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Pot Limit Omaha: Some Basic Tips and Hints for Beginners. Part 1

February 6, 2008

Pot Limit Omaha is very interesting and complex game. In this article, I’m going to provide a few helpful hints that will help you improve your game next time you sit down at the table.

1. Make sure every card in your hand works together.

Many Hold em players will see a hand like J :-s Q :-s 5 :-h 6 :-h , and think this hand is pretty good. It’s not. To a hold em player, they see 2 suited connectors. However, all 4 of your cards do not connect. You want hands that work with each other, something like J :-s Q :-s 10 :-d 10 :-h . This hand has a few things working for it. First, it has the pair of 10s. It also has the suited JQ (although this could get you into trouble if you hit a flush. We will discuss this later) You also have the J10Q, so you can make a few different straights. Try to also make sure your hand works together in some way - don’t treat it as 2 separate hold em hands.

2. Avoid the dangler

So, what is a dangler? Let’s look at a hand like the J :-s K :-s 9 :-h 2 :-c . Can you spot the dangler? It’s definitely that 2 :-c. Your hand seems to flow nicely until you get to that 2. To many people, this looks like a strong hand, but be weary of the dangler. It doesn’t flow with your hand, so there’s one no-no. I’ll show you another reason why you don’t want danglers. Say you have the hand stated above. The flop comes down J28. You now have a bet and a call in front of you. You’re 2 pair is probably not good, but you’re just itching to call. Save yourself the frustration and muck the dangler hands. Some exceptions to this is many people have already limped in front of you, and you have a suited ace. Also, if you are playing from the blinds, a dangler can be tolerated.

3. When drawing, make sure it is to the nuts

I’m sure if you have played hold em before, you have chased a draw. And I’m also sure that if you have chased a draw, you have chased a draw less than the nuts. In Hold Em, your opponent is only holding 2 cards - so the probability of him having the nuts is far more unlikely. In Omaha, your opponent has 4 cards. This is equivalent to 6 hold em hands. (ABCD - AB, AC, AD, BC, BD, CD) So, that chances of him having the nuts go up, especially at a full table. If you have a flush draw, draw to the nut flush. Omaha is a game of the nuts - more often than not, that’s what it takes to win. NEVER draw to the idiot end of a straight, such as having 6745 and the flop being 9102. First, you shouldn’t even be calling a bet on the flop, but just for the sake of our example - let’s say you do. Now the turn comes the 8, just what you wanted. Now you get all the money in and they turn over the JQ. And if not JQ, you’re beat by J8. It’s difficult for hold em players to accept the fact that they have to lay down hands like straights and flushes where they would usually push in hold em, but if it isn’t the nuts, you’re vulnerable. There are times when you could draw to a king high flush, heads up being one of those situations.
But if you’d rather not go through the frustration of losing all your money to an ace high flush, it’s better to usually pass.

4. Always have a backup draw

Let’s say you have a straight wrap. You have J :-s 8 :-s K :-h Q :-d . The flop comes 9 :-s A :-h 10 :-d . This, by itself, is a very strong hand. Any J, Q, K, or 8 makes you the nuts. But you have a hidden little backup here - that J :-s 8 :-s. You have a backdoor draw, but that backdoor draw could end up winning you the pot. Try to always have something to go along with a primary draw - say you have the nut flush draw. Even a little gutshot draw would add outs to your hand and maybe end up winning you the pot. A side note: Backdoor flush draws generally do not have to be the nuts. Because you backdoored the draw, it is less likely someone is holding that nut flush, so lower flushes are acceptable when backdoored.

5. Don’t go broke on 2 pair

In Hold Em, 2 pair will generally win you the pot. In Omaha however, you have to be very careful when playing 2 pair. First, let’s analyze what 2 pair you have. I’m going to put up a practice flop, and then different hole cards 3 different times.

