More NL Observations

Generally in limit play I believe the top three things to keep in mind are:


1) Position – Most important in any HE game


2) Your starting hand – Tight is right


3) Type of player you are playing – Helps with those marginal calls



Example: AA in the BB in limit with 4 limpers and SB completes. Your raise here will generally not run anyone out and sometimes give the odds for the draws to chase you.

You’re out of position and any board could be scary.


In NL I have found the top three things to keep in mind are:

1) Position – Still most important to me


2) Type of Player – Will he buy a pot, does he over bet a bluff, under bet a monster, ECT.


3) Starting Hand – Tight is still right but with 5+ people seeing the flop you can take more chances late




Same Example: AA in the BB in NL with 4 limpers and SB completes. Your 3-5x BB raise here will generally run out some. Now with a read on the type of players left, make bets and take down the pot or even fold on later streets if necessary with a little more confidence.

I’m hoping this is a solid foundation to build on.

The biggest difference (obviously) that I have to deal with is that there could be any amount bet at any time. I was run out of 2 QQ hands today when an A fell on one flop and an AK fell on other. Both times I raised pre-flop and both times I was bet into (about ½ pot) on the flop. Maybe showing too much respect I folded both. The bettors showed down 88 and JJ respectively. The first hand for sure I would have at least checked/called to the river if it was limit. So I still have a lot to learn about betting strategy and reading bets.

Trying to spend as much time as possible between sessions reading as many of the 2+2 threads on NL as I can and going to railbird the blogger table at Party Poker also. At least take notes on successfully playing “The Hammer”.

This leads me to pulling off a bluff. At the $1/$2-$2/$4 limit tables I have played at mostly these last couple months, a pure bluff by me was rare. I would raise from LP to Button like most but if I missed the flop or turn, would give it up to any resistance. You rarely could get heads up with anyone and it just wasn’t a profitable play. Now I see were I can get away with it from just about anywhere on the table with a properly placed raise. I now have to figure out with what frequency I use this technique; once a session, once an hour or more frequently. I have heard and read about some people picking a card and a suit and every time they get that combination they raise it “x” times the BB. I guess the key will be to keep not only my game from being predictable but also my betting.

So this is a little of my learning curve so far. As you see I have a long way to go but so far it has been successful and have gotten back almost all of my limit losses from last week.

Till next time:

Never argue with and idiot, they will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience