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I read a couple dozen books and kept hearing about how AT-AQ, and KT-KQ is crap, and how all these games are full of loose players, and how tight-aggressive poker is winning poker, and how bluffing weak players is the dumbest thing you can do. Previous to reading all this I used to fire three bullets with over cards, I would call raises with AJ out of position, basically I would play cards I shouldn't have been playing according to the books, and I would bluff "too much," BUT I WON TONS! I would usually win between $600-1000 a day and was considered one of the most aggressive and best short handed players on my site.

However, after I did all that reading I started a losing streak that has been going on for about a year. Now I'm struggling to win at $.10/.20 full ring games! So as a winning pro I was wondering if you could tell me how to beat these microlimit NL games by adhering to these supposed "golden rules:"

• Don't play loose, tight poker is winning poker 2. Don't bluff weak players, they simply won't fold
• Don't be weak/tight, be aggressive!
• Don't call raises out of position with weak hands

When I used to play super-aggressive, back when supersystem was the only thing I ever read, I would raise preflop with ATo, I'd get called by the big blind, the flop would come 9c7h2c, BB checks, I bet the pot, BB calls. Turn is 4s. BB checks. At this point I put the BB on a flush draw so I bet the pot again. BB calls. River is Jh. BB checks, I push allin, BB folds. The way I played that hand would give some people a heart attack, but I would do that with my over cards ALL THE TIME and I would win a ton of money. Sure occasionally someone would call me down with a set, but most people don't have the guts to call me down with a pair of 9s in that situation, and people would call the flop and turn bets with draws, then not hit and fold the river enough for me to win a bunch. My variance was rather high but I was a long term winner (used to make 100k hand histories on Pokertracker). The next hand I would pick up KQ and do the same thing.

Now ever since I read those books I haven't been the same. I just can't seem to get back into that winning groove I used to be in. It is as if I have all these other thoughts floating around in my head and I can't just find that instinctual decision I used to rely so heavily upon. The other problem I have is that people don't buy in for the full amount anymore, so my aggressive style doesn't scare people like it used to. Nowadays there are so many short stacks that if you raise JJ preflop and get a caller, they will only have half the pot left in their stack so even if a couple over cards flop, you almost have to put them all-in on the flop anyway and sure enough they call with K8 when they spiked their King. In the old days when everyone was deep stacked I would just bet the turn and river huge and that guy with K8 would get scared and fold on one of those two streets.

Any thoughts would be so greatly appreciated.

Ed Miller

Answer:

Hi Ed

There is no doubt that many players have improved their game by reading books. Most books, however, are written for full ring games and this is why many hands, which are very playable short handed - like KQ - are considered to be trap hands. You simply can't apply these starting-hand requirements for short-handed play. To comment on your previous post-flop play: It sounds like you played very aggressive when you where winning a lot - too aggressive if you ask me. I believe it is rare that such over-aggressive play is successful. The good thing about playing in this aggressive way is that you get a good feel for the game. You constantly put pressure on yourself and your opponents and learn how to handle many situations. If you start playing $2 - $4 short handed again I would say that a toned-down version of your former style would be appropriate.

In these micro limit games, I would recommend that you play as tight as the books tell you. The kind of game you should play is pretty much the opposite the game you played on $2-$4. Play tight and play very straight forward. If you hit top pair with good kicker, bet the pot and make your opponents pay for drawing. Semi bluff less frequently and simply wait to hit your hand before you shove your money into the pot.

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