A Poker Tell is any physical reaction, behavior, or habit that gives you information about your opponent’s hand. There are some very common poker tells that you should be aware of. Being able to spot these tells will help you make good decisions at the poker table and put yourself in position to win more money.
Also, by knowing what these common poker tells are, you can avoid giving them off yourself!
The majority of players give off tells in the following manner – they act as if they have a strong hand when they actually have a weak hand. They act as if they have a weak hand when they actually have a strong hand.
Online Poker Tells
A quick bet is a sign of weakness.
A delayed action is a sign of strength. When an opponent thinks for a long time and then bets, they will usually be holding a strong hand.
If you have played in an online casino before, you may have noticed how they make it easy to act when it is your turn. This is done through the use of check boxes – “check” “fold” “raise”, or “call”.
You can tell when a player has used a check box, because they act almost immediately after the player in front of them has acted.
Use this to your advantage.
When a player has checked “raise” it should be obvious to you that they have a strong hand.
If a player uses the check box to “check” then you can probably conclude that your opponents hand is weak.
If a player uses the check box to “call”, a good assumption is that your opponent has a drawing hand.
The use of a checkbox is a good poker tell because the player has already made a decision on what they are going to do before even seeing what the other have done.
Remember to pay close attention to how your opponents act and you will be able to spot their own individual poker tells.
Poker Tells
When you first sit down at a table, study the way the players stack their chips. Although it is a generalization, loose aggressive players typically maintain sloppy stacks, while tight conservative players keep neat stacks.
Poker Tells your opponent gives off when they have a good hand.
They act disinterested in a hand that they are playing in.Here they are trying to trick you into thinking they are not happy about their cards.
Shaking Hands when placing a betOftentimes players’ hands shake when they have an excellent hand.
Sighing and ShruggingThis is typically a sure sign that your opponent is putting on an act of weakness when they have a strong hand.
Glancing at Chips After Looking at Hole CardsThis is a sign that your opponent is planning a bet.
Poker Tells your opponent gives off when they have a weak or a drawing hand
Staring If an opponent tries to stare you down they are trying to act as if they have a strong hand.
Holding BreathOften, inexperienced players will hold their breath if they are bluffing.
They Check Their Hole Cards After the FlopIf the flop shows a possible flush or straight, an opponent that checks or re-checks their hole cards is looking to see if they have hit a flush or straight. If they did hit a flush or straight they would know it and not need to check.
Taking a Long Time Before Calling a BetIf a player looks into the pot and seems to be running through some calculations they are most likely figuring out the pot odds to see if it’s worth trying to complete their hand.

No-Limit Hold'em is game of general strategy, basic tactical skills useful in all forms of poker, and a game of intense psychology.Let's first go over general strategy. There are two things you should quickly figure out when you enter a no-limit game:1. What types of players are my opponents?2. How many hands go to a showdown?Types of opponentsGenerally, people speak of four types of players: tight-passive, tight-aggressive, loose-passive, loose-aggressive. The first modifier (tight or loose) characterizes the number of hands the person plays while the second (passive or aggressive) describes the player's betting style. I think that for no-limit hold'em, loose-aggressive should be divided into two parts: maniacs and solid players. Let's go over each of these types of players.Tight-passive: These people do fine in a fixed-limit game, but they won't win much money in a no-limit game. This is because they do not get full value out of their winning hands. When playing against these players:
1. Bluff at the flop a lot. Put in a raise preflop, and try to take down the pot at the flop.2. Fold when they represent a hand. If they bet a little, they're probably on a draw or have a weak hand. In this case, you should still stick with your hand if you hold something decent. If they bet a lot, they probably possess a solid hand.3. Take advantage of your control. Don't go wild with your bluffs, though. You should still fold preflop when you have nothing. If you make a flop bluff, think twice before making another bluff on the turn. Also, you can still win a fair amount of money off of these types of players whene you hold a good hand.Essentially, you can quickly tame these players into calling stations or folding stations. If one of these players is making a lot of money against you while being a calling or folding station, you are doing something seriously wrong. These players are common, and you will certainly play against quite a few.Loose-passive: These players have to hope that people continually bluff into them, because they frequently call with the second-best hand. Calling with the second-best hand is a recipe for disaster at no-limit games. You won't often see loose-passives playing no-limit hold'em, because they lose money too quickly playing the game. If you are fortunate enough to have a loose-passive player at your table, just win money off of him by making mid-sized bets when you hold a good hand.Maniac loose-aggressive: These guys will buy a fair share of pots. However, they will often get themselves trapped, and they will lose their stacks in one or two hands. What separates these players from good loose-aggressives is that they lack discipline. They love the action of no-limit so much that they get themselves trapped too easily. These types of players are rare.Strong loose-aggressive: These guys seem like they are horrible maniacs, but in reality, they are a very dangerous form of player. They will certainly lose a lot of money in pots, but they also will buy a lot of pots and win huge ones. The way these players win is mainly by getting a good read on the opponent, and then making a well-timed bet.One trick I use to beat these guys is to take them down in one big pot. Since they will play a lot of hands, especially shorthanded, they'll often play hands that lend themselves to being the second-best hand. Once I catch them in this situation, I just have to make sure I don't let them go too easily. Another tip is to make sure you are playing in a game where the money is not too meaningful to you. You should not let these players scare you financially when they make a large bet or raise. You need to be able to play back at (reraise) these guys or call them down.These players only do well when people have large stacks. If you or the loose-aggressive player has a small stack, you are at an advantage because their ability to bluff is limited.Tight-aggressive: This is my style and the strategy that I'll teach. The tight-aggressive's main problems are that he may get bluffed out too easily and that he may be too easily read.Showdown PercentageThis is a critical concept in no-limit hold'em. Since no-limit lends itself to bluffing, one can make a lot of money simply by stealing pots if your opponents are very tight. However, this strategy obviously fails if everyone shows you down at the river!Generally, before I play in a game, I pay attention to the number of hands going to showdowns. This is really easy to do on the internet because you don't even need to watch the game. You just leave the window open, go eat a snack, go to the bathroom, whatever. Come back twenty minutes later and see what sort of game you are about to dive into. All you have to do is scroll through the chat box and see how many hands went to showdowns and how big the pots tend to get.All things being equal, more showdowns are better. While it is impossible to bluff if everyone calls you down, you stand to make a lot more money if people call you with tenuous holdings. The best way to make money at no-limit games is to simply sell your hand when you have it. If people call down a lot, you will be able to extract a lot of money from pot-sized or larger bets when you hit a premium holding (such as a flush or set).Types of Hands to PlayThe types of hands you play in no-limit differ than those in fixed-limit. This is because of implied odds. Hands like KQ go down in value because they cannot withstand much pressure. Even if you hit a King with this type of hand, you still may be losing to a set, two pair, AK, or eventually to a draw. Thus, with big cards, you generally want to take down the pot at the flop. The exception to this is if you think you have someone outkicked (like with AK vs. KJ with a K on the board), or if you hit the flop hard (like KK3 when you hold AK). In these cases, you generally want to extract money from your opponent bit by bit.

