How to beat the micros. Why the pros can't beat the micro limits

And hello again. I decided to write about 7 cache leaks. It seems to me that it is very important to know and analyze, because this is a fairly large part of the profit.

The article (well, or fiction :)) will be written partly from the words of the same Verneer with cardrunners, partly from my personal experience.

Top 7 Cache Leaks...Microlimits.

Leak number 1. Playing too many hands.

• Accept the fact that you are not a PRO

...namely, many of us watch videos of professionals, how they play, what hands they raise, what they enter pots with. There are several points here. 1. They play at other limits and there is a completely different game. 2. They are good post flop players. because many of us don't know how to play.

• Most micro-stakes are not as good postflop. So by playing a narrower range of cards, we limit the number of marginal situations we can find ourselves in and make our decisions easier postflop.

• You don't need to think much about layered thinking and balance your starting hands.

..it just doesn't make sense at these levels :)

Leak number 2. Too frequent C-Betas.

• You've always been taught that c-bet is good, so you often bet regardless of flop texture, player type, and table conditions.

Identify the problem, find articles on flop textures and which ones to put. Balance your bluff with a good card. Learn which player to c-bet and which one to check/fold.

• Questions to take into account:

1. How often does a person fold to C-bets?
2. Are you in position or not?
3. How direct or vice versa is your Opponent? Do they focus on their hand or think about yours?

Leak number 3. Passive play on the tour.

• C-betting the flop and then checking the turn is very weak/tight poker. Maybe you're playing a lot of medium-strength hands out of position, or you're scared of op's monsters.

• In most cases, you should not seek to control the pot. You should focus on getting money (value) from your opponent's total range of cards.

• Try blocking bets, blocking raises, and various other possibilities from the poker arsenal.
• But you don't need to invent anything on the tour specifically so as not to play passively. Play as normal on the map.

Leak number 4. Calling 3-bets without a definite game plan if the flop doesn't hit.

• Learn to drop some averages pocket pairs, suited connectors, dominated broadway cards (like JQ, J10, Q10, and possibly QK) for a normal 3-bet with 100bb stacks.
• When facing min 3-bets from bad players with good stacks, call with a much larger range, but be careful.
• In general, you don't need to play many 3-bet pots with the majority of players at these stakes.

Leak number 5. Playing too loose out of position

• Don't play just because it's cheap.

• It is very difficult to play profitably out of position:

1. It's hard to get the maximum from your ready hands
2. Hard to hit with a good draw
3. You will quite often react to your opponent's play instead of making your opponent react to your play in case of your call preflop raise
4. It will be hard to play out of position even with top pair or second strong pairs. Since the play will be passive most of the time and it will give an aggressive opponent the opportunity to squeeze the vase out of the hand or force you to make difficult decisions/guessing.

Leak number 6. Poor understanding of positional play.

• In general, your VPIP, PFR and CCPF should gradually increase from UTG to the Button.
• You must play very tight in the blinds.
• Starting hands that should be played in a particular position can be found on the Internet or in one of my previous posts.

Leak number 7. Poor choice of tables.

• There are a lot of tables on the Internet and it makes no sense to sit on tables that have an average pot lower than 20bb.

• At the table, watch your opponents for their style of play

In the previous article, quite a lot was written about the opps that are convenient for us and where it would be better for them to be located. Leave the table if there are no certain conditions for the game.

For example the whole table of nits. It is clear that we have nowhere to take money from. Or nits on the right, adequate tags on the left. Uncomfortable table.
The choice of tables is so huge that you can always find the right one for yourself with some kind of fish on the right and a couple of nits on the left. Don't play difficult tables.

Well .. perhaps like this. I won’t edit much, it would be better to give examples of course. Maybe someday I’ll edit and make a good full-fledged article .. But for now, like this ... I think it will be useful

In online poker. Such games with low stakes on the Internet are very popular. Here you can hone your skills, acquire the necessary skills and experience at a very reasonable price. After all, a small loss in one hand of $5 - $10 does not bring much concern. But many players hang around the micros for a long time because they can't beat them.

It may surprise some to think that it is difficult to beat the micro limits, but for last years online poker has changed a lot and playing at the micros is not that easy at all.