FLOP: A :-s Q :-d 3 :-h

First, you have A :-d Q :-h 2 :-c 10 :-s . You have top 2 pair. You limp in and 2 other players see the flop with you. If one of them bets, and the other folds, or even if he calls, you can stand that bet. You can even reraise him if you know him to not be very tight. If he reraises, you may want to slow down and see what happens. As long as another face card doesn’t come on the turn, you can probably see the hand to the end. If he bets the pot again, analyze the board, look back to see what kind of player he is if you have played with him for some time, and reevaluate where you stand in the hand. If there are any sorts of draws out there, like 3 flush cards, or 3 straight cards, be careful. You may want to fold the hand in this situation.

Now, let’s say you hold A :-h 3 :-c 2 :-d 10 :-s. You can call a bet with this hand, but if your opponent starts putting some pressure on you, he probably has you beat with a higher 2 pair or a set.

Now, let’s say you have Q :-s 3 :-d J :-h 6 :-d . (let’s assume you got in from the blinds). If there is any sort of action in front of you, your hand is garbage. Try to avoid bottom 2 pair as much as possible. Not only is your hand usually not good, but let’s assume we have that hand and see our practice flop. Now you call a bet on the flop and the turn comes the Ad. Your hand just got ruined. Also, it could even come a running pair like 99 - which would also ruin your hand. Try to check it down with bottom 2 pair as often as you can, unless you have a dead read on your opponent that he has a hand like wired aces, and you are trying to pick him off.

Remember, many of these tips are general, and there are always exceptions. Almost nothing in poker is written in stone. This is meant to provide a guideline for you to follow to help you improve your Pot Limit Omaha game. Remember all poker is situational and this rules are only guidelines and it if your 100% sure you can break one and be rewarded do it.

Part 2 will follow

- Thomas Hardy

Commmon Mistakes

February 2, 2008

Mistake 1: Playing too many hands

When people sit down in a game, they want to play. This means some players will even play hands like Q 3. This is a big mistake, and hopefully, this article will help improve your starting hand selection.

Mistake 2: Playing above your bankroll

Sometimes the gambling and money aspect of poker gets to people too much. They become greedy and play in games they cannot afford or games where the competition is simply too stiff. Some players may get a good run in the low limits and think they’re invincible and move up to a higher limit that is abig mistake you shouldn’t move up the limits until your bankroll is ready.

Mistake 3: Becoming too emotional at the table

Bad beats will happen. Losing sessions will happen. Annoying opponents will happen. Don’t let your emotions sway your judgment at the table.

Mistake 4: Not using pot odds

If your hand needs improvement, the concept of pot odds can help you determine if you should call to see the next card on the board. Few beginning players understand pot odds, and they often call too much.

Mistake 5: Not following etiquette

This is a mistake that brick-and-mortar beginners make. When you want to make a raise, you should not say, “I call your bet and raise you $X.” Your initial action is considered your final action. So if you say, “I call …” it means you just want to call. If you want to raise, say “raise” and state the amount you want to raise.

Mistake 6: Trying to play like the pro’s

A lot of people learn how to play poker by watching it on the television. They then try to play like the pro they seen on TV and make crazy bluffs and play crazy hands. What is shown on television is almost always a tournament, and their hands are highly situational. The reason for the professional’s decision probably has little applicability to your own game.

Mistake 7: Overvaluing Suited Hands

Having a suited hand is a plus. However, you should not play a hand just because it is suited. The first two things to consider about a starting hand are the ranks of the cards and whether the cards are paired. These are by far the most important factors in the value of a hand. After this, you should consider if they are suited or connecting.

A hand like Ac Kh is much, much more valuable than a hand like J :-h 3 :-h . A :-c K :-h is a top starting hand, whereas Jh 3h should be thrown in the muck. This may sound obvious, but many beginners make the mistake of calling to see the flop with any two suited cards.

- Thomas Hardy

Poker Jargon

January 28, 2008

This is a small glossary explaining the basic poker terms, that will be frequently used in these blogs.

Preflop: The betting round after you are dealt your two hole cards and there are no cards on the board yet.