People always say that "Practice makes perfect."
I disagree.
The truth is that "PERFECT practice makes perfect."
Using an odds calculator at online poker is a crucial way to develop your skills and become a better player...
But I've noticed that even though the popularity of programs like Texas Calculatem is booming, many players AREN'T USING THESE TOOLS CORRECTLY.
This "bad practice" can easily cause lost profits, a frustrating learning curve, and unnecessary confusion...
So let's discuss the seven most costly mistakes players make when using an odds calculator-- and how YOU can avoid them.
(If you don't own an odds calculator yet, now is the time. Click this link to download the best:)
CLICK HERE
OK, let's get started.


MISTAKE #1: Not Bluffing Enough
Poker is a game of ODDS and SKILL... but it's also a game of PSYCHOLOGY and LUCK.
If you listen to the advice of an odds calculator 100% of the time, yes, you'll come out ahead. But you don't want to become a predictable "robot" who only plays favorable odds and never bluffs.
Get my drift?
There are times in every poker game when you'll want to buy the blinds because you sense weakness, over bet the pot to give off a certain table image, or "bully" the table with your huge chip stack.
Odds calculators don't bluff.
And they don't tell you when to bluff.
That's why you've got to stay alert and make these types of decisions based on your own intuition...
MISTAKE #2: Not Paying Enough Attention To Your Opponents
The right odds calculator can quickly become addictive. It's easy to get in a bad habit of just listening to its "advice" without paying attention to the game.
This allows you to save time, save energy, and play multiple games at once.
BUT...
Just like bluffing, blindly listening to an odds calculator can be detrimental. It can prevent you from catching important TELLS at the table.
Pay close attention to your opponents so that you spot someone on "tilt", identify an amateur, and pick up betting patterns.

MISTAKE #3: Not Considering "Likely Odds"
Let's say you've got pocket Queens. You make a pre-flop raise of 3x the big blind and get four callers (at an 8-man table).
The flop hits: A-A-K
What a TERRIBLE flop, right? You figure one of your four opponents MUST have an Ace... or at least a King. And that means all you can hope for on the turn or river is a Queen.
If someone throws out a sizeable bet in this situation, you would fold... because you know you're beat.
What's interesting is that a "primitive" odds calculator would tell you that you have a STRONG hand: two pair with a great kicker. And it would probably tell you to call any bets... or even raise.
Crazy, huh?
You see, here's the thing: Most odds calculators only lookat YOUR hand... and don't try to "deduce" what your opponents might have. They don't look at what's "likely".
You and I both know that the only way someone would call a pre-flop raise of 3x the big blind is if they have something good... like an Ace. But an odds calculator that just pays attention to your cards has no idea.
Texas Calculatem is different. Texas Calculatem DOES look at what's "likely" and what's not. It takes a look at those four players who stayed in the pot and calculates the likelihood that one of them is holding an Ace or a King... given all the possible conditions.
Don't download an odds calculator that doesn't do "likely odds", otherwise you're just asking for trouble.

MISTAKE #4: Relying Too Much On Odds During "All-In" Plays
In no limit Texas Holdem there is no restriction to how much you can bet. This makes the use of an odds calculator more tricky in this game type.
For instance, let's say there's $20 in the pot and your opponent decides to go all-in for his entire stack of $480.
You have to make a decision to call or fold.
The "pot odds" in a situation like this aren't very good. The reason is because there's such a small amount in the pot.
In this situation, however, pot odds don't mean much. Your decision shouldn't be based on "math"... it should be based on WHETHER YOU THINK YOUR OPPONENT HAS A BETTER HAND.
An all-in situation is so "disproportionate" that odds aren't really relevant... so don't get too caught up in them.

MISTAKE #5: Mis-Interpreting Odds Information When Playing
Heads-Up (Or Short-Handed)
With just 2-3 players at the table, chances are NO ONE will get good cards. At this stage in the game, winning is more about bluffs and reading opponents.
Proof of this is the fact that most heads-up hands never get to "show down". Someone almost always folds BEFORE the river.
Therefore, the odds of "winning by river" aren't as relevant in this type of situation. Who cares if you have 7-2 offsuit? All that REALLY matters is what your opponent THINKS you have.
When I get heads-up, I don't pay attention to the "hand strength" percentage or "odds by river" on my odds calculator.
Instead, I pay attention to the "odds on next card" feature, because that's what is IMMEDIATELY relevant.

MISTAKE #6: Not Adjusting The Odds To Your Personal Style
When you download an odds calculator, make sure it fits your personal "style" of play. If you're a loose pre-flop player, you don't want your odds calculator constantly telling you to "play tight and fold"...
Instead, you want your odds calculator to be "loose" and simply show you when you're deviating in the wrong manner.
Texas Calculatem features "play settings" that you can customize for your own needs and preference.
(These settings apply both to pre-flop and post-flop play.)
This is also very useful depending on your game type. For instance, I set my pre-flop settings to be extremely tight in large multi-table tournaments... because my strategy is to sit back and be very patient.
But in a shorthanded Sit and Go, I do exactly the opposite, because "loose" hand selection is required to avoid getting blinded out.
MISTAKE #7: Using The Wrong Odds Calculator
An odds calculator is only useful if it has the FEATURES YOU NEED and if you USE IT RIGHT.
Avoid the common mistakes we've just discussed and you'll be well on your way to maximizing your online poker profits.
The next step is to simply get the BEST odds calculator possible.
My highest recommendation goes to "Texas Calculatem". It has all the features we've just discussed... and dozens more.
It's by far the easiest-to-use and most useful odds calculator on the market... and it's proven to help players like you make more money at online poker.
You can download Texas Calculatem now for FREE (by joining a partner casino).
Just click here to get started:
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"You can fool some of the people all the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all the time." - Abraham LincolnOne element of poker is deception. Bluffing is the quintessential trick in poker. Of course, the reasoning for a bluff is to deceive the other players into thinking you have a better hand when you actually do not. For a bluff to work, you need the other players to think you actually have that better hand. Many beginning poker players love this idea of bluffing and often misuse it. The value of the bluff increases under certain general circumstances that often have a lot to do with information you assume about the other players. This vagueness makes it difficult to give definitive reasons or places to bluff. Some less generalized times to bluff and some advice are given below. The bottom of the page gives some more ideas and perspectives on deception in poker.Some typical reasons to bluff...A. When there aren't many other players in a pot.Simply put, it's easier to trick a couple people than a crowd. With fewer hands out there, chances are better that no one has made a reasonable hand. This is fairly common though, so many players won't believe you. Some will stay in the hand just to "keep you honest", so sometimes this needs to be a persistent bluff over a period of two or three betting rounds. That can be costly if they don't fall for it. You need to know the players before you use this type of bluff.B. When you're up against fairly tight players.Those that tend to fold easily are the biggest targets of a bluff. Bets will be put out just as a form of information gathering on this player's hand. If you bluff early (pre-flop, flop) against a very tight player and they don't buckle, you should think twice about trying it again on a future round. They have something. Your job is to determine whether they have a made or drawing hand. Once again, you need to know the players.C. On the river.Especially if apparent drawing hands missed. That's when players react to rule #1 "the moment you know you can't win, throw in your cards". It is often a good idea to bluff with a weak hand, like ace-high or lowest pair with these kinds of bluffs, because some players will stay in just because of pot odds. If you do that, it is actually semi-bluffing (see the bottom of the page).D. You're in late position and everyone else checked.This one you'll have to gauge for yourself. It will most likely force some players out, but not all. This is a pretty common bluff once again, and many players will stay in just because of bet odds, and/or to once again "keep you honest". This is another example of a bluff that needs to be more persistent over a couple betting rounds.E. You bet pre-flop and missed.That's because they don't know you missed! This can be dangerous, and you really have to evaluate to board before you get into this one. Sometimes it's good to bluff when AK misses, sometimes when 99 misses. You have to really feel this one out.F. You have given other players "the fear".It's about how other players perceive you. If you just won a hand through good play, the players who say "nice hand" are the ones who now respect you. They will more likely fold to your bluff if you play it right. The trick is to play the hand exactly the same way you played the other winning hand. Give it the "here we go again" act.G. When the flop isn't so great.Some players will fold automatically if all they have is an overcard. With a rainbow flop of 2, 6, 9, not many players will have much. This is another example of a bluff that can go horribly awry. I wouldn't be too persistent in this case, unless only more low cards pop up. Once again, know your players.H. Pre-flop on the button, and everyone else has folded.This is usually best used with tight players to your left. Its good because it can change from a bluff to a deceptively good hand with luck and the right flop.I. When there is a pair on the board.This is especially useful when the pair is 88 or lower. Chances are that these cards might have been folded or are still in the deck. This is one situation where you want to evaluate the hand very carefully if they do call though. This is a great situation to read the tells of the players who are NOT involved in the game. It's much easier to give away the fact that you HAD a card than if you HAVE it.Keep in mind that these are pretty common reasons to bluff. Many players know these reasons. Most of the time it just won't work. The main thing is always to know your players and to not do it so often that it never works.There's some great books about bluffing out there. We suggest reading as much as you can about it, as it's one of the most misunderstood aspects of poker.Other bluffing topics...

