Article:

Starting Hands – “AK Big Slick, Playing it right”

Ace King … It’s monster hand and you plan to get as much
money out of everyone as you can.

Big Slick is called Big Slick for a reason. Yes its a monster
drawing hand but it is a drawing hand all the same.

IF you hit either an Ace or a King on the flop then you’ve got
yourself top pair with the best kicker. You might get lucky as
is connected to get the nuts straight, if its suited you have
got the table crippled if you draw that flush. It’s worth noting
A-K suited is 5th best starting hand but A-K off is 9th best.

But this is the thing – when you haven’t seen any cards what
have you got really ? An Ace high … with a King kicker, just
about any starting hand could beat it.

Top players know AK is a great drawing hand but they also know
its can be a killer if it just doesn’t work out. In the hands of
a new player it has 4king bustout written all over it, quite
simply they fall in love with it.

Now here is the next problem with playing AK – OK it’s a
drawing hand so your thinking – don’t play it too hard until you
see the flop and then you can work out how your doing … Wrong.

Limping in with Big Slick is going to make you a big underdog -
It is an easily beaten hand if you let lots of players see the
flop, that ragged looking board could have given any of them
trips, two pair, straights – allsorts. However AK doesnt fair so
badly against a couple of player with other high cards.

You have to play big slick hard before the flop if your playing
it. Get rid of all the players with low pairs, big draws and
junk – With a big prefop raise you can be fairly sure the one
(ideally) or two players left only have something high or decent
pairs. Then you have the added advantage – you made the raise
and you took control … again.

Dont make the mistake of trying to keep more people in to make
a bigger pot for your “great hands” – thats how to make your own
bad beats.

With most of the players in to see the flop your as good as
giving your chips away – Play it aggressively, raise pre-flop
and then hold yourself back when you see the flop.

But DO NOT go all-in before the flop – remember you’ve got an
Ace high nothing more.

In this situation the only hands that are really going to cause
you concern are AA and KK – but if someone had that they’d have
come right back at your big raise with an all-in before the
flop.

Chances are unless they hit trips with there good pair (see
what they do) you can fire at them once you pair either the King
or the Ace – infact you should fire out a good size bet even if
you dont – remember you’ve already as good as shouted at them
“my hands is a winner”.

Then see what they do – if they come back at you know they’ve
got something, probably trips – then you need to slow down
accept your beat and try to see the rest of the cards cheap.

The chances are they will lay down just about most things that
dont hit.

Now this all works well if you were easily able to take control
of the table ie. you had good position to get a big raise in
after you had seen what everyone else did but remember preflop
this is – on the button and the two blinds. The worst postion to
be trying to play AK from and indeed any other big hands like AA
KK QQ is when your under the gun – this is the first seat after
the blinds.

Why ? well your first to act before the flop and first to act
after the flop. This seat is tricky especially if you dont hit
an Ace or a King on the flop. Again the temptation is to flat
call and see what happens ideally hoping someone else cuts the
field down for you – thats risky – dont do it. Not only are you
risking players limp in, your letting other players get control.

They will sense weakness and have position over you so you
could very easily end up facing an all-in decision after
re-raising a bet and someone coming back at you over the top
all-in with a half decent pair. Then its become a tough decision
with that Ace high of yours – lay it down. No by raising even in
early position you will take control and narrow the field and
against one, maybe two players you have a good chance to avoid
AK becoming that Big Slick.

Good Luck at the tables – Scrawnybob

Poker Articles, Poker Tips & Strategy for Online Poker and
Texas Hold’em by Scrawnybob at http://www.4kingpoker.com

About the author:

Scrawnybob is a recreational poker player and webmaster of the
irreverent poker content & forum site www.4kingpoker.com …
don’t get bitter – get better.

Practice your skills at Carbon Poker.

Here’s how to play pot limit Omaha hi-lo to win.

Pot limit means that players are able to bet or raise the amount that is in the pot at any time.
This is in contrast to no limit where players can bet any amount up to everything they have in front of them at any time.
The reason Omaha hi-lo is played pot limit instead of no limit is that draws are so powerful in Omaha hi-lo that
it would be correct for anyone making a strong hand on the flop to move all their chips in to avoid any draws,
and not too much poker would get to be played.

Because draws are so dangerous, it is important not to slow play, and to bet your hands strongly.
For example, if you have a hand of 9s 9c 3d 4h and the flop is 9d 8d 4c, you may be tempted to slow
play since you currently hold the nuts (note that you only have three of a kind here, not a full house,
as you may not use the 4 in your hand). However, you should bet this hand as strongly as possible.
Any 8, 7, 3, 2, or A will give someone a low and cost you half the pot. Any diamond will have you losing
to a flush unless the board pairs, and even a card as innocuous as a T may kill your hand by giving someone
a straight or three tens.