But the fact that they can be beaten, with an understanding of the basic concepts and with the right approach, is beyond doubt.

You have to deal with failure.

Here it is necessary to develop the right attitude towards poker, especially for those who come from live poker or beginners. Poker should be treated like a business

You have to understand that bad things can happen to anyone. When you play 8-12 tables at once, this happens quite often. If a micro-limit player cannot or does not want to play for long distances, then he is unlikely to succeed. Do not wait for some magic pill that solves all your problems at once. Some players believe that successful poker players are almost geniuses, able to outplay all opponents. This is far from true. The more hands you play, the more experience you gain and, in the end, success will be on your side.

Believe in success in the long run

Those who make money from poker play, following their approach, day after day a lot. They don't jump limits, but they find a way to minimize tilt. And there is no special secret here. They just do their best.

First of all, you need to control your emotions, even at the end of the game day. You need to strictly adhere to your game plan and do not scatter chips during tilt.

Of course, this does not mean that becoming an insensitive robot will automatically become a poker genius. Although for many people the control of emotions is already a big deal. However, it is impossible to completely overcome tilt, you will always have to fight it.

All players, without exception, are subject to tilt, but someone copes with it better, and someone worse. If you understand that you need to look at the results in the long term, then problems with tilt will become less of a concern. And success at the micros will come much faster.

Understanding the problems of poker will greatly speed up this process.

There are many talented and smart players who have collapsed because they put up with the exit bad cards from the deck could not. No poker expert can help you realize this and direct your poker mind in the right direction. You need to figure it out on your own and move towards success.

How to beat cash games at the micros. and table selection.

Consider the programs presented by Pokertracker and Holdem Manager, the so-called HUDs. Recently, these companies have released new versions of these programs. One of these programs is a must-see. When playing at the micros, you also need to master the HUD. A good selection of tables and a well-designed HUD - regardless of the limit, this is already the key to success in poker. It is possible to take a trial version. The main value of such programs lies in their ability to collect and process statistics from the site on which you play. They present information about the game and the actions of the opponent in a convenient way. The data obtained can be used directly during the game, and at the same time collect new information. Thanks to this, you can instantly determine the type of opponents and make the best decision.

Better if there is less data in the HUD.

We advise you to reduce your HUD to a minimum. For novice players, such indicators are quite enough - AF, VPIP, PFR. According to the last two indicators, you can especially accurately determine the type of opponent even at a short distance of 10 distributions.

A player playing 90% of his hands shows that he is a bad player. A tight regular will have a VPIP of 10%. Aggressiveness of the enemy will show PFR. For example, if the opponent's VPIP/PFR is 90/10, then he is a passive fish. For a "maniac" this figure will be 90/80.

If a player plays aggressively preflop, he will act the same way postflop. Accordingly, playing passively on the preflop, the player also acts on the postflop.

AF - aggression factor, will also help you a lot. But in this case, a large sample will be needed. The aggression factor for passive players is usually less than 3, for aggressive players it is always more than 4.

You also need to include some more statistics in your HUD. For example, how often does an opponent c-bet the turn and flop, and how often does he fold to a c-bet. In addition, the percentage of steal and 3-bet is important, fold to 3-bet.

There is no need to clutter up your HUD with various numbers. Those ten indicators that we have given will provide maximum information for making the right decisions. You can always add a "popup" tab if you need more data.

An important point is the selection of tables.

The choice of tables is often treated without due responsibility. Since in modern poker a fish is an exception to the rule rather than the norm, and a competent selection of a table is of great importance.

The HUD will provide you with the necessary information for this. Every poker room has notes available to use.

It is better to make color marks on the fish. Each time you open the lobby, you will immediately be able to identify the tables where the fish are playing. This will be the reason for choosing one or another table.

It is very important to understand how much you earn at the micros by playing with fish. You can open a base in HM or PT and look at largest banks to see that they always involve weak players.

Of course, knowing how to beat a regular would be nice, but that can only be important at higher stakes. At the micros, it’s more important for you to learn, as they say, “butcher”.

In order not to find yourself in a situation where only regulars will confront you, you must learn how to select tables correctly. At the micros, finding the right table isn't that hard.