The increase of poker popularity has led to a flood of fish who are just WAITING for you to take their money.

Seriously.

These fish are untalented, undisciplined, and lack the fundamental skills to succeed in Texas Holdem. These players think that since they have seen a few episodes of the World Poker Tour, they are poker pros.
If you want to make money playing Texas Holdem, you need to learn to take all the money from these novices before they give it to someone else.
There are many ways that you can bankrupt the bad players at your table. These methods are tested and proven and can give you an advantage over everyone else at the table.
These methods include...

1. Fake Weakness
It seems that everyone over-estimates their own poker ability. Bad players usually think they are one of the best players at any given table.
This false sense of ability will lead bad players to attempt to buy virtually EVERY pot.
This over-aggression makes weak players especially vulnerable to check-raises and slow playing good cards. When you have the nuts, DON'T lead out with a big bet (like you should against a good player), instead slow play the hand and let the novice try to buy the pot.

2. Destroy Their Game Plan
Usually a novice's plan will depend on his ability to bluff effectively. If you are able to remove a significant section of their stack, you will destroy their game plan and put yourself on the fast track to the chip lead.

3. Show No Respect For Weak Bets
A bad player will fear losing all their chips on a mediocre hand. This means they will often make small bets on the turn and river. Show ZERO respect for these bets. Making a large raise over these weak bets will often scare away bad players leaving you with the pot.

4. Face Bad Players "Heads Up"
Since good players and bad players require different strategies, try to force other players out of hand before clashing with a weak player.
Eliminating other players will reduce the amount of possibilities you have to consider. This will allow you to focus more on how to scare away weak players.

5. Always Have A Decent Hand
Even if you play your hand flawlessly, a bad player may call all your bets with nothing but an Ace high.
This is very frustrating, but very common. In fact, I know many poker professionals who will not play against novices because they are so difficult to bluff.
So, before you enter into a high-cost hand with a bad player, make sure that you have at least a decent hand and you are confident that they don't have anything better.
These are just a few of the quick, more simple ways to take advantage of bad poker players...
To become a serious SHARK, you need the right TOOLS to use at the poker room.
You need a program that gives you the CONSISTENT edge over your opponents... so that you can quickly "clean up" the competition-- any day, any night.
The software program you're looking for is called "Calculatem Pro". This amazing tool will help you win more money at online poker by giving you the exact odds and data you need as you play. It's the most sophisticated poker software online.

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PRINCIPLE 1: PATIENCE IS KEY.


Patience, patience, patience!

It's the number one mistake that causes most poker players
to lose... and it's one of the "secrets" to Buffett's 22%
annual returns.

Warren Buffett does not make an investment unless he is
absolutely 100% confident that it will make him money.

That means he PASSES UP a lot of great investment
opportunities.

Warren Buffett has said "no" to stocks that ended up
increasing by 10,000%!

But more importantly... he's passed up all those other
stocks that LOOKED GOOD, but PLUMMETED later.

The problem is, us human beings are addicted to ACTION and
MOVEMENT and EXCITEMENT. We don't want to just sit around
and WAIT.

But that's EXACTLY what Buffett does...

He waits.

And waits.

And waits.

He KNOWS that sooner or later, a GREAT opportunity will come
up... and then he'll jump on it.

It's the same way with poker.

You've GOT to be patient. We all want to "get in there" and
make strong bets... bluff out opponents... and take down
lots of pots. We want ACTION.

BUT THAT'S NOT HOW YOU DO IT.

You've got to sit back... be patient... and WAIT.

Wait for good cards.

Wait for the PERFECT time to bust the manic at the table.

Wait for the PERFECT time to steal the blinds.

Wait for the PERFECT time to bluff out an opponent.

Wait for the PERFECT time to go all-in.

And then when you DO make a move...


PRINCIPLE 2: MAINTAIN A "LOW TURNOVER" PORTFOLIO OF JUST A
FEW STOCKS.


Buffett insists on keeping 10-20% turnover with his
portfolio. This means he generally holds onto a stock for
5-10 years... AT LEAST.

This is obviously OPPOSITE of how most investors do it. Most
investors are checking the tickers every HOUR-- watching for
the slightest indication of movement or news.

More importantly... Buffett only invests in a FEW STOCKS AT
A TIME.

Now THIS is crucial, because it goes against everything
you've ever learned.

Growing up, you probably heard this advice a lot:

"Never put all your eggs in one basket."

Right?

Well, Warren Buffett does the OPPOSITE.

He puts all his eggs in one basket... but... he chooses that
basket VERY CAREFULLY!

You see, Buffett believes that if you've done your homework
and you're confident in your decision, there's NO NEED to
"diversify".

In fact, he believes this is the ONLY REAL WAY to get rich
in the stock market. Because if you buy LOTS of stocks, some
are doomed to go down... and that will hurt your gains.

Now think how this relates to poker.

In poker, most players risk money on LOTS of pots, and try
to get the best odds for each one... maybe 55%, 60%, and the
OCCASIONAL 70% or higher.

What PROFESSIONAL poker players do is only play those
OCCASIONAL pots with the best odds.

BUT, they risk more chips when they do it...

So instead of risking 20% of your chip stack five times...
you want to risk 90% of your chip stack ONE time. But you
choose that time VERY CAREFULLY!

For instance, let's say the "average" poker player enters
three pots where he feels the odds are in his favor.

The three pots go like this:

1.) He risks 1000 in chips with 60% odds.
2.) He risks 1000 in chips with 50% odds.
3.) He risks 1000 in chips with 60% odds.