Also you must remember not to get out of line with the nut low. If you have A 2 and the board shows K 8 6 4 K,
you may raise with reckless abandon, knowing that you have the low end locked. However, there are distinct poker
odds that another player also has A 2, and you will have to split the low end with them.
This is called getting quartered, and if there are fewer than four people in the pot, it can be a disaster,
since you will lose half of every dollar you put in, even though you are a guaranteed winner.
Since pot limit pots can grow very large, this can be a big problem. As long as there are more than four people in the pot,
you will win money even if you are quartered, unless more than one other person has the nut low.
If it is down to you and two other players though, you should slow down.

This column is provided free of charge by www.RoyRounder.com

“Roy Rounder” is the pen name of a successful professional

poker player and author. To skyrocket your Texas Holdem

winnings, join his free newsletter. Just click here.

————————————————————

Techniques For Winning At Online Poker

*** QUESTION FROM A READER ***

Roy,

Great article.

I had one question to you. Wouldn’t you advise
calling with all pairs even with when facing a
raise?

I play 25 NL on Party and I will call a raise
with any pair as long as the raise is less than
10% of the opposing players stack. My thinking,
with a monster hand like AA or KK that he is
raising; when I do hit my set I am taking his
whole stack.

So I hit my set statistically 1 in 8 times and
call any raise with any pair as long as its 10% or
less of a players stack. I make most of my money
on the no limit tables doing this.

My basic strategy is to raise the same with every
hand as to not giveaway my hand.

AA, KK – raise 8 times the big blind (which is $2
on a 25NL table) and if someone has raised before
me I usually put them to the test and reraise 3
times the amount they have put in or go all in.

AK, AQ – I raise 8 times the big blind if no one
has raised in front of me. If someone has limped
or no one has entered the pot I will raise 8 times
the big blind. If the pot has been raised before
me, I will only call if I have a decent read on
the player.

QQ, JJ – I raise 8 times the big blind if no one
has raised in front of me. If someone has limped
or no one has entered the pot I will raise 8 times
the big blind. If the pot has been raised before
me, I will call and play cautiously post flop if
I don’t flop trips or my pocket pair is not the
higher than the board.

AJ – This hand has gotten me in trouble. I usually
limp in or call the big blind. I throw away to any
raise before me and usually fold it if a raise
comes behind me.

1010, 99, 88, 77, 66, 55, 44, 33, 22 – call the
big blind. maybe raise 1010 and 99 in late
position if no one has entered the pot. I will
call a raise up 10% of the raising players stack.
Post flop I know where I stand if I hit my set or
not, or my pocket pair is above what the board
shows.

I usually move tables quickly after I double my
stack up, because most players will learn how you
play and its hard to get action on raises after
they learn you play real hands and push with them.

>>> MY COMMENTS:

Wow. What great insights.

You’ve hit on some KILLER strategies here that can
be instantly implemented to win more money at
online poker.

First of all, I noticed that you said, “My basic
strategy is to raise the same with every hand as
to not giveaway my hand.”

This is brilliant. I often employ this technique
myself, because it keeps your opponents COMPLETELY
off-balance… guessing at what you’re holding.

You also brought up a great point about the value
of hitting trips when you wrote, “When I do hit my
set I am taking his whole stack.”

This concept can be taken FURTHER…

In online poker, IMPLIED ODDS are a more important
consideration than in offline poker. The reason is
because of the dominate LOOSE-AGGRESSIVE style of
play…

When you make a significant bet, your chances of
getting action are much higher than in your
average home game or casino.

That’s why I like to limp-in with suited
connectors… because if I hit my flush or
straight I’m CONFIDENT that I’m going to win a
huge pot from someone.

The key is to NOT “chase” your outs. Don’t stay in
a hand and call all way down to the river with
your draws… it’s not worth it. Bet the draw
upfront, and if you get raised just muck it.

As for your question regarding pairs…

It sounds to me like you’re playing RING GAMES and
not Sit and Go’s. When I play a low-stakes ring
game, my strategy is about the same as yours.

The biggest difference for me is that I hate
getting up and moving tables so frequently. I’ve
found that when players begin losing money to you,
they often WON’T STOP. They’ll just keep losing
money… DETERMINED to beat you.

And of course, that’s when you get the WINDFALL of
profits from them… since they’re on tilt and
OUTRAGED that they can’t seem to break you.

What I’ll do is show an occasional bluff… or
even get busted on a bluff… that way they remain
confused about my style of play.

Remember: No limit Texas Holdem is PSYCHOLOGICAL
WARFARE. As soon as you find a “fish” you can
consistently beat, don’t leave! Just keep playing
until THEY decide enough is enough.

OK, back to pairs. When I’m in a ring game, I will
call small raises with pocket pairs, in hopes of
busting my opponents.

But in Sit and Go’s I’m more cautious. And the
reason is simple…

In RING GAMES, I’ll often play the “odds”. Yes,
there’s a 1 in 8 chance that I’ll make my trips.
And so I’ll play my pairs and take down huge pots
when I hit.

But in SIT And GO’S I can’t always afford to put
my chips into the middle. Remember, there’s only
ONE MAIN STRATEGY for Sit and Go’s…

SURVIVAL.

If you don’t make it to the top three players in a
10-man Sit and Go, you’re not in the money, which
means you’ve FAILED.

And in your average Sit and Go, you’ll probably
only get a pocket pair once or twice (or maybe a
few times if you’re lucky) before the field gets
down to three players.

So what I’ve found is that it’s often better for
me to LIMP-IN with my pocket pair and hope for
trips. If someone makes a decent raise, I’ll
usually muck it unless I’m the chip leader.

Thanks for your comments man… and keep up the
good work.

If you’d like to get my complete, step-by-step “foolproof” system for playing an winning Texas Holdem poker…
and how to keep the odds in YOUR FAVOR all the time…

Just Click Here.

Your New Friend,

Roy Rounder

————————————————————

Disclaimer: I do not promote illegal, underage, or gambling
to those who live in a jurisdiction where gambling is
considered unlawful. The information within this site and
newsletter is being presented solely for entertainment
purposes. I will not be held responsible for any personal
loss of wagers or damages you may incur. Anyone concerned
about having a problem can contact Gamblers Anonymous for
further information.

————————————————————

Practice your skills at Carbon Poker.

Article:

In part one, we talked about building a bankroll through
freerolls. And while there are many big freerolls out there, and
it can be a great place to build your bankroll quickly,
especially if you win a big freeroll, it is not the only way. In
this article, we are going to talk about non- deposit bonuses.
By the end of this article you should have a good idea of how
and where to find non-deposit bonuses, and what to do with them
once you get them

Non-Deposit Bonus Non-Deposit Bonuses are the quickest way to
build your bankroll. You instantly are credited with money to
your account, simply for signing up. The best part about this
is, it doesn’t cost you anything. The only requirement is that
before you can withdraw, they put a restriction on the amount of
hands you play. But if you play multiple tables at once, you can
quickly earn this off and have your non-deposit bonus ready to
withdraw. There are few available non-deposit bonuses, however
there are a couple VERY big bonuses. One of them is $50
instantly to your ultimate bet account. With this you are
basically GIVEN a bankroll. Sure it’s a smaller bankroll, but
it’s definitely something you can work with. If you’re a good
poker player, $50 should be enough for you to work your bankroll
up fairly quickly. So where can you find this non-deposit bonus?
Well, just hang on because at the end of this article I’m going
to tell you. Aside from the Ultimate Bet non deposit bonuses, I
have found a non deposit bonus at party poker and titan poker,
however if you’re a US player this has little use to you. But if
you aren’t from the US, you’ll want that bonus right away! Those
are also both $50 non-deposit bonuses. (There will be a $100
non-deposit bonus updated soon at the site that will work for US
players) Like I said, these are the quickest way to generate a
bankroll as they’re given to you. However, you will need to play
at least the minimum number of hands before cashing out. This is
why playing multiple tables is a very good idea. However if
you’re going to play multiple tables, its going to be very
difficult to pay attention, so I recommend just playing premium
hands, and play them aggressively and I mean premium… Play the
top 7-10 hands, this means TT JJ QQ KK AA and AK and AQ, In late
position you might want to play 99 88 and 77 as well. By doing
this you can’t go wrong… If you’re playing at 3 tables at
once, you can really play a lot of hands fast, and it won’t seem
like you’re making much until you get your pocket kings all in
and completely double up. When you win a big pot like that, I
usually leave the table unless I start at the table with more
chips than anyone else at the table. It simply isn’t worth it to
stick around. You could have it all in once with a 70% chance of
winning, and then have it all in again with a 70% chance of
winning, but your chances of still having chips after both of
those moves is only about 50%. You’re leaving yourself in a
situation that you have to win BOTH the first AND the second.
This is a HUGE key to bankroll management that’s overlooked like
crazy. Once I build up a bankroll, sometimes I’ll actually sit
in with the minimum and play really wild. If I lose the minimum
buy in I’ll buy back in with the MAX buy in. Most of the time,
I’ll not only get my money back, but I’ll get the guys entire
chip stack. I’ve already built up a wild image, and I’ve already
probably lost a hand I still had about a 35% chance of winning,
even if I get a coinflip the chances are that he isn’t going to
win BOTH the 1st one AND the second one. And if I get lucky
enough to win the first hand as an underdog, I’ll leave. One
final thing, once you’ve played enough hands to make a
withdrawl, do it immediately… There are far too many deposit
bonuses and reload bonuses out there for you to be playing
without any extra incentives per hand. If you don’t withdraw
immediately, you’re just throwing away money. Once you withdraw,
you’ll want to find the best bonus you can find.

About the author:

For more information about where you can find non-deposit
bonuses, build your bankroll from scratch, and for the only
place that you can get instant updates on the rest of this
article series, check out bankroll builder
for free texas
holdem

Article:

Texas Holdem is a poker game where you can make huge profits
from your winning, but you need a winning psychological mindset,
and the right strategy.

Don’ expect to read a book or two on Texas Holdem, and be an
expert. That is not the way it works. This is not something you
learn from books! Knowing how to play is essential, naturally,
but not enough. Why not?

