Online poker strategy

So recently I've been trying out my poker playing skills online. I've been playing with Bodog and so far I've been very happy. The deposit process was very simple and quick. They have all types of poker and different sizes (blinds) of tables.

I played my first MTT with bodog and did surprising well. It was a $3 buy-in with about 130-140 people.

After 5 hours of play, I was finally finished. I took 2nd place for a prize of $189. This is a massive pay out for only investing $3.

Since then, I have been focusing on the cash games and have found that there is a major difference with online play. I usually play cash games in the casino's poker room but the buy-ins are a bit steep for me right now. I love online games because you can buy-in for as little as $5.

It seems to me that the only way I can be a successful online poker player is to play SUPER tight. I have been following Chris Ferguson's bankroll management and have been pretty successful.

I think if I stay disciplined enough to follow the rules, I can be successful. So far, so good.

Change my poker strategy?

Wow, its been a few months since I've posted anything. I have been playing the previously mentioned $8 tourney every week and have been doing fairly well.

Money has been tight for me and my family lately, so the only recreational thing I can get away with is playing this $8 tourney. So when I place/win in these tourneys it helps a lot, and I have been placing consistantly in this tourney... here is why (I think):

When money wasn't an issue, I didn't really care too much. I would make calls that I shouldn't and say to myself "Meh, if I lose, its only $8." Now, it has changed to "If I win/place in this, I will be able to live a little more comfortably for the next month."

Don't get me wrong, I am not gambling money I don't have to gamble. I'm not playing with rent money, food money, or anything like that. Its only $8, but the payouts I've been getting have been, $80, $220 twice, and $320 last night.

This extra money allows us to buy a few luxory things. Such as ice-cream, buy lunch at work instead of bringing left-overs, even went out to a nice dinner with my fiancee (which we never get to do anymore).

My point is, that because its no longer something I dismiss so easily, it actually means something to win. And therefore my strategy has changed slightly, and has shown to be profitable.

Texas hold em - finishing in the top 10

Last night I played in a no limit texas hold em tournament. It was an $8 buy in with unlimited re-buy for the first hour.

I FINALLY PLACED IN THIS STUPID TOURNAMENT! I play this tournament every Wednesday and have come close to top 10 (12th place), but never made final table. This time, I took fifth. The tourney started with 87 players with only 800 in starting chips. So immediately everybody was short stacked.

The ways of my success last night were, patience, timing, aggressive play against weaker players, and a lucky suck out.

Now, I'll be the first to admitt I hate a suck out. But usually when they are in your favor, you tend to ignore them.

My epic suck out was to only chop the hand, but I was all in. So this lucky suck out for a chop saved me and allowed me to continue.

Here is what happened...

I'm dealt K 10 off suit and the flop comes out 10 8 7. I'm heads up with a lady who has been playing tight all night, so I move all in and she calls. She turns over A 10 suited. Great, damn kicker is going to take me out of the tournament... Not! the turn is a 9 and the river is a 6 putting a straight on the board for a chop. Lucky runner-runner to keep me alive when I thought for sure that I was out.

Shortly after this particular hand our table broke and I was sitting at final table. I'm completely satisfied with only taking fifth place, and I hope that I can continue this strategy/luck streak when I play again next week.

How to Beat Low-Limit Poker: How to win big money at little games

poker for a living

Each time I play poker, I wish that I could just be successfull enough to quit my job and do this full time. I know how it can be done, and I know what it takes. I think I lack the dicipline to make realistic goals and stick to them. Every time I go and play poker I set three rules:

1: How much am I willing to lose?
2: How much do I want to win realistically?
3: How long do I want to play.

If any of these rules becomes true, I must leave.

My usual goal for #2 is double up. Once I double up, I'm done. It never seems to work that way. I can honestly say that 8/10 times I do double up but don't leave. And just like any gambling game, you will eventually lose. And more often then not, I do. Time to stick to my guns and follow my own rules.

Bad move?

Last night I played in an $8.00 buy-in no limit tournament. There were about 80+ players. Because of the low buy-in amout, everyone started out with only 800 in chips. It was re-buy tourney.

To the point... I had about 1,100 in chips (really short stack) and in the big blind. I was dealt 77 and everyone folded to the small blind. He limps in (blinds were at 200/400). Flop comes 6 3 Q rainbow. He checks, I go all in. He calls. He turns over 83h. The turn is an 8 and the river was a 6. He has 8's and 6's which beat my 7's and 6's knocking me out of the tourney.

I think that if I had pushed all in pre-flop I might have took the blinds right then. Or maybe he would think that I'm trying to steal his blind and call anyways.

Either way, I think, he would have called and I was done. Its situations like these that make poker such an interesting game. Because you will never know what could have happened if you had made a different choice.

my worst bad beat

I like to consider myself a pretty good poker player, but my winnings will say otherwise. I try to play poker whenever I can (sometime when I shouldn't) to earn some extra cash. My goal is to someday play full time. On to things more entertaining...

What inspired me to start this blog was the amount of bad beats I've been getting. I mean, I play pretty strong hands and make reasonable decisions when playing at a live, low limit, table at a local casino.

Scenario: I'm dealt KK in the big blind, and raise pre-flop. I'm called by two people. The flop is K-3-J. I bet, player two calls and player three raises. I re-raise and both call. The turn is an uncordinated 7. Same pattern, I bet, player two calls and player three raises. I, of course, re-raise and both call. The river is an A. Now, its the same pattern but I, and player two, are all in at this point. Player two has flopped a set of 3's. No big deal, I've got him covered. Player three rivers a straight to take it all. He literally had nothing the whole time and I lost over a hundred dollars in one hand.

I'm not made of million bucks and hundred dollars is quite a bit to lose on one hand. I mean, the average player would think twice about calling a continuation bet/raise with only a draw.

Who made the bad play here? Me for thinking my set of Kings were good? Player two for thinking their set of 3's were good? Or player three for sucking out on a straight draw to make us both go broke on one hand?!

I don't care how much you play, read, practice or research poker, nothing can prepare you for a bad beat like that. And its those bad beats where most of my money is lost.