Now... MATHEMATICALLY speaking... there are EIGHT different
ways these scenarios can go. They are as follows (a win is
designated with "W" and a loss with "L"):

1.) W-W-W
2.) W-W-L
3.) W-L-W
4.) W-L-L
5.) L-W-W
6.) L-W-L
7.) L-L-W
8.) L-L-L

If he wins all three, he ends up with 3000 chips in profit.

If he wins two but loses one, he ends up with just 1000
chips in profit.

If he LOSES two but wins one, he ends up with 1000 chips in
losses.

And he if loses all three, he loses 3000 chips total.

Get it?

Now let me share with you the PERCENTAGES of the above
scenarios.

Watch out, this may surprise you.

If you were to play three pots as described above and risk
1000 chips for each one, and do this exercise 100 times,
here's what would happen:

18% of the time you'd win 3,000 chips total.
42% of the time you'd win 1,000 chips total.
32% of the time you'd lose 1,000 chips total.
8% of the time you'd lose 3,000 chips total.

Your "net average" would be to PROFIT 400 CHIPS.

OK... that's the "normal" approach.

Now let's look at the WARREN BUFFETT approach.

Let's say you entered just ONE pot and risked 3000 chips
(instead of 1000) with 70% odds in your favor.

Now watch what happens:

70% of the time you'd win 3,000 chips total.
30% of the time you'd lose 3,000 chips total.

Your "net average" would be to PROFIT 1200 CHIPS.

That's TRIPLE the results over time!

The key is to get BETTER ODDS and RISK MORE.

I better interject here that I do NOT recommend being one of
those players who just sits back, waits for the "nuts", and
then goes all-in.

Not even close.

In fact, if you've read my newsletters you know that I'm a
very aggressive player who loves to push action.

The KEY is that I BUILD THIS IMAGE through techniques based
on feeler bets, positioning, and sensing weakness.

AND WHEN THE RIGHT OPPORTUNITY COMES ALONG, I RISK AS MANY
CHIPS AS I CAN!

I know that when the odds are heavily in my favor, it's time
to put my eggs in one basket and go for it...


PRINCIPLE 3: THE STOCK MARKET IS NOT ALWAYS RATIONAL OR
"EFFICIENT".


There's a popular stock market concept called, "Efficient
Market Theory" (EMT).

Most of the world's leading business schools teach this
widely-accepted concept.

However...

Warren Buffett says that the EMT is a bunch of hogwash!

He's actually gone on record saying that part of him LOVES
the fact that business schools teach this theory: It makes
things easier on him because his competition doesn't know
what they're doing!

Now... I'm not going to argue whether the theory is right or
wrong. It doesn't matter for our discussion here.

What I find intriguing is what Buffett believes IS true
about the stock market...

You see, the EMT basically says that the stock market is
"efficient" in its pricing... and that most buy/sell
behavior is "rational".

Buffett disagrees. He is CONSTANTLY scouting for
opportunities where he thinks the market is acting in an
IRRATIONAL manner... and then he jumps on the chance to buy
an under-priced stock.

In other words, a core part of his investment philosophy is
that the stock market is NOT efficient... and that there's
always room to grow your "bankroll" when others act
irrationally.

It's the same with poker.

When you're playing Texas Holdem, you want to spot the
"sucker" at the table... the guy who is making IRRATIONAL
decisions.

This doesn't only apply to amateurs, either. Even PROS have
"irrational" habits, tells, and "tilt" behavior.

Your OPPONENTS will open up millions of "profit
opportunities" for you... if you just watch closely.

And that brings us to the next principle:


PRINCIPLE 4: FOCUS ON THE VALUE OF THE BUSINESS, NOT THE
PRICE OF THE STOCK.


This one has almost a direct translation to poker:

FOCUS ON THE PLAYERS, NOT THE CARDS.

You're not playing poker against the house... you're playing
against your opponents.

With the stock market, everyone is always looking at the
PRICE of a stock to determine if it's worth buying or
selling.

Buffett actually doesn't even look at the price until LAST.
What he looks at is the VALUE OF THE BUSINESS.

He only invests in top-notch businesses that meet specific
conditions. He wants a business with strong growth prospects
LONG TERM, good management, and stable numbers.

Once he finds a business that meets these criteria, THEN he
looks at the price.

When the cards come out, what's the first thing you're
thinking about? What are you looking at?

You should be thinking about your OPPONENTS... the
POSITIONING at the table... the BETTING HABITS you've picked
up in the last few hands... and your opponents' FACES as
they look at their cards.

THEN when the action comes to you and it's YOUR TURN, you
should peek to see what you're holding.

Opponents first, cards second.


PRINCIPLE 5: DEMAND A MARGIN OF SAFETY FOR EVERY PURCHASE.


Warren Buffett is actually a very "conservative" investor,
as are most poker professionals. He'll only buy stocks that
he feels are practically "guaranteed" to go up.

You should demand a "margin of safety" on every hand you
play. This is actually much easier than it sounds.

Some of your tactics should include:

* Avoiding heads-up situations with players who have more
chips, and instead favoring those with fewer chips. (That
way if you go all-in and lose, you can still be in the
game.)

* Buying pots and bluffing when you have good positioning.
(That way you can get a read on your opponent and escape if
things go bad.)

* Only "chasing" draws when the pot odds are CONSIDERABLY in
your favor. (That way you end up way ahead over time.)

* And so on.


*** PLAY POKER LIKE WARREN BUFFETT ***


Perhaps the MOST IMPORTANT lesson I've learned from Warren
Buffett is to NEVER FEAR doing the "unpopular" thing.

His career PROVES that "going against the grain" is often
the BEST choice.

He doesn't live by what others do... he operates on GUIDING
PRINCIPLES that "win" over time.

Whether it's ways to leverage table positioning, tactics for
defeating common opponent styles, techniques for "stealing
the button", or figuring out the right times to bluff...

...You've got to first learn the POKER PRINCIPLES. And then
you need the GUTS to stick to them.

So where do you learn these principles?

The best place to start is by joining my free Poker Tips
email newsletter. It's jam-packed with Texas Holem tactics
and secrets that you can INSTANTLY use to increase your
winnings.

Join now, and your first issue will include this free
report:

"Avoid These Costly Mistakes When Playing Texas Holdem"

Inside you'll learn the 10 most dangerous mistakes most
poker players make... and HOW YOU CAN AVOID THEM.

Just go here now to get started:

RoyRounder.com

No Limit Holdem SnG Strategy
Bankroll Requirements
Steve Badger is fond of saying that if you're a losing player, you need an infinite bankroll. If you follow the no limit Texas holdem SnG strategy in this article, it's unlikely you'll be a losing player. But you still need enough of a bankroll to avoid what they call risk of ruin, which is the chance that you'll catch a losing streak that will wipe out your bankroll before you can win enough to catch back up to your positive expectation.
The standard guidelines I've seen on discussions in various places on the internet is that you need between 20 and 30 buy-in's at whatever level of sit and go you're playing in. So here are the bankroll requirements at the various levels of play. (We recommend avoiding the $5 + $1 because the house rake is twice as much at that level, and the play at the $10 + $1 level isn't enough to warrant paying the extra vig on the entry fee.)
Buy-In
Bankroll Needed
$10 + $1=$220 - $330
$20 + $2=$440 - $660
$30 + $3=$660 - $990
$50 + $5=$1100 - $1650
$100 + $9=$2180 - $3270
$200 + $15=$4300 - $6450
The above amounts are just guidelines. If you're a good player, you're okay at the lower end of the ranges provided, and at the higher levels, you should work toward the higher ends of the ranges, because the competition stiffens considerably.
Jackpot Sit and Go tournaments
If you intend on playing the Sit and Go's, probably the best bet out there are the Jackpot tourneys from Titan. In these games, if you string together a winning streak, you can win a jackpot bonus. Bonuses range from $2,000 for four wins at the $2.40 buy-in level, to $100,000 for six wins at the $58 buy-in level.
Strategy for Early in the Tournaments
The blinds are what drives the action in poker, and in the early stages of a sit and go, the blinds are small. (I'm talking mostly about levels 1 - 3, or maybe 1-4 here.) At this point in the tournament, my recommendation is to play very tight and reasonably aggressively. Don't get involved with a raiser preflop unless you have a big hand (like jacks or better). Your play will vary a little bit preflop based on position too, and there's a little bit of room for style differences too.
Early Position - Preflop
There are only 2 positions at this stage of the tournament - early position and late. If you're in what many would consider middle position, consider yourself in early position. My recommendation in early position is that you don't play anything but AK or a pair of 99's or better. Raise 3 or 4 big blinds with QQ's or better, and limp in with JJ's or lower. Reraise all-in with QQ's or better if you're reraised preflop, and fold if you're raised with JJ's or lower.
About half the time I raise 100 or 200 chips instead of 3 or 4 big blinds just to mix up my play. I don't want my opponents to be able to put me on a hand, and I'm just as likely to put 200 chips in the pot with pocket 99's as I am to put 60 chips in their with pocket QQ's.
Late Position - Preflop
If you're in position and no one has raised, then raise 3 or 4 big blinds with any pair of 77's or better. You can also limp in from this position with any suited connectors that are 10 or higher.
A Quick Comment About Middle Pairs
Middle pairs are 77's and 88's and 99's (maybe even 66's too, although to me, 66's are a LOT weaker.) Chris Moneymaker suggests that it's okay to call preflop with middle pair if it's going to cost you less than 1/15 of your chips. So if you have 800 chips in front of you, it's okay to call with a middle pair if it's only 50 chips or so. If it's more than that, stay away from it. What you're hoping to do is flop a set or an overpair - it's easy to get away from the hand if you don't it hit it in this case.
On the Flop
This is fit or fold time. If the flop fits your hand, play it aggressively. If it doesn't, then get away from the hand. Hands that fit the flop include top pairs or overpairs, two pairs, trips, four to a flush when your hole cards are big, four to a straight when your hole cards are big and there's not a potential flush out there. You should be raising or folding here, unless you've got a huge monster that just couldn't possibly get cracked, in which case you can try to trap your opponents and get some chips from them. You want to avoid getting drawn out on here.
When you raise on the flop, you should be betting at least the size of the pot. You don't want to give opponents with drawing hands odds to draw out on you. If they draw out on you, then let it be a mistake on their part.
You won't be playing many hands early in the tournament, but you'll be picking up blinds when you do, and you should have a decent stack by the middle of the tournament, about level 4 or 5.
SnG Strategy for the Middle of the Tournament
Around level 4 or 5, you have to start playing a little looser and a more aggressively. The blinds are too large now to just be giving them up, and you'll wind up weak and short-stacked if you don't seize some initiative at this point.
Raise preflop with any pair of 77's or better, and raise with any suited connectors higher than 10. Add AQ to your playable hands too, even if they're not suited. Don't cold-call a raise with these hands necessarily, unless they're monsters (QQ's or better). Think about your opponent and make a decision about reraising them or folding them based on how strong or weak you suspect they are. If you have no idea, you're probably better off folding.
If you're in late position, consider limping in with suited connectors that are 78suited or better, but only if the pot didn't get raised before you.
On the flop at this point, you're going to do one of two things depending on what kind of chip stack you have.
If you're short-stacked, you're going all-in, or you're folding. Fit or fold, just like the strategy in the early stage of the tournament. You're short-stacked when you have so few chips that betting the pot will take up about half your stack or a little less.
If you have a strong stack, then play it like you played it early in the tournament - bet the pot if you have a strong hand, or fold if your hand stinks.
On the Bubble in a Sit and Go No Limit Tournament
"The bubble" in a tournament is when you're right on the edge of landing in the money. In a SnG, that's the final four players.
There are two approaches to playing when you're in the bubble (down to the final four players).
The first approach says that you should play EXTREMELY tight, so that you increase your chances of landing in the money. You can then gamble after you're in 3rd place and hope to get lucky.
The other approach is to play very aggressively and steal as many blinds as you can, because the other players on the bubble are probably also playing very tight at this point.
Strategy on the Turn and on the River
The big decisions in no limit Texas holdem SnG's are almost all made preflop and on the flop. Just concentrate on playing smart on the turn and the river, and you'll be fine. I don't offer any advice for river and turn play because all your decisions have been more or less made at that point because of the limited number of chips you have.
A Couple More Notes and Thoughts
Top pair with a good kicker is not the strongest hand in the world, but you don't have a lot of chips to play around with in those Party Poker tournaments with 800 chips. If you're playing at another cardroom where you have more chips to start, play that hand with a little more caution on the flop.
Middle pairs should be played aggressively on the turn if you detect weakness from your opponents on the flop. You should be able to pick up a pot or two with these.
Don't get discouraged if you get short-stacked. Wait for a playable hand and go all-in preflop with it. I've won many a SnG tournament after coming back from 15 or 30 chips.
Finally, don't buy into all the smack talk at the table, especially if you're multi-tabling. It wouldn't hurt you to turn the chat off in fact. A SnG takes about an hour to complete, and you could make a pretty profitable day of it playing 3 or 4 tables at a time at the $30 + $3 buy-in level. If you see a 15% ROI on that level, which is reasonable if you're patient and play smart, then you could theoretically make $15 or so per hour playing the $30 + $3 SnG's 3 tabling at a time, and $20 per hour if you're playing 4 SnG's at a time.
The ROI will go down a little bit as you increase in buy-in though, because play improves, but since you're playing higher stakes, the actual dollar amount won could actually be higher. I think at the $100 + $9 buy-in, you should be able to anticipate about a 10% ROI, so if you can 3 table at that level, you can earn $30 per hour. These are all estimates though, and risk of ruin and streaks can be discouraging and nerve-wracking.
Take it slow, master sit and go strategy, deviate from the above recommendations when you think it's appropriate. You're not a robot, and poker isn't a one-size-fits-all game anyway. But consider the strategy above to be training wheels of a sort that should be pretty handy.

