Qualities of a winning SSSH player

[sparksuk]

I'm new to the 2+2 forums and I have to say I find the amount of discussion and information on here fantastic.

My favourite game is 6 max limit hold'em, mostly 50c/$1 and sometimes $1/$2. I started about 2 years ago online and initially I was terrible, I lost any money I deposited in a matter of minutes. Then I cracked a few books and watched a fair bit on TV, tightened up my game and now I can more or less hold my own.

I'd like to say that my knowledge of poker must be above average, though I still lose more often than I win. I'm not bitter about this, this has simply increased my hunger to learn more about the game.

So anyway my question is this, would anyone care to put forward a few essential qualities that the successful SSSH possesses?

For example, I get the impression that those who earn most from SSSH limit hold'em are aggressive and willing to enter a lot of pots, but (somehow) know when to pull the plug on a hand. However, I may be wrong and it may be the tight conservative players who just wait for their moment to strike who extract the most money from these games.

By the way, I'm talking about online poker and not live.

I'm looking forward to any help anyone can offer.

[adios]

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For example, I get the impression that those who earn most from SSSH limit hold'em are aggressive and willing to enter a lot of pots, but (somehow) know when to pull the plug on a hand.

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Welcome to the forums, posting hands will probably help you a lot too. I think this is a good start. Basically all the skills that are required in playing well after the flop make the difference FWIW. Even though it's a book that's really not specific to 6 max play, I think Small Stakes Hold'em by Miller, Sklansky, and Malmuth is an essential book. Also Hold'em for Advanced players has a section about short handed play. King Yao's book on limit hold'em, Weighing the Odds in Hold'em, has good material on short handed play. Experience coupled with reading IMO help alot. A few other specific ones FWIW:

1. Play your blinds well. Even though the blinds are -EV (due to the forced bet) they come around often and minimizing the loss there is essential. Of course that means that you wouldn't let opponents get away with "robbing you blind." In other words playing too tight in the blinds won't get it.

2. Attack the blinds especially players who don't play all that well.

3. Hand reading ability. The better you read hands the better you do. You can make better value bets and better laydowns.

4. Correct semi-bluffing strategy.


I'm sure others have more to contribute.

[ILOVEPOKER929]

The books can teach you the fundamentals and how to beat soft games. Only experience and studying can teach you how to handle other more complex situations. So im not gonna talk about those things.

If you wanna get rich playing holdem, IMO the most important quality you can have is HUSTLE. Stoxtrader is an outstanding player, but the main reason he became rich is becuz he plays his ass off. Im convinced Stox wouldve became rich whether he played poker or not, becuz he has hustle.

If you wanna survive in this game, the most important quality you can have is HEART. There will be good times and bad times. How you handle those bad times will largely determine your future in this game. If you have heart you will be fine. If you dont, you will not make it no matter how good you become.

I have no hustle, but I have plenty of heart. How do you stack up?

[Scary_Tiger]

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The books can teach you the fundamentals and how to beat soft games. Only experience and studying can teach you how to handle other more complex situations. So im not gonna talk about those things.

If you wanna get rich playing holdem, IMO the most important quality you can have is HUSTLE. Stoxtrader is an outstanding player, but the main reason he became rich is becuz he plays his ass off. Im convinced Stox wouldve became rich whether he played poker or not, becuz he has hustle.

If you wanna survive in this game, the most important quality you can have is HEART. There will be good times and bad times. How you handle those bad times will largely determine your future in this game. If you have heart you will be fine. If you dont, you will not make it no matter how good you become.

I have no hustle, but I have plenty of heart. How do you stack up?

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quoted for amusement

[milesdyson]

along with HEART and HUSTLE

also, EARTH, WATER, WIND and FIRE

[ILOVEPOKER929]

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along with HEART and HUSTLE

also, EARTH, WATER, WIND and FIRE

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I see you still havent changed your location. That saddens my HEART. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[dhaimon]

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along with HEART and HUSTLE

also, EARTH, WATER, WIND and FIRE

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don't forget IT.

[sparksuk]

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I have no hustle, but I have plenty of heart. How do you stack up?

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Hey, thanks for replying. Well I definitely have a gambling heart - don't get me wrong, I often get furious when I suffer a bad beat (or sometimes when I just lose a 'normal' hand) but I love the game and will always be back for more.

And I'd like to think I have hustle in me, though I guess the challenge is channeling this hustle into the poker games.

Can you actually give a concrete definition of hustle?

[shockdaworld]

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Can you actually give a concrete definition of hustle?

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50k hands / month

[milesdyson]

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Can you actually give a concrete definition of hustle?

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50k hands / month

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not at all imo