To be successful in Texas Holdem you need some strategy,
certainly – and you must learn to play not only your own hand,
but that of the other players.

For any strategy to be effective you must include in it your
opponent’s strategy as well, and then adapt your own to win.

This is the difficult bit of developing your Texas Hold’em
strategy there is no optimal hand to play like in Blackjack; you
have to BEAT your opponent.

So, you must first however learn all the basics:

1. What the odds are

2. Bluffing

3. Slow play

etc

Then all you can know about your opponents and how to play them!

Blending your Strategy with a Winning Psychology

The key to winning will be in your state of mind, and your
psychological outlook to the game.

Why?

Because in Texas Hold’em the best hand doesn’t always win. This
is a basic mistake many players make.

If you bluff or play too times you will be easily discovered by
the more experienced players.

They will find out, and you will lose.

For Texas hold’em nothing is more important than practicing!

To get Texas Hold’em strategy correct, you need lots of practice.

The whole game is full of psychology, and you must “read” the
other players correctly. No book can teach you this.

You will succeed, but only if you have real experience, for
money.

The free games will not put you in the correct psychological
frame of mind. Everyone plays different for money.

When you lose money, it hurts. When you win it is sweet.

When you play for real, each mistake or error in strategy can
cost you. You must know what this means and how it feels. There
is no substitute for experience.

So, begin at the lower or minimum bets, and then increase your
bets as you gain in experience and skill. Also, don’t go against
the really experienced players…you will only lose.

Strategy Guidelines for Texas Hold’em.

1. From the resources on the net read as much as you can about
the basic tips, the odds and successfully applied strategies.
There is no shortage of them on the net. However, keep in mind
what ever strategy you choose must have a correct psychological
attitude.

2. Understand your opponent, study him well, and then fix your
mind on how to react to him, or make him react to you. If you do
this, you are half way to victory already.

3. As you begin, keep to the small bets, and lower limits. Work
out your strategy here for the lessons will cost you in losses.
In the end, you will gain valuable experience and start winning.

4. As in the world of sports, you need the correct attitude.
Find it, use it, and stick with it. It will be your tool for
success.

5. Don’t be in a hurry to win patience is the key, you can’t
develop your skills without plenty of practice and this does NOT
mean free games. This is a slow process. You need to build up
skill, attitude and feel the game as natural. Also, play only
for money, as you will play differently.

And do not underestimate the value of the right attitude. This
more than anything else will defeat your opponent.

Anyone can learn how to play, but winning takes hard work,
dedication, and tenacity…

In the game of Texas Hold’em, there are no short cuts or easy
winnings.

If you want to in you must devote your time to a lot of practice
be prepared to lose money.

However, if you can form and hold the right attitude, and know
the basics of play, with practice you can and will win.

About the author:

For More FREE info on Texas Holdem and all other major casino
games including tips and strategies to win visit

http://www.net-planet.org/games/poker.html

“Roy Rounder” is the pen name of a successful professional
poker player and author. To skyrocket your Texas Holdem
winnings, join his free newsletter. Just click here.
————————————————————

331 to 1.

Those are the odds AGAINST getting dealt an Ace-King suited
before the flop.

220 to 1.

Those are the odds AGAINST getting pocket Aces before the
flop.

Monster hands like these are GREAT when you catch them…
and you’ll definitely have a good shot at raking in a killer
pot.

But the fact is, when you play poker you WON’T catch
monsters very often.

The same is true with wired pairs and suited connectors…

When you hit with one of these hands, your opponents will
usually NEVER see it coming…

And once again, you’ll rake in a nice pot.

But how many times do you get hands like these AND hit the
right cards?

Not too often.

ANYONE– no matter what their skill level– can win a pot
with a monster.

The SECRET to poker success, my friend, is learning how to
win hands WITHOUT having the “nuts” or great cards.

It’s what separates the AVERAGE card players from the poker
LEGENDS.

So how do you play hands that are DECENT, but not GREAT?
Hands like Q-J, J-10, 9-10, Q-10, K-10, K-9, and so on…

If you FOLD every time you see cards like these, you’re
playing too tight. Because you’re going to see these types
of hands A LOT.

To consistently win at Texas Holdem poker, you’ve got to
learn how to win with hands that AREN’T great.

But how?

I’ll tell you how…

The key is POSITIONING.

That’s the magic word.

In Texas Holdem, positioning is EVERYTHING…

You can see a hand in one position and the right play is to
FOLD it…

And then see the SAME EXACT HAND in a different position and
the right play is to make a BET.

For example, let’s say you’re in an 8-player no limit Holdem
game… where the blinds are $1-2.

You’re first to act before the flop (a.k.a. “under the gun”)
and look down at your cards:

Q-J offsuit.

What do you do?

Playing the hand shouldn’t cross your mind.

Calling with a Q-J offsuit can easily turn into TROUBLE when
first to act.

Because SOMEONE at your 8-man table is probably going to
throw out a pre-flop raise.

