Over the last few days I’ve been playing micro limit sit-n-go single table tournaments at PokerStars and have encountered some pretty horrible play. Stuff like people calling off half their stacks with small pocket pairs when the blinds are low or seeing four or five people all-in preflop where there isn’t immediate pressure to play.
On some level you’d expect this. I mean, the stakes are very low and that is enticing to new players who want to get their feet wet and play some poker bingo. The thing is nowadays with people multi-tabling ring games and sit-n-gos 10, 20 or even more tables at a time, there is profit to be made at the very low levels and so I also expect to see a fair number of average to good players sitting as well and so far I’m not seeing it.
One no limit hand happened recently that illustrates what I’m talking about. This is early in the sng, blinds are $20-$40 and everyone is still within +-$200 of their initial $1500 in chips. The UTG player and UTG+1 limp and I look down at KK and make a large raise to $150. MP2 and the CO calls and the button raises all in (!). I call (I have the button covered by about $100 chips) and MP2 and the CO both also call the all-in. The cards are shown and MP2 shows A5o, the CO shows Jh 8h and the Dealer shows Ad 9d. I’m still feeling pretty good until the flop comes 799. A ten on the river gives the CO the best hand and he takes down half the chips on the table. Why anyone was in that hand after I raised is a mystery but if you find yourself at a table like that it’s important to make a couple of adjustments.
Plan on being called
When you have a good hand bet it or better yet, overbet it. You are playing against people who might check down to the river but who will also call off their entire stack to see what cards are coming. A great time to make a big bet is on the turn when they only have one card to come on their draws.
Don’t get fancy
Connected to the above point, your fancy play isn’t going to work. Don’t try a squeeze play against people who won’t lay down their hands!
Make value bets
Don’t give away free cards on any street and that includes the river. If they are passively calling they may have your second pair beaten but there’s a very good chance that they are on a draw/holding an underpair. They will pay off a river bet if there’s any way they can imagine you don’t have a hand.
On April 15th (just in time for tax day?) Annie Duke debuted her free Poker Tutor software for the iPhone on the iTunes App store. The program includes an Texas Holdem odds calculator, poker glossary and will soon include interactive quizzes to test your judgment in various poker situations.
