Micro Stakes Online NL Poker Forums

What is your biggest trouble hand to play and why? The hand that seems to always royally screw you or confuse you.

Doing an experiment. I'll try to help you figure out how to play it better; feel free to post a hand history.

Probably AKo in the blinds vs an UTG raise from an unknown TAG. Not sure if call or 3 bet is better. If we call, how do we play postflop? Do we c/f when we miss? Which boards do we c/r, if any? What if we hit? If we decide to 3 bet, what do we do against a 4 bet? Do we get it in, or just fold?

When I get called after I 3bet with a hand just below the top of my value range and the flop blanks. I find myself getting sheepish and just giving up sometimes or shoving only to be called by worse.

I have the most trouble playing any two, non suited, broadway cards from the SB or BB. See also the next example. I have two overcards on the flop and a blocker. How should I play this hand against different kind of players who open from the CO or BTN?

Villian 67/17, 50hands

Poker Stars $0.25/$0.50 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players - View hand 1804095
DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History Converter

MP: $50.00
CO: $27.10
BTN: $81.23
Hero (SB): $80.59
BB: $51.00
UTG: $120.20

Pre Flop: ($0.75) Hero is SB with A J
2 folds, CO calls $0.50, BTN calls $0.50, Hero raises to $2.50, 1 fold, CO calls $2, BTN calls $2

Flop: ($8.00) T 9 4 (3 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $1.50, BTN calls $1.50, Hero calls $1.50

Turn: ($12.50) 8 (3 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $11

Final Pot: $12.50

1 pr hands in general

monotone boards in single raised pots verus regulars mr krantz

A medium strength hand like AQ/TT UTG+1 after UTG opens

AA and KK FTA.i find that when i open to 3x or 4x pre flop at 10nl i get a cascade of callers.i dont mind 2 at most but i find it hard to play when facing multiple villians and i could be folding the winner often on wet drawy boards while OOP.is limp rasing better or should i be raising bigger from UTG with all my premiums?my utg opening range is fairly strong AQs+,1010+

I think my the hands that trouble me most are pairs too low to 3bet /5bet from the blinds, especially from the sb and vs UTG and MP opens.
Especially 77 - TT sb vs UTG, I feel my calling range is so face up, that it seems in a lot of spots like I can not ever face 3 brls unless I am slowplaying. (NL 400 - 1000)
I think I end up c/c'ing too many flops/turns knowing I will have to fold rivers

+1 for AK, 3b OOP and the flop comes J73.

MP: $25.70 - VPIP: 25, PFR: 23, 3B: 14, AF: 15.0, Hands: 106
CO: $19.70 - VPIP: 17, PFR: 11, 3B: 10, AF: 0.5, Hands: 36
Hero (BTN): $22.60 - VPIP: 27, PFR: 21, 3B: 7, AF: 4.0, Hands: 6163
SB: $19.50 - VPIP: 23, PFR: 18, 3B: 10, AF: Infinity, Hands: 71
BB: $19.70 - VPIP: 21, PFR: 17, 3B: 11, AF: 15.0, Hands: 228
UTG: $17.62 - VPIP: 25, PFR: 23, 3B: 14, AF: 15.0, Hands: 106

Pre Flop: ($0.30) Hero is BTN with K A
UTG calls $0.20, 2 folds, Hero raises to $0.80, SB raises to $2.50, 2 folds, Hero ??

I have a hard time knowing when to 4bet AK, and when to just call. AK is hard to play!

Probably AKo in the blinds vs an UTG raise from an unknown TAG. Not sure if call or 3 bet is better. If we call, how do we play postflop? Do we c/f when we miss? Which boards do we c/r, if any? What if we hit? If we decide to 3 bet, what do we do against a 4 bet? Do we get it in, or just fold?

Everything starts with a range. What's his range and how is it distributed? If you call: what does he do with that range on different types of flops when you check? How does he respond to a checkraise? What about a call? Answer these questions, think about these scenarios. If you 3bet and he calls, what's his calling range and how is it distributed? If you 3bet and he 4bets, what's his range there? Don't even think about your range yet; you're an unknown to him too. Try and understand what his range looks like in every situation, then consider whether you want him to call or fold. What are the best strategies to accomplish what you want?

When I get called after I 3bet with a hand just below the top of my value range and the flop blanks. I find myself getting sheepish and just giving up sometimes or shoving only to be called by worse.

Seems like you are too afraid of getting caught with your pants down. Rather than thinking about that, think about how to make them afraid that you hit. Can you? Do they care? If you can't or they don't, that's probably not a good spot to bluff. But if you're always getting sheepish, don't underestimate how much credibility you may have. At the micros it may not matter--unless you have a strong draw or overcards against a loose range, you would probably do better giving up.

I have the most trouble playing any two, non suited, broadway cards from the SB or BB. See also the next example. I have two overcards on the flop and a blocker. How should I play this hand against different kind of players who open from the CO or BTN?

Villian 67/17, 50hands

Poker Stars $0.25/$0.50 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players - View hand 1804095
DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History Converter

MP: $50.00
CO: $27.10
BTN: $81.23
Hero (SB): $80.59
BB: $51.00
UTG: $120.20

Pre Flop: ($0.75) Hero is SB with A J
2 folds, CO calls $0.50, BTN calls $0.50, Hero raises to $2.50, 1 fold, CO calls $2, BTN calls $2

Flop: ($8.00) T 9 4 (3 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $1.50, BTN calls $1.50, Hero calls $1.50

Turn: ($12.50) 8 (3 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $11

Final Pot: $12.50

Fold the flop. You're out of position against two loose players where three of your outs probably help them more than they help you. Don't feel like you have any obligation to the pot just because you raised it preflop. If you're heads up you could bet the flop, but the looser they are the harder they fall.

AA and KK FTA.i find that when i open to 3x or 4x pre flop at 10nl i get a cascade of callers.i dont mind 2 at most but i find it hard to play when facing multiple villians and i could be folding the winner often on wet drawy boards while OOP.is limp rasing better or should i be raising bigger from UTG with all my premiums?my utg opening range is fairly strong AQs+,1010+

Raising bigger or limp reraising could be good (only if you have players who will raise behind you instead of just limping). You are in a tough situation OOP no matter what. The more villains and the looser they are the more dangerous the situation. You need to try to narrow their ranges ASAP. Cbet big and then see what happens. If they raise, what could they have? If they call? How does the turn affect things? If the board is still safe and you're heads up you should probably keep betting. Don't feel like you have an obligation to the strength of your hand and a need to keep him honest if a passive player suddenly starts raising.