Think about it…

How many times does the action go COMPLETELY around the
table before the flop without SOMEONE making a raise?

Not too often.

Even if it’s just a small $5 raise… you don’t want to pay
$7 with your Q-J offsuit just to see the flop.

After all, even if you HIT top pair, you’re STILL going to
be one of the first to act, if not THE first. What then?

Your kicker isn’t too strong, and you don’t have a read on
the other players.

It’s just a bad situation to be in…

Which is why I muck “decent” hands like these when I’m under
the gun or in an early position.

And you should too.

Now let’s say you’re fourth to act before the flop (sixth
position at the table) and you peek down at a Q-10 offsuit.

You’re positioning isn’t great, but it’s not too bad either.

The action is on you to call the $2 big blind…

What do you do?

Instead of mucking, this is where I’d limp in and call the
blind.

Even if someone throws out a small pre-flop raise, you can
call and see a cheap flop without getting into too much
trouble.

Now let’s say you’re on the BUTTON (dealer position) with a
Q-J offsuit. Four of your opponents limp-in and the action
is to you.

What’s the play?

This is where I’d make a pre-flop raise. Nothing crazy…
just a small $5 that’s not going to get me into trouble.

And I’ll do this with any good positioning, not just when
I’m on the button…

Here’s why:

First, it gets rid of the “crap” hands at the table…

Anytime you can force the scraps at the table to fold, your
odds of winning the pot increase.

(The reason you don’t want them in the hand is in case one
of them gets lucky on the flop.)

Second, I get to see what my opponents do AFTER the flop…
before I have to act.

This is a HUGE advantage. I can get a read on everyone
else’s hand… and NO ONE gets a read on mine. Use this
advantage EVERY chance you get.

And third, my bet gives me relative control over the
table… and is likely to result in a free card if I want
one.

Let’s say the flop hits: 9-10-2

That gives me an open-ended straight draw with my Q-J.

There’s a good chance my opponents will CHECK, because they
anticipate another bet from me.

So I’m in a win-win situation…

I can throw out a semi-bluff bet… or… I can see a free
card by checking.

Getting control over the board also puts me in a position to
buy the pot if I sense weakness at the table.

Which brings me to another point…

Positioning is a fundamental part of Texas Holdem, but you
had better have a good read on your opponents in order to
win the hand.

And you’d better know the right size to make your bets…
and what to do if there’s a draw on the board… and how to
bluff if you get into trouble.

That’s why I recommend you download software tools– a.k.a.
“player assistance programs”– to help you at online poker.

The tool I personally created will give you a fool-proof
roadmap for dominating online tournaments:

Poker Shark

You should also get an odds calculator. The hottest one on
the market now is called “Calculatem Pro”. It will show you
your pot odds, percentages, and dozens of other important
calculations

Calculatem

And last but not least, to get my ENTIRE SYSTEM, download my
eBook. You’ll get an “insider’s look” at the many different
scenarios and situations you’ll face at the poker table…
and step-by-step how to play each one… all while learning
my core philosophy and methodology for winning Texas Holdem.

Whether you prefer to play online, in casinos, in
tournaments, or in home games, this book is an absolute “no
brainer” investment.

Just think about how much more money you’ll make over the
LONG TERM when you know these expert secrets and tips…
(Hint: The answer is a LOT.)

So go right now while it’s fresh on your mind and get your
personal copy of my course:

http://www.NoLimitHoldemSecrets.com/tl/482BthL

I’ll talk to you again in a couple days

Your Friend,

Roy Rounder

————————————————————

Disclaimer: I do not promote illegal, underage, or gambling
to those who live in a jurisdiction where gambling is
considered unlawful. The information within this site and
newsletter is being presented solely for entertainment
purposes. I will not be held responsible for any personal
loss of wagers or damages you may incur. Anyone concerned
about having a problem can contact Gamblers Anonymous for
further information.

————————————————————

Remember this mantra:

PLAY THE PLAYER, NOT THE CARDS.

Is Big Slick a monster hand?

Yes, of course it is.

But you’ll get BURNT with it if you don’t take the right
things into consideration.

When you’re in late positioning, you should raise
aggressively pre-flop with Big Slick and try to narrow the
field down to one or two callers.

If you’re in an early position, you should make a raise with the same goal in mind: to narrow it down to a caller or two. Except this time, you’ll have to use more of your “intuition” to decide how large your bet will need to be.

With Big Slick, you want to get RID of anyone at the table who’s holding a deuce… that way you’re not scared about an opponent having a pair of two’s!

After the flop, YES, you should represent with a bet. Don’t CHECK the flop after making a pre-flop raise… only a wuss does something like that.

If the board hits all scraps, you should be able to take the pot down no problem. Make your opponents put you on a hand like K-K or A-A and force them to fold.

If the board hits with either your King or Ace, once again you’ll have no problem winning the pot.

The times you need be careful are when either:

1. You think your opponent has a monster hand, like Kings or
Aces. (If this happens, fold!)

2. The board pairs up or there’s a straight or flush draw
there.

In the latter case, you want to be careful not to bet into
your opponent if he’s holding trips or a draw.

