Poker..

I enjoy Poker. I like it when I get it. When the suckouts mean nothing except the fact that I will make money. I truely have moments when I see this clearly and accept the ebb and flow of the game. Other times are like last night. It gives me a little hope that someday I might overcome my inherent weaknesses and become a good player. Just a little hope, not too much.

I figure I might as well post my strategy on limit 6-MAX games. I take no responsability if this does not work for you. I am unique.

A. Starting hand selection is where it all starts. I am looking for good drawing hands or hands that can stand up by themselves. I basically use the SSHE reccomendations for loose games, basically playing any of the early position hands in any position. Especially if the table is weak and never raises. The thing I like about these hands is that they are all drawing hands or stone cold made hands. The drawing hands stop around the 9 kicker (I.E. Q9,K9,J9). On the tables I have been playing if you have a 9 kicker with top pair you are usually good. So even if you miss the flush or straight draws you still have a chance with TPTK. Obviously you play all the pairs and AK stuff you would normally play also. Raising the hands that warrent it. It is very important to raise pre-flop. You need to get all the money out of your good hands as possible.

B. Do not be scared. If you flop a K with a 9 or higher kicker and someone at one of these tables is calling your bets 50% of the time they have 2nd pair, 25% a draw, probably runner-runner, and you are usually good. Adjust this thinking depending on the player, respect the few good ones, rape the others. You MUST get as much money out of these TPTK hands as you can. You will get sucked out on alot and if you do not get paid with your day-to-day hands your toast.

C. Change it up. I like to call down second pair or a busted runner-flush draw just to make the table think I am a fish. I can then tighten up and get called down on every single hand. Paid. Paid. Paid. Play some weird cards every once in a while. Call down 3rd pair sometimes. Just mix it up so they never know if you have the nuts or a crap hand.

D. Know when to fold them. I am still getting a handle on this. It is hard to fold sometimes when the guy who calls down third pair suddenly raises you. Pay attention. If he is a weak fish that never raises he probably has at least two pair. Watch what people are doing and be prepared to react appropriatly.

Just a few thoughts on the 6-MAX tables at Titan. I would stick with being tight in the ten sided game. The more people the better chance you actually are outkicked. The 6-MAX game is all about suckouts. Your opponents will suckout on you. Try not to go off the deep end like me when it happens time and time again. You will eventually win if you make them pay every cent for the suckout attempts. You might not win tonight, but buddy list them and take them out later. It works. Really. Keep tough and you will win, even if you are only a moderatly good player. Good luck out there!