Flop: The first three board cards in Hold’em.

Turn: The fourth board card that comes out in Hold’em, the card after the flop.

River: The fifth and final card that comes on the board in Hold’em, after the turn.

Suits:

• h = Hearts
• c = Clubs
• d = Diamonds
• s = Spades

Blinds: The forced bets that take the place of an ante. The person to the left of the dealer must pay the small blind, and the person after him must pay the big blind.

Board Cards: The cards in the middle of the table that are shared by everyone.

Draw: Drawing means hoping to improve your hand with the cards that will come on the board. You are on a draw when you want other cards to come out on the board to complete your hand. If you have 10h 9dand the flop is Qs Jc 2d, you are trying to draw an eight or a king on the turn or river.

Limit Poker: Poker with fixed-size bets. In a $2-4 limit game, all bets and raises are $2 in the first two rounds (preflop and flop), and all bets and raises are $4 in the last two rounds (turn and river).

Short Handed: A poker game with six or less players.

Outs: Cards that can improve your hand. If the flop is 2h Qc Jh and you have 9h 10h, you want a king or an eight to complete your straight. There are four kings and four eights in the deck, so you have eight total outs.

Position: Where you sit at the poker table. The dealer has the best position. The small blind acts first.

Pot Odds: The odds you are getting when you are drawing. For example, say you have Ah 3h and the board is 5h Kh 6d. There are nine more diamonds out there (thirteen minus the two from your hand and the two on the board), so you have a roughly 18% chance of hitting your flush on the next card. Thus, if the pot is $100, and the bet is $10, even though you are losing, you have odds to chase your flush draw. However, let’s say the pot is $100 on the turn (there is one card left) and your opponent bets $300. The pot is $400 and you must put in $300 to see the river. You are getting pot odds of 4:3 which is not enough, because the odds are about 4:1 against hitting your flush.

Implied Odds: The same as pot odds, but taking into account making bets in the future. Thus, you may call a bet at the flop, but have implied odds of making bigger bets on later rounds if you hit your draw. So, if you have Ad Kd and the flop comes Qc 7d 6d, your implied odds are what you have to call at the flop compared to how large the pot will be at the end of the hand.

- Thomas Hardy

Managing Your Bankroll

January 17, 2008

One of the major factors in online poker that many beginners do not even consider is the bankroll that they need to play tables for a long period of time. Poker is NOT about getting on a table, doubling up and then leaving. You will never make the real money by doing that. Poker is about playing over an extended period of time and building up your bankroll. To do this, you actually have to start with a decent bankroll, or at least know how much you can afford to lose. Poker is a game of ups and downs and to build up your bankroll you have to have enough on the table to get through these times.

It is important that as a beginner you start off with some very low limits till you get to know the strategy better. This way you can minimize your losses and learn the game. As a moderate player you can move up, but don’t feel that you have to move up too quickly. It is important to understand the advanced strategy of the game so that you don’t go on a table and lose it all within minutes, as the higher levels inevitably have better players.

The one thing you do need to take into account is that most players vastly underestimate what you need on a table to play for a long period of time.
Here are some tips from the great poker player Chris Ferguson on what his bankroll guidelines are, and what yours should be:

1. Never buy into a cash game or a Sit & Go with more than 5 percent of total bankroll (there is an exception for the lowest limits: any game with a buy-in of $2.50 or less).

2. Never buy into a multi-table tournament for more than 2 percent of total bankroll (except multi-table tournaments that cost $1).

3. If at any time during a No-Limit or Pot-Limit cash-game session the money on the table represents more than 10 percent of total bankroll, leave the game when the blinds come around because you are on too high of a table.

