The unofficial Hold Em(Venting, Discussion, Strategy) Thread

[CheeseBeger]

One of the things I hated most was slow playing pocket 9's or 10's and than the flop showing a couple face cards.

Slow play allows for cheap and easy tossing of those junkers if they miss, or a nice monster pot win if they hit. Pocket 10's are really no different than pocket dueces. If you see a flop, you're most likely beaten unless you hit a set. So no point making it expensive on yourself unless you're feeling frisky or the table is just set up for that kind of play (provided you bluff after the flop even if you miss and overs are out there).

There's no "book" on how to play, but I make the majority of my money on the tables through hitting sets for cheap, and winding up with huge pot wins because it blindsides people.

I agree with you to a point, as playing for sets is my optimal strategy for a full-ring cash game. But PWF seems to be playing SNG's from the sound of it. I personally like to raise up all pairs 7's and higher from any position and do a continuation bet of about 1/2 - 2/3 the pot on most flops and against one caller.

The difference is that you can afford to sit around in a cash game and wait to hit sets and then cash in on the donks that don't know what your doing. In tournies/SNG's blind structure and stack sizes are the most important factors on your decision making. Blinds force you to play many more hands, and when you do get a great hand like 99, you should probably play it strong. I'm not sure what part of the tourny you are at here but a general rule of thumb is play tight early, then as blinds increase become aggressive.

And remember, only good people suffer from lots of bad beats, because that means you get your money in when you have the advantage.

[Madison]

I agree with you to a point, as playing for sets is my optimal strategy for a full-ring cash game. But PWF seems to be playing SNG's from the sound of it. I personally like to raise up all pairs 7's and higher from any position and do a continuation bet of about 1/2 - 2/3 the pot on most flops and against one caller.

The difference is that you can afford to sit around in a cash game and wait to hit sets and then cash in on the donks that don't know what your doing. In tournies/SNG's blind structure and stack sizes are the most important factors on your decision making. Blinds force you to play many more hands, and when you do get a great hand like 99, you should probably play it strong. I'm not sure what part of the tourny you are at here but a general rule of thumb is play tight early, then as blinds increase become aggressive.

And remember, only good people suffer from lots of bad beats, because that means you get your money in when you have the advantage.

True, a ring game is different than a tournament. I should have also said that changing strategy is a good thing sometimes. If you're predictable, you're dead.

[CheeseBeger]

I forget, what site/stakes do you usually play Madison? I just started playing $39 SNG's again on Bodog after taking about a year break from poker. I forgot how much fun it is to win money

[Madison]

I forget, what site/stakes do you usually play Madison? I just started playing $39 SNG's again on Bodog after taking about a year break from poker. I forgot how much fun it is to win money

I closed all 10 of my poker accounts when the whole "online is illegal" stuff went down. Just not worth the risk to me even though the money was quite nice. Oddly enough, I looked into it a bit a few days ago and it just seems like too big of a pain nowadays with Neteller (and several other options) being off-limits to US players. Getting money into the sites doesn't seem to be a large problem at all, but getting money out seems to take a lot of jumping through hoops.

Not to mention the whole "illegal" thing, so I only play in casinos now.

[PlayingWithFire]

I forget, what site/stakes do you usually play Madison? I just started playing $39 SNG's again on Bodog after taking about a year break from poker. I forgot how much fun it is to win money

I closed all 10 of my poker accounts when the whole "online is illegal" stuff went down. Just not worth the risk to me even though the money was quite nice. Oddly enough, I looked into it a bit a few days ago and it just seems like too big of a pain nowadays with Neteller (and several other options) being off-limits to US players. Getting money into the sites doesn't seem to be a large problem at all, but getting money out seems to take a lot of jumping through hoops.

Not to mention the whole "illegal" thing, so I only play in casinos now.

cash out from Pokerstar took forever but is an easy process.

[Snakes Gould]

only takes me about a week or so and they send a check right to my mailbox.

[abrage22]

I remember i was like 11 years old when i started playing, i was playing against my dads friends, kicked thier butts and won $80 off em .... nothing since

[AussieDodger]

PartyPoker is pretty good.
I started with $50 and have been bouncing between $200 and $300 for the last year (I don't really play too often)
When all the Americans were "banned" it feels like they were replaced by Germans 1-for-1.
I play $6 sit-and-gos and the amount of monkeying (winning with crud over a great hand) that goes on is incredible.

[Snakes Gould]

PartyPoker is pretty good.
I started with $50 and have been bouncing between $200 and $300 for the last year (I don't really play too often)
When all the Americans were "banned" it feels like they were replaced by Germans 1-for-1.
I play $6 sit-and-gos and the amount of monkeying (winning with crud over a great hand) that goes on is incredible.

partypoker is completely banned in the US. only can play for play money

[AussieDodger]

PartyPoker is pretty good.
I started with $50 and have been bouncing between $200 and $300 for the last year (I don't really play too often)
When all the Americans were "banned" it feels like they were replaced by Germans 1-for-1.
I play $6 sit-and-gos and the amount of monkeying (winning with crud over a great hand) that goes on is incredible.

partypoker is completely banned in the US. only can play for play money

That's ridiculous. I hope if the democrats win this year they un-ban it. I don't have much to talk to the Germans about.
You can go into a casino and gamble, but if you do it from home it is breaking the law? That's just stupid.