You won’t be able to force him to fold, and you’ll have
gotten yourself into a lot of trouble.

Now… if you represent the flop with nothing but Ace high
and your opponent calls, NOW it’s time to back down.

If the turn card doesn’t help you, just ease off.

Cut your losses and move on.

Get started by investing in my eBook, “No Limit Holdem Secrets”. You can download it RIGHT NOW and start reading it within the next five minutes…

Just click this link:

NoLimitHoldemSecrets.com

I’ll write to you again soon.

Your Friend,

Roy Rounder

Practice at Carbon Poker

And so obvious…

Yet no one seems to get it!

What’s this easy-to-use secret for beating Sit and Go tournaments online?

The answer is this:

PATIENCE.

I know… I know… you were expecting something more, um… “secretive”.

But the truth is, winning at Sit and Go’s is pretty damn easy. I find them easier than “real” poker games, actually.

And that’s why every time I turn on the computer these days I feel like a kid in a candy store… ready to clean out the amateurs at the poker room of my choosing.

But I’m getting ahead of myself.

What I want to discuss here is why PATIENCE is so critical for Sit and Go success.

First, let’s get back to some basics. There are four types of poker playing styles:

1. Tight-Passive
2. Tight-Aggressive
3. Loose-Passive
4. Loose-Aggressive

Your style should be tight-aggressive.

Don’t confuse “styles” with “preferences”. If you want to be a good card player, you DON’T get to DECIDE to be tight-aggressive.

You MUST be tight-aggressive in order to be good.

Period.

Of course there are DEGREES of each playing style, and that’s what accounts for the differences between one pro and another… the DIFFERENT DEGREES of tight-aggressive.

OK, now let me ask you:

What does “tight-aggressive” really MEAN?

Here’s the answer:

It means that you play TIGHT in terms of hand selection, but AGGRESSIVE when you enter a pot.

Be careful… “tight” and “aggressive” are not opposites. “Tight” and “loose” are opposites. And so are “aggressive” and “passive”.

TIGHT refers to hand selection. AGGRESSIVE refers to betting.

OK… so this is how playing styles relate to Sit and Go’s…

The NATURE of Sit and Go’s makes them OVERRUN by LOOSE-AGGRESSIVE style players.

The reasons are simple:

1. You can play a Sit and Go virtually anytime, anywhere, and with anyone.

This means there’s very low risk in LOSING, since you can easily just move on to the next game. It’s not like in “offline” poker when once you get knocked out you’re DONE.

2. The money seems less “real”.

Let’s be honest… We all know the feeling of making a deposit into an online poker account and thinking to ourselves how it doesn’t quite feel like REAL MONEY. Am I right?

3. There’s no “embarrassment”.

Online poker is virtually 100% anonymous. If you make a stupid move, you’re not worried about what the other players THINK of you. Who cares?

After all, the other “players” are really just silly little avatars on an animated screen.

OK, so those are three (there are many more) of the reasons why Sit and Go’s (and pretty much all of online poker) are dominated by the playing style LOOSE-AGGRESSIVE.

Loose-aggressive is also known as the “manic” playing style. And what’s the FASTEST way to beat a manic?

Yep, you guessed it…

PATIENCE.

The reason is because MANICS are constantly playing many hands (loose) and doing so aggressively.

What happens is that it’s difficult to get a READ on them because you never know whether they’re bluffing or not… unless you call their bets… which you can’t do because you don’t have that great a hand.

Has this ever happened to you?

Have you ever been up against a player who seemed to be playing VERY aggressively and you just couldn’t figure out if they were bluffing or holding great cards?

And then when you got FED UP with it and DID make a call, he had you beat?

My guess is that it HAS happened to you… just as it’s happened for me.

The key thing to know is that THERE ARE certain steps you can take to defend this. (I even wrote an entire chapter about this topic in my book.)

But fortunately in Sit and Go’s, this isn’t really much of a problem. Because you’re usually not up against just one or two manics. You’re up against an ENTIRE TABLE of them.

That means you shouldn’t be CALLING anyone’s bets.

Instead, YOU should push the action when you have a monster hand… and ONLY when you have a monster hand. And that, of course, requires…

PATIENCE!

It’s actually much easier this way. Because with a table full of manics, you can rely on getting action with all your great hands.

(I should point out here that I’m generally referring to Sit and Go’s where the entry fee is less than $50. When the stakes are higher the quality of play is usually more intelligent.)

OK, so what I’m about to tell you might take some of the “fun” out of Sit and Go’s. But it will increase your profits dramatically…

Here’s what your Sit and Go “experience” should look like when the field is from 8 or 10 players down to 4 or 5 players.

**************************************************

If your hole cards are…

A-A, K-K – Go all in pre-flop if you’re in early position. If in late position and there was a raise, go all-in. If people were just trying to limp in, make a raise… and then bet very aggressively after the flop.

