Need advice on poker

[reemas]

I started playing about 6 months ago and have mainly been playing with a few friends over and over. We play two games a week and I have consistently placed in the money almost everytime. I feel like the more books I read, the weaker my play becomes.

Is there any advice to consistently beating a loose low stakes games? I couldn't imagine a pro sitting down at out game and losing, so what can I do to improve in general?

Thanks in advance - new to the forums.

[edfurlong]

[Prismis]

I advise you first to understand the difference between cash games and tournaments. A lot of people hold tournaments at home which requires players to be quite loose when their stack drops below a certain amount of buy-ins. We tend to see this on television when players are pushing with A4 off or some sub-par hand. I have taught many of my friends who play low limit cash games to be quite tight at those tables. Low limit cash games are filled with donkeys and will stack off to you when you have a premium hand. Recently I was playing .05/.10 because I was training a friend and I tripled up with a flush vs. top pair and mid pair. Players in low limits tend to be really bad thus playing tight is the best strategy. I also recommend signing up for a rakeback site because it is practically free money. I use Rakeback Forever (www.rakebackforever.com) and they have already supplied me with five buy-ins when I wouldn't have gotten anything back without their services.

[reemas]

thanks for the replies. I was winning very consistently while i was playing patiently and supertight.

i dont know if my friends finally adjusted, but i'll check out the book that was reccomended.

a general question i have is, if you play with weak players (no fold 'em hold 'em) who like to play any two cards, can you consistently win? seems like when i make a strong raise with pocket kings i always get cracked by someone who wants to see the flop with Q-7 and catches 2 pair.

problem is, i get more than just one caller, so it leaves my opponents as a whole, more outs.

are weak games like these even beatable?

[Skleice]

You can try to increase the size of your raises until they are large enough for most of the table to back off. There have been tables where 9x the bb is the standard raise. It sounds crazy, but if that's what it takes...

[DeuceSeven]

I think the best philosophy for loose low stakes cash games is loosen up the amount of hands you'll limp with in lp, almost never bluff, and value bet the hell out of your monsters.

[PantsOnFire]

Here are two points I have about reading poker books:

1. Sometimes when you read a book, you might absorb quite a few ideas, some of them obviously new. If you then hit a poker table, these new techniques might actually overwhelm you and you play less effectively. Think of it like learning to juggle 3 balls. You try it, practice it and then finally get it. But that doesn't mean you can now juggle three chainsaws while riding a unicycle on a highwire.

2. You are probably aware that poker is very situational. Thus, it is difficult to describe poker techniques that apply to all situations. Therefore, when you read new poker techniques you should really try to grasp the purpose rather than the actual mechanics. That way, you will start reconizing situations where a certain action would be good but other situations where it might not be so good. This is very difficult by the way.

I am always going back to read something in my poker library. Combined with lots of experience, things are coming around but I can honestly say a person reading a poker book is not that much further ahead. A person needs to study a poker book and begin applying it in many situations.

[frenchmark]

I have just started to play, around six months ago myself and play low limit 2 or 5 dollar sit and go mtt's (30 seats) Again like yourself feel that the more I read or try to learn about the game trhe harder I find it two win.

I would estimate that I place in the money Around 30% of the time. I usually place in the money when I have the patience to play a tight game, (in terms of starting requirements I was helped particularly by harrington Vol 1, you have probably read already but if not this is helpful)

If feel that the best advice for these games is that you have to play the opposite of the table, ie if loose play tight, and the tighter the game gets the looser you can get. Playing tight in the context of smaller stakes and presumably smaller skill games is that you give yourself feweer and easier decisons to make, particularly post flop.
AS such you generate an edge over other players firstly becuase you will have alower propensity to make mistakes and seconldy other players are activley putting themselves into situations wher they have higher propensity to make mistakes. AS such you enter fewer pots but build a bigger stack at lower risk by getting paid full value for solid hands. As games progress and the quality of player is higher you can be more creative as people will actually fold hands to you, and are less likely to over bet pots and make it to expensive to play marginal hands.
Can any one help me progress now, as if i move up a level I get creamed.

[Mike]

[ QUOTE ]
a general question i have is, if you play with weak players (no fold 'em hold 'em) who like to play any two cards, can you consistently win? ...snipped...are weak games like these even beatable?

[/ QUOTE ]

Here is a good analogy:
You are driving the speed limit, not running red lights, etc. A number of cars pass you because they are speeding, or otherwise using poor judgement. Over the years most of those drivers recieve tickets, some have accidents, and some are killed because of their behavior, driving or not.

You on the other hand, are still going, haven't had any accidents, and no tickets.