Here you are ,the average SitngoJoe in the middle of a sitngo , and u wake up to Ace King. What do you do?. Not knowing the answer to that question can cost you a boatload of chips. Many of us look at that hand, and fall in love with it. What we dont realize is that Big Slick is a drawing hand. Dont get me wrong, it is a very strong hand PREFLOP. The problem that most of us have is that we cant let it go after the flop, even when we are just DRAWING. When the flop doesnt bring an ace or a king, its like we refuse to believe that our opponent has us beat, and too many times we will call big bets, or even worse, call someones all in, and just like that Big Slick has cost you all your chips.Hopefully you find the following post by Stuart Raffeld as helpful as i did. Please read on.
What Is Big Slick?
The name 'Big Slick' is a nickname for Ace King. Hopefully you knew that. Also Ace king is the 9th best starting hand but is the 7th best starting hand if you get A,K suited!
How To Play Preflop
I know that its a very nice thing to look down at A,K and get pretty happy, but just remember that it is a drawing hand. Because it is as drawing hand, it isn't as strong yet as having a pair.You definately want to make a raise pre-flop with Ace King. Your going to want to use your position to determine the size of the raise. If you are first act then you want to make a raise or around 3 times the big blind. If you find yourself last to act or even next to last to act with Ace King , you want to raise about 5 times the big blind to get all the limpers out. You want to show you have a big hand , but not set yourself up to bust out after the flop if you dont hit.
What To Do After The Flop
After you make your pre flop raise there should technically only be players left with big cards or pocket pairs. The flop will determine your next move. If you dont hit anything on the flop, then dont bet, unless it is checked to you or there is only a small raise made ahead of you. If you are in position and all players have either checked or just limped, then make a big raise. You have the 2 highest cards in the deck, and your most likely up against a weaker hand or a small pocket pair. Do not forget that you still only have a drawing hand. At this point you want to figure out where your at and react accordingly. If the flop is all low cards, you have nothing but high card. If you end up with a flop that gives you a straight possiblity, than your looking at having about 4 outs at best. If you find yourself needing 1 card for the nut flush after the flop, your looking at about 9 outs.
The Bottom Line
Dont fall in love with ACE KING . Its a great starting hand, but if you dont hit on the flip, then you are beat by any pair.(even a stinky pair of 2's). Alot of players just cant let it go. I know you see it happening out there. Remember that if you dont hit on the flop, you are just drawing, and at best only have high card. So analyze the situation and your outs, and adjust accordingly.(its ok to fold A,K somtimes)..lol.... I hope this was helpful. Good luck at the table.
for more information on how to instantly get your odds of winning a hand please read this post.
10 Common Opponent Errors to Start Exploiting Today
Saturday, March 27, 2010
We All can improve our poker game. The best thing we can do to improve is to evaluate our own play and figure out what our weaknesses are and become more disciplined. There are many common mistakes that most of us make and we dont even realize it. For example ,how many times have you lost a big pot and said to yourself "i never should have been in this hand". The funny part is we will make the same mistake the very next game. Please check out the following article by Mark Holland, and hopefully it sheds a little bit of light on what im talking about.
Single table online poker tournaments, popularly known as 'Sit N Go' tournaments are an increasingly popular form of online poker. Usually lasting around 1 hour and playing 3 places these tournaments are available at buy-in levels ranging from just $1 up to $1000! This article focuses on the lower buy-in Sit N Go poker tournaments and examines common errors made by the players you will find there.
Sit N Go Poker Strategy - Opponent Error #1 - Playing Too Loose Early
Many opponents will play far to many hands at the start of a Sit N Go - when the blinds are low. The most common error is to play 'easily dominated' hands such as an Ace with a small kicker. Playing only the best starting hands early conserves chips for the more important later stages. If your opponents are playing too loose early make sure you raise strongly when dealt a premium hand - they will be a great source of chips.
Sit N Go Poker Strategy - Opponent Error #2 - Multi-Way Pots and Position
Many opponents will enter a multi-way pot by calling a raise pre-flop with a medium strength hand during the early blind levels. This is a dangerous play with a medium pair (for example), these players will have no idea where they stand after the flop and may be out of position relative to the original raiser. Playing for set-value for a small pre-flop investment is one thing - but calling raises in multi-way pots is usually asking to lose a lot of chips.