Q-Q, A-K – If you’re in an early position, bet big (but not all-in). If you’re in a late position, use your read on the other players to determine whether or not you think you have the best hand. If so, bet huge or go all-in.

All other pocket pairs – Limp-in. If you spike trips, go all-in. If not, fold.

Suited connectors – Limp-in if the blinds are reasonably low. Fold suited connectors under 7-6.

Ace-X suited – Limp-in if possible. Only bet if you hit the flush.

All other hands – Fold.

**************************************************

What you’ve just seen will be completely different than most “starting hand strategies” out there.

And that chart is NOT for all types of no limit Texas Holdem. We’re ONLY talking about games that match these three criteria:

1. Online poker Sit and Go tournaments 2. Low stakes (under $50 entry) 3. While there are more than 4 or 5 players at the table (in an 8-man or 10-man Sit and Go)

DO NOT use that starting hand advice for any other poker games… because that’s NOT how you should play your starting hands in general.

So why would Sit and Go’s be so much different than “normal” poker play?

Like I said before, the reason is because Sit and Go’s are heavily dominated by loose-aggressive players… and THIS is how you beat those guys.

Why exactly does this strategy work?

It works because you’re only playing monsters.

Now… if the players at Sit and Go’s were SMART, they’d OBSERVE that you’re only playing monster hands… and they’d FOLD as soon as you went all-in.

I mean… it only makes logical sense, right?

Indeed, this is how it works in live games. But not online. Because for online poker there’s another important factor working to your advantage…

NO ONE’S PAYING ATTENTION!

The truth is, many players are either drunk, hungover, stupid, or playing multiple tables at once. Or all of the above!

They’re not paying attention to your betting patterns. They’re just playing the CARDS, not the PLAYERS.

I call my strategy for patiently waiting for monster hands and then going all-in:

“Tight-Aggressive Squared”

The reason is because my strategy is like the playing style tight-aggressive… but on STEROIDS.

Why go all-in so much?

It’s like I said… you WILL get action. Maybe not every single time, but enough times to make it well worth your while.

For Sit and Go’s, all you need to do is double-up ONCE before the field gets to 4 or 5 players.

THEN you can start playing aggressively. What will happen is that the 4 or 5 players LEFT IN THE GAME will usually be the smarter ones. And some of them WILL notice by now that you’re playing tight.

SO THEN what you do is steal blinds. It’s easy.

Everyone tightens up when there are four or five players in a hand because they want to make the money… and they want to be VERY CAREFUL to make it into the top three.

That is when you steal some blinds and add to your chip stack.

Then, after that point you’ll be in third place and will be in the money.

I have a ton of strategies for getting you into FIRST place too (after you get down to three players), but I’ll have to save those for a different newsletter.

You know, when I first came up with this strategy of “Tight-Aggressive Squared” I wasn’t COMPLETELY convinced it was the best way to win at Sit and Go’s.

At the time, I had been trying a lot of things. The idea of just being EXTREMELY PATIENT and then going all-in with monster hands seemed a little TOO SIMPLE.

Right?

Then one night, I was at a 10-man Sit and Go. I went all-in with a big hand early and doubled up. It was the only hand I got really involved with.

Then… with 9 players still at the table… my Internet shut off. I didn’t know what happened. All I know is that the Internet just plain STOPPED WORKING.

I would have called someone… but it was past two in the morning.

I messed with it for like fifteen minutes and then just gave up. Oh well… it’s just one Sit and Go.

Anyway… I started working on something else on my computer for awhile until all of the sudden the Internet came BACK on.

I logged into my poker room to see what had happened with the game. Immediately the screen POPPED-UP and the action was to me…

I was still in the game, it wasn’t over yet!

Not only that…

But there were only three players left!

I was in third, but still had some remaining chips to play around with.

I immediately went all-in and everyone folded. Then I did it again and everyone folded. And a few hands later I did it AGAIN.

I picked up three enormous sets of blinds and was right back in the game. The reason everyone was folding was because I hadn’t played a hand in 25 minutes. They were probably wondering what the hell was going on!

Anyway, as it turned out, I actually WON 1ST for this Sit and Go. First place baby… and my Internet only worked for about 1/5 of the game!

After I was done I started thinking about what had just happened. I realized that by PLAYING in a Sit and Go you can often do MORE DAMAGE THAN GOOD when there are lots of players at the table.

And of course, I became 100% convinced that the “magic equation” for success is:

PATIENCE + AGGRESSION

Your goal for these games should be to place in the money as much as possible. Period. So why risk chips on silly hands early on?

They’re just not worth it…

The other thing about this strategy is that it’s a HUGE time-saver. Because it doesn’t require hardly any work until there are 4-5 players left. It makes it MUCH easier to play multiple tables at once… or do other things while the Sit and Go plays in the background.

OK, so here’s your “Tight-Aggressive Squared” Sit and Go strategy:

1. Be patient, be patient, be patient!

Only play the hands I showed you earlier. Only bet before the flop with Aces, Kings, Big Slick, and Queens.

