You Can Always Earn Profits Playing Low Limit Hold'em
During the last 17 years, I have earned from $400 to $750 per month playing live low limit hold'em games. I play an average of 3 hours per day. I am a recreational player. But I only enjoy playing if I earn some money.
I Won this money by following a few (what I call) rules of play that work exceptionally well for low and medium limit poker. I developed these rules by reading the available books and paying attention at the table.
Some recent poker books actually guarantee that you will lose money. They tell players to play too many hands. However, they are valuable to read for three reasons. First, they teach you what hands most other players play. Second, they teach you how to win more pots but lose money over the long run. And, they help you see what not to play. You can't beat the rake in low limit poker if you play too many hands.
Follow these rules and you will always earn money in the long run. As you gain skill, your earnings will increase. Your skill will come from learning to read other players.
1) Weak players rarely fold any ace, pair or two suited cards in low limit hold'em. They will often call bets with them all the way to the river even though it should be obvious to them that they are beat. This is the major reason why you can earn money in the long run.
Here is how to earn money. Never play hands that have a negative or near negative expectation. Only play hands that have positive expectations. They place the odds in your favor over all. You can always play cards that have a positive expectation by only playing hands that equal 20 on a blackjack table or high pocket pairs. Heads up 10's 9's 8's and even 7's have positive expectations.
2) Remember that position is important. Don't play any two card hand that has a 10 kicker in early or middle position. Example: A 10, K 10, J 10. Middle and lower suited connectors always lose money in the long run.
3) Never raise preflop with two unpaired face cards in a low limit game. See the flop first in any position. If you miss the flop, muck your hand cheaply.
4) When you see the flop, only bet if you catch top pair with a good kicker. Don't play second or third pair unless you are heads up against a weak player.
5) When you catch top pair with a good kicker, don't slow play. Always bet out first or if someone bets into you raise. The reason to raise is to get rid of anyone behind you that may draw out on you and to build a larger pot that you have the best odds to win heads up. A pair, even a high pair, gets weaker against more than one player. The more players the weaker the pair is.
6) Except in rare cases, never slow play or check raise. Studies show that slow players and check raisers don't do as well as players that bet straight out. Only check raise if you are sure that some jackal will throw in a bet in late position with a weak hand trying to steal the pot when it is checked around.
7) Never call a preflop raise with anything smaller than AK. And Remember that AK is the most over rated hand in poker. You will only catch an A or a K one in 3.5 times you see a flop with it. Any pair can beat you. Always raise or re-raise with AA, KK, QQ, JJ. and 10's. In many games, people are raising preflop with any two face cards. If you think that you can get heads up with the raiser, re-raise with 99, 88, and 77.
8) Never see any flop with small pocket pairs ( 66, 55, 33, 22) unless at least 7 other players see the flop too. You will only catch a set 1 in 7 times you see the flop. When you catch the set, you will have good odds. If you don't catch a set, toss your pair. Remember that sets get beat 1 in 5 times they are played.
9) Don't play in any game where 5 or more players are calling just about every flop. This is a dumb luck slot machine tactics game. You can come out ahead in this game but your down swings can be bad.
10) Never draw to a straight or flush unless 3 or 4 players are in the hand with you and you will have the top end if you catch your hand. A flush or a straight draw will only be completed about 1 in 14 times you start preflop with 2 suited or connected cards. Playing straights and flushes in general is a losing strategy over all.
11) Don't get upset at the jackals play that wins pots from you. Over the long run they are the same players that pay you off. The best example is the player that sees any flop with any two suited cards. What he doesn't realize is out of 140 times they play two suited cards they will only complete the flush 10 times. Seeing the flop with small pocket pairs with less than 7 others calling will always lose money in the long run.
12) Remember that most players win pots but lose money in the long run. By playing a lot of hands, they are paying most of the rake for you. It is hard to beat the rake in low limit. Selective aggressive play wins in the long run.
During the last 17 years, I have earned from $400 to $750 per month playing live low limit hold'em games. I play an average of 3 hours per day. I am a recreational player. But I only enjoy playing if I earn some money.
I Won this money by following a few (what I call) rules of play that work exceptionally well for low and medium limit poker. I developed these rules by reading the available books and paying attention at the table.
Some recent poker books actually guarantee that you will lose money. They tell players to play too many hands. However, they are valuable to read for three reasons. First, they teach you what hands most other players play. Second, they teach you how to win more pots but lose money over the long run. And, they help you see what not to play. You can't beat the rake in low limit poker if you play too many hands.
Follow these rules and you will always earn money in the long run. As you gain skill, your earnings will increase. Your skill will come from learning to read other players.
1) Weak players rarely fold any ace, pair or two suited cards in low limit hold'em. They will often call bets with them all the way to the river even though it should be obvious to them that they are beat. This is the major reason why you can earn money in the long run.
Here is how to earn money. Never play hands that have a negative or near negative expectation. Only play hands that have positive expectations. They place the odds in your favor over all. You can always play cards that have a positive expectation by only playing hands that equal 20 on a blackjack table or high pocket pairs. Heads up 10's 9's 8's and even 7's have positive expectations.
2) Remember that position is important. Don't play any two card hand that has a 10 kicker in early or middle position. Example: A 10, K 10, J 10. Middle and lower suited connectors always lose money in the long run.
3) Never raise preflop with two unpaired face cards in a low limit game. See the flop first in any position. If you miss the flop, muck your hand cheaply.
4) When you see the flop, only bet if you catch top pair with a good kicker. Don't play second or third pair unless you are heads up against a weak player.
5) When you catch top pair with a good kicker, don't slow play. Always bet out first or if someone bets into you raise. The reason to raise is to get rid of anyone behind you that may draw out on you and to build a larger pot that you have the best odds to win heads up. A pair, even a high pair, gets weaker against more than one player. The more players the weaker the pair is.
6) Except in rare cases, never slow play or check raise. Studies show that slow players and check raisers don't do as well as players that bet straight out. Only check raise if you are sure that some jackal will throw in a bet in late position with a weak hand trying to steal the pot when it is checked around.
7) Never call a preflop raise with anything smaller than AK. And Remember that AK is the most over rated hand in poker. You will only catch an A or a K one in 3.5 times you see a flop with it. Any pair can beat you. Always raise or re-raise with AA, KK, QQ, JJ. and 10's. In many games, people are raising preflop with any two face cards. If you think that you can get heads up with the raiser, re-raise with 99, 88, and 77.
8) Never see any flop with small pocket pairs ( 66, 55, 33, 22) unless at least 7 other players see the flop too. You will only catch a set 1 in 7 times you see the flop. When you catch the set, you will have good odds. If you don't catch a set, toss your pair. Remember that sets get beat 1 in 5 times they are played.
9) Don't play in any game where 5 or more players are calling just about every flop. This is a dumb luck slot machine tactics game. You can come out ahead in this game but your down swings can be bad.
10) Never draw to a straight or flush unless 3 or 4 players are in the hand with you and you will have the top end if you catch your hand. A flush or a straight draw will only be completed about 1 in 14 times you start preflop with 2 suited or connected cards. Playing straights and flushes in general is a losing strategy over all.
11) Don't get upset at the jackals play that wins pots from you. Over the long run they are the same players that pay you off. The best example is the player that sees any flop with any two suited cards. What he doesn't realize is out of 140 times they play two suited cards they will only complete the flush 10 times. Seeing the flop with small pocket pairs with less than 7 others calling will always lose money in the long run.
12) Remember that most players win pots but lose money in the long run. By playing a lot of hands, they are paying most of the rake for you. It is hard to beat the rake in low limit. Selective aggressive play wins in the long run.