Sit N Go Poker Strategy - Opponent Error #3 - Adjusting to Increasing Blinds
As the blinds increase and the number of players go down then adjustments to your starting hands are required. In the middle stages of a Sit N Go Poker Tournament your raising requirements need to go down the hands with which you can call a raise need to tighten up considerably. A common error would be calling a raise with a small pair - when the blinds reach 10% of your stack implied odds for this play disappear!
Sit N Go Poker Strategy - Opponent Error #4 - Bad Play From The Blinds
If you never defend your big blind your will quickly become short stacked in Sit N Go Poker. Conversely always defending will lead to being 'trapped' for a large pot sooner or later. Watch for opponents making errors at the extremes and balance your own play from the blinds - you need to put enough doubt in opponents minds as to whether they can steal from you without going over the top.
Sit N Go Poker Strategy - Opponent Error #5 - Understanding the Bubble
Many opponents will not understand the dynamic of bubble play in Sit N Go poker strategy. Errors come in various forms and include not being aware of stack size adjustments and calling all-in bets without premium holdings. Most of the profit in Sit N Go tournaments comes from correct bubble strategy. Make sure you check out resources such as the comprehensive strategy articles at 'Sit and Go Planet' to get a profitable edge in this area.
Sit N Go Poker Strategy - Opponent Error #6 - Understanding Chip Equity Models
The Independent Chip Model (ICM) is a key component of good Sit N Go poker strategy. This converts your chip stack into a dollar 'prize pool equity' figure. This figure is then used to compare your risk against reward for all-in confrontations at the bubble. Understanding ICM and adjusting correctly will give you a huge advantage in Sit N Go poker tournaments.
Sit N Go Poker Strategy - Opponent Error #7 - Playing 'In The Money'
Once the bubble is burst in a Sit N Go poker tournament your opponents raising and calling ranges will also change dramatically. This in turn will affect how many hands you raise yourself. Correctly understanding the 'In the Money' strategy change will allow you to exploit your opponents weaknesses and move up the payout ladder.
Sit N Go Poker Strategy - Opponent Error #8 - Heads Up Battles
Once the blinds are more than 10% of your stack it is possible to play in such a way as to become 'mathematically unexploitable'. Of course it is still possible to adjust to your opponents play, but using 'Nash Equilibrium' models will ensure you can not lose more than your share over time. Readers interested in this can search for the freely available Sit N Go strategy eBook 'A Comedy of Errors'.
Sit N Go Poker Strategy - Opponent Error #9 - Playing Trap Hands
There are many adjustments in Sit N Go poker strategy that do not seem obvious to inexperienced players. One such area is 'trap hands'. As the blinds increase and the number of players shrinks some hands become more or less playable. Examples include AK, Suited Connectors and Small Pairs. Make sure you understand the correct strategy adjustments for various levels and see those results improve.
Sit N Go Poker Strategy - Opponent Error #1 - Never Stop Learning!
Many of your opponents will get into routine of playing Sit N Go poker using the same old ideas and strategies. The real winners in these games are people who take the time to study, find the weakest sites and opponents and look for their own 'leaks' in addition to those of opponents.
Single table online poker tournaments, popularly known as 'Sit N Go' tournaments are an increasingly popular form of online poker. Usually lasting around 1 hour and playing 3 places these tournaments are available at buy-in levels ranging from just $1 up to $1000! This article focuses on the lower buy-in Sit N Go poker tournaments and examines common errors made by the players you will find there.
Sit N Go Poker Strategy - Opponent Error #1 - Playing Too Loose Early
Many opponents will play far to many hands at the start of a Sit N Go - when the blinds are low. The most common error is to play 'easily dominated' hands such as an Ace with a small kicker. Playing only the best starting hands early conserves chips for the more important later stages. If your opponents are playing too loose early make sure you raise strongly when dealt a premium hand - they will be a great source of chips.
