Why You Guys Aren’t Crushing These Microlimit Games
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I’ve been poking through the 2+2 archives and have decided to republish some of my favorite posts for those who don’t read 2+2 (or those who didn’t read 2+2 several years ago).
Most limit hold’em players go through a series of stages as they learn. They start out loose and without much of a clue. Then they read a book or two and learn that they need to play tight to win. But they often take that too far and start folding too often. It’s a balancing act to learn how not to call down hopelessly, but also not to fold like an origami black belt. If you’re in that stage, this post was meant for you.
Why you guys aren’t crushing these Microlimit games…
#462860 – 01/02/04 02:53 PM
I have a secret. I know why most of you aren’t crushing these Microlimit games. It isn’t because you guys aren’t smart, because you are. It isn’t because you don’t put the effort in to study, because you do. It isn’t because your opponents play well, because they don’t.
It’s because you fold too damn much.
Most low-limit books contain advice that looks like this:
“Fit or fold.”
“If you don’t have the best hand or the best draw, fold.”
“If you have bottom or middle pair, fold.”
“If you have a pocket pair and don’t hit your set on the flop, fold.”
“If you have top pair, but don’t like your kicker, fold.”
“If you have a straight draw, but there are two of a suit on board, fold.”
“If you have a flush draw, but the board is paired, fold.”
This advice is terrible. In fact, I can prove that this advice is terrible right now. You are playing 1-2, and FishyPoker.com has decided to run a promotion. They are going to add $10 million to this one pot. How should you play? Well, however you play, you sure as hell shouldn’t fold. Any dumbass who folds in a $10 million pot for a $2 bet is a moron.
Now you may say, “well, this is an extreme case,” and it is. But the problem with the advice is that it IGNORES THE SIZE OF THE POT, which happens to be the single most important factor in any decision you make at the poker table. Every time you make any decision… whether it be betting or check-raising the flop or calling on the river, you need to be saying to yourself, “how big is the pot?” If you aren’t, then you are playing poor poker.
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Tags: aggression, big-pots, fit-or-fold, limit-holdem, microlimit, poker, protecting-your-hand, two-plus-two, twoplustwo
This article hits home with me having been felted 11 times in the last three days by miracle cards on the river after I got all my chips in with the best hand on the turn. I was felted twice more because I was calling down a bluffer at the wrond time. I do not understand how someone reraises me with AK on the board(and in my hand) and catches a three on the river to make a set. Dumbfounding and tremendously unlucky for me the last few days. That combined with some bad plays made after some of these beats has dropped my banroll in half in a weekend. I have learned from the experience however the lessons are hard. I have to let bad beats roll off of me and play my game. Confidence is hard to maintain when you get results like that but I won’t focus on results. And I will learn the value of not building big pots on drawing flops. Thanks for your site and book Ed although the limit game is even more up and down then NL. More study more study…fold fold fold fold….then make em pay!