How to beat cash games at the micros. Preflop play

For a profitable strategy, you need to develop the right style, that is, the right hand play. In our opinion, the tight-aggressive style or TAG is more suitable for the micros.

Some players like loose- aggressive style or LAG. But successfully applying this approach to a beginner and a slightly more experienced player is very difficult. Applying this style, you will constantly find yourself in difficult situations with an ambiguous solution. In addition, downswings will often put psychological pressure on you, and it is still difficult for inexperienced players to fight tilt.

Let's talk about tight-aggressive style. Approximately 15% starting hands you need to play long tables, raising from 12%. You can expand your range at the "short" tables by playing 21/18. Free program Pokerstove will let you know which hand ranges are included. Enter these numbers and get this range in response. By following these parameters, you will be able to enter the pot with fairly strong hands most of the time. Therefore, your decisions will be much easier.

Sometimes you will call, sometimes you will limp. This option is possible if you do not have a very strong hand, and the opponents have already entered the pot limping in front of you. However, this should be the exception rather than the rule. More often than not, you need to raise preflop if you want to fight for the pot. One of the unwritten rules of poker: never limp first! In 100% of cases, you need to open a raise trade.

Instead of limping, raise and re-raise

Why raise instead of limp? After all, it seems that you can see the flop and get off cheaply without making a good hand. But profitable poker isn't about waiting for the nuts to pay. Most of the time in NLH, no one has a strong hand at all, and the pot is taken by the one who took the initiative. If you limp at , you can only take the pot if you make a hand. But you can still assign the pot with the help of Cbet when you open with a raise. In addition, when raising preflop, you will take a much larger pot. It follows that by calling and limping you lose money.

Pay attention to the position as well. Fewer hands need to be played from early position, and more from late position. Especially in the blinds, play tight. Do not forget that in poker, money is made mainly on the button. It's hard to argue with this old statement.

After analyzing the largest sample of hands, we came to the conclusion that winnings on the button always exceed the profits from other positions. Essentially, you need to make up for the money lost in the blinds every round. Of course, it is worth defending your blinds at least a little, but you should remember the main thing - there are more hands from profitable positions, less from unprofitable positions.

To sum it up: tight-aggressive play style will be preflop the best strategy. First of all, you need to play strong hands and do it as often as possible with raises and re-raises. In addition, you need to play as many hands as possible on the button than in other positions.

As well as balancing the range at the micros, he shares his experience of playing at the micros.

. And the main difficulty, especially for beginners, is the ability to correctly identify problem points. I am not a fan of giving generalized answers to questions that come to my mail about how to pass these limits. However, this is often the best I can do. Not knowing their style of play, I can't determine what exactly are the difficulties. In fact, from my teaching experience, I know many players of these stakes who took a lot of time to study carefully to really find their leaks.

I tend to think that there are a few universal "quick moves" that can be applied to the low stakes game, particularly the very low stakes. They are so effective that if NL2, NL5 or NL10 players were to use these tips, they would most likely significantly improve their results.. Not all of these steps may work for you. And they are not designed to solve major problems that arise in the course of your game, such as tilt or fundamental errors. There are no quick standard solutions for these cases. However, I really hope that some of the tips below will help you achieve a significant breakthrough in the game and improve your results.

#1 - Bet Big With Strong Hands Against Bad Players

If you have a strong hand (top pair or better) against an amateur, you need to bet at least 75% of the pot on every street. If their hand is better, then sooner or later they will declare it. I will understand it right away. Don't and don't bet 50% on a strong hand. This will hurt your win rate more than you think.

#2 - Fold big with a strong hand against passive players

If you have a good hand (top pair or even an overpair), you don't have to be ashamed to fold when a passive player raises on the turn or river. What is a passive player (most microstakes players, especially at NL2-NL5, are passive)? As a rule, they have:

1. Low aggression factor 1 or 2.
2. A low raise rate in response to a continuation bet on the flop/turn.
3. "Passive" will also be indicators of 3-bet, 4-bet and steal.

Most regulars and amateurs at these bets simply can't raise the turn or river without a monster hand. By the way, I'm assuming that before this you raised preflop, and then bet the second or third barrel.

