No-Limit Holdem Cash Game Play

[CardWarfare]

I'm going to be playing a live session of 1/2 NL tonight, so hopefully I'll have some interesting hands to post in here. I don't play NL live games except for when I play live on occasion, so that's probably why I don't post much in here.

[gkunit20]

Originally Posted by Irondime

if i were on a bigger site i would play more tourneys but at pitbull the only way take make any real money is the cash games. the biggest tourney there cost $20+2 and is only a $500 payout

That's why FT>>>>>>>>>>>>Pitbull.

[CardWarfare]

Here's an interesting hand from a little home game tonight with some friends.


.10c-.20c NL

Hero has about $35
Villian has about $30

Villian min-raises (.40c) UTG, Hero in LP re-raises to $2

Flop: A-K-6 rainbow


Villian checks, Hero bets $3, Villian raises to $9

Hero???



Now, before you all start bashing me, here's some background information on this player.


If you were to classify my style, and this player's styles into two well known players in NL cash games, you would have have Daniel Negreanu (me) and Sammy Farha (villian). We're both gamblers, play a wide range of hands, and are likely to have any two cards at any time (in most cases).

This player generally plays very fast preflop, and slows down on the flop if he flops a hand like top pair or so. However, he also LOVES to raise on draws, and mix up his play.

Here's my thinking, the min raise UTG doesn't mean anything, except that it's a min raise. I know that sounds overly simple, but here's what I mean.

The min raise, does not necessarily mean a very strong hand like AA, KK, QQ, or AK, like it often does on the internet. In fact, with this player, and the way he was playing tonight, he was playing big hands pretty fast preflop, usually raising to at least 5x the BB with two big cards or a pair. This made me think that he had some sort of suited connectors, or drawing hand. Obviously, he also could have a hand like AA or AK because of the check-raise, but it's debatable.


With most other players in this game, this is an easy fold. However, because I know this guy so well, and he knows me very well, it becomes a contest to see who can out think the other. Here's my line of thinking in this hand, let's see what you guys think.


-He min raised pre, which means next to nothing, and doesn't define his hand really in anyway.

-He didn't re-raise after I raised, almost invariably eliminating AA, KK, and probably QQ from his range

-He checked the flop, as he often does with top pair, of any sort.

-He made a larger than usual check/raise. Most times with big hands, hes' calling the flop and check raising the turn

-He had check/raised on a draw on two separate occasions during this session. Once he had a straight and flush draw, the other time, a gutshot.


Here's his range, in my mind at the time.


Bad for me:

-AK
-A6
-K6 (yes, it's possible)
-66



Good for me:

- AJ through A7
- A5 through A2
- KJ
- KQ
- KT
- QJs
- JTs
- any pocket pair between QQ and 44 (excluding 66, for obvious reasons)


Or simply a stone cold bluff.




We talk all the time about the all the headaches we give each other when we play, because we are, by far, the loosest and most aggressive players in our home games. Most times the tighter players tend to stay out of the way unless they have a big hand, and me and Juan (villian) go to war for the "nothing" pots that no one wants.


Like I said earlier, against a predictable player this is an easy fold, but for this opponent, there's a lot of strategy involved.

[cablegator]

I believe that you can excel at either cash games or tournaments but usually not both. For me, a tournament is far less profitable I only cash in approximately 1 out of 20 MTT's and 1/2 of the sit-n go's i play. In contrast, when I play a live cash game I consistantly show profit. this is not to say I don't have losing sessions, but typically one winning session is more than enough to cover several losing ones. It makes good sense to specialize in order to optimize profits, not only in game type (Limit vs. No-limit) but also in game choice (hold-em vs. 5 or 7 stud vs. Razz vs. lowball 2-7 vs. omaha vs. crazy pinapple vs. etc.). while we all strive to be the best at POKER we must also learn our limitations to be successfull.

[tylermowrey]

My biggest flaw playing online is getting impatient or getting sidetracked... i get bored with MTTs and end up bluffing off or making bad calls while online because it takes forever...
cash games online are kinda the same way... after i fold im looking on the web at email and other things... so im not paying attention to how people have been playing... while playing live games at casinos against players i dont know its easier to keep my attention to the game...

i also play better online when people are watching actually because they critique my plays which keeps me in "check" pardon the pun

[PokerXanadu]

Originally Posted by cablegator

I believe that you can excel at either cash games or tournaments but usually not both. For me, a tournament is far less profitable I only cash in approximately 1 out of 20 MTT's and 1/2 of the sit-n go's i play. In contrast, when I play a live cash game I consistantly show profit. this is not to say I don't have losing sessions, but typically one winning session is more than enough to cover several losing ones. It makes good sense to specialize in order to optimize profits, not only in game type (Limit vs. No-limit) but also in game choice (hold-em vs. 5 or 7 stud vs. Razz vs. lowball 2-7 vs. omaha vs. crazy pinapple vs. etc.). while we all strive to be the best at POKER we must also learn our limitations to be successfull.

QFT.

Originally Posted by tylermowrey

My biggest flaw playing online is getting impatient or getting sidetracked... i get bored with MTTs and end up bluffing off or making bad calls while online because it takes forever...
cash games online are kinda the same way... after i fold im looking on the web at email and other things... so im not paying attention to how people have been playing... while playing live games at casinos against players i dont know its easier to keep my attention to the game...

i also play better online when people are watching actually because they critique my plays which keeps me in "check" pardon the pun

QFT.


