5 Simple Tactics to Increase Your Winrate in Small Stakes Poker Games
Small stakes poker games are not the place for advanced strategy. Here are 5 simple tactics to make more money and increase your winrate: play tight pre-flop, fast-play good hands, fold to river bets, look for missed draws and bluff-catch, and under-bluff in multiway pots.
Phil Galfond
Pro poker player, founder of @RunItOnce & @RunitOncePoker. Sharing insights on poker, business, & life with a non-traditional career.
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Small stakes poker games are NOT the place for advanced strategy.
— Phil Galfond (@PhilGalfond) March 1, 2023
It doesn’t matter what a solver says — it can’t predict how a beginner will play.
Here are 5 simple tactics to make more money to increase your winrate: 🔽 pic.twitter.com/J4clWb6GJm -
Here are my top 5 changes to make:
— Phil Galfond (@PhilGalfond) March 1, 2023
1. Play tight pre-flop.
2. Fast-play good hands.
3. Fold to river bets if your opponent has a showdown-heavy range.
4. Look for missed draws and bluff-catch.
5. Under-bluff in multiway pots.
I’ll show you how to do each… -
1. Play tight pre-flop.
— Phil Galfond (@PhilGalfond) March 1, 2023
This might seem like a boring adjustment, but it's an important one.
Don't fall into the trap of playing bad hands just because your opponents are playing too loose.
Playing solid ranges will give you an advantage and make your life easier. -
2. Fast-play strong hands.
— Phil Galfond (@PhilGalfond) March 1, 2023
Most low-stakes players don't bluff enough and tend to chase draws when they shouldn't.
Take advantage of this by building the pot early when you have the best of it.
Be aggressive with your strong hands to get maximum value out of them. -
3. Fold to river bets if your opponent has a showdown-heavy range.
— Phil Galfond (@PhilGalfond) March 1, 2023
Try to identify when your opponents are likely to have a made hand.
And when they bet, just fold.
The average low-stakes player will almost never turn a pair that could win at a showdown into a bluff. -
4. Look for missed draws and bluff-catch.
— Phil Galfond (@PhilGalfond) March 1, 2023
Low-stakes players tend to call too loose and like chasing draws.
When they miss their draws, they realize that they can't win the pot unless they bet.
So, they try to bluff.
When most draws missed, look to bluff-catch. -
5. Under-bluff in multiway pots.
— Phil Galfond (@PhilGalfond) March 1, 2023
Adjust your bluffing frequency based on how many players see the flop.
Family pots are very common in low-stakes games.
When there are five players to a flop, 1-2 of them will probably have something.
Just don't bluff in multiway pots. -
That's a wrap!
— Phil Galfond (@PhilGalfond) March 1, 2023
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