If a regular raises after your pre-flop open and bets on the flop and turn, then such a move should almost always be seen as an indicator of the opponent's incredible hand strength.

And this scheme works even when they min-raise. Many people are misled by this strategy. Note that it's perfectly normal to call their raise when you have a top pair/overpair on the flop. Sometimes they risk and raise on this street with a draw, a decent made hand, or even nothing at all. On big pot streets (turn and river), when a raise involves a large fraction of their stack, it's always the nuts. Take a deep breath, press the "fold" button and continue the session.

#3 - don't limp

Without exaggeration, there is no scenario where limping makes sense. Let's say you have 8-7s on the button and three opponents in front of you are limping. What will you do? Just join this group like everyone else and hope for a cheap flop? Wrong decision. Raise and take control of the situation! In this way, you create more chances for yourself to win the pot (c-bet / made hand).

If you manage to make a good hand, then you can really profit from it. Because when you force someone to bet before the flop is dealt, they are more likely to try to win the pot when they hit. It is unlikely that anyone will give you a stack in a limp pot. Unless you're lucky enough to drag the cooler.

#4 - Don't Constantly Call 3-Bets

In the lowest micro stakes game, you are doing the right thing if you call 3-bets exclusively with 8-8+ and A-Q/A-K. This is exactly what I talked about in my first book, the purpose of which was to describe the game at the micros. Why? Because calling a 3-bet with hands like 5-5, A-Ts, or 9-8s, especially out of position, will result in big problems on subsequent streets. This is especially true for beginners who have not yet developed strong post-flop skills. Very often, they manage to make a decent, but only second-best hand, and end the hand without realizing that they were only beating an outright bluff.

Do yourself a favor and just fold to a 3-bet at the micros.

These bettors don't 3-bet as ubiquitously as you might think, and you shouldn't make any image of yourself at the table anyway. Take things easy at NL2 and NL5, and avoid unnecessary marginal situations. There are more important things you should focus on, such as finding and beating the fish.

#5 - Use a HUD and do it right

A very common question I get asked is, “Is it possible to win without using a HUD at the micros?” The answer is simple: "Yes." I've played a lot of hands online without software, but that was years ago. It was easy to succeed back then - the level of the opponents' game was simply terrible, and everything that needed to be used to get big win is ABC poker.

In today's poker, it's still possible to win the low stakes game without using a HUD, but it's like playing a round of golf with just one club against a bad golfer like me.

If you have at least some golf skills, you can beat me even with one club. However, it is far from accidental that many golfers carry 9-10 clubs at once. Even if they use one or two with some regularity, it's great to have that set of options in stock.

The same applies to using a HUD in online poker. Even with basic statistics on your display, this information can be very useful. Why give it up? Personally, I use Poker Tracker, but Hold'em Manager is also a very decent product. There is no particular reason why you should not test the 30-day trial package provided by both companies. Unlike other products, HUD will justify itself over time. If you are really serious about online poker, then you should purchase this program.

This step is guaranteed to improve your game immediately. The reason is that many players start to lose focus and worsen the game without even noticing it until they get to full tilt and make mistakes that will cost them dearly. This probability is reduced if you do not know for sure whether you are winning or losing. Perhaps you have a habit of pressing the checkout button every 5 minutes. Don't worry, I did the same. It's not so easy to give it up at first. But you must not forget that poker is a long distance game.

It is practically impossible to play so many hands in one session to get an "accurate" result.

In fact, the world record belongs to Chicago Joey and his legendary bet when he played 50K hands in 24 hours at NL25 with a positive win rate a few years ago. But even 50,000 hands is not far enough. Like I always say, 100,000 hands is minimal amount, which allows you to absolutely confidently draw a conclusion about the win rate in a particular game. So the 500 or even 5,000 hands you play in the next session really don't mean anything. Try to resist the urge to hit the checkout button for at least one session and you'll see how beneficial it can be.

#7 - Always play with the fish

Set yourself a new rule today. Every time you sit down at a poker table, there should be someone who is playing 40%+ of hands. No reservations are accepted. If you have just joined the game, and there are no players at the table that you previously designated as amateurs, but there are new participants, then feel free to join the game. However, we note that the style of play of each individual player emerges somewhere after 20 played hands (VPIP/PFR/AF). Therefore, if after two full circles (three in 6-max) you haven't seen a player with a VPIP of 40% or more, it's time to leave the table.