Sit N Go Poker Strategy - Opponent Error #2 - Multi-Way Pots and Position
Many opponents will enter a multi-way pot by calling a raise pre-flop with a medium strength hand during the early blind levels. This is a dangerous play with a medium pair (for example), these players will have no idea where they stand after the flop and may be out of position relative to the original raiser. Playing for set-value for a small pre-flop investment is one thing - but calling raises in multi-way pots is usually asking to lose a lot of chips.
Sit N Go Poker Strategy - Opponent Error #3 - Adjusting to Increasing Blinds
As the blinds increase and the number of players go down then adjustments to your starting hands are required. In the middle stages of a Sit N Go Poker Tournament your raising requirements need to go down the hands with which you can call a raise need to tighten up considerably. A common error would be calling a raise with a small pair - when the blinds reach 10% of your stack implied odds for this play disappear!
Sit N Go Poker Strategy - Opponent Error #4 - Bad Play From The Blinds
If you never defend your big blind your will quickly become short stacked in Sit N Go Poker. Conversely always defending will lead to being 'trapped' for a large pot sooner or later. Watch for opponents making errors at the extremes and balance your own play from the blinds - you need to put enough doubt in opponents minds as to whether they can steal from you without going over the top.
Sit N Go Poker Strategy - Opponent Error #5 - Understanding the Bubble
Many opponents will not understand the dynamic of bubble play in Sit N Go poker strategy. Errors come in various forms and include not being aware of stack size adjustments and calling all-in bets without premium holdings. Most of the profit in Sit N Go tournaments comes from correct bubble strategy. Make sure you check out resources such as the comprehensive strategy articles at 'Sit and Go Planet' to get a profitable edge in this area.
Sit N Go Poker Strategy - Opponent Error #6 - Understanding Chip Equity Models
The Independent Chip Model (ICM) is a key component of good Sit N Go poker strategy. This converts your chip stack into a dollar 'prize pool equity' figure. This figure is then used to compare your risk against reward for all-in confrontations at the bubble. Understanding ICM and adjusting correctly will give you a huge advantage in Sit N Go poker tournaments.
Sit N Go Poker Strategy - Opponent Error #7 - Playing 'In The Money'
Once the bubble is burst in a Sit N Go poker tournament your opponents raising and calling ranges will also change dramatically. This in turn will affect how many hands you raise yourself. Correctly understanding the 'In the Money' strategy change will allow you to exploit your opponents weaknesses and move up the payout ladder.
Sit N Go Poker Strategy - Opponent Error #8 - Heads Up Battles
Once the blinds are more than 10% of your stack it is possible to play in such a way as to become 'mathematically unexploitable'. Of course it is still possible to adjust to your opponents play, but using 'Nash Equilibrium' models will ensure you can not lose more than your share over time. Readers interested in this can search for the freely available Sit N Go strategy eBook 'A Comedy of Errors'.
Sit N Go Poker Strategy - Opponent Error #9 - Playing Trap Hands
There are many adjustments in Sit N Go poker strategy that do not seem obvious to inexperienced players. One such area is 'trap hands'. As the blinds increase and the number of players shrinks some hands become more or less playable. Examples include AK, Suited Connectors and Small Pairs. Make sure you understand the correct strategy adjustments for various levels and see those results improve.
Sit N Go Poker Strategy - Opponent Error #1 - Never Stop Learning!
Many of your opponents will get into routine of playing Sit N Go poker using the same old ideas and strategies. The real winners in these games are people who take the time to study, find the weakest sites and opponents and look for their own 'leaks' in addition to those of opponents.
Bankroll Management : More Important Than You May Realize
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
I used to be one of those guys just like all of my friends who play online , who just make random deposits and play in whatever sitngo we feel like playing at the time. After i realized i was constantly depositing over and over with nothing to show for it , i started looking at my deposits and the games i was playing and i found the following article by poker pro Sean Moranse very helpful and i hope that you do too.
Sit-N-Go's are a great way to make a stable income playing poker online, but many people do not understand the concept of bankroll management. One of the biggest problems many players face when playing Sit-N-Go's is they will play tournaments to high for their bankroll. This can cause you to lose all your money quickly and go on tilt. A general rule of thumb is to have a bankroll of roughly 20-30 times the Sit-N-Go buy in amount. I have made a simple chart below which you can print off and use over and over again. It has helped me greatly.
