Guest gazza271 Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 I've never really ventured in the deep dark world of cash tables properly :unsure This afternoon was at a loose end for an hour so sat down at a 10 seat $0.25/$0.50 NL table on FullTilt as I have a few quid in there. Bought in at the maximum of $50 and left an hour later with $78 so quite happy with that :ok What I want from some of you cash people is how do you play ? I know we have had Mole's posts but we are talking totally different money levels here ! My idea was to be TAG and to an extent I was but then found myself playing hands like KJ etc as the "premium" hands were at a premium :unsure Is table image important ? For me I think it worked after being semi TAG, Bluffed a couple of pots when I failed to hit. I normally play mainly STT's, so quite enjoyed this afternoon.......... Any advice from the regular cash game players appreciated :ok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cloud Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 Re: Cash game strategy for beginner I've only been playing cash for around a month, but so far so good. The way I play is effectively the same as I play in the early part of tournaments - and tight aggressive fits the bill for me too. However, in tournies, sometimes there might be a time when you have to take a chance - in cash you don't really - which is not the same as saying don't bluff - sensible bluffs (continuation bets and semi-bluffs) can make a nice profit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaded Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 Re: Cash game strategy for beginner Don't play hold'em. I'm certain that many people here can do well from hold'em, but I SUCK at cash NLHE. However, give me 2-7 triple draw, 5 card draw, razz, or HORSE, and I can do quite nicely at low limits. And I'm not saying I'm GOOD at any of them, just better than the average low stakes player. Something to consider, at least... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valiant23 Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 Re: Cash game strategy for beginner just better than the average low stakes player. Which includes Greg Rayner.... :loon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmuzeman Posted November 26, 2006 Share Posted November 26, 2006 Re: Cash game strategy for beginner My idea was to be TAG and to an extent I was but then found myself playing hands like KJ etc as the "premium" hands were at a premium :unsure Yep play VERY TAG. If you find yourself getting bored not playing many hands then open up another table. Is table image important ? No its not important AT ALL really dont worry about it, vast majority wont be paying much attention anyway. For me I think it worked after being semi TAG, Bluffed a couple of pots when I failed to hit. If you REALLY think you wont get called then obviously its ok to bluff (I dont call things like betting on a flush draw for example a bluff though). Keep PURE bluffs to an absolute minimum and to be perfectly honest it doesnt even matter if you NEVER do pure bluffs at this level. Dont worry about stealing blinds either with marginal hands, just fold and save the bother. In tournaments you need to do these things to keep your stack healthy but it doesnt matter in a cash game where stacks are deep and your chips are rechargeable etc. Bet your good hands hard, in some ways you are playing transparent poker but at small stakes cash games online level its the best way to play. People LOVE to fish and call so make sure if you have a good hand you bet it hard and make them pay to suck out. Most of the time they wont and it results in $$$ over the long run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubermonkey1 Posted November 26, 2006 Share Posted November 26, 2006 Re: Cash game strategy for beginner a lot depends on the table ,if its a bit manic with loads of raises i play tag .if however its a more timid table i will be aggressive with very good holecards but try to see cheap flops with suited connectors or semiconnectors and try to hit on the flop:ok . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spannerjago Posted November 26, 2006 Share Posted November 26, 2006 Re: Cash game strategy for beginner I find other peoples stack size can make a difference as well. A lot of people seem to buy in for the minimum and keep reloading when they get wiped out. These people seem to make all in calls with marginal hands. If you can get a decent hand and be heads up against these short stacks you can usually take the lot. Especially if you can get them to lead the betting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyhornet Posted November 26, 2006 Share Posted November 26, 2006 Re: Cash game strategy for beginner My thoughts for low level cash games are as follows: Game selection: Find a table with 50%+ people seeing the flop. Ally this to a relatively low average pot, and you have a perfect enviroment for TAG poker (IMO). I play much as many others in this thread have said, tight, especially in early positions, a little looser in late positions, don't worry about stealing the blinds. The only other point I would make if find a level of pre-flop raise that will achieve it's aim (ie taking down the pot, or leaving you heads up). On many of these tables you can lead out with QQ for 3x BB, and find yourself with 5 callers!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmuzeman Posted November 26, 2006 Share Posted November 26, 2006 Re: Cash game strategy for beginner Game selection: Find a table with 50%+ people seeing the flop. Ally this to a relatively low average pot, and you have a perfect enviroment for TAG poker (IMO). 