The same rule applies to the situation when you have identified the fish. If she leaves the table, follow her. The importance of this tactic cannot be overstated. modern game. If you are truly determined to defeat, then you will always do so. This is especially difficult when playing Zoom, which is why I don't recommend playing Zoom unless you're an avid rakeback multi-tabler.

It is rather difficult to assess the skill of opponents in the absence of comprehensive data.

#8 - Don't Raise Too Much on the SB

It is known that it is a good idea to take the blind from passive nits, which are full of micro-stakes. And I totally agree with that if you're on the button or CO. But many go too far and raise just about any hand instead of folding to the SB. After all, in the end there is only one player who is defending. And it's wonderful! Is not it? However, there is a significant difference between the two cases. We steal from the button or CO while in position. On SB it's exactly the opposite!

If BB is a multi-table nit, keep taking his blinds all day long.

But if a player even remotely shows signs of competence, then the chances of losing money when raising with a wide range are high. Because even the average micro-stakes regs know that people are raising too much in this situation, so they should increase their 3-betting range. Personally, I start 3-betting extremely aggressively back, especially when they don't fight back often (which most people do). Don't raise everything when everyone folds to you on the SB. Any decent microstakes reg will make you pay for it.

#9 – 3-bet light against the right opponents

At the micros, many regs will fold everything but the nuts to a 3-bet. 3-bet players with hands that you would just call or even fold. They are easy to spot as their 3-bet fold rate is 70-80%. Moreover, you need to make a 3-bet only when they open near the button. Don't re-raise their open from early position as they often have an extremely strong range in this situation.

Final words

I hope you find this list of "quick moves" useful in microstakes cash games. All of these tips have one thing in common: they are easy to use. After many years of playing at the lowest stakes (NL2 and NL5) these techniques have proven to be extremely effective. Implement a few of them during the next session and you will show top scores. Share your thoughts on this topic in the comments below!

Everyone dreams, of course, or likes to talk about how to beat the micros in poker, but few people know for sure how it's done. In today's discussion, we will think about this topic: what are micro limits, and how to beat them, in our harsh time. Online poker is constantly evolving, and of course the micros are no exception. So what needs to be done or how to beat the micro limits.

One of the tips from experienced gurus is reduce the number of tables Of course, this does not apply to everyone, as some even play very well. But if it concerns everyone, then the fewer tables we play, the more time we will have to make the right decisions, and the more time we have, the better our decisions will be, especially against those opponents with whom we are currently playing. One of them played twenty-four tables at the micros for several years, mostly using standard lines against all players. Then he began to distinguish between fish and regulars, but, basically, he just played on auto-pilot, didn't balance his range against serious players, didn't go into their stats, and didn't take into account their dynamics. Then, he started experimenting with four and six tables and immediately noticed that his win rate was much higher than before.

What are micro limits and how to beat them?

Micro limits are the lowest stakes. This category includes all limits, at stakes below 0.5/1 dollar (NL100). On these you can earn with success, even more than a thousand dollars a month, but serious money can only be received professional players at high limits. In this article we will talk about how you can achieve the desired result, for real. Let's explain how to beat the micros easily. Probably, knowing why, why and how we play makes in the future, the work is very useful, and learning is necessary. Poker is a game of skill, just like chess. Poker is a game of making the right timely decision based on the current situation, with all the limitations that are available in a short amount of time. When we start playing already advanced poker, that is, not micro-limits, our goals will also include elements of cheating in draws, as well as other tricks, which may not help us win, but will force our opponents to make mistakes.

This, basically, is the main difference between the fact that in the initial stage of poker from more expensive poker, that is, in the difference between one's own victory and the opponent's mistakes. Therefore, overcoming the so-called micro-level is quite simple. And how to do it, let's see. The main thing to decide on: do we really want to turn poker into a job as a hobby? It will be really difficult, it will take a lot of time, and the results may be the most unimpressive. It will be necessary to understand that poker is enough difficult game which requires a professional approach, discipline. You need to regularly deal with it even when leaving the poker table: analyze all the hands played, constantly study new strategies and always look for your weaknesses. Naturally, you need to remember that poker earnings are closely related to risks. This means that you need to be very serious about the distribution of your money.