Lots of poker players throw bankroll management out the door and don't believe in it. I got news for them, YOU NEED TO START BELIEVING, and in a HURRY!
Here is a great tip: Move up or down a level as your bankroll allows. If you are losing, move down in buy-in level and if you continue to win move up. Use good judgment and take action quickly. If you wait to long you will lose, all of it!
Also play at a meaningful money level to you. This means that the buy-in amount should be at ease, as well as challenging. Not so low that a loss is ignored. Nor so high that you are perspiring the entire game!
Buy-in + Usual Fee - Bankroll Requirements
$5 + $.50 - $110 - $165
$10 + $1 - $220 - $330
$20 + $2 - $440 - $660
$30 + $3 - $660 - $990
$50 + $5 - $1100 - $1650
$100 + $9 - $2180 - $3270
$200 + $15 - $4300 - $6450
As you can see, you need a proper bankroll in order to play sit-n-go's. Once you master the art of single table sit-n-go's, you can make a nice living multi-tabling sit-n-go's.
Here is where you make some killer money and a stable income, but you CAN'T multi-table until you are continuously winning one Sit-N-Go at a time. Sit-N-Go's are far easier to multi-table then cash games because you don't have to watch every portion of action to weigh your opponents. Almost every popular poker site allows their players to multi-table, Full Tilt Poker and Poker Stars are again my favorites here. When you begin multi-tabling you need to start out with trying two-tabling. In the beginning, most people will continuously be engaged, and at times can be tiresome. If you think you are making awful decisions, try to start Sit-N-Go's at different blind levels, such as the middle stage. Once it reaches the middle stage (4-6x blind increases), then start another Sit-N-Go.
What strategy adjustments do you need to make when multi-tabling? Here it is wise to reduce the number of bluffs. When you really get good a great piece of advice would be to start four tournaments, and then wait for them to reach middle level, and then start another four. There will be different focal points on each stage in the Sit-N-Go's and will help you manage all the games better.
Sit-N-Go's are a great way to make a stable income playing poker online, but many people do not understand the concept of bankroll management. One of the biggest problems many players face when playing Sit-N-Go's is they will play tournaments to high for their bankroll. This can cause you to lose all your money quickly and go on tilt. A general rule of thumb is to have a bankroll of roughly 20-30 times the Sit-N-Go buy in amount. I have made a simple chart below which you can print off and use over and over again. It has helped me greatly.
Lots of poker players throw bankroll management out the door and don't believe in it. I got news for them, YOU NEED TO START BELIEVING, and in a HURRY!
Here is a great tip: Move up or down a level as your bankroll allows. If you are losing, move down in buy-in level and if you continue to win move up. Use good judgment and take action quickly. If you wait to long you will lose, all of it!
Also play at a meaningful money level to you. This means that the buy-in amount should be at ease, as well as challenging. Not so low that a loss is ignored. Nor so high that you are perspiring the entire game!
Buy-in + Usual Fee - Bankroll Requirements
$5 + $.50 - $110 - $165
$10 + $1 - $220 - $330
$20 + $2 - $440 - $660
$30 + $3 - $660 - $990
$50 + $5 - $1100 - $1650
$100 + $9 - $2180 - $3270
$200 + $15 - $4300 - $6450
As you can see, you need a proper bankroll in order to play sit-n-go's. Once you master the art of single table sit-n-go's, you can make a nice living multi-tabling sit-n-go's.
Here is where you make some killer money and a stable income, but you CAN'T multi-table until you are continuously winning one Sit-N-Go at a time. Sit-N-Go's are far easier to multi-table then cash games because you don't have to watch every portion of action to weigh your opponents. Almost every popular poker site allows their players to multi-table, Full Tilt Poker and Poker Stars are again my favorites here. When you begin multi-tabling you need to start out with trying two-tabling. In the beginning, most people will continuously be engaged, and at times can be tiresome. If you think you are making awful decisions, try to start Sit-N-Go's at different blind levels, such as the middle stage. Once it reaches the middle stage (4-6x blind increases), then start another Sit-N-Go.
