Cash game advice

FrankGrimes

I used to play some $5/$10 STTs on Betfair a while back and did ok but stopped due to no time and losing interest. Have picked it up again and played a few .25/.50 NL cash games with 6 players on Poker Stars the past week and generally done ok (turning $50 into roughly $75 3 times out of 3). I picked .25/.50 as I thought it would be high enough to cut out some of the really poor players and mean I can at least try learn how to play properly as opposed to adjusting to make profit off poor players (as in Jaden’s excellent post here from 2004), while still being affordable.

The players seem ok in general, though there’s a lot more limping going on than I’d have expected. I’ve made a big effort to cut limping out of my game as I could see it was leaking my cash. So now I generally raise 4xBB or fold. I play tighter than most on there, though I’m aware this doesn’t necessarily mean I’m playing tight in the broader scheme of things. I’ll generally raise with small PPs if I think I’ll only get one caller, raise with highish suited connectors from late position, and then raise with as low as the likes of KTo from late position. I generally fold the likes of A8suited or unsuited from early position, but sometimes raise with it in late position. I’m getting better at folding to reraises when I sense I’m behind. What would be a good range of starting hands to be considered reasonably, but not overly, tight at this level?

I’ve also learned to become more aggressive, but not manic: for example I’ll confidently throw out 4xBB raises post-flop to test the water as I find it leads to folds which I want when only marginally ahead, and gives me a good read based on how the opposition reacts. I’ll only slow-play when I have the nuts or very close to it as it gets me outdrawn too often to be profitable. Bluffs have to be very big and preceeded by strong play earlier in the hand to have a chance of getting a fold when the opposition has a decent hand (which the bluff may make him think is second best).

I find my patience and concentration are much better in these cash games but I find I win lots of hands without going to showdowns and generally win smallish pots, but lots of them, due to my aggressive image at these tables. I’d really like some advice on how to increase my profits in these games – should I go tighter and only look to get involved when I have a monster and hope to get paid big with it; play looser to get me into more hands so I’ll get a monster hand more often and win a big pot (reckon this would have to be a loss-making strategy); or should I do something else to try weasel more cash out of them when I know I’m ahead? I’m generally the player making most of the moves at these tables, but feel I should be making more profit from it as $20 over a couple of hours is not much.

Is there any particular sites I should be playing on, or just go wherever my whim and bonuses take me?

Will Poker Tracker or Poker Office make much difference to my (couple of hours a week) game?

On the logistics side would a Neteller account be worthwhile or can I just keep on using my credit card?

Muchos gratias for any advice

FrankGrimes

anything I can clarify in the above to make it clearer what advice I'm looking for?

Main things I'm looking for are advice on starting hand ranges in a .25/.50 NL 6 max cash game and post-flop strategy to maximise profit as I'm winning a lot of hands with 4xBB raises pre-flop which either takes down the blinds or I get called, bet on a flop if it might allow opposition to improve, and end up only making the blinds plus one 4xBB call.

Hectorjelly

Its a tough question that doesnt have a quick response. I would definitely recommend getting pokertracker. You can then see how well you are doing and ask for feedback here.

Something you might want to start doing is limping into the pot after other limpers, for example if there are 3 limpers I would limp on the button with anything half decent at all, your excellent position will enable you to take down a lot of pots, and play draws and so on really well. Take care with 1 pair hands.

TacT

limping isn't always a bad thing and is good for varying your play, especially if you're on the button or CO and lots have limped in ahead of you. The problem is making sure you have the best hand when you get to showdown, if it gets that far. I wouldn't seek to eliminate it completely as it will always be there to give you a good chance to see a dirt cheap flop and stack someone when you do hit it hard or afterwards in some cases. You'd be surprised how many nitwits will be checking their sets to allow you to catch a straight for example.

Hand selection is very important though, I don't care how many limpers there are, I'm still not limping with 62o amongst a few others.

As for the question(s), far too long to answer as HJ pointed out. Best to assign this to yourself based on your experience. Pokertracker will also be of great help in that regard and in terms of identifying leaks/profitable hands/play from position etc. Get it downloaded and installed, it has been a godsend to my game and you will learn a lot from it. If you don't want to pay the $55 then get it through somewhere like www.pokerpromotions.net

cardshark202

I assume you're talking about open-limping, which is bad so not open-limping is good. Limping after one or more limpers is ok.
Hand selection depends entirely how the table is playing.

FrankGrimes

Thanks for the above info lads, actually helps quite a bit.

Have been doing ok, and am now up to $200 in my $400 Vegas fund, which I'm happy with. Have started limping now and then and found I probably make a small profit from it.

Have also identified that I play very poorly when I'm tired and would probably be at the $400 mark by now if it wasn't for about 4 terrible all-in calls I made when tired or distracted. Cutting that out now - playing lying down on the couch was never a good idea

Have installed the trials of Poker Tracker and PokerAce HUD and they seem very useful. Haven't looked into what all the stats mean, but I reckon a high VPIP opponent is one you'll make good money off by slowplaying, high pre-flop aggression means don't limp before him if you're not prepared to call his raise, and a low post-flop aggression means you can get away with representing a stronger hand than you have. Am I in the right ballpark there?

What are the other main ones to look out for?

Have to say, I find the ability to see opponents' mucked cards on PokerStars using PokerAce HUD absolutely invaluable.

Think I might see if there's a Poker Office 2 trial I can do that will do the same for me when my Poker Tracker trial runs out, and then make the decision which to purchase - any preferences (table overlay and muck card showing are essential)?