40%+ is fine at the 0.25/0.50 thats plenty loose enough. Also fair enough as it is your opinion but its (IMO :lol) better to have as big a pots as possible. A loose table full of gamble is perfect for TAG play. The only other point I would make if find a level of pre-flop raise that will achieve it's aim (ie taking down the pot, or leaving you heads up). On many of these tables you can lead out with QQ for 3x BB, and find yourself with 5 callers!! This is a good point. IMO you should be opening for 5bb with AA, KK and QQ and adjusting that upwards depending on if their are limpers before you are not. Ideally you want to play a big pocket pair in a heads up scenario with 1 caller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyhornet Posted November 26, 2006 Share Posted November 26, 2006 Re: Cash game strategy for beginner 40%+ is fine at the 0.25/0.50 thats plenty loose enough. Also fair enough as it is your opinion but its (IMO :lol) better to have as big a pots as possible. A loose table full of gamble is perfect for TAG play. Absolutely, 40% is fine, my level of play is lower at 0.05/0.10 or 0.10/0.20, and the number of players pre-flop increases. The reason i go for a relatively small average pot is that they are willing to see the flop but not willing to go on in the face of aggression. I may be losing a few bets on a made hand, but I feel I gain it back by taking pots with aggressive post flop play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H-Bomb Posted November 27, 2006 Share Posted November 27, 2006 Re: Cash game strategy for beginner I think it all depends on the size of the table as well. A short-handed cash game suits my style perfectly. I'll get in the mix with suited connectors down to anything like 4-5 or suited connectors with 1 or two gaps in between if I can get in cheap enough. I always buy in with the maximum so I'm not scared to see a flop with marginal hands, hoping to connect. Obviously I'm not going to be calling big raises with marginal hands, but I'm happy to see most flops with no raise behind my or a minimum raise with the likes of K-Jo and other fun holdings. It's also why I hate people saying, "Why call my blind/raise with that?" If they're not willing to invest more money to get me off the hand, I'm going to play and see if I can hit a flop if it's 1xBB or 2xBB. Once proper raises come in, I'm looking back to premium hands. One the topic of raising, I read someone posting they thought you should always raise 3x BB if you're first to act and then add one to the number of BB depending on how many limpers you have behind you. If UTG and UTG+1 limp and you want to raise, you'd raise it up to 5xBB, for example. I've tried it in tournament play and it's worked quite well and in cash games, it helps swell pots up for big hands, while marginal ones are kept to a decent return for a small investment if you decide to limp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmuzeman Posted November 27, 2006 Share Posted November 27, 2006 Re: Cash game strategy for beginner One the topic of raising, I read someone posting they thought you should always raise 3x BB if you're first to act and then add one to the number of BB depending on how many limpers you have behind you. If UTG and UTG+1 limp and you want to raise, you'd raise it up to 5xBB, for example. I've tried it in tournament play and it's worked quite well and in cash games, it helps swell pots up for big hands, Totally agree its what I was referring to here IMO you should be opening for 5bb with AA, KK and QQ and adjusting that upwards depending on if their are limpers before you are not. I think it all depends on the size of the table as well. This is 100% true also. Anything I ever say on cash tables refers to a full ring game. 6 handed or shorter is a somewhat different game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H-Bomb Posted November 27, 2006 Share Posted November 27, 2006 Re: Cash game strategy for beginner Regarding the raising with A-A, K-K, Q-Q, I think it's Sklansky/Malmuth that mentions you should be raising more with K-K than you would with A-A. I still like to bet/raise depending on how many limpers, even if it is A-A or K-K. It stops people getting a read on your hands. Even if they know your system for raising, they can't put you on a hand if you've shown you have a wide-range of hands you're prepared to put in a raise with. So if I raise the same amount with A-A in early position as I do with J-10s in the cut off, it mixes the game up enough to stop opponents putting you on a hand. However, I can see the merit in raising as you said, mrmuze, with A-A etc. Of course, in a full ring game, you're more likey to get a caller with that type of raise than you would in a short handed game, so yeah, I think we're on the same wavelength, just different tables! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gazza271 Posted November 27, 2006 Share Posted November 27, 2006 Re: Cash game strategy for beginner OK, just taken a big hit here, was it just a bad beat or should I have played it differently ? .12/0.25 Texas Hold'em (No Limit ) - 27 November 2006 23:16:44 Table TH Mini (Real /Cash Game ) Seat 1: miyonety (14.75) Seat 2: gazza271 (25.71) Seat 3: *Legolas* (62.90) Seat 4: orisek (21.07) Seat 5: MEC_1966 (28.63) Seat 6: k21 (29.03) Seat 7: Banduka (21.00) Seat 8: trrtr (37.95) Seat 9: Actarus 94 (13.03) Seat 10: samdahi (30.65) samdahi post SB 0.12 miyonety post BB 0.25 ** Deal ** miyonety [N/A, N/A] gazza271 [Kc, Kd] *Legolas* [N/A, N/A] orisek [N/A, N/A] MEC_1966 [N/A, N/A] k21 [N/A, N/A] Banduka [N/A, N/A] trrtr [N/A, N/A] Actarus 94 [N/A, N/A] samdahi [N/A, N/A] *** Bet Round 1 *** gazza271 Raise to 1.00 *Legolas* Fold orisek Fold MEC_1966 Fold k21 Fold Banduka Call 1.00 trrtr Fold Actarus 94 Call 1.00 samdahi Fold miyonety Call 1.00 *** Flop(Board): *** : [7d, 5s, 7s] *** Bet Round 2 *** miyonety Bet 3.50 gazza271 Call 3.50 Banduka Call 3.50 Actarus 94 Fold *** Turn(Board): *** : [7d, 5s, 7s, 6d] *** Bet Round 3 *** miyonety Bet 8.75 gazza271 Call 8.75 Banduka