What strategy adjustments do you need to make when multi-tabling? Here it is wise to reduce the number of bluffs. When you really get good a great piece of advice would be to start four tournaments, and then wait for them to reach middle level, and then start another four. There will be different focal points on each stage in the Sit-N-Go's and will help you manage all the games better.
Pocket Aces..... The Best Hand To Go Broke With !!
I know we all sit there playing in every sitngo hoping every hand we get dealt is pocket aces, even though we all know that this very hand , even though it is the BEST hand in poker is the hand that has gotten us busted out of a game more times than we would like to think possible. Please read the following post which was written by Michael Neilson and hopefully can give a better way to play the aces , by avoiding busting out with it and maximizing its potential.
Anyone who is familiar with poker, especially texas holdem, knows that pocket aces is the best starting hand you can have out of a total of 169 possible starting hands. Why? Because before the flop this hand is way ahead of every other combination. A pair of aces beats everything else. However, once the flop comes, aces can be way behind very quickly.
Lets cover some odds. Pocket kings through pocket twos all have about an 11% chance of flopping trips against pocket aces. This number has been rounded up slightly. It also has about an 8% chance of catching by the river if trips don't happen on the flop. So roughly 20% of the time pocket aces is going to lose to any other pocket pair. So what happens if we introduce another pocket pair into the equation? For this example we have pocket aces up against pocket kings and pocket sixes. For those of you who are very detail oriented the aces are of clubs and diamonds, the kings are spades and hearts, and the sixes are clubs and spades. Guess what happened to the winning percentage for the aces? It went down of course! The pocket aces before the flop are now only about 65% to win with a 0.25% chance of a split pot. The king before the flop is about 19% to win and the sixes are about 16%. So what happens if someone spikes that 11% for trips? Aces now only have about a 14% chance to win.
Now let's examine a 6 handed table. The percentages may surprise you. Pocket aces against the following hands is only about 33% to win - king queen suited of spades (16% to win), seven two offsuit (8%), three four of hearts (18%), jack ten offsuit (10%), and eight ten suited of diamonds (13%). I'm sure those numbers don't add up to 100%, its all roughly rounded. Three four suited is the surprising one. Then again the aces don't share a suit with it, but the same applies for king queen suited, which has a lower chance of hitting. This has to do with the fact that three four suited can be both an up or down straight draw (2-6 or 3-7 or even 4-8), whereas the odds against the up straight draw happening for king queen has diminished due to two aces being missing from the odds.
Imagine what happens if you throw in another 3 or four players for a full table. Those odds go down even more. You have to push out your opponents when you're holding pocket aces or you will more than likely go broke. That's just how the hand plays out. Less players in the hand means better odds for you. Truth be told you could be holding 72 offsuit and your odds of winning increase when you only have 1 opponent, especially when you figure in bluffing, table image, etc.
The problem with pocket aces, especially online, is when you raise a lot of players know that you're holding something good and they want to crack it. Online players know that aces get cracked more often in online poker so they're willing to try it. The reason behind this is simple, it's not a completely random shuffle as it's a computer program trying to randomly shuffle. Most people can't do a perfect shuffle so imagine trying to get a computer program that understands only 1's and 0's (on off) as commands trying to do it. With so many variables that come into play it would be very difficult to include every possible variable. People mess up shuffling, computers can't mess up, thus probabilities are slightly different online than at your local home game. At your home game cards typically don't go 1,2,1,2 so yeah, odds vary from place to place. Sad but true. This doesn't change the fact that you must push out as many opponents as possible when holding aces. Even if the odds change 20% in favor of your opponent due to a bad shuffle you still stand a better chance of beating one opponent than nine.
Anyone who is familiar with poker, especially texas holdem, knows that pocket aces is the best starting hand you can have out of a total of 169 possible starting hands. Why? Because before the flop this hand is way ahead of every other combination. A pair of aces beats everything else. However, once the flop comes, aces can be way behind very quickly.