2. When you catch a monster, go all-in. Don’t do this if you think someone has you beat (i.e. there’s an obvious straight or flush draw on the board).

I’m talking about only playing hands when you know you have the best odds of winning.

3. When the field gets down to four or five players (depending on how high the blinds are and how many all-in showdowns you’ve won), shift gears completely and STOP using this “Tight-Aggressive Squared” strategy.

That, my friend, is the “secret” to Sit and Go’s.

It’s obvious… but not-so-obvious.

But it is DEFINITELY simple.

And you can start implementing it IMMEDIATELY…

To get step-by-step advice as you play Sit and Go tournaments online, make sure to download “Sit And Go Shark”. This amazing software tool will “take you by the hand” and give you coaching as you play online Sit and Go’s.

Free for a limited time. Click this link:

CLICK HERE

Practice your skills at Carbon Poker

After you think you know what your opponent has, you must figure out the number of outs you have. You must then understand the probabilities of hitting one of your outs, that would give you the winning hand. You can simply do this by deciding which cards would make your hand a winner and counting how many can possibly be left in the deck. For example, if you have 1 king there are 3 more kings left. If you have 2 hearts and 2 hearts are on the board then there are 9 hears left in the deck. Once you figured out the number of out, multiply this number by 4. This number is a rough percentage of your chances of catching one of your outs on the turn and river combined. Please read hand odds for more details. You should also know your pot odds. This will let you know if it is right to call a certain size bet. Knowing your outs and the amount of money in the pot is needed for this.

If you have hit top pair with a good kicker with no drawing possibilities on the flop you should bet your hand. But at the same time if there is a flush draw or a straight draw, you want to bet enough that their pot odds will not allow them to call your bet. If you are the person who has flopped the draw, you must use your pot odds to know if players are allowing you to call the bet. If so, call. If not, fold. If you are lucky enough to flop a monster hand you can then check if you know someone will bet and then simply call the bet. If you don’t believe no one will fold you can bet and then raise.

There are many different things that can happen after the flop and each street. The following pages will give you some more in depth post flop strategy.

Practice your skills at Carbon Poker

PokerLetter.org: Your Online Poker Strategy Guide

*************************************************

In poker you are pretty much playing one way or the other at the table,
but you should be doing both, and at different times. Many pros have a
reputation for being a specific type of player, but actually they are
mixing up their play and making their opponent misread their image.

One of the most important elements of poker is position. You must make
decisions based on where you are seated and where the button is. If you
are seated right after the button, you are in early position. This is
where you are most likely throwing away most hands. You do not want to
get involved with a mediocre hand like A10 and then have someone raise
big after you where you can’t call.

If you are seated on the button, you can be mixing up your play more.
Feel free to limp in or raise aggressively with mediocre hands. I like
to raise on the button with Ax. Most people will fold, and if you get a
caller you can usually raise them out after the flop because they think
you are holding a big pair. Be careful not to do this too often because
the better players know that the button is a good place to try and
steal.

Another time to decide whether to play aggressive or conservative is
dependent on your table. If you are seated with 5 aggressive players then
you might want to slow down and play tight. Wait for a good hand and
hopefully they will bet into you. It is very important to maximize your
available profits to gain from weaker players.

If you are seated at a table with very conservative players you must
play the role of the aggressor. You will make your money based off of
raising them out of pots. You must be careful, though, that if a super
conservative player makes a play for the pot they probably have something
and it would be best to fold. A very important part of poker is knowing
your opponents and recognizing their table image.

To take it a step further, you should be confusing your opponents on
what your table image is. Make them think you are a super loose and
aggressive player, then tighten up a bit and watch them raise you with
nothing, when you have the nuts. Or vice versa, play very tight for awhile
and then start getting involved in big pots and reraise. Even if they
have a good hand, if they think of you as a very tight player, it is
probable that they would lay down top pair or even two pair.

Another time to get aggressive is when you are the chip leader. You can
use this to your advantage to push other players off pots. Raise before
the flop and put the pressure on your opponents to make a decision if
they want to get involved with a hand. You usually want to be
conservative when you are the short stack because you can easily be called by a
bigger stack or reraised all in. Don’t invest any chips into the pot
unless you are prepared to go all the way with that hand.

In a tournament, on the bubble is also another good time to put
pressure on your opponents. It is worth risking a few chips to steal blinds
and antes. You must remember you are always playing for first, not just
to make the money. A lot of other players don’t think like this and they
will tighten up when the money is approaching, just hoping to cash.

You must always recognize the best situations and times to get involved
in the pot. If you don’t have much money invested in the pot, it isn’t
worth it to risk a big amount of your stack just to try and outplay
someone. Another important piece of advice is that you don’t have to win
every pot. Even if you are playing the role of the aggressor at the
table, it is OK to fold to someone if they raise you big. This can also be
helpful later when you have a hand, because people will think they can
get you to fold by raising you out.

So just remember, get aggressive:

* in later positions or on the button

* with conservative players

* when you are chip leader

* on the bubble

PokerLetter.org

Practice your skills at Carbon Poker.