Moving down the levels - a quick September catch up.

So as I have lost $30 overall so this month, after my initial $150 investment.  Not by choice of course, but it was actually bad play that led me straight in to trouble.  I am now going to move back down to the bottom at 0.01c/0.02c micro stakes level.  Can solid poker, playing at the lowest level and sticking to Sklansky & Miller's advanced pre flop strategy save me?

I don't mind playing at the lowest level of micro stakes because I am sticking to my game plan.  In the past, when I was much more of a young and naive 'buck' I would take my remaining stack and risk it all by actually moving up the levels rather than down.  Sometimes I would get lucky and double up and even build up the stack massively again, but it would lead to a lack of emotional control due to the up and down swings.  I can guarantee you, I'm pretty sure the money would be lost as quickly as it was gained.  As Hunter S. Thompson (played by Johnny Depp) says in the cult film 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' 'learn to enjoy losing.'  Not an easy thing to do!

These days though I try to be a little more realistic when it comes to my poker playing and I guess I'm more of an 'old buck' these days.  I won't say wisened head!  Okay at 35 years, maybe not quite that old yet, but getting on...getting on.  

As my posts are all about being honest with the reader (and myself) I am not worried about sharing my losing stories with you; it's all part of the journey.  This month I haven't played my best, but the new tips and tricks I have been re-discovering in the books I've been reading have been giving me many new insights (and inspiration) into how I could approach the game better.  One important note though, and it is mentioned, it is important to remember not to try to get too tricky with new plays just for the sake of it or to 'impress' the opposition - sometimes sticking to boring unimaginative solid poker will get you the money.  I really agree with this.

Maintaining a balanced strategy

I would say it is key to have a balanced strategy and to remain unpredictable in the eyes of your opponents.  Choosing your opponents is also important, but what cards to play, when, how and how much to bet are all concepts analysed by Sklansky & Malmuth, in 'Hold'em Poker for Advanced players' which I will review in my next one or two posts.

I'll admit, even at the 0.05c/0.10c the opponents were surprisingly tough this week and my 'zen' like approach seemed to disappear at times!

I think my K8 hearts from the small blind was cracked by aces when I hit top pair on a flop of K-9-2.

AJ hearts flush lost to 89 full house (also bad move on my part!!) on a flop of 3388 heads up (I just didn't think he had it, then hit hearts ♥️ nut flush on the river and I saw red!).

And  my AA lost to 5 ♠️ 6 ♠️  when I raised just 15c pre flop versus big blind and he flopped two pair on a flop of 5-6-J.

All these hands, on another day I could have played much better, but for some reason I played them badly. Still, I am ok with moving down a level as I promised myself in the poker mission statement, to re-build the bankroll. 

Advanced pre-flop strategy II Hold'em Theory & Practice (Sklansky & Miller)

I would like to share with you the set of some excellent tips I partly revealed in my blog post advanced pre flop strategy  at the start of the month discovered in Texas Hold'em Theory & Practice by Sklansky & Miller, and would like share the remaining tips that were given in this excellent book (pages 83-88).  Of course take it or leave it as I wouldn't blame you for thinking not to follow the advice of a player who has just lost money, but losing money in poker is part of the game, it's whether you make money in the long term that's important!

On page 83, Sklansky and Miller comment on their pre flop strategy recommendations before they explain the ideas; 'This strategy is but one of a great many possible strategies that a good player could use with great success. Our inclusion of it in this section does not, in any way, imply that another strategy is inferior or losing. Nor does it imply that deep stack no Limit hands can or should be categorised and ranked or that this, or any other strategy, should be followed rigidly. We absolutely do not hold that this strategy in any way is, in any way, the correct one strategy. We will say however that this strategy is easily good enough for most games you will encounter.'

So here we have part II of the advanced pre flop strategy (Sklansky & Miller)

Exactly one player has limped before you:

In EP (early position) and MP (mid position) follow roughly the same strategy as you would if no one had entered the pot, as follows;

UR (you raise) AA-QQ and AK

UL (you limp)  JJ-22, AQ, any two suited cards jacks or higher (K ♠️ J ♠️) no gap suited connectors J 💎 10 💎  down to 5 ♣️ 4 ♣️ and suited aces (A ♥️ 4 ♥️)

UF One gap suited connectors queen - ten (Q 10 ♠️) suited down to 5 trei suited (5 ♣️ 3 ♣️)

In LP (late position) play somewhat looser than you would in MP.  For instance, the writers suggest you may limp with 10 ♥️ 7 ♥️ and raise with 9 ♣️ 9 ♠️ 

Two or more players have limped before you:

Play roughly the same way as you would if there was only one limper before you with 3 changes.

1. When you raise, your raise should be significantly bigger

2. Your 'usually' plays become 'almost always' plays. So instead of a 80/20 ratio you go with a 95/5 ratio

3. Raise more often (perhaps 20 percent of the time, instead of 10 percent).

Someone has opened for a raise, but no callers yet

In EP and MP:

UR - Aces and pocket kings

UC - AK, AQ suited, QQ-99, and occasionally other bread and butter hands 

Also reraise with the best hands not mentioned (that you would otherwise fold).  So sometimes, re raise with 6 ♣️ 6 ♥️ or J ♠️ 10 ♠️   

In LP, play the same as in EP and MP except add all pocket pairs and no gap suited connectors down to 5 ♠️ 4 ♠️ to the UC list. However, the bigger the raise, the more you tighten up, although if it is from a loose aggressive player you can call and re raise more loosely than these suggestions.

Someone has opened for a raise, one or more callers

Play the same way that you usually would with no callers with one exception; with AK usually make a big reraise rather than calling.

Someone has opened for a raise and another player reraised

Move in with pocket aces and kings, fold everything else.

And there you have it, gold nuggets of information directly from one of the best chapters in the book!  The authors suggest that if you stick to this strategy, it is good enough for most games.  I'll repeat, choose your opponents wisely!  I was undone this week.  I'm determined to build my bankroll back and move back into the black.  I hope that my next September mission catch up will find me back to winning ways!!  Good luck.

Maroonfish.

Next up: The power of the check raise on fourth street - the different levels of thinking in poker