Lets cover some odds. Pocket kings through pocket twos all have about an 11% chance of flopping trips against pocket aces. This number has been rounded up slightly. It also has about an 8% chance of catching by the river if trips don't happen on the flop. So roughly 20% of the time pocket aces is going to lose to any other pocket pair. So what happens if we introduce another pocket pair into the equation? For this example we have pocket aces up against pocket kings and pocket sixes. For those of you who are very detail oriented the aces are of clubs and diamonds, the kings are spades and hearts, and the sixes are clubs and spades. Guess what happened to the winning percentage for the aces? It went down of course! The pocket aces before the flop are now only about 65% to win with a 0.25% chance of a split pot. The king before the flop is about 19% to win and the sixes are about 16%. So what happens if someone spikes that 11% for trips? Aces now only have about a 14% chance to win.
Now let's examine a 6 handed table. The percentages may surprise you. Pocket aces against the following hands is only about 33% to win - king queen suited of spades (16% to win), seven two offsuit (8%), three four of hearts (18%), jack ten offsuit (10%), and eight ten suited of diamonds (13%). I'm sure those numbers don't add up to 100%, its all roughly rounded. Three four suited is the surprising one. Then again the aces don't share a suit with it, but the same applies for king queen suited, which has a lower chance of hitting. This has to do with the fact that three four suited can be both an up or down straight draw (2-6 or 3-7 or even 4-8), whereas the odds against the up straight draw happening for king queen has diminished due to two aces being missing from the odds.
Imagine what happens if you throw in another 3 or four players for a full table. Those odds go down even more. You have to push out your opponents when you're holding pocket aces or you will more than likely go broke. That's just how the hand plays out. Less players in the hand means better odds for you. Truth be told you could be holding 72 offsuit and your odds of winning increase when you only have 1 opponent, especially when you figure in bluffing, table image, etc.
The problem with pocket aces, especially online, is when you raise a lot of players know that you're holding something good and they want to crack it. Online players know that aces get cracked more often in online poker so they're willing to try it. The reason behind this is simple, it's not a completely random shuffle as it's a computer program trying to randomly shuffle. Most people can't do a perfect shuffle so imagine trying to get a computer program that understands only 1's and 0's (on off) as commands trying to do it. With so many variables that come into play it would be very difficult to include every possible variable. People mess up shuffling, computers can't mess up, thus probabilities are slightly different online than at your local home game. At your home game cards typically don't go 1,2,1,2 so yeah, odds vary from place to place. Sad but true. This doesn't change the fact that you must push out as many opponents as possible when holding aces. Even if the odds change 20% in favor of your opponent due to a bad shuffle you still stand a better chance of beating one opponent than nine.
Tournament Indicator Is The Best Odds Calculator There Is
Sunday, March 21, 2010
I dont think many of you playing in sitngos for hours a day realize that a large percentage of your opponents (especially ones who make it into the money every time) are using odds calculators to help them make quick decisions, especially in the late stages , when you need to fold or push. Tournament Indicator is the best for the price, and also they have step by step videos that show how to properly use TI in every situation possible during the course of a sitngo.
Some of you may be wondering if using odds calculators are against the rules of FULLTILT or POKERSTARS. The answer to that is NO. The use of odds calculators on fulltilt and pokerstars is allowed. In fact , many odds calculators products will offer you their product free if you use their affiliate code when you sign up a new account with full tilt.
The last and most important reason to give Tournament Indicator a try is because you can try it for FREE for 48 hrs. When you do make sure you look through their website and check out a couple of the videos, so that you can use it the most effectively and utilize all the features. Please read the following post, and make sure to click the Tournament Indicator banner on the left to go check it out.... for FREE. Just download it and try it . No credit card info or purchase is necessary to try it!
Some of you may be wondering if using odds calculators are against the rules of FULLTILT or POKERSTARS. The answer to that is NO. The use of odds calculators on fulltilt and pokerstars is allowed. In fact , many odds calculators products will offer you their product free if you use their affiliate code when you sign up a new account with full tilt.
The last and most important reason to give Tournament Indicator a try is because you can try it for FREE for 48 hrs. When you do make sure you look through their website and check out a couple of the videos, so that you can use it the most effectively and utilize all the features. Please read the following post, and make sure to click the Tournament Indicator banner on the left to go check it out.... for FREE. Just download it and try it . No credit card info or purchase is necessary to try it!
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