Strong hands in Texas Holdem can be very difficult to play properly, and many misplay them all the time. You want to get the most out of your hand, without losing to a lucky catch. Unfortunately there will be those times that your opponents will catch a better hand than you, and as soon as you recognize that you must be prepared to fold regardless of your hand.
One of the easiest ways to be unsuccessful at online poker is by hanging onto a strong hand when you should be laying it down. The biggest example is when you hold AA, as many people can’t lay that down, even when they need to.
Increase Your Odds
The best ways to prevent a situation where you have to lay down a monster hand is by minimizing the amount of people in the hand, which is best done by an above average preflop raise. If you just double the blind you will probably get mediocre hands limping in, but it all depends on how tight your opponents play. You want to raise a minimum of 3 times the big blind, but of course if you are playing at a really loose table, that may not be enough to get the mediocre hands out.
The strongest preflop hands that you want to pound the pot with are: AA, KK, QQ, JJ, AK
Slow Playing The Flop
As long as there are only one or two others in the hand, and assuming that you hold AT LEAST top pair, you may choose to slow play, but ONLY to the turn. One exception would be if there are no straight or flush draws on the board, but it still isn’t a good idea to slow play all the way to the river. If you choose to check after the flop and no action occurs, you must start to bet on the turn, unless the turn gives you a monster (ex: 3 of a kind, straight, flush, or better).
Betting On The Flop
If you place a bet rather than check after the flop, your opponent will probably call if he has a decent hand, since he wouldn’t be expecting you to have a monster hand unless you give it away. Again, your bet amount is important. Too much will likely make your opponent fold, which is something you don’t want if you can get more out of your hand.
If your opponent catches top pair or gets a flush or straight draw and you have an over pair or even top pair with the best possible kicker, you don’t necessarily want to go all in, unless he places a fairly high bet, because he/she will likely fold. It may be hard to tell, but if you think your opponent has top or mid pair, rather than a draw, you would be pretty safe to bet an amount that your opponent will likely call to send the hand to the turn (giving you a bigger pot in the end).
If you believe that your opponent is on a draw, you want to make your opponent think about calling by placing pressure on them. You must make sure there is constant pressure on your opponent and it’s not a bad idea to bet your opponent out of the pot. Although when your opponent is on a draw he/she will lose more times than not.
The Turn and River
At this point you CANNOT let your opponent limp to the river if you have any suspicion that he/she is on a draw, just like you learned to do after the flop. Regardless of how weak your opponent’s hand is (even though this may be VERY difficult to determine), you should still bet. The pot should be fairly big, so if your opponent folds, no big deal. Just remember to keep constant pressure on your opponent.
Recognizing When You’re Beat
Recognizing when you’re beat can be one of the most difficult tasks in poker depending on your opponent. Obviously, when you have a monster hand it is harder to tell when you're beat. Let’s get a little further in depth.
The easiest way to know when you’re beat is by knowing your opponent. If your opponent only bets on his/her hand strength, then it will be much easier to tell whether you’re beat or not. If your opponent is more advanced and varies the way he/she plays a hand, then it will be much harder to tell whether you’re beat or not. You have to pick up any clues that your opponent gives to you and go from there. Just remember that the easiest way to recognize when you're beat is by getting to know your opponents, which won’t come after only a few hands. Here are a few things you want to consider when you get to know your opponents:
-How does you opponent play his hands, does he bet more on strong hands and less on weaker hands, or does he vary his play?

-Will your opponent call literally anything regardless of his outs (ex: straight or flush draws)?
-Does your opponent usually bet on draws?
-Does you opponent often slow play?

Early in the tournament, don't gamble. You'll see other people around you gambling, but you shouldn't get involved unless you have a big hand. Big hands are AA, KK, QQ, AK. For the first 3-4 blind levels, you shouldn't be playing any other hands except these (with one exception, listed next). If you have AA, KK, or QQ, try to get all-in before the flop. Your preferred plan with AK is to re-raise a raiser all-in and have him fold. If you see a flop with AK and you didn't hit a pair, you probably need to get out. 2. You can call with a pocket pair (e.g., 88) if what it costs you to call is less than about 1/15th of your chips. For instance, if you have 1000 chips, if you can call for less than 60-70 chips, do so. Your plan is to flop a set or an overpair. If you don't flop a set or an overpair, you get out. If you flop a set, try to get all your chips in the middle. If you flop an overpair, you may be willing to get all-in - you may not. Tread carefully. 3. If you're the second person to put in a raise, it's usually not correct to raise the minimum amount. A good rule of thumb is to raise about the size of the pot. For instance, suppose everybody has 1000 chips, and it's 20 to go. One person calls, the next makes it 40. If you have KK, you should not raise to 60. There are a few options here: a. Raise the pot. That would be a raise of about 130 chips (including the 10 and 20 chips blinds that are already in).
b. Raise a large amount that will really commit your opponent to the pot after the flop. For instance a raise to 400-500. When the flop comes down, if there's no dreaded ace, then move the rest of your chips in.
c. Raise all-in right there. If somebody wants to call you with AJ or QQ, fine. 4. When betting after the flop, your bet must be some reasonable fraction (perhaps not less than 1/3 or 1/2) of the pot. Otherwise, you are giving drawing hands the correct pot odds to call. If they hit their draw, they can now put you all-in. Unless you have an unbeatable monster (for instance, you flopped a full house), it's rarely correct to "suck people in." You want them out. 5. When you make a bet with what you believe to be the best hand, bet enough so that an opponent with the most obvious draw would be making a mistake to call. For instance, suppose you have QQ, and the flop is J-7-3 with two spades. You are concerned about the possibility of a spade flush draw being out against you. The probability of that person hitting a flush is about 20% (one in five times) on the turn card. Make sure you bet more than 1/5th of what somebody could win from you if he hits his flush on the turn. 6. Conversely, don't call with a draw unless you can get the right pot odds. Suppose there are 100 chips in the pot on the flop. You and your opponent each have 800 chips. If he bets 400 chips on the flop and all you have is a flush draw, you can't call - you're not getting the right price. 7. It is almost always better to be the bettor or raiser than the caller. Particularly in all-in situations, you would much prefer to have "fold equity" - that is, your opponent folds and you don't have to have a showdown. So in general, you need a much stronger hand to call all-in than you do to bet (or raise) all-in. 8. If you're going to make a bet or raise, and you will be "committed" to the pot after that bet or raise, then go ahead and put all of your chips in. That is, suppose you and your opponent have 1000 chips each. If you bet 900 before the flop and he calls, there will be (at least) 1800 chips in the pot after he calls. There is virtually no flop that would make it correct to fold for your last 100 chips. So go ahead and bet all 1000 right now. The only time this might be correct is if your opponent will make the analogous mistake. That is, he won't call all 1000 chips right now. But he will call 800 chips now, and then feel obliged to call his last 200 after the flop. If he's that kind of player, it might be a correct play with a huge hand like AA. 9. As you get near the cash, and particularly on the bubble (one more player to bust out before everybody is in the money), many players will become extremely tight and play very conservatively, unwilling to be the last one to bust out before the money. Take advantage of this - you should be able to steal blinds frequently. This will set you up with a good stack once you've gotten into the money.

