Are microstakes beatable?

[iwannawon]

the best thing i learned is one pair is still one pair. in the grand scheme of things, it's below average finishing hand. even if it's aces there are times to let go. try to control your pot size more in comparision to the true strengh of your hand. it's true, he could have raised preflop with a wide range and ended up with some lucky hits but what makes you think he couldn't have 99 or jj to start? he showed nothing but strength the whole way and you paid him off with a non-nut pair. pick another battle when you take the lead. the turn might be a tough fold because of odds but your raises weren't scaring him. he had something. i don't think you should let his actual hand distract you from what it could/should have been.

[AKQJ10]

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the best thing i learned is one pair is still one pair. in the grand scheme of things, it's below average finishing hand.

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Well, true, but aside from the obvious advantage the times you make a big set, a big pair can also make an above-average two pair. It's frustrating as hell to see J3s spike two pair on the turn to beat your AA, but it's rewarding as hell to see a blank on board pair on the river to give you the pot.

Of course some games are so loose that it seems like EVERY blank on board is a lottery ball with someone's name on it. So in those cases I like to spike aces full on the river just to be sure I'm not behind trips. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Kidding aside, my serious point is, people forget that AA and AK are allowed to make big hands as often as 22 and 32. When they both make big hands, the AA and AK make bigger ones. When they both make "small" one-pair hands, the AA and AK can beat any other one-pair hands.

[Zifadel]

Well I am glad to say that I got back on the poker horse today and went on a tear, going up three buyins in about 2 hours, making back that bad beat and a lot more. There was one stretch where I had A-9 or better 5 hands in a row and lost all of them [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

Variance is annoying [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[iwannawon]

i completely agree. though knowing the result makes it a little difficult. i didn't intend to sound like a nit convinced he should fold. if this continues to happen he'll make a bundle off similar villains playing similar hands when they don't hit the magic card as well as others more legitimate. there will also be times where stronger opponents with similar position/action will certainly have better than one pair.

i was just following up on the post saying there are possibly other leaks on other hands. many beginners (myself included) overvalue big pairs, and high cards in general. often regardless of other conditions. player reads and table conditions would have helped. i realize it was posted as an example, not a question about how to play it. you want this player at your table but you better know he's 'that' player. even playing micro.

[raze]

Hey Zif

Just want to let you know as a winning mid-stakes player, you played that hand nearly perfectly; you just gotta raise that turn to $7 or so, because your small raise would allow the CO to profitably call with a decent draw (he's calling about $2 to win about $9 plus future bets). The fact that you lost this hand because a guy made a very bad call on the flop and got lucky shouldn't mean a thing to you. I wouldn't think twice about this hand, except for making a note on him that he likes to draw to bottom pair [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Micro stakes is very beatable. In fact, the relatively poor play at micro stakes allows for a good, dedicated player to achieve a much, much higher winrate than at higher stakes.

If you feel you're being outdrawn a lot, you might be betting too small with your best hands. In NL holdem you can charge loose, chasing-type players as much as you like, so be sure to protect your hands and get value. Post lots of hands where you aren't sure of your play, and do your best to learn from mistakes; this is how you get good.

Please never move up until you are consistently beating your current limit. Loose opponents give you the most opportunity to profit.

[Zifadel]

Thankyou Raze, very helpful advice.

[pernicus53]

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4PTBB

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People still use this term?! How disappointing.

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What does it mean?

[pernicus53]

I am playing .05/.10 right now and I so far have found tables where people AREN'T maniacs. They don't chase everything--they don't seem sophisticated, but neither do they fit the description from the OP. I AM just talking about several sessions, though, so it could get worse, and I dread that. But I have had some experience with players making some nice, loose calls--betting on middle pair, etc., so that you can win without having a straight or a full house--and get action. Right now, as a beginning/intermediate player (I'm intermediate in terms of time played but I play like a beginner) I need those players.

[Terremoto]

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4PTBB

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What does it mean?

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It refers to Poker Tracker big bets. Each PTBB = 2x big blind in nl.

[Yoshi]

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Of course some games are so loose that it seems like EVERY blank on board is a lottery ball with someone's name on it.[ QUOTE ]

lol. I know that feeling!

Love the analogy.