5 Simple Tricks for Small Stakes Cash Games

pokerlion_blogs_img_5 Simple Tricks for Small Stakes Cash Games

Numerous people struggle to break through in a big way in online poker small stakes cash games. Perhaps they squeak by with break-even results or they even become minor winners. But most people want to win big. Indeed, for numerous that is the main reason for playing the game. 

The key to accomplishing that goal is to learn how to exploit the small edges. Most other people do not know about or do not apply often enough. Here are five simple strategy tips that will help increase players’ profit margins in poker online low stakes cash games. 

Steal the Blinds 

Most people think they do a good job of stealing the blinds. But numerous still pass up a lot of golden opportunities to do so. It is simply a fact that the button and the cutoff will be by far the most profitable seats for players at the poker online table. Why on earth, then, would players’ not exploit the heck out of this when it is folded to players’ in these positions? 

A player can easily get away with stealing the blinds with 30% or even 40% of players’ hands in players’ typically online poker or live games. Most opponents will simply let players’ take it down, only three-betting players’ if they happen to have a strong hand. Or even better, they will flat players’ steal attempt from out of position. And then players’ can take down an even bigger pot with a simple continuation bet on the flop and/or turn. 

The bottom line is that stealing the blinds is a highly effective way to increase players’ profit in these games. Ensure that players’ are raising with anything that is even remotely playable. 

Double-Barrel 

Another effective strategy in poker online games is to continuation bet the flop and then follow it up again on the turn. This is also referred to as a “double-barrel.” 

The reason why this strategy is so effective is because numerous people at these stakes play no-limit cash games as if they were fixed-limit games. That is, they will call players’ on the flop but if players’ can follow it up on the turn with another bet. Then they will assume that players’ are serious and let players’ have the pot. 

This is a very effective strategy to use in particular against weak-tight opponents. They won’t call players’ down with weak pairs or draws. A few players will even fold a small overpair if players’ continue to apply the pressure like this! Target these players more often by making another continuation bet on the turn. 

Three-Bet Light 

One of my favourite strategies against these same weak-tight opponents is to three-bet them light before the flop. By three-bet light, it means re-raise their open raise with a bunch of hands that aren’t quite premium. For instance, suited connectors, suited aces, and small pairs. 

Bluff the River 

Once again the target here is the weak-tight opponents see everywhere these, especially in poker online games. Numerous of the players in this category do not like to go to showdown without a strong hand. 

If an opponent is in the low 20s or less, then that is exactly the kind of player needed for bluffing against more on the river. 

It is important not to do it every time, though. And it is also important to ensure that players’ line ensures sense before firing that river bluff. This means that given players’ previous actions in the hand, players’ want to find spots in which players’ could easily show up with several good made hands as well. 

The river is often a spot where there is a few big value to be made. Don’t just give up on the pot if players’ are against one of these nitty types who players’ think might fold. If opponents know that players’ cannot win at showdown, then sometimes they have very little to lose and everything to gain by making a bet.

Raise with Players’ Draws

One final way to open up players’ game and exploit the tendencies of weak opponents in particular is to play players’ draws fast, the significant draws such open-ended straight draws (8 outs), flush draws (9 outs), and everything better. 

Players’ already have plenty of equity with these hands, so it is a great strategy to play them like they are the nuts a little more often. One of my favourite ways to do this is simply to raise the flop and then bet any turn. This line puts a tremendous amount of pressure on opponents. And really forces them to have a real hand in order to continue. 

The distinction between the biggest winners and everybody else at any limit often boils down to how effectively the winning players exploit the smaller edges. And really what this means is taking down the smaller pots over which nobody else truly wants to fight. 

Most players know how to play pocket aces before the flop or how to proceed after flopping a set. And everybody gets dealt these big hands in equal frequencies in the long run. 

Happy playing!