You both have identified the biggest pitfalls. But knowing these, you can profit.

If you get bored waiting for hands online, then you need something to do to keep busy - just like at a big, live MTT. But don't not pay attention to the play. Buy a poker book and read it while keeping an eye on the game. Use the wait time to improve your skills through study.

Specialization is a good way to increase profits, but isn't a necessity. You will increase your ROI more by learning how to switch gears for the different games. If you specialize to one particular type of game (e.g., NL Holdem cash game), you will lose money during your slumps - which are inevitable when you play the same thing endlessly.

You will find that at some point you are making mistakes because you are bored with playing the same thing so you try to compensate by varying your play. Mistake! You were playing a winning strategy and now you change it? Silly.

But if you change to a different game (tournament, sng or a different poker game), you will suddenly be interested again and won't have to suffer through the slump. If you find that adjusting costs you money, then play lower stakes to start when you switch. Then move up as you adjust. Do this enough times and you will eventually be able to switch without an adjustment period.

You can be an expert in a variety of games and formats. The top pros are. It is, after all, all just poker games. The basic skills are the same.

[kickinbutz]

I dont think there is any strategy at the cash games I play at.
I play a game with a few "friends" cheap .50/$1 and we buy in for 40-50 bucks.when I play that game,oh is usally 4-5-6 people.I've win 19 outta 20 times I've played that game.broke even once.my strategy is "LET THE DONKEYS DONK" I just sit there and fold,fold and fold til I have suited connecters,small pairs and maybe I'll hit my flush...I keep pot small as possible
when on bad draws,such as runner runner draws.but wow...they pay off 98% of the time.so..I guess what I'm saying is don't rush into things.gamble with what you can afford to lose.take money from friends!
their $$ spends more freely.

[kickinbutz]

Originally Posted by CardWarfare

Here's an interesting hand from a little home game tonight with some friends.


.10c-.20c NL

Hero has about $35
Villian has about $30

Villian min-raises (.40c) UTG, Hero in LP re-raises to $2

Flop: A-K-6 rainbow


Villian checks, Hero bets $3, Villian raises to $9

Hero???



Now, before you all start bashing me, here's some background information on this player.


If you were to classify my style, and this player's styles into two well known players in NL cash games, you would have have Daniel Negreanu (me) and Sammy Farha (villian). We're both gamblers, play a wide range of hands, and are likely to have any two cards at any time (in most cases).

This player generally plays very fast preflop, and slows down on the flop if he flops a hand like top pair or so. However, he also LOVES to raise on draws, and mix up his play.

Here's my thinking, the min raise UTG doesn't mean anything, except that it's a min raise. I know that sounds overly simple, but here's what I mean.

The min raise, does not necessarily mean a very strong hand like AA, KK, QQ, or AK, like it often does on the internet. In fact, with this player, and the way he was playing tonight, he was playing big hands pretty fast preflop, usually raising to at least 5x the BB with two big cards or a pair. This made me think that he had some sort of suited connectors, or drawing hand. Obviously, he also could have a hand like AA or AK because of the check-raise, but it's debatable.


With most other players in this game, this is an easy fold. However, because I know this guy so well, and he knows me very well, it becomes a contest to see who can out think the other. Here's my line of thinking in this hand, let's see what you guys think.


-He min raised pre, which means next to nothing, and doesn't define his hand really in anyway.

-He didn't re-raise after I raised, almost invariably eliminating AA, KK, and probably QQ from his range

-He checked the flop, as he often does with top pair, of any sort.

-He made a larger than usual check/raise. Most times with big hands, hes' calling the flop and check raising the turn

-He had check/raised on a draw on two separate occasions during this session. Once he had a straight and flush draw, the other time, a gutshot.


Here's his range, in my mind at the time.


Bad for me:

-AK
-A6
-K6 (yes, it's possible)
-66



Good for me:

- AJ through A7
- A5 through A2
- KJ
- KQ
- KT
- QJs
- JTs
- any pocket pair between QQ and 44 (excluding 66, for obvious reasons)


Or simply a stone cold bluff.




We talk all the time about the all the headaches we give each other when we play, because we are, by far, the loosest and most aggressive players in our home games. Most times the tighter players tend to stay out of the way unless they have a big hand, and me and Juan (villian) go to war for the "nothing" pots that no one wants.


Like I said earlier, against a predictable player this is an easy fold, but for this opponent, there's a lot of strategy involved.

[kickinbutz]

I want to be holding 9,10s here.is most likely to sukout!
could hit QJ for a st8 or most likely da "ONLINE STUNNER" turn 7 river 8...STR8!!!!
lmao,which you end up hitting your str8
BUT....it also cameout runner runner your suit.which is even better.bcause you didnt even notice you hit your flush.Villian shows K6s...raising prflop on a move but hits a bigger FLUSH...snap!

[StatueKid22]

I prefer cash games to tournaments because you can leave whenever. A new casino just opened up near me that has digital poker tables so we can play live and see just as many hands as we would online. This is great because they use PokerPro software and I believe FTP uses the same software.

Tourny's are fun but, I tend to show more profit in a good cash game.