How do you play against Novice and Donk players?

[DeuceSeven]

Small Stakes holdem: expert play ftw. perfect book for you.

[CincyLady]

Hi Deuce ... lol, fyi, you're one of the people (your comments in another thread/forum) that made me decide to try to figure this out, by asking the question here.

[Flop2Felt]

I kind of go by about 250-350 times the big blind. But that is just me, I like lots of cushion and fall back room. Some go with less, some with more. Most poler books will discuss bankroll. Cardplayer mag has a free forum too with one section just devoted to bankroll management.

[DeuceSeven]

[ QUOTE ]
Hi Deuce ... lol, fyi, you're one of the people (your comments in another thread/forum) that made me decide to try to figure this out, by asking the question here.

[/ QUOTE ]

I would highly recommend you step away from the small stakes limit table full of donks, they'll make you pull your hair out. I occasionally play at the local 3/6 game. I run bad live, it's amazing the [censored] these guys call you down with. In the long run it's profitable if the rake isn't too high. At least in nl or nl mtts you can crush their calling station asses or thin the field.

EDIT: if you want to play donks in mtts, just practice playing micro stakes mtts.

[CincyLady]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Hi Deuce ... lol, fyi, you're one of the people (your comments in another thread/forum) that made me decide to try to figure this out, by asking the question here.

[/ QUOTE ]

I would highly recommend you step away from the small stakes limit table full of donks, they'll make you pull your hair out. I occasionally play at the local 3/6 game. I run bad live, it's amazing the [censored] these guys call you down with. In the long run it's profitable if the rake isn't too high. At least in nl or nl mtts you can crush their calling station asses or thin the field.

EDIT: if you want to play donks in mtts, just practice playing micro stakes mtts.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sad to say Deuce, that's the only brand of poker alowed here, as the max bet is 5 bucks. If you want to live 'large' [img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img] you can play 5-5 limit poker.

I really want to play poker live, I prefer it to online, as I'm a social type of person, and I find I like to see a warm live body across the poker table.

When ever I try to play online, Donkella and not me, shows up to play instead, simply because of the missing element of the social aspect.

Hence, why I prefer playing live poker, and am trying to get a handle on playing this low limit crap.

[Bluegrassplayer]

There are several no limit house games in Denver. Not sure where in Colorado you live, but if it's Denver I'd check them out. The games up on the hill are absolutely ridiculous. The saying "Aces are only Aces preflop" probably originated there.

[Albert Moulton]

Is this limit? Or no limit?

Assuming this is limit, then play super tight aggressive.

Phil Helmuth has a good chapter on playing only 77-AA, AK/AQs, and occasionally some other hands in very good position. I pretty much hated his book except for some of his comments on playing tight, very aggressive limit poker preflop and on the flop.

So, start with better hands. Bet and raise like crazy with those hands preflop and on the flop.

Know your math.

Don't play drawing hands very much, and never play them from EP and MP (A-rag suited, suited connectors, etc).

Read TOP and HEPFAP.

Don't bluff much. If they truely "never fold," then value bet more and bluff less (if ever).

In short, ATC might win, but ATC wins less than 77-AA, AK, AQs.

5-handed, for example:

Hand 0: 37.4% { 77+, AQs+, AKo }
Hand 1: 15.6% { random }
Hand 2: 15.6% { random }
Hand 3: 15.6% { random }
Hand 4: 15.6% { random }

So, if it is really "no fold em hold em," then you get paid off 4:1 on the 37.4% (2.7:1) of the time you start with better hands, on average, even if you never fold yourself.

Ok, so there is more to it than that. But, in general, if you start with better cards and play from better position, then jam the pot with those hands, then you'll typically win more and bigger pots than if you play junk like the other guys.

On the turn and river where the bets get bigger, you need to play some poker to avoid making more expensive errors, but in the game you describe, tight is right.

Just bring plenty of rebuys. And maybe bring some head phones to avoid getting board when you're card dead.

[sirtimo]

stick with quality opening hands
always bet you hand for value
dont bluff