Next, if we want to make really good money with poker, then our primary goal is to gain a foothold in higher stakes, or beat the micros. Or, in other words, we need to move up the stakes to at least $1-$2 and beat the players here. At this limit, most of the players are already quite strong professionals, and with each new limit, the number of fish, or weak players, drops very sharply. And in order to already play at expensive stakes, you need some money, and not just skills. So, for example, at rates of 1 - 2 dollars, the standard fee is two hundred dollars. And in order to earn stable capital even in cases of unsuccessful months or weeks, it is necessary to have twenty to fifty contributions on the account., that is, not less than four thousand dollars. Of course, this is not all, and getting out of the micros is not easy, you have to live poker, and learn it constantly.

Poker is a game where any player can win money. However, one-time success is only a favorable combination of circumstances, and a completely different thing is positive results in the long term. You can't just sit down at any table and start lifting. Any professional will tell you that only by starting from the bottom, you can count on profit in the future. Microlimits are the first, necessary step on the way to victories and stable earnings.

I don't want to be unfounded. Why should you start with games at small stakes? Firstly, this way you do not risk a lot of money. You can consider yourself a talented player who can fight at medium and even high stakes, but if you drain a decent bankroll a couple of times, poker will immediately turn into a hated game, and your favorite game client will irrevocably fly into the basket. And even if this does not take away your confidence in your own abilities, you are unlikely to dare to invest again in an occupation that once brought you disappointment. It is easier to part with small money, but you can play it more boldly, without limiting your potential by constant excitement and fear of losing a lot.

The second reason is that the level of play at the micros is much lower than in more expensive poker, and it is easier to master it. The knowledge that you acquire in this game will be a great help for you on the way to new heights. However, here you will have to pretty popetet to start winning, because thousands of other players are hungry for victories along with you. What rules should be followed to beat the micro limits?

The main thing for any beginner is not to rush into the abyss of excitement, but to follow a cautious strategy that involves playing only when collected hand looks the strongest at the table. In poker, this is called “playing tight”. Imagine the situation: your pocket top pair was beaten on the flop by your opponent's worst pocket pair. If you managed to "read" this, do not hesitate for a second - fold and save money, and in the future your foresight will pay off handsomely. Remember - good cards come with the same frequency to all players, and your task is to guess the moment when you will get the strongest combination at the table and be able to raise on it.

You should carefully consider the choice of starting hands. Do not be surprised, but often you will have to fold one card after another. Try to enter the game at the micro limits in cases where it will not cost you a lot of money and when your hand is really promising - pairs of aces, kings, queens, high suited connectors. This will avoid difficult decisions on the flop. If it doesn't seem scary to you once again to make a small bet into the pot in the expectation that your weak hand will improve to a winning one by the river, know that such actions lead to big losses. Before you know it, you'll only have a few blinds left in your stack.

Sometimes it will make sense to go to the flop or showdown with a weaker hand - for example, middle and low pairs, middle and low suited connectors, and even a top card with a weak kicker. However, the strength of these hands will largely depend on the cards on the table and your position. The extreme left positions from the button and the button itself are considered the strongest positions, because in them you will make the last move. Betting opponents in front of you will give you useful information about the strength of their hands.

Before you get involved in the fight, evaluate the possibilities of your bankroll and how justified the value of your bet in a particular situation. Sometimes it will be right to fold a set of aces if there is no certainty that they will win, and the opponent demands too high a fee. Perhaps, but the risk in this case often leads to disasters. Remember, micro-stakes players don't like to bluff, and what's more, they themselves tend to suspect anyone and everyone of trickery. That is why, in most cases, a bet from the opponent means that he really has a strong hand. Learn to let go of the dream of the bank in time, because otherwise you will lose more than you win.

Poker is intellectual game never forget about it. It cannot blindly rely on luck, and every decision you make should arise as a result of deep mental reflection. Only the one who thinks with his head wins money!

Once you've mastered the micro limits, you'll be able to climb higher and move on to more expensive games, expand your range of played hands and learn how to catch opponents' bluffs.