start this topic with a brief reality check: Do you play poker to have fun, or do you play poker to win money? Most people quickly answer, “Both!” But do you consider a small loss during a poker session as acceptable, as an “entertainment fee” or something similar? If so, don’t expect to win consistently, even at small stakes, the starting point for most players.
Money is the essence of poker – it’s the way the game is scored, and it’s the reason poker players play. It’s all about winning. Winning at small-stakes poker is where even the biggest and most famous players start. So get your head on straight if you’re serious about the game, ‘k?
Now that the scarin’ is done, rest assured that is indeed possible to both enjoy playing while playing to win at the same time. Let’s say you’ve fired up an online table or three or you’re soon to be sitting in a chair at your nearby casino. Here are some quick pointers to help make more of your sessions winning ones, and make you into a profitable small-stakes player:
Specialize
Figure out what your best game is, and play it as often as possible. You might be more suited to cash games than tourneys, or vice versa; you might have a knack for Omaha, as opposed to hold’em or other forms of the game; you might be best at short-handed or heads-up play, as opposed to full-ring games. Whatever it is, figure it out and get as good at that form as fast as you can. You need to build your bankroll if you’re going to survive the variance of the game, and getting a good start is often the toughest part.
Strategize
Becoming a better player, becoming profitable, means studying the version of the game that you decide to play. Read books, visit discussion forums, subscribe to video-coaching services, buy PokerTracker, open up the nosebleed tables and watch the stars play… do whatever you can to improve. The game itself is also changing, meaning that there is no one perfect way to play. Years ago tight-aggressive (TAG) play was the best way to make consistent money, but in this decade a loose-aggressive (LAG) style has gained dominance. Aggression in poker is almost always a plus, and learning what works best for you will soon have you raking in the chips.
Exploit Weakness
In poker, as in life, the strong prey on the weak. One noted poker tome made famous the poker truism that if all players played perfect poker, only the house would win, via the rake. To win at low stakes poker you must identify weaknesses in your opponents, and exploit them. Small-stakes games are perfect for this, because there are lots of weak players there, making all kinds of different mistakes. Take notes if you can, too.
Beware Overconfidence
Knocked off a few good winning sessions, have you? Thinking about a jump to higher stakes? The wise player takes his time. Track your sessions and make sure you are dominating the games at your current level – winning a couple of big blinds (BBs) or more per hundred hands over thousands of hands – before jumping up. Make sure you’re properly bankrolled, too, because short money is scared money; it plays defensively and is usually easy prey for others.
Author: Joseph Falchetti (twitter)
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