For the purposes of this article we are going to discuss the micro $1 no limit cash games and come up with a strategy to beat the game.
First off let’s explode a common myth of poker. When you look at many of the ebooks or training guides for playing cash game poker they often talk about “destroying” the table or they use other such evocative language for ripping up the game. The fact is that poker is a game of positive expectation played out over thousands of hands. You need to play at least ten thousand hands before you get a good idea of how many big blinds per hour you can realistically expect to earn and so thrashing a table in one session (whilst extremely enjoyable!) is just a small part of your overall game plan.
The marginal decisions that you make (folding say JJ in the face of an all in move) are the plays that will ultimately decide how much money you make from the game. “Destroying tables” is not the language of a poker player who understands that it is the long term cumulative effect of many good decisions that decide your win rate.
So, with that said, how can you consistently beat the no limit micro game? Playing the micro limits can be fraught with frustration unless you understand some basic dynamics about how the game is played and the external influences that can radically alter the table make up.
What you need to know Good players know that table selection is one of the most important criteria that will directly influence their overall win rate. However in the micro game table selection is not as important as playing in position. Table selection is a skill that can only be learned after you understand why you should play in position and for that reason I cite playing in position as being the most important skill needed to beat the micro cash game.
Playing in position is the way to beat the micro no limit game and build your bankroll. In this game players do silly things and make lots of mistakes. If you are a micro cash game player yourself then you need to keep beating the game and building your bankroll to start climbing the limits. This means taking advantage of other players mistakes and not leaving yourself open to making the same bad decisions yourself.
Coupled with this you need to practise good bankroll management. Even though the stakes that you are playing for mean that you might easily be able to replenish your bankroll from disposable income, does not mean that you should do so.
In fact the opposite is true. At this level of game you need to keep a good 50 buy in reserve to ensure you don’t keep refreshing your bankroll.
Mastering playing in position and bankroll management are the two keys to unlocking the micro cash game. Put what you have just learnt into practise. Position and bankroll management are interlocking factors in your success at the micro cash game. This is why: First of all if you keep playing out of position you will keep bleeding chips that you don’t need to lose. You should always have a full buy in on the table so that when you do make a big hand you can extract maximum payoff. Don’t be tempted to play the short stack game, it is the short stacks that will be donating to your great hands. By playing in position you always get to fold if the heat gets turned up. Getting caught with trash in early position is why many players are losing players.
Once you learn how to play in position you stop donating so many chips to the table and it follows that you stop losing so many hands and turn into a break even or winning player.
When this happens you begin to realise that even though you are continually getting your chips in with a big lead you can often get outdrawn and with so many players prepared to get their chips in you can repeatedly find that your Aces get cracked and your sets turn to dust on the turn and river.
This is why you need a bankroll to help you through the suckouts. A bankroll is your defense against the players who keep getting lucky on you. Eventually the luck evens out and if you keep getting your chips in with the best of it you can’t help but grow your bankroll. Good luck at the tables! Tony Cooper is webmaster for Six Handed Beat the six player SNG.