Micro stakes poker games are seemingly one of the easiest picks to start your poker journey. However, due to a wide variety of beginners in this field who often tend to make core mistakes, navigating the tables gets trickier than it seems.
Micro stakes are the perfect battleground for beginners to fine tune their game, eliminate rookie errors and create winning habits to enjoy a successful future in poker. Learning how to crush micro stakes poker is thus essential.
If you conquer this realm, the way ahead becomes easier to battle and playing mid stakes and high stakes poker becomes a viable challenge.
What is Micro Stakes Poker?
Before we head on straight to finding ways to beat this field of players, let’s understand the approximate range of games micro stakes poker cover. The table stakes might range between as low as a rupee and 10 Rupees.
However, this range may differ from platform to platform. The key experience you will find here is relatively low and gentle competition because most players play these cash games simply for fun.
That being said, if you do not wish to get stuck just here and climb your way up the stakes ladder, it would bode well if you take up on a few practices and strategies we shall discuss below.
Here are a few foolproof ways on how to crush micro stakes poker.
1. Stick to the Basics
When you are trying to crush micro stakes online poker, you must try and stick to the fundamentals of the game and avoid fancy play. Majority of the field consists of new players and learners. As such, there is zero point in trying to trick them and check raise at the river.
The best way to beat the micro stakes and is to stick to the fundamentals and play straightforward games. This means play with only strong hands and avoid getting involved in unnecessary pots. This is also known as Tight Aggressive play. This is an excellent approach when learning to crush micro stakes poker.
2. Always Pay Attention to Position
Position is crucial in any game of poker, so make sure you are mindful of where you are playing. Play more hands in late position because this way, you can acquire more information about your opponents.
“Bluffing in micro stakes games” always becomes a viable strategy when you play from late position especially if your opponents who played before you show weakness. It is crucial to observe your opponent’s play. This is true no matter how strong your hand is. If you wish to out beat them, you must observe their play and detect their style of play.
3. Capitalize on your Opponent’s Mistakes
Continuing the previous point, poker is a mind sport. Success in this sport relies mostly on detecting and cracking your opponent’s game. Tracking your opponent’s moves and reactions helps you discover any mistakes they have made. You can then segregate them individually according to their style of play.
Tag them on the table if need be. Target them to extract maximum value when they overplay their hands. Target them to extract maximum value when they make poor decisions. This practice shall stick with you and help you defeat more experienced players in the long run.
4. Manage Your Bankroll
Practicing bankroll management should be a key practice right from the start. There is no one weatherproof strategy for this, still the common rule of thumb is to have at least 20 to 50 buys for whatever stakes you choose to play.
A common advice here is you should play with a certain amount of money that you can afford to lose. Chasing losses by buying your way in several times only leads to burning and tilting in online poker. The idea is to make money from what you already put in, not refill your bankroll time and again if you lose the game.
5. Bet Size to Control the Pot
Bet sizing is an important aspect of online poker. By varying your bet sizes, you can control the size of the pot and influence your opponent’s decisions. If you have a strong hand, you would want to raise the previous bet. This is to build the pot and get more value from your opponents.
Do note a few points such as the stage of the hand you are playing. Keep the bets small in the early stages and raise the stakes when you see more cards. The idea is to build the pot gradually. Pay attention to the board texture. If the board is draw heavy, make larger bets to discourage opponents from drawing out on you.
6. Use Software to Your Advantage
There are a variety of poker software tools online that can help you analyze your play and identify areas of improvement and track your win rate. Consider using a tracking program to keep tabs on your results. A heads-up display can be helpful for beginners in providing real time information about your opponent’s stats and playing tendencies.
To crush micro stakes poker for good, you can download hand histories and look for common patterns in your play, such as calling too often or not bluffing enough and work to improve those areas. Use odd calculators to calculate your chances of winning a hand and make more informed decisions and devise new strategies.
7. Avoid Being too Predictable
The key to being a successful player is to never reveal at the table what you are up to and keep your opponents guessing. To do so, varying your bet sizes can help you avoid being too predictable and make it challenging for your opponents to read your hand. A few ways to employ this strategy is to mix up your bet sizes with different hand strengths and board textures.
Changing the pre flop hand selection can also confuse your opponents. Bluff occasionally because if you don’t, your opponent will know you only bet when you have a strong hand. Consider using different lines such as checking with strong hands or betting with missed draws.
Summing Up
To conclude the subject, it suffices to say that one must constantly study the game to evolve as a player. Read books, watch videos and analyze your own play to identify areas of improvement. Join a poker community to discuss strategy and access valuable resources. Stay focused during play and take regular breaks to maintain your performance.
Overall, to beat micro stakes poker, you require a solid understanding of the basics of the game as well as a patient and disciplined approach. Keep in mind the above aspects of the game in mind, and you can build a profitable strategy to crush micro stakes online poker.