The fact is, people think that they can put $50.00 onto a poker site and come out a winner. This is so rarely the case unless they are playing five cent tables. To win the big money, you need to invest the big money - but ONLY after you know how to play. This means advanced playing, not penny table playing. Do not advance faster than what you feel comfortable with. By playing everyday for a month or so if you are ready to move up then you probably have enough experience, but just because you have one lucky night on the table does not mean that you should move up with the bankroll that you have. Keep it and let your winning take place on the smaller tables for now, and when you have built it up then cash out half and start again. Lastly, NEVER put more on the table then you can afford to lose. Although it has been said time and time again, if you are sitting there with your heart beating and wondering what you are going to do if you lose, then you shouldn’t be on that table.

Knowing Your Position

January 15, 2008

Position on any poker table is a crucial part of knowing how to play poker. Often beginners hear about position but don’t really understand how to use it, or why it can be a benefit or hindrance to them. Basically, your position on the table is where you are on the table in relation to the button. There are three positions that you need to understand - Early position (EP), Middle position (MP), and Late position (LP).

Early position means that you are one of the first players to act when the action starts on a full table. Before the flop you are considered to be in EP if you left of the big blind. UTG, or under the gun, means that you are the very first player to act after the blinds are called. Having EP is usually not a good place to be in the game. Since you are the first to act you don’t know what other players are going to do which can be a huge disadvantage. Other players can exploit your check or go over the top when you bet. Since they can see you act first, you need to have a really good hand if you plan on playing EP.

Middle position is when you are 4th through 6th of the button to the left. MP okay, but not great. You still have the advantage on the EP players, but the late players have an advantage over you. The main problem with MP is that you can be caught in what is known as the “squeeze” play. That means that you may want to call a bet placed by an EP player but at the same time you have a real threat of being raised by a LP player. Essentially you could call and have a LP raise you, and then have the EP player raise all in. Therefore, unless you are willing to call you have lost some of your chips. That is why it is extremely important that you play only good to excellent hands in the MP so that you won’t get caught in this.

Late position are the players that are last to act. You have the second to last person to act, as well as the button himself, which is obviously the best place to be sitting. Being in LP is huge, and offers you the best advantages. You have the opportunity to steal a pot if it gets checked around, or you can reraise a bet to steal a pot. You can even make a semi-bluff if you have a flush or straight draw. You just can’t do this in EP or MP because you don’t know the strength of someone behind you.

You always need to be aware of your position so you can use it to your advantage. Don’t get so concerned with the game that you forget where you are. Certain hands are better played in LP rather than EP. For example, you may love your suited connectors such as 10/9 suited, but do you really want to play them in EP? The answer in case you are wondering is no. But in LP if no one has raised you can certainly play them. Be aware that most people in EP have a really good hand if they raise, so keep in mind that you may not want to go against someone in EP with only a mediocre hand. Just as a general rule, you should play stronger hands in EP while LP players have a chance to play all sorts of hands.

Knowing Your Poker Starting Hands

January 12, 2008

Hold’em poker, either at no limit, pot limit, or limit, is complicated no matter how long you have been playing. It isn’t just about the skill of the knowledge that you have, but it also about the mathematical method to this game that require you to be on the top level of play at all times. If people do not think that poker has any mathematical implications then they really shouldn’t be playing the game at all.

However, it is easy to learn if you are willing to put in the time. The first thing you should do, after learning the rules of course, is to know which Texas Hold’em hands are playable and which ones should be folded. By memorizing them, and really understanding them, you can start applying what you learn here on actual tables. No matter what people say, there is a difference between a good starting hand and a bad starting hand. A good starting hand automatically gives you more chances to win, whereas a bad starting hand is going to end up with you losing, and sometimes, losing very big.

Here is a list to help you get an idea of what is the best hands, the second best hands, the third best hands, etc, until you get to the hands that should be folded under most circumstances (this excludes playing heads up which we will tackle soon.) As you can see they are separated into groups that give you the best to the worst odds. You may look at the last hand and see some cards that you think shouldn’t be there. However, they are there for a reason - they lose more than they win. Some of these starting hands overlap, because it depends on the table you are playing and how many people are there. Take a look and see how these groups compare to the hands that you are playing.

