50NL Starting Hands and Common Opponent Types

This is my basic strategy for online short handed (6-Max) NLHE cash tables with a $50 buy-in (100bb). I don’t claim it’s the best possible strategy, though it is a winning strategy. This strategy was not created one day, it has gradually evolved since I started playing online poker.

The first starting hand chart I used was based on the standards described in Harrington on Hold’em. This book was written for tournament poker as opposed to short-handed ring games, and seems very conservative when I look back at it, but as a beginner I found it a very useful starting point. As I learnt more and played more I began to build up my own starting hand chart and strategy using knowledge I picked up along the way from:

• experience playing online sng’s and micro-stakes cash games
• books, online articles and videos
• my own, and other players PokerTracker statistics
• online real hand statistics from the big sites
• gut feelings about what works and what doesn’t
• watching other players play

With no substantial reads on my opponents I default to the values in the chart, which along with the basic strategy I describe below. Once I understand my opponents better I start to play more situationally. Eventually I’m looking for good read based opportunities, rather than playing strictly off the chart. But when in doubt I default to the chart - it’s not written in stone but it gives me a solid and useful starting point.

Describing a hand as “playable” from a given position does not mean it HAS TO be played every time from that position and conversely, hands not listed as playable for that position can be played if a favourable situation arises. But the main thing is to look for favourable situation to justify deviating from the chart. The chart is just a guide and in practice my actual VPIP is higher than the chart would indicate. But like I say it is a good starting point.

UTG

I play extremely tight under the gun – only about 10% of my hands. I’m usually only playing 22+, AJs+, AQ+, KQs, along with a suited connectors JTs and T9s, which are only there to avoid my play becoming too predictable.

MP

In middle position I’m still tight – all pairs, AJ+, ATs+, KQs, KQo. A few extra suited connectors, JTs, T9s, 98s are also in the mix. Probably 12 or 13% of all hands.

C/O

In the cut-off I open up more - about 16% of all hands. All pairs, suited aces from A8s up and off-suit aces from down to ATo are all playable. Broadway hands from KQs, KTs, QJs to JTs, J9s and KQ and suited connectors down to 76s.

OTB

On the button I’ll play about 20% of hands - any pair, suited aces down to A5s, unsuited aces down to A9, KQs to K9s, QJs to Q9s, JTs to J9s and off-suit broadway down to KTo and QJo. Playable suited connectors are T9s down to 65s.

BLINDS

I like to play really tight from the small blind because I’ll be out of position for the rest of the hand. I’ll open raise any suited ace, A8o+, any 2 face cards, any pair and suited connectors T9s to 98s.

Ideally I seldom complete the small blind, but like many players in practice I play too loose there. This is a leak I’m working on at the moment. These half bets seem like nothing but over thousands of hands they amount to a lot of $.

From the big blind I’ll open any button hand in a blind battle but otherwise I play really tight. Overall range is similar to the small blind range.

The above equates to a VPIP of about 17% but my actual VPIP is 23%. So, like I said, the chart is a guide and helps keep me in line.

Table & Seat Selection

Using the poker room’s lobby and my HUD I search for good (profitable) tables.

At a good table (for me at least) most of the following conditions should exist:

1. 40% or more of the players are seeing the flop
2. average pots are more than 25bb.
3. 25% or more of the players are going to showdown.
4. relatively few pots are raised preflop (preferably less than 10%)
5. no more than 3 regular TAGS are seated
6. there are one or more known fish seated

If I can’t find any suitable tables the idea is to leave rather than taking the worst of it just because I’m itching to play. Being honest I don’t always stick to this but that is the aim.

After I find some potentially good tables I watch the game for ten minutes or so, and then join a few waiting lists.

I’ll take a seat when one comes available at a good table. I usually won’t post straight away – it’s good to monitor the table for a few minutes more. Poker requires a lot of patience and it is good to train oneself to be patient.

If a second table looks good then I will buy-in there as well; if not, I’ll shut it and open another and observe that for a few minutes, and so on. It’s pretty boring continually opening and closing tables and shuffling them about, but it has to be done if you are to find the most profitable games. And it is equally important to leave once the composition of a table becomes unfavourable, which it will eventually.

Usually I play two or three tables, other times I feