A winning formula? So far it is!

Winning streak continues on into October, building on last month's tournament win ($3.30 Bounty Hunter $400 guaranteed) and some successful cash game play and now on Pokerstars I am up to a 31% profit margin already. In a word, the rigorous studies are now paying dividends, and for me it proves that at the micro stakes levels at least they can be used effectively to make money.

(Minus £30 from the total as I added another £30 onto the total)

Obviously as you move up the levels new adjustments and learning will need to take place against possibly better opponents in higher stakes.  There is still a long way to go to reach my target and move up to the next level with an appropriate bankroll, but Session after session as I build my overall stack playing on the 0.5c/0.10c level I will slowly creep up the ladder. However, I'm now taking a break from playing for perhaps a day or two and will simply focus on some reading again, and work!

Preflop Poker strategy:

I will try to recite the overall starting hands followed by the way I've been playing in October and my understanding of this preflop strategy presented by Sklansky & Malmuth by heart for tight games.  First however let me share with you some hands...

Today I took a good sized pot with AK against a player who thought A4 was good enough when we both hit the A.  Then I also hit quads with my pocket sevens, but unfortunately the player became suspicious and closed down - he folded on my final bet.  Looking forward to getting back to the game to take on these opponents, but not sure when as a busy week is ahead!

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PREFLOP STRATEGY FOR...

Tight games (a playing style characterised by playing fewer hands than the average, with the player likely getting involved with a narrow range of hands most of which are strong).

EP (early position):

Play AA-99, play AK suited and unsuited, play AQ-KQ,

Raise AA-1010, raise AK- AJ suited, raise AK - AQ

Against a raise Play: AA-1010 and AK - AJ suited, KQ suited and AK Re raise: AA - 1010, AK suited, AK

Against a raise and a re raise Play: AA-QQ and AK suited Raise: AA-QQ and AK suited

MP (middle position)

Play any pocket pair, AKs - A2s, KQs - K9s, QJs - Q9s, J10s - J9s, AK - A10, and KQ - KJ Raise: AA - 99, AKs - A10s, KQs - KJs, AK - AJ, and KQ

Against a raise: Same guidelines that you would use from early position against a raise

Against a raise and a re raise: Play: AA - QQ, AKs

Raise: AA - QQ, AKs

Late position (one off the button and the button)

If there is no raise

Play: Same hands that you would play from middle position plus 87s-54s and any two offsuit cards ten or higher (e.g. KT, JT, etc.)

Raise: AA-99, AKs - A8s, KQs - KTs, QJs, and KQ

Against a raise: Same guidelines that you would use from early and middle position against a raise, except that if three players have entered the pot so far (the raiser and at least two callers) also call with any pocket pair and QJs - T9s

Against a raise and a reraise

Play: AA - QQ and AKs

Raise: AA - QQ and AKs

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I hope you'll find this useful - This chart has been a game changer for me in both tournament and cash table play.

Next up: loose preflop strategy play