1: AA, KK, AKs
2: QQ, JJ, AK, AQs, AJs, KQs
3: TT, AQ, ATs, KJs, QJs, JTs
4: 99, 88, AJ, AT, KQ, KTs, QTs, J9s, T9s, 98s
5: 77, 66, A9s, A5s-A2s, K9s, KJ, KT, QJ, QT, Q9s, JT, QJ, T8s, 97s, 87s, 76s, 65s
6: 55, 44, 33, 22, K9, J9, 86s
7: T9, 98, 85s
8: Q9, J8, T8, 87, 76, 65
9: A9s-A6s, A8-A2, K8-K2, K8-K2s, J8s, J7s, T7, 96s, 75s, 74s, 64s, 54s, 53s, 43s, 42s, 32s, 32

As you can see the list is quite descriptive and puts strong emphasis on connecting and suited hands. Although learning how to play these starting hands correctly is much more complex than just knowing which hands not to play there are certainly some easy general guidelines. First of all, the hands in the two first groups should usually be raised from almost any position. The hands in groups 1 to 4 and sometimes even 5 should usually just call and the hands in groups 6 to 8 should be played with extreme caution and only in very loose and passive games. Group 9 represents hands that have very little chance of winning and usually serve only for diversity and bluffing in order to throw off your opponents. Of course this should be done very rarely and even not all in the low limit games.

Memorizing these groups will help you get a better idea of what you should and should not be playing, and why you may not be winning as much as you should be. Once you understand these groups it will help you understand the mathematical odds of you felting everyone at the table.

Tips For Winning at Online Poker

January 9, 2008

There is a lot of strategy involved when playing poker online. As a beginner or novice there is so much to learn, that it is best to learn it before you step foot onto a poker table, or you are likely to lose a lot of money very quickly. Instead of going through that, you might be wise to follow these simple tips:

Concentrate on your strong starting hands - It’s far too easy to play every hand that comes your way, but as a beginner you may not have the skills to bet someone out of the hand when they have a stronger hand then you. It is much better to wait until you have a great hand, especially against super loose players. That way, when you do win you win larger amounts of money because you know you have the nuts.

Avoid being the super loose player - In the same respect, you can’t be that super loose player. In the long run you are going to lose a whole lot more than you win. Instead of taking little pots along the way by being aggressive and loose, you are better off to wait for premium hands so that you can scoop bigger pots.

Don’t jump right in - It is always better to sit back and watch the players and the hands for a few minutes before jumping in. You can garner a lot more information this way so you aren’t surprised when you find an aggressive, loose, or even tight player.

Learn the speed of an online game - Playing online is much quicker then playing in a brick and mortar poker room. Whereas you may only see 30 hands per hour playing live, you can expect to see at least 50 hands an hour, if not more, when playing online. You need to learn how to maximize your time clock, and also be able to keep up the speed as not to offend other players. You rarely want to use your clock too often as it can cause tension on the table. Along these lines, never play so many tables at once that you can’t be quick to act when its your turn.

Look for tells - Surprisingly to most, there are tells in online poker, and you need to know them. For example, when someone is checking very rapidly it usually indicates that the automatic fold button is on if there is a raise, indicating that they do not have a hand. Use this to your advantage to bet them out. Also, you’ll notice that some people take a few seconds before a raise indicating that they have a powerful hand. Watch each person and their betting habits and you can quickly pick up on their tells.

Stick to the smaller tables and tournaments - While you are just starting out, it is important to stick to the lower limits and smaller tournaments. Once you have dominated those then feel free and move up, but the level of play as the amount goes up is significantly different. You need to work on your basic skills before you get into more advanced skills that are certain to show up on the larger limit tables and larger tournaments.

Don’t put more on then you can afford to lose - Never, and this is important at any level, put more money onto your account then you can afford to lose. So many people think if they put on a little more they can jump on a higher table and win more. This so often backfires and you end up losing everything on one hand. If you know you only have a certain amount then be willing to lose it quickly or build it up, but never use more than you can afford.

