Low Limit No Limit Part IX:
Avoiding Problems

BY: Ashley Adams
Contact at: (Asha34@aol.com)
Author of Winning 7-Card Stud

Sure, a lot of the game is taking advantage of good opportunities when they present themselves to you.� When you get those good hands you need to know what to do with them. But most of the game -- by far most of the time you're playing in fact -- is just understanding how not to get into trouble when you don't have the winning hand.� �

No limit players tend to get into trouble for one reason chiefly.� They get bored.� They come to the game expecting action -- looking in fact for action.� They've read the books, read the articles, watched the TV shows -- and they want to PLAY.� They really want to play.� And folding, though they know it to be correct much of the time -- is just damn boring.� It's so boring to fold that they eventually can't stand the boredom and just decide to play.� They play hands they really shouldn't be playing or they play hands in early position that they really should be playing only in late position or they convince themselves to bluff or to semi-bluff.� And then they get caught up in the hand, finding all sorts of reasons to keep playing.� And they doom themselves. �

That's why many excellent players say that in no limit�poker they make most of their money not by outplaying their opponents but by letting their opponents outplay themselves. �

Bored players play hands they shouldn't play.� And they also play their hands too aggressively at times.� They overbet their hands. �

You've seen this I'm sure.� Maybe you're even guilty of it.� Here's an example. �

You've gotten lousy cards for a long time.� You've been folding for a half an hour or more.� You're getting bored - tired of not playing a hand. And then you're dealt pocket 6s in early position.� It's not Aces.� It's not even a premium pair.� But hey, it is a pair.� And, true, you're not in late position.� But hey, it's a pair.� And you know that sometimes you can play a low pair.� And even though your opponents are loose and will likely call your raise, you raise anyway.� You get raised by someone in mid position -- two seats after you.� You know that you should probably fold.� But, hey, it's a pair.� And you haven't had any in a long while.� So instead of folding you call -- hoping for trips on the flop.� And the flop comes.� You don't hit trips.� But the flop is relatively low.� You pick up a 3-straight and a 3-flush.� Yeah, they're trash.� But you figure they didn't help your opponent.� And you don't want to show weakness.� So you bet again, a large amount, to knock your opponent off his hand.� Hey, it worked once before.� But he doesn't fold.� He calls.� And the turn doesn't help.� But you only have a relatively small stack left.� So you go all in -- hoping again that you can blow your opponent off his hand.� Only he doesn't fold.� He calls.� You turn over your cards.� He has Queens.� You need a 6 to win.� The River doesn't help.� You lose your whole stack.� All from getting bored and overplaying your hand.� �

I've seen this a few dozen times at least at these low stakes games.� It's from boredom and then resignation.� And it leads to deep losses quickly. �

Here's a better strategy.� In these games, with bad players and limited stacks, respect the raise.� Be patient.� If you have folded for a long time and then raise and then�you get raised, what do you think that means?� Your opponents are bad but they aren't dumb and blind.� They'd have noticed that you're tight.� They wouldn't have reraised you with drek, lest you put them all in with one of the few monster hands they figure you wait for to play.� So if they do come over the top, dump that mediocre hand. �

In fact, if your image is really tight, wait until you're in late position and then raise with those low or medium pairs.� But you want the double benefit of seeing that no one raised before you and of knowing that after the flop you'll be able to see what they do before you'll have to act. �

You can bet after the flop if they check and stand a good chance of taking down the pot then -- since they showed weakness.� Sure, you might be checkraised.� But at the lower stakes no limit games this isn't usually a problem. �

Bored players also tend to fall in love with their hands -- especially those hands that are great pre-flop.� So you get A-Q in early position and you raise to $8 in this $1/2 No Limit game.� You get three callers.� Though neither the flop, the turn nor the River help you, you keep betting your hand -- thinking it's a semi-bluff and finally a bluff.� You start relying on your ability, in your brain, to outplay your opponent and you end up outplaying yourself. �

Keep this in mind in low stakes games.� For most players, if you initiated the action, they will not play back at you without a strong hand.� Similarly, if they called you before the flop and call you after the flop they usually have some kind of a hand.� You will make more money from them in the long run not by trying to bluff them out of the pot when you don't have a hand, but by having them try to bluff you out when you do have a hand.�

Staying focused and not getting bored isn't always easy in these monotonous low stakes games. But just keep in mind that your opponents are feeling the same pressure as you. He who has the most self control will usually win in the long run.

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