Guiding Principles

[SunPowerGuru]

I don’t think anybody knows how to play multi-way pots with a wet board, there are just too many variables. As I understand (or misunderstand) it, the solvers can’t even cope with that situation.

You were looking for a life-jacket, and all I can throw you is a champagne cork and a small rubber duck, but other than “bluff more,” I dunno what to say.

[Yorunoame]

@AKFolds

@Yorunoame

You mostly want to make your biggest bets with your best hands and your weakest hands.

This is another concept that could benefit from further explanation – i.e., making your biggest bets with your weakest hands. Are you not also turning your hand into a bluff here?

@Yorunoame

weaker hands you would have been able to get money from will now mostly just fold

Doesn’t the same logic apply to big bets with the best hands?

I just realized I’d never responded to this one.

It’s only middle strength hands that are unhappy to make big bets in most situations (and yes, there are exceptions with this, but it generally involves situations where what had been a middle strength hand has now moved down to the bottom of your remaining range and has lost all or most of its showdown value).

• The nuts is always happy to put all of the chips in the middle, especially when the opponent has shown strength. It’s really just multiplying your odds of getting called by the size of your bet. Some people will dramatically over fold to huge over bets, in which case their increase in calling rate to a smaller bet might be sufficient to make a smaller bet more profitable, but on the whole, a bet 10 times as big won’t see only 10% of the calls.
• With a really weak hand that has almost no chance of being ahead (the pure case also has no outs), its only path to victory is through a bluff
  • will a bet be called at minimum defense frequency or higher; if not, then the bluff will be profitable on its own
  • will I have effective nut type hands that I will play the same way; if so, then I want to find the right ratio bluffs to further drive up my capture rate of the pot

[najisami]

These few tips could increase your winning rate if you’re a struggling beginner:

1. Only play pairs and AK, AQs, AJs, KQs, QJs, TJs, 9Ts.
2. Only play in position.
3. Raise or call raises with the above hands (in position).
4. Raise or 3-bet in any position with AA, KK, QQ.
5. Never slow play your big hands (Bet hard for value).
6. If playing cash game, never stay at a table full of tough players.
7. Never “get married” to big pairs. Fold AA, KK, QQ if a player raises you on the turn or river.

[Ripley_Poker]

Hello Buddy!

I agree with all points but not really with Point 7. I would much rather tell them to kind of “overplay” their very strong pairs and get as much money in preflop as possible to avoid postflop decision. Those postflop decisions can be very tricky at times with only 1Pair/overpair and it’s not always correct to lay them down to turn/river raises.

[mattiebumpo]

Good tips for beginners, for sure. In order to follow these tips, a player needs to be disciplined and patient. I would add a few for live play:

1. Pay attention even when you’re not actively in the hand - watch for player tendencies, see what cards players show down, what position they are playing in, and the action that took place (raise, call, etc.).
2. Make sure you are staying focused and alert; take walks during breaks and stand up and stretch periodically.
3. Play only when you are well rested and in the right mindset.

[najisami]

Hey man,
I totally agree, I even said that in point 5.
But if raised on turn or river, one pair might not cut it no matter how big it is, especially against a certain type of players, but the details would be for more advanced players.

[KILLMISTER]

RIGHT, Never be safe till Ya see the Flop, Never Fold!

You’ll Buy ALOT more chips that way, Ha!

[Naforole]

I think this is the minimal survival kit for a beginner. It keeps you alive long enough to get some tournament experience.
6). is a good advice, or should we – stay completely away from cash tables. You’ll only get cleaned out which may hurt your willingness to truly learn the game.
7) well, there are all sorts of maniacs in micros… So your opponent betting strongly doesn’t necessarily mean that he is holding anything else than air.

[bermejoga]

Solid tips! Sticking to strong hands and position makes a huge difference. Gotta remind myself not to get too attached to big pairs though!

[playbetter]

@najisami

These few tips could increase your winning rate if you’re a struggling beginner:

1. Only play pairs and AK, AQs, AJs, KQs, QJs, TJs, 9Ts.
2. Only play in position.
3. Raise or call raises with the above hands (in position).
4. Raise or 3-bet in any position with AA, KK, QQ.
5. Never slow play your big hands (Bet hard for value).
6. If playing cash game, never stay at a table full of tough players.
7. Never “get married” to big pairs. Fold AA, KK, QQ if a player raises you on the turn or river.

Well I can at least totally agree about one tip:

“6. If playing cash game, never stay at a table full of tough players.”

Table Selection and Player Selection really is the most important skill in Cash Games as soon as you have learn the rules.

Almost all your money in Cash Games comes from big mistakes by bad players so don’t sit and lose to the rake against players that are as good or better than you even if you can hold your own.

Now to the tip I totally disagree on:

“2. Only play in position.”

That isn’t really possible since you get monster cards like AK and JJ in early position and in the blinds too. So you have to play some hands out of position unless you suggest folding everything except AA, KK and QQ - and I don’t think you mean that.

And if you overfold in the blinds players will steal them almost every orbit.

[najisami]

Don’t forget that I specifically said that those tips are for “struggling beginners”. And take a look at tip #4.
Otherwise, I definitely agree with what you’re saying…