Advanced Guide to Shorthanded, Small to Mid Stakes, No Limit Texas Hold’Em Poker
February 28, 2007
Note that this guide will not show you how to make easy, instant money. Learning how to play poker is a relatively simple process, but mastering the game will take time and effort. There are no easy success secrets. Successful poker players rely on skill and experience. Experience is the main factor that determines the outcome of the game.
Poker is a simple and fun game. You should not have a problem learning its rules. You will win against small stakes opponents most of the times, as they are fairly easy opponents. Recognizing certain situations like when your hand has just been outdrawn requires experience. As long as you will keep some basic guidelines in mind you should come out on top. You will find these guidelines here; all you have to do is read on.
Why should we play shorthanded No Limit Texas Hold’Em out of all poker games?
The answer to this question is quite simple. Shorthanded No Limit Texas Hold’Em poker games are more profitable. Most poker players play incorrectly. They do so when playing poker games such as Limit, No Limit, shorthanded, full ring, tournaments, and so on. If you play shorthanded No Limit Texas Hold’Em you will take advantage of this fact by playing more hands against these weak opponents in the same amount of time.
Let’s say that you are in a five handed game. There are two decent players and two lousy players. Playing in a shorthanded game will allow you to play more hands against the lousy players as opposed to a full ring game. The best thing about shorthanded No Limit Texas Hold’Em poker games is that they will play lousier than ever. So far you can play more hands against them in the same amount of time, and they are playing the weakest game they can.
Lousy poker players usually play to loose in a shorthanded No Limit Texas Hold’Em game. If they do not play loose, they play too tight. Some will play extremely passive and will always call, regardless what they are holding. They will not even raise when they have a strong hand. Talk about a lousy game play! The good thing is that you can take advantage of this and it makes the game more profitable for you.
Another reason why you should play shorthanded No Limit Texas Hold’Em poker and not other poker variations is to develop your skills. This type of game allows you to play more pots and make more decisions than any other poker variation.
The most common misconceptions about shorthanded No Limit Texas Hold’Em poker games
- Top Pair Top Kicker is a made hand in shorthanded No Limit Texas Hold’Em poker and should always be shown down with all your money in the pot.
This advice seems to be everywhere. The truth of the matter is that it is rubbish, it is not true. Having a single pair when playing shorthanded No Limit Texas Hold’Em can prove to be very dangerous. This also applies to any second best hand.
- There are parts of the day when there are more lousy players than usual.
Again, this is debatable. When you think about it, most shorthanded No Limit Texas Hold’Em players are lousy. The time when you play makes no difference. Even if you play at 10 A.M. on a Monday at Ultimate Bet and the competitors are tight, this doesn’t mean they are not lousy players. If you just adjust your game play to the style of the competitor in a small stakes game, you will see that most players are lousy.
- Tight and aggressive play is not advisable, but loose and aggressive is advisable if you want to make a profit.
Actually, playing tag style is advisable in shorthanded No Limit Texas Hold’Em games. A good poker player that uses this tag technique can make a lot of money off all those lousy players. You can try a lag style technique if you encounter a tight lousy player. But plenty of times you just need to wait for good hands and the opponents will pay you off no matter how tight you are.
- If you have a small pocket pair you can raise up to 10% of your stack, because you may get a set.
A $10 pre-flop raise in a 100 No Limit game is a considerable amount. If you want to make a profit on the long run you must win your opponent’s entire stack every time you hit the set. However, due to set over set situations, opponents’ abilities to fold, and boards that either mess your hand or scare the opponents, you won’t get paid in full every time.
Such a big raise means you have a strong hand, but it is not a guarantee you will receive a payout every time. Let’s say that you call a $4 raise. Another player raises it again to $10. You should call this bet, especially if the original raiser calls it. Make sure no to get caught between two raises. You are advised to call a re-raise only if you will close the action.
Before the flop
This is when it all begins. Each player is dealt two cards face down, also known as hole cards. This is when you need to know what kind of hand and what kind of pot you are looking for.
Let’s say that you have been dealt a small pocket pair. In this case you are hoping for a set and you want to play a large pot on a non-threatening flop or a medium to large pot on the river if you don’t improve to a full-house. If you will get a full house then you should definitely play a huge pot.
Let’s say that you have been dealt an Ace and a 5. In this case you are hoping for a flush. A bicycle straight is good also if you happen to get one. Other random flopped full houses, trips are also good. The main goal with such a hand is to get a nut flush on a non-paired board and play a huge pot.
If you are dealt an Ace and a king on the pre-flop you should play a small to medium pot. The best you can get is another Ace or another King.
It is extremely important to realize what kind of hand and what kind of pot you should be playing immediately after you have been dealt your two hole cards.
Remember that everything changes according to the table and the opponents. The tips presented here are simply guidelines meant to improve your game.
Let’s take a look at an example. You are playing against a lousy player. In this case you are advised to raise weak hands against him, take his blinds, limp money or steal the pot post-flop. Use small edges like the position on a calling station to your benefit and raise hands such as medium pocket pairs or Aces.
