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Im still fairly new so I have a couple questions. first one, is it uncommon to go for hours at a time at a table without getting a playable hand at all? because it seems to happen to me often where I'll have absolutely nothing to play with for extended periods of time. I tend to get impatient and I know that is a mistake. but what do you do when you are card dead like that? do you just sit back and wait until the poker gods stop being jerks to you? Im just wondering what advice anyone can give me on the topic.

I usually try to sit up straight and take mental notes and reads on everyone at the table.

And just because you are card dead doesn't mean you can't find spots to pick up pots

To some extent you do have to wait for good cards. But when it is folded to you in late position, you can make stabs at stealing the blinds. Your lack of good cards will help since you will have a real tight image.

Really good players don't necessarily need good cards because they know exactly who they can take pots away from without a showdown. But that's a pretty dangerous way to play for a new player who hasn't developed that talent.

To some extent you do have to wait for good cards. But when it is folded to you in late position, you can make stabs at stealing the blinds. Your lack of good cards will help since you will have a real tight image.

Really good players don't necessarily need good cards because they know exactly who they can take pots away from without a showdown. But that's a pretty dangerous way to play for a new player who hasn't developed that talent.

It's not really about good cards, it's about perceived range. That's what i was getting at. Fish play their cards, pro's play their range.

What exactly does "play their range" mean? or is that too complicated to explain to someone?

I dont know if this changes anything but I'm talking about online poker. right now all i can afford to play is micro stakes online....

I dont know if this changes anything but I'm talking about online poker. right now all i can afford to play is micro stakes online....

absolutely doesn't. however, i think trying to get too fancy at the micros and especially since you are new is a recipe for disaster. good solid abc poker will win at them micros.

What exactly does "play their range" mean? or is that too complicated to explain to someone?

Not at all. Think about someones utg open range. Isn't is "supposed" to be tight and the top of their range? For example, I open UTG with one caller. flop comes AK3r. I cbet. Doesn't it look like this flop hit my cards? That's perceived range. I could be holding 72o and take the pot down strictly from my perceived range.

Makes sense to me. but it also sounds like that is strictly a bluff...isn't it?

bluffing out of position nonetheless

Rocket, u nailed it pretty well.

I'd also try to not think about that I was carddead

I doubt you really fold every hand for hours online, even 1 tabling, unless you are a nit (i.e. only playing QQ+).

Start to play looser from the button, so if people are limping behind or the pot is unopened, start to play hands that can flop good top pairs decent kicker, so Q8, K7. These hands play better at the micros than hands like 56s because they can flop big pairs and you can stack a fish. Either open with these hands or iso raise limpers. You want to play alot of hands from the button. Download pokerstove and use something like a 35% range for now until you get alot better and maybe a 25% range from the CO.

ummm... ok