Micro stakes poker is the lowest rung on the online poker ladder, but it is also the most important to achieve. The good news is that this level is the easiest to reach, since you won’t be playing against professionals. The bad news is that you still need to put in a lot of work and absorb as much information as possible, and then apply it to your game.
The main goal of this article is to provide a solid foundation of thought for players who want to achieve a single initial goal: to beat the micro limits, simple as that. To do this, the most recommended way to play, especially for beginners, is to play the TAG NIT style – Tight Aggressive NIT.
What is a TAG NIT player?
This type of player will play very few hands. If you don't make a strong hand, you will check/fold. If you do make a strong hand, you will bet aggressively and continuously. This style of play is easily exploited by high-level players at mid and high stakes, but is perfect for winning at micro stakes.
Play pairs: Play big pairs with the intention of making overpairs (pairs higher than the board) and medium and low pairs cheaply, or aggressively if you hit your set (three of a kind).
Play undominated hands: Your opponents' biggest mistakes are when they play dominated hands like KJ or Q9. When playing unpaired hands, think about how they should dominate your opponent's potential hands, not the other way around.
Play speculative hands in position: Suited connected cards and suited aces. Only play these when you are in position and can control the size of the pot. You want to hit trips, two pair, or a strong draw with this type of hand, so you can play it aggressively. If your opponent pushes you too hard with bets, it is easier to fold and wait for a better opportunity.
How to play postflop
Bet with strong hands, check with weak hands.
David Sklansky said a lot of things right and wrong, but one of the smartest things he said was: you should bet and raise with strong hands and check/call and fold with weak hands. Slowplaying is rarely a good move!
The biggest mistake your opponents make at micro limits is calling too many bets, take advantage of this and bet with your strong hands to extract as much value as possible – trust me, you will get paid most of the time!
Players won't bluff as often as you think they will!
On the other side of the story, you won't be wrong to fold your medium hands against raises. At this level, players will bluff you much less than you think. Don't be afraid to fold a medium/strong hand if you feel like you're losing. There's no set formula here, but in general, micro limit players will have a really strong hand when they're overly aggressive, so be prepared to learn how to fold!
Position is everything.
Position is very important in poker, especially when you are starting out in the Micro Stakes. If you want proof of this, look at a hand tracker – you will win a lot more on the button and lose a lot more in the blinds. Try to get used to this advantage. You should raise more, enter more hands in position, and play less out of position. Position gives you the information advantage of acting after your opponent, and it also allows you to win more pots with the worst hand. Take advantage of this advantage.
It's much easier to play with initiative and position.
In addition to position, having the initiative is important. If you bet, you always have a chance to win the pot at showdown, or if your opponent folds. If you check or call, your hand will always go to showdown. Having the initiative can help you win uncontested pots and make weak hands fold to your bets, gaining chips in the long run.
Bluffing is less effective at micro stakes
As mentioned earlier, micro stakes players overcall bets, so they will also call your bluffs too often. This move is inefficient at this level of play. If you think your hand is too weak, it is better to check/fold than to bet and get called or raised.
Characterize your opponents
In general, players will be weak, play a lot of hands, and be very passive. However, some players will vary slightly between tight/loose and passive/aggressive. It is important to note the difference between these. For example, you will find loose players who will fold to your bets, and similar players who will never fold to your continuation bet on the flop. Against these, you will rarely want to bluff.
Pay attention to your opponents, and how to play correctly against each style.
Article translated and adapted from the original: MicroStakes Poker
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