“The Fastest And Easiest Way To Make A KILLING At Online Poker Tournaments”
Everyone knows the surest way to make money at online poker is by WINNING TOURNAMENTS. The reason is because you can win large multiples of your buy-in... 200%, 500%, 1000%, or even higher.
In this strategy article we'll discuss step-by-step exactly how I consistently make a "killing" at online poker by beating Sit and Go tournaments. Read on to learn this amazingly simple method...
What Is A Sit And Go?
A Sit and Go is an online poker tournament. The name "Sit and Go" comes from the fact that these games are fast-- with a clear beginning and end. Each Sit and Go has a pre-determined number of players... so once the spots are filled, the game starts.
Everyone in a Sit and Go must buy-in for the same amount of money and starts with the same number of chips.The blinds gradually go up in "levels" or "stages" until one player is left standing.
The payouts are determined before the game and are displayed when you buy-in.
How Many Players Are In A Sit And Go?
Sit and Go's can have as many as 50 players or as few as 2. It really just depends on which casino you're playing at and which type YOU CHOOSE.
A majority of Sit and Go's are single table games with 10 players. In a game like this, the top 3 finishers would place "in the money". ("Single Table Tournament" is abbreviated STT.)
For instance, let's say you want to play a $10 Sit and Go. You buy-in for $10 and pay an "entry fee" to the casino-- probably a buck. All 10 players would start with the same number of chips-- let's say 800. The blinds would start low, probably 5-10. As the game progresses, the blinds will keep increasing to force action. The buy-ins on a game like this would total $100. That money would get split between the top three finishers. First place would be $50, second place would get $30, and third place would get $20...
How Long Do Sit And Go's Last?
A 10-player Sit and Go will usually last between 30-60 minutes. Some casinos have "turbo" Sit and Go's where the blinds go up faster. Turbo games finish more quickly.
A 2-player Sit and Go-- which is really just a "heads-up" match-- will often last a FEW MINUTES before ending.
There are also Sit and Go's with 5 players, 8 players, 20 players, 30 players, and so on. (A Sit and Go with more than 10 players will be played on more than one table. These are known as "Multi-Table Tournaments", abbreviated MTT.)
No limit Texas Holdem Sit and Go's are generally faster than limit Sit And Go's... because the ability to move "all-in" gets things moving.
How Do Sit And Go's And Ring Games Differ?
The easiest way to understand the distinction is to understand that Sit and Go's are simply TOURNAMENTS. Ring games are like "cash games". Here are some of the key differences:
* You can buy-in or leave anytime during a ring game, whereas you must enter the beginning of a Sit and Go to play.
* Sit and Go's have a clear start (when everyone is ready) and end (when only one player is left). Ring games are ongoing.
* The blinds go up during Sit and Go's, so in the later stages you're forced to loosen your starting hand selection and take risks. In ring games, the blinds stay the same.
* Winning a Sit and Go requires a completely different set of strategies and techniques than winning a ring game...
Why Sit And Go's Are So Popular
Sit and Go's are HOT right now. I personally love to play Sit and Go's, because I can often make MORE money and have MORE fun than in ring games.
Playing a ring game requires "grinding it out"...
Playing a Sit and Go is an exciting battle with ups and downs-- with a "do or die" feeling to it.
And here's the best part: When you learn how to master the STRATEGIES for Sit and Go's, you can amass a FORTUNE in winnings! You can predictably and consistently log onto your computer and win tournament after tournament after tournament...
Here's why: Since Sit and Go's pay the top finishers, you don't have to place first to always make money. You obviously WANT to win first-- but it's not necessary for making a profit. I've developed a system of tactics where I shoot for first, but "hedge my bets" to settle for 2nd or 3rd as a backup plan...
How To Consistently Beat Sit And Go's
Because of their unique structure, there are SPECIFIC strategies you need to beat Sit and Go's on a consistent basis.
It's taken me YEARS to "crack the code" on this and figure it all out. But now that I have, I can easily log onto my online poker account and make money... just about every time.
It's a great feeling. And I want to share it with you.
That's why I developed Sit And Go Shark.
The concept for Sit And Go Shark is actually very simple. This easy-to-install poker software is like having your very own PERSONAL POKER COACH.
That "coach", of course, is me.
When you use Sit And Go Shark, the program shares several pieces of IMPORTANT ADVICE that you need to be thinking about at the table-- everything from your cards to blinds to positioning to pot odds and more...
The advice-- which took me over 6 MONTHS to write!-- is drawn from a HUGE DATABASE of possible combinations and factors. It runs alongside your table while you play, so it requires ZERO extra work from you.
I should also point out that online casinos don't mind if you use Sit And Go Shark. As you know, some software out there is banned and dangerous to use... and I would never, ever recommend you to any of these software programs. You can feel comfortable using anything I point you to.
Anyway, like I was saying, Sit And Go Shark is like having me sitting on your shoulder... telling you what to do each step of the way... and teaching you how to handle the situation.
You'll get two main benefits from using it:
1. You'll win more (a LOT more) money simply by following the advice.
2. You'll learn more (a LOT more) about the game of Texas Holdem. You'll even do better at offline tournaments and ring games, even though you won't have the tool in front of you.
Pretty cool, huh?
OK, so that's Sit And Go Shark in a nutshell. To get started now and check out the website, just click the link below:
CLICK HERE

