I read a poker article with Howard Lederer where he said that he realised he fully understood the game of No Limit Texas Hold’em poker when the bet sizing was semi-automatic and the only consideration he needed to make was whether or not to bet. Deciding how much to bet or how much you need to bet depends on many factors but very specifically on the stack size of both you and your opponents. If it becomes semi-automatic like Howard and remains correct then you are doing very well at grasping poker strategy.

100 Big Blind Stacks in Low Limit Games

I differ from Harrington on Cash Games in that I still play speculative hands when the stacks are a bit smaller than the recommended 200 big blinds. As I play lower stakes games I find players generally buy-in shorter than 200 big blinds anyway but do not adjust that well to these slightly smaller stacks. I am not saying that 100 big blinds are especially short but you should be playing differently to 200 big blind stacks. I will still play mostly premium hands and some connectors in position and I am looking to hit the flop hard and win my opponents entire stack.

What Can You Win?

If you are limping in with a low pocket pair, for example, like 6-6 to hit your set you know that when you are called you will face overcards most of the time after the flop and even without them on a 2-3-5 board you have the wheel to worry about and straights. Your goal is to hit your set. Your opponents stack size should be about 25 big blinds to make it worthwhile for you to compensate for the times you lose when you hit your set; they fold rather than call, and the times you miss hitting your set and are forced to fold. Realise that if you play to hit a set and win 5 big blinds from an opponent about to bust out of the game, it is good you won the pot but you made a mistake chasing a set in this spot.

Playing Deep Stacked Players

Deep stack play is what the professionals love to play because you do not reach a spot betting half pot and pot where the last bet is always all-in. Often it works out this way, but not necessarily. This leaves room for creative and skilful plays and separates the good poker players from the weaker players.

You should bet the pot and be aggressive when the stacks are deep. You will get some folds, some calls and when you win your opponents entire stack this will make up for the time when you lose chips using this aggressive method. Harrington on Cash games volume 1 proves this theory by using tables and math to show why you should play this way. Even as a general concept you should know putting your opponent to a tough decision is the way to beat the game. The math just happens to agree.

I recommend you read the book Harrington on Cash Games volume one and two which goes into great detail on some of things to think about whilst you refine your online poker strategy. Perhaps we will sit on the same online poker table in the future; I play at bwin.com and would highly recommend it as an online poker room with good software and games.

By Malcolm Clarke

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