5 Tips to make you a better cash game player
Home ? Articles ? Poker Strategy ? 5 Tips to make you a better cash game player Posted by Dozer on Wednesday, April 06, 2005 (2039 Reads) I decided to share some tips about online cash games that is sure to help out your game and help you find all those extra edges that are sitting rite in front of you and to maximize your profits. I hope you guys enjoy these 5 tips and I would love to hear some comments on what you think of these tips that I am sharing with you guys.
1. How to spot a loose player before they even play a handWhen you sit down at a cash game online you usually get asked whether you would like to post blind or wait for the blind to come around to you. Most people like myself usually are patient and wait for the blind to come to them, because there is no point posting your blind when your 2 hands away from it.
So while your playing and you see a new player come into the game and doesn't wait till there blind and posts rite away that is more often then not a sign of a loose player that is ready to gamble, it shows they are careless with their money and are willing to gamble.
2. Use online cash games to your advantage
Online is quite different then live poker, in live poker you might go to the casino and there might be a couple games running and usually you might have to put your name on the list to wait or might be able to get a seat rite away. In live poker you are usually forced into a table and don't have the luxury of choosing which table you would like to play at.
Online is quite different, you usually have a selection of 10 different tables and are able to view who's playing, how much money they have, how many flops per hour and the average pot. This is crucial information that could substantially help your game if you know how to use it.
When you see a table that has a high Average Pot it usually means it's a loose table a lot of money is being tossed around. You want to pick these games if you are a tight solid player. More often then not it's usually one guy on tilt that is playing every pot and making the action really loose. You might say "I hate playing against loose players". In a cash game those types of players are the bread and butter, if your playing a cash game with a bunch of solid tight players the only way your going to win a big pot is if your a slight favorite. With a loose player, if you play solid tight poker and wait for the rite time he will gamble being a big dog and you will usually be paid of very good.
So scope out the stats when choosing a cash game online, look at the players at the table spot the regulars and stay away from that table. This little tip offers an extra edge in your profit per hour.
3. Don't be glued to your seat
Online poker offers the luxury of being able to sit down at a game, leave a game, hop to another table, sit out for a few hands. So don't be stuck to your seat, don't worry you won't lose it. If the game isn't good, the table is too tight, too many good players the leave. You should hop around and try and find the best game and then glue yourself to the seat. Use online poker to your advantage and don't be scared to hop around and find the juiciest table. This is also the case for if your losing, don't be stuck to your chair on that table you need to have the disciple to leave if your down and go try another table if the one your at isn't good.
To be a consistent winning poker player you need to not be lazy and look for all the little edges around you, and use all the possible edges that you can.
4. How to spot rent money in No Limit Cash Games
In online no limit cash games your able to buy in for the minimum or maximum, while your searching for a table to play in look for a table that has a lot of minimum buy ins. Any regular professional always buys in for the maximum at a no limit cash game. The reasons behind that are:
1. A bigger bankroll is intimidating to a lot of players and can often give the first impression to new players to the table that he is a good player.
2. You always want to have enough money in your bankroll to cover anyone at the table so when you do got the nuts that your able to squeeze every dime that you could have out of the opponent.
Most recreational to weak players will usually buy in for minimum amount and usually are playing with scared money or they are loose players. Take note that isn't always the case, but I'm talking more often then not. So use this to your advantage when selecting a game and trying to find the weakest players.
5. When you're able to leave a game with a loss
When you're able to leave a cash game after loosing some big pots and you are noticing a change in your play then you are a solid player. The natural thinking of the brain is to stay and get your money back, it takes a lot of discipline and skill to know when to leave a game. How do you think the Casinos make so much money? It's because the natural thinking of the brain that says I need to get even, while in reality they are not in the correct mindset and are usually on tilt and will almost always end up going broke. Once your able to conquer this inner psychological trait that every human being posses, then you are a good player.
Every poker player in the world loses, that's apart of the game and if your able to leave a game with a loss without even hesitating then you'll end up winning a lot more in the long run.
You know you've seen the guys sitting playing blackjack perhaps at the casino who have lost 10 straight hands are stuck a pretty penny, usually they won't leave until they're broke. Sure they might win a little but they're mindset is that they need to get back to even, so eventually they'll go broke. The same thing goes for poker once you have the mindset in a game of playing catch up you have already lowered your edge and if your on tilt you have given the casino edge to the other players and it's just a matter of time before you go broke.
I know it's easy to say all this and read all this and agree, but while your in this mindset and frame of mind it's the last thing your thinking about. So to sum it up train yourself to leave games while your losing, even if it's a few bucks, or more then a few bucks. Leave, once your able to train yourself that it's ok to leave, then when you find yourself fully tilted and wanting nothing but to get even you'll be able to leave a lot easier.