Call 8.75 *** River(Board): *** : [7d, 5s, 7s, 6d, 5d] *** Bet Round 4 *** miyonety All-in 1.50 gazza271 Call 1.50 Banduka Call 1.50 *** Showdown *** : Rake: 1.00 Total Pot: 44.37 miyonety [Qc, 5c] Full house Win :44.37 gazza271 Muck Win :0.00 Banduka Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodger Posted November 27, 2006 Share Posted November 27, 2006 Re: Cash game strategy for beginner I play $1/$2 limit hold 'em...simply because the tables on every site are full of chasers. Just play reasonably tight and don't get dragged into too many drawing hands and it just seems a steady way of making a small profit. Not exciting, but for those, like me, with limited funding, I find it the best way to make a consistent, if small, profit. {Profit of course is all relative...one player may be over the moon with £50 a week...another may be depressed with under a grand} It can be quite stunning to see players still betting after they have failed to hit...it just never ceases to amaze me how often this happens. Bluffing in limit is rare compared to No limit so it's generally just a case of pushing the bets when you have the nuts, some silly bugger will usually go with you to ensure you get well paid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmuzeman Posted November 28, 2006 Share Posted November 28, 2006 Re: Cash game strategy for beginner OK, just taken a big hit here, was it just a bad beat or should I have played it differently ? You should reraise and put miyonety all in on the flop. Its hard to see how you wouldnt have the best hand here realistically and you want to reraise there. Theres an obvious flush draw and hopefully hes got an overpair like 88, 99, 1010 or JJ and doesnt know how to fold it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H-Bomb Posted November 28, 2006 Share Posted November 28, 2006 Re: Cash game strategy for beginner The problem playing at 'microlimits' is that a raise of $1 isn't going to scare enough people off. However, it's a shocking call on his behalf and I would have put him all in on the flop if anything other than an Ace came down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gazza271 Posted June 30, 2007 Share Posted June 30, 2007 Re: Cash game strategy for beginner Right, going to resurect this thread for various reasons :ok After my initial foray into the cash table world I did'nt play for a while, have now started playing again but with a few differences and would appreciate any criticism/advice/pi$$taking/laughs etc Just lately I have been playing while drunk :beer . I dont mean steaming drunk but having had a few beers, instead of playing totally ABC poker I am playing cards I would normally bin straight away, A10 etc. Also playing a lot more low suited connectors and I'm almost ashamed to say it but if I get 2 suited cards with one higher than Q or above I am "chasing". The above probably sounds like complete muppet play but for the last month or so it has really been paying off and compared to my bankroll I am showing a very healthy profit :nana Does semi-pi$$ed play help ? it does seem to for me, loosens me up without being a total muppet, still able to bin hands. Chasing ? anyone know the odds for 2 suited cards making the flush ? I seem to hit it most times I chase ( cue really really bad name calling on BOSS) Have made a fair bit over last month so would appreciate any views on pi$$ed,chasing/looser etc, varience or lucky tw@t ? If lucky then can it continue ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gazza271 Posted June 30, 2007 Share Posted June 30, 2007 Re: Cash game strategy for beginner Forgot to add, I am now making more from cash play than STT's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaF Posted June 30, 2007 Share Posted June 30, 2007 Re: Cash game strategy for beginner You can probably chase a lot more in cash games, because you are deep stacked and have greater implied odds :unsure If you have 2 suited cards, you are about 11% to flop a 4 flush. You are about 1% to flop a flush. I dont believe that any level of impaired judgement can make you a better player :loon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyhornet Posted July 1, 2007 Share Posted July 1, 2007 Re: Cash game strategy for beginner I'm sure there are a million and one reasons not to drink whilst playing poker, but the fact is that many of us like a :beer beer or two whilst playing. Anyone present at the Poker Player final last month can verify that on my part!!:$ !! I find that it doesn't impair my game too much. I am generally a winning player whether stone cold sober or semi-pi$$ed. I have recently gone up to playing 25/50c tables, and if I can find a table with 35/40% seeing the flop, my tactic is to see the flop (if unraised) with any viable hand. I seem to hit the flop quite often or at least find myself in the position that no-one else has hit the flop. Here I have found that aggressive post flop play sems to scare the hell out of these players. Maybe I am on a lucky streak, but since abandoning TAG play on cash tables, I have more than doubled my bankroll in a month! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubermonkey1 Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 Re: Cash game strategy for beginner if your up against a load of calling stations sneaking into pots can give good returns :ok if its not likely to get raised you get good value even from a early position and the returns can be very good. i think i play better i have had a few:beer not loads but 3 or 4 ,every machine needs a little oil;) . if i dont have a couple i tend to think to much ,usually thinking myself out of a gut feeling that was right:wall . just dont go over the top, if you play when bladdered you wake up next day with no cash and a hangover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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