Tip
#1
You make your money when you hit a big hand
and get paid off.
This is important - You're not going to
win a lot of money by stealing the blinds.
At the $25 max buyin games the small blind
is .10 and the big blind is .25. Why steal
35 cents?
For the most part it is a waste of time
to try to steal it, other than mixing up
your game some but no one notices at low
limits anyway really.
It's ok to fold from late position if you
have garbage. Why raise a $1.50 to steal
$ .35 when you are holding Eight Three offsuit?
Just muck it.
Don’t try and make your money winning
lots of small blinds… you want to
get called when you have a strong hand and
steal the medium sized pots when you see
an opportunity to bluff (more on that below).
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Tip #2.
Pick a table that will let you limp cheaply
- play flops for big hands.
What you want is a table that is first loose
and second mostly passive.
You want to see most of the players limping
in with any two cards and especially if
they are calling raises out of position
with dominated hands like KJ, KQ, AJ, AT...
Avoid tables that have 3 or more pre-flop
raisers unless there is a compelling reason
to play there. Here is a more detailed article
on No
Limit Holdem Table Selection. Sites
with good low limit traffic are Bodog
Poker and Poker
Stars
You want to see flops cheaply with YOUR
drawing hands and make the others PAY with
theirs (by raising/playing aggressive with
your strong cards). If the table is also
loose (which most are) I like playing most
pairs if I can get in cheaply. If it is
more common for the pot not to be raised
pre-flop you can limp in with all small
pairs and suited connectors down to around
78.
If there has been much raising at your table
then I'd muck the smaller suited connectors
unless it is a loose table and then it is
fine to make a loose call in position. If
raising is fairly common at your table then
get up and find a different table unless
there is an overly compelling reason to
stay. At most major sites there is plenty
of table selection at the low stakes no
limit tables.
One thing I have noticed is that in general
you want to find a table that doesn't have
quite the highest average pot, but just
a couple of notches below average. On the
$25 buyin tables the larger pots are around
$13 dollars, so I look for a table with
between $8 and $10.
Don't bother with the tables with very low
average pots, these normally indicate a
table full of rocks that won't give you
the action you want when you hit your hand.
Tip #3. 
Bluff when you miss completely and you see
no aggression, not when you have draws.
Don't be inclined to bluff if you have a
draw to a strong hand if the pot is relatively
small. If the pot is larger and worth taking
down right now then a semi-bluff could be
correct, but in the small pots it is ok
to let them stay small if you are drawing.
Playing no limit, you can build a pot all
at once. If you're drawing to a straight
and can take a free card, be inclined to
take it. I know this seems contrary
to the idea of the semi-bluff,
but this is low limit, no limit.
Someone might be slowplaying top two pair
and they want to check raise you. Plus,
they will pay you off with all sorts of
garbage hands. So instead of betting out
on a semi bluff and either getting called,
raised or winning a small pot… consider
checking and seeing if you hit your hand.
If you hit your hand and your opponent was
planning on check raising you’re going
to now get paid off… and get paid
off much more than you would with one hand
than you would if you took down a number
of these small pots by successfully semi
bluffing. Only if the pot is somewhat large
and you have a very strong draw, and you
think your opponent will fold to a hefty
raise should you put out the semi-bluff,
and if you do, make it stick.
For example, in a small stakes game if it
is checked to you’ve got an open ended
straight draw. You can check and take a
free card or you can make a semi-bluff.
You decide to semi-bluff with a pot sized
bet of $1.75. What are you going to do when
you get re-raised to $7.75? You've got a
draw that if hits will most likely win,
but you've got to call that is too expensive
based on the odds of you hitting it.
If you would have checked, you would have
saved the $4 flop bet and pretty much regardless
what comes on the turn you are going to
be bet into by the player who was hoping
to check raise. If you hit do hit your straight,
BINGO $$. A player who was planning on check
raising but doesn’t get the chance
(because you and everyone else checks behind
him) will bet out on the turn nearly every
time.
You're probably going to get paid off for
a decent sum of money because people who
wanted to check raise on the flop are simply
unprepared to lay down to a raise on the
turn and they will most likely call the
river unless the board is just super scary.
On the other hand, if you miss your draw
and are bet out into on the turn you can
lay your hand down and it costs you very
little of your stack.
So instead of putting yourself into a sticky
situation with a difficult decision on calling/folding,
don't bet here. Instead take your free card
and be willing to give up the small pot.
On the other hand - if you totally miss
the flop and don't see much aggression,
go ahead and make a bluff at the pot. Now
if you get check-raised you can lay your
hand down without much deliberation.
Tip #4.
Tighten up when it comes to calling a raise.
Avoid playing attractive looking, but dangerous
hands like KJ, QT, ATo.
If the pot is raised by a typical player
they will be raising with AK, AQ, and many
pairs. Fold these hands even if you are
a blind. Sure it might only be .75 cents
to call, but what are you going to do when
you call a raise with Queen Jack and the
flop comes Queen, Ace, Eight and your opponent
bets into for the size of the pot?
This puts you in a difficult situation.
- Avoid these and play TIGHT when dealing
with a raise.
Tip # 5.
It's ok to limp in cheaply with drawing
hands if you have the discipline to get
away from the hand after the flop.
I’m not advocating ‘Any Two
will Do.’ But the strong drawing hands
can be played profitably if you have the
discipline to get away from the hand when
you are beaten.
Nut flush draws are the best example. If
the table is full of loose limpers then
I’m playing these hands often, and
using pot sweetening bets when I have position.
Even if you have to call a modest sized
raise from someone, it is ok as long as
they have a relatively large chip stack.
(if you hit your hand you want to take their
stack). Having numerous opponents with drawing
hands isn't as important in No Limit as
in Limit, since you can win a huge pot against
just 1 other player playing No Limit as
compared to only being able to take a set
amount form , but drawing hands always love
company.
If you miss this flop and it doesn't look
very coordinated with a lot of connectors
or scary, this can be a decent time to bluff.
Stick in a 3/4 pot sized bet, even from
early position if you only have two players
to act behind you. Steal these pots unless
you see resistance.
Don't call a raise and be leary of anyone
who calls your flop bet. If the turn is
another blank then you can fire another
shot, but be sure you bet a healthy size
(1/2 the pot at least) and try and make
sure you're not walking into a huge trap.
Most players don't have the imagination
to stick in a raise on the flop (or especially
the turn) without a hand. Sets can easily
be hidden so tread cautiously if you get
called on the flop. Checking and folding
is ok, you can't successfully bluff every
time.
I hope you enjoyed these No Limit Texas
Holdem Tips. Another good source for No
Limit Texas Holdem Strategy can be found
at Steve Badger's Site.
I'm currently playing small stakes No Limit
at Bodog
Poker . Bodog has micro limits available
for No Limit Ring Game, with nickel dime
blinds, plus the site is pretty juicy.
Thanks and best of luck at the tables!
Spry
Kick
Ass Poker
P.S - Be sure and check out the poker
strategy videos for examples and advice
on how to play texas holdem (low stakes)
and here is a complete list of poker
strategy articles.
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