Strategy on Playing Pocket Kings

January 6, 2008

As the second best starting hand in Hold’em, people are usually thrilled to see pocket Kings. Preflop they are usually just as good as Aces, and should be played generally the same way. It is after the flop that the play can be confusing for some, and there are mistakes that can be made by the inexperienced players.

The best way to play KK is against only one or two players. By raising preflop you can usually narrow it down to this field, but if you don’t, you have to know that the more people in the pot, the less likely you are to have the best hand after the river. Trapping on a full table is never going to be the right decision. The only way that trapping is effective is if you are heads up or if there are only two or three people left. Even in limit hold’em where people tend to stay until the last card you should still plan on raising. When it comes to raising in no limit you should raise enough to limit the playing field but no so much that they all fold - usually three to four times the big blind.

Post flop play is pretty typical, unless you come across the worst case scenario - The Ace. If there is not an Ace on the flop then try to maximize the pot by raising and re-raising unless something obvious is up there like a 3 card flush or straight. If you do see an Ace it is proper to bet it out, just to see if they will fold, unless of course there is a King on the flop as well, and then you may want to consider checking to see if they bet. If they re-raise you with the Ace up there you will have a very tough decision to make, and that is not going to be fun at all. Most likely if you are being re-raised you need to fold. Unless you know someone is a constant bluffer, it is really not a hand you are going to win most of the time. When you become more experienced you may be able to get them off their Ace, but until then, the fold is usually the best play. In limit, it is different. If you don’t mind losing a few chips you can simply hang around, although technically you should try to maximize and not minimize your chips.

The one mistake that is commonly made is the all-in preflop with pocket Kings. It’s not that they aren’t a great hand, but an Ace can, and will beat it. By not going all-in preflop you give yourself the ability to get out if an Ace comes on the flop. Also, if you raise pref lop the chances of you being up against someone with A/K or A/Q are pretty great, so it is best to raise a little and then bet a lot if an Ace doesn’t come up.

So, just keep in mind, you want to be aggressive, but not so much so that you either scare people away or put them all in with their Ace. Good Luck!

How To Play Aces

December 27, 2007

When you are in the middle of an important tournament, or even playing ring games, there is nothing more exciting then getting dealt pocket Aces. Pocket Rockets as they are usually called, is absolutely the most desired hand in the game, but it can be a detriment to your play if you do not know how to play them. As the motto goes - you either win small or lose big with them, and knowing how to play them is extremely important.

When you are at a full table, pocket Aces are not an easy win. In fact, you will probably only win about 35% of the time with them. How is that possible you ask if they really are the best hand in poker? The answer is simple! You technically only have one pair. Even though they are the biggest pair you can hold, it is still only one pair, and many other hands can beat one pair.

Many people tend to slow play pocket Aces thinking that they will obviously win the hand, but if you do that, you are asking for trouble. If you do not raise your Aces you will most certainly have more people in the hand then you actually want. Think about the Big Blind - they just have to check, so no matter what they have they are staying in. They could hold a 4-2 os and flop a 3,5,6. Do you want such a horrible hand to win your pot? No, of course not! So, it is very important to raise on your pocket Aces, just to eliminate some of the mediocre hands. That way, if you do get drawn out, at the very least you made the right raise, rather than losing with your Aces only to complain what a bad beat you just took. It isn’t the other player’s fault that they didn’t get out because you didn’t raise. So, instead of trying to slow play against a full table, it is best that you raise your Aces. Now, if you are playing heads up, then by all means try to slow play them. Chances are you will win against only one person, but against 10 it usually isn’t to your benefit.

After that, pocket Aces usually play themselves in some ways. That means that the flop really decides what you should do with your Aces, and how you should bet. If you hit a third Ace then you can slow up your betting a bit to get the most money, but if you see a flush draw or straight draw it is always wise to bet and bet big. If the other player calls then you may want to rethink your large raise on the turn, but until then, go at it. If there are two other people in the pot and you see a raise, and a re-raise with the flop that just came out on the board, and you didn’t hit your third Ace, then you may even consider laying them down. It is a good poker player that can lay down pocket Aces when the timing is right. Just because you have the best hand to start with, doesn’t mean you are going to end with the best hand.

There are many people who refuse to bet big even when they have Aces. This may be a bit too conservative, but in some respects it makes sense. Aces do not always hold up, and if you see a flop that could be troublesome for you, then hold off a bit. You should try to extract the most money from other players, but be aware that if there are 4 hearts on the board and you have 2 black Aces that you can and should lay them down.

If there is one last bit of information on how to play Aces you should know, it is this. Aces can and will be cracked. Keep that in mind when you go all in on your Pocket Rockets.

It’s not only smaller pairs that you will need to lay down at times. Occasionally you will have to release your pocket Aces. If you have two black Aces and three hearts come on the flop, you are probably up against a flush if there is a bet and a raise. Many players refuse to lay down pocket Aces no matter what cards are on the board. A good player will accept defeat and toss the Pocket Rockets before it costs them more money. It’s not fun to dump a hand that only comes about every 220 hands or so but that’s what a winning player does.

Online Poker Table Selection

December 16, 2007

Over the next couple of weeks, we’re going to be looking at some of the strategy of online poker which includes many of the popular poker games. Today we’re going to look at something basic, but so important to the game of poker. It is table selection. While this sounds simple, there is a lot more involved when picking out a table to play on. There is such a thing as a bad seat at a great table, and even worse, having a bad seat at a bad table.

After you decide what limits to play, you then need to figure out how many people you want to play with. Many poker sites have smaller tables made of 6 people or larger tables made up of 9 or 10 people. Personally I have found that full tables with 9 or 10 people are generally harder to win at because the fact is you just have so many people in the pot, although for some people this is a definite plus. However, as you go up in limit size this will change because the people generally get better. Of course they generally become more aggressive at the same time.

Before you join any table you need to look at the players. Find out who is a limper and who is the aggressive one. Look at who plays tightly and who is the loose player at the table. You also want to find out what the stacks are. If you have one person with all the money then it probably isn’t worth your time to play, but if you have a couple of good stacks on the table then it may be time to sit down. Watching the pot average is also a good way to decide if you want to pick that table as well. If you have a particularly large average for the limits in which you are playing then you know the players are raising, capping, and generally trying to get the most out of everyone. If this is your thing then go for it, but if you want to play a more conservative game, it is best to look for a smaller average.

Watch the game for a couple of hands and see if you feel comfortable with that type of betting. Now the question becomes where you sit. By choosing a table that is not completely full, you will get a choice of a couple of seats. You want to make sure you have position on some of the loose or aggressive players because they are going to be where you get most of your money from. You do not want position on a tight player because they just won’t play that many hands, or have the chips to pay you off when you have the nuts. You generally want to be able to hide between the looser players bets as well as being able to lose less money when you have to fold weak cards to them after they bet or limp.

You do want to make sure you see signs of players calling a lot of raises after limping in with weak hands, and players that show weak hands outside of the blinds. This means players continually play with ace-little card off suit and unsuited connectors. This is when you are going to win some money in the long run for sure. Also, outrageous raises on the nuts are always good to see because that means that you know when to fold and when to call. Lastly, it is good to see players limping or raising only a little bit with top notch hands. That will save you money if you do lose the hand.

It is important to stay away from tables that get down to the blinds consistently because you are just not going to win any money. Although you don’t want to be at a table with all the players playing as if they had a million dollars, it is important to be able to win something. Lastly, stay away from the tables where several people are going all in on every hand. Not only is it annoying, chances that they suck you out even once or twice is fairly good.

You may find as the game goes on that you don’t like the table. That is part of the allure of online poker - you can simply get up and find another table. The point is that you need to do this. Don’t stay on a table you are not comfortable with because that is a sure way to lose all of your money.

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