It's so simple...
And so obvious...
Yet no one seems to get it!
What's this easy-to-use secret for beating Sit and Go tournaments online?
The answer is this:
PATIENCE.
I know... I know... you were expecting something more, um... "secretive".
But the truth is, winning at Sit and Go's is pretty damn easy. I find them easier than "real" poker games, actually.
And that's why every time I turn on the computer these days I feel like a kid in a candy store... ready to clean out the amateurs at the poker room of my choosing.
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
What I want to discuss here is why PATIENCE is so critical for Sit and Go success.
First, let's get back to some basics. There are four types of poker playing styles:
1. Tight-Passive 2. Tight-Aggressive 3. Loose-Passive 4. Loose-Aggressive
Your style should be tight-aggressive.
Don't confuse "styles" with "preferences". If you want to be a good card player, you DON'T get to DECIDE to be tight-aggressive.
You MUST be tight-aggressive in order to be good.
Period.
Of course there are DEGREES of each playing style, and that's what accounts for the differences between one pro and another... the DIFFERENT DEGREES of tight-aggressive.
OK, now let me ask you:
What does "tight-aggressive" really MEAN?
Here's the answer:
It means that you play TIGHT in terms of hand selection, but AGGRESSIVE when you enter a pot.
Be careful... "tight" and "aggressive" are not opposites. "Tight" and "loose" are opposites. And so are "aggressive" and "passive".
TIGHT refers to hand selection. AGGRESSIVE refers to betting.
OK... so this is how playing styles relate to Sit and Go's...
The NATURE of Sit and Go's makes them OVERRUN by LOOSE-AGGRESSIVE style players.
The reasons are simple:
1. You can play a Sit and Go virtually anytime, anywhere, and with anyone.
This means there's very low risk in LOSING, since you can easily just move on to the next game. It's not like in "offline" poker when once you get knocked out you're DONE.
2. The money seems less "real".
Let's be honest... We all know the feeling of making a deposit into an online poker account and thinking to ourselves how it doesn't quite feel like REAL MONEY. Am I right?
3. There's no "embarrassment".
Online poker is virtually 100% anonymous. If you make a stupid move, you're not worried about what the other players THINK of you. Who cares?
After all, the other "players" are really just silly little avatars on an animated screen.
OK, so those are three (there are many more) of the reasons why Sit and Go's (and pretty much all of online poker) are dominated by the playing style LOOSE-AGGRESSIVE.
Loose-aggressive is also known as the "manic" playing style. And what's the FASTEST way to beat a manic?
Yep, you guessed it...
PATIENCE.
The reason is because MANICS are constantly playing many hands (loose) and doing so aggressively.
What happens is that it's difficult to get a READ on them because you never know whether they're bluffing or not... unless you call their bets... which you can't do because you don't have that great a hand.
Has this ever happened to you?
Have you ever been up against a player who seemed to be playing VERY aggressively and you just couldn't figure out if they were bluffing or holding great cards?
And then when you got FED UP with it and DID make a call, he had you beat?
My guess is that it HAS happened to you... just as it's happened for me.
The key thing to know is that THERE ARE certain steps you can take to defend this. (I even wrote an entire chapter about this topic in my book.)
But fortunately in Sit and Go's, this isn't really much of a problem. Because you're usually not up against just one or two manics. You're up against an ENTIRE TABLE of them.
That means you shouldn't be CALLING anyone's bets.
Instead, YOU should push the action when you have a monster hand... and ONLY when you have a monster hand. And that, of course, requires...
PATIENCE!
It's actually much easier this way. Because with a table full of manics, you can rely on getting action with all your great hands.
(I should point out here that I'm generally referring to Sit and Go's where the entry fee is less than $50. When the stakes are higher the quality of play is usually more intelligent.)
OK, so what I'm about to tell you might take some of the "fun" out of Sit and Go's. But it will increase your profits dramatically...
Here's what your Sit and Go "experience" should look like when the field is from 8 or 10 players down to 4 or 5 players.
**************************************************
If your hole cards are...
A-A, K-K - Go all in pre-flop if you're in early position. If in late position and there was a raise, go all-in. If people were just trying to limp in, make a raise... and then bet very aggressively after the flop.
Q-Q, A-K - If you're in an early position, bet big (but not all-in). If you're in a late position, use your read on the other players to determine whether or not you think you have the best hand. If so, bet huge or go all-in.
All other pocket pairs - Limp-in. If you spike trips, go all-in. If not, fold.
Suited connectors - Limp-in if the blinds are reasonably low. Fold suited connectors under 7-6.
Ace-X suited - Limp-in if possible. Only bet if you hit the flush.
All other hands - Fold.
**************************************************
What you've just seen will be completely different than most "starting hand strategies" out there.
And that chart is NOT for all types of no limit Texas Holdem. We're ONLY talking about games that match these three criteria:
1. Online poker Sit and Go tournaments 2. Low stakes (under $50 entry) 3. While there are more than 4 or 5 players at the table (in an 8-man or 10-man Sit and Go)
DO NOT use that starting hand advice for any other poker games... because that's NOT how you should play your starting hands in general.
So why would Sit and Go's be so much different than "normal" poker play?
Like I said before, the reason is because Sit and Go's are heavily dominated by loose-aggressive players... and THIS is how you beat those guys.
Why exactly does this strategy work?
It works because you're only playing monsters.
Now... if the players at Sit and Go's were SMART, they'd OBSERVE that you're only playing monster hands... and they'd FOLD as soon as you went all-in.
I mean... it only makes logical sense, right?
Indeed, this is how it works in live games. But not online. Because for online poker there's another important factor working to your advantage...
NO ONE'S PAYING ATTENTION!
The truth is, many players are either drunk, hungover, stupid, or playing multiple tables at once. Or all of the above!
They're not paying attention to your betting patterns. They're just playing the CARDS, not the PLAYERS.
I call my strategy for patiently waiting for monster hands and then going all-in:
"Tight-Aggressive Squared"
The reason is because my strategy is like the playing style tight-aggressive... but on STEROIDS.
Why go all-in so much?
It's like I said... you WILL get action. Maybe not every single time, but enough times to make it well worth your while.
For Sit and Go's, all you need to do is double-up ONCE before the field gets to 4 or 5 players.
THEN you can start playing aggressively. What will happen is that the 4 or 5 players LEFT IN THE GAME will usually be the smarter ones. And some of them WILL notice by now that you're playing tight.
SO THEN what you do is steal blinds. It's easy.
Everyone tightens up when there are four or five players in a hand because they want to make the money... and they want to be VERY CAREFUL to make it into the top three.
That is when you steal some blinds and add to your chip stack.
Then, after that point you'll be in third place and will be in the money.
I have a ton of strategies for getting you into FIRST place too (after you get down to three players), but I'll have to save those for a different newsletter.
You know, when I first came up with this strategy of "Tight-Aggressive Squared" I wasn't COMPLETELY convinced it was the best way to win at Sit and Go's.
At the time, I had been trying a lot of things. The idea of just being EXTREMELY PATIENT and then going all-in with monster hands seemed a little TOO SIMPLE.
Right?
Then one night, I was at a 10-man Sit and Go. I went all-in with a big hand early and doubled up. It was the only hand I got really involved with.
Then... with 9 players still at the table... my Internet shut off. I didn't know what happened. All I know is that the Internet just plain STOPPED WORKING.
I would have called someone... but it was past two in the morning.
I messed with it for like fifteen minutes and then just gave up. Oh well... it's just one Sit and Go.
Anyway... I started working on something else on my computer for awhile until all of the sudden the Internet came BACK on.
I logged into my poker room to see what had happened with the game. Immediately the screen POPPED-UP and the action was to me...
I was still in the game, it wasn't over yet!
Not only that...
But there were only three players left!
I was in third, but still had some remaining chips to play around with.
I immediately went all-in and everyone folded. Then I did it again and everyone folded. And a few hands later I did it AGAIN.
I picked up three enormous sets of blinds and was right back in the game. The reason everyone was folding was because I hadn't played a hand in 25 minutes. They were probably wondering what the hell was going on!
Anyway, as it turned out, I actually WON 1ST for this Sit and Go. First place baby... and my Internet only worked for about 1/5 of the game!
After I was done I started thinking about what had just happened. I realized that by PLAYING in a Sit and Go you can often do MORE DAMAGE THAN GOOD when there are lots of players at the table.
And of course, I became 100% convinced that the "magic equation" for success is:
PATIENCE + AGGRESSION
Your goal for these games should be to place in the money as much as possible. Period. So why risk chips on silly hands early on?
They're just not worth it...
The other thing about this strategy is that it's a HUGE time-saver. Because it doesn't require hardly any work until there are 4-5 players left. It makes it MUCH easier to play multiple tables at once... or do other things while the Sit and Go plays in the background.
OK, so here's your "Tight-Aggressive Squared" Sit and Go strategy:
1. Be patient, be patient, be patient!
Only play the hands I showed you earlier. Only bet before the flop with Aces, Kings, Big Slick, and Queens.
2. When you catch a monster, go all-in. Don't do this if you think someone has you beat (i.e. there's an obvious straight or flush draw on the board).
I'm talking about only playing hands when you know you have the best odds of winning.
3. When the field gets down to four or five players (depending on how high the blinds are and how many all-in showdowns you've won), shift gears completely and STOP using this "Tight-Aggressive Squared" strategy.
That, my friend, is the "secret" to Sit and Go's.
It's obvious... but not-so-obvious.
But it is DEFINITELY simple.
And you can start implementing it IMMEDIATELY...
To get step-by-step advice as you play Sit and Go tournaments online, make sure to download "Sit And Go Shark". This amazing software tool will "take you by the hand" and give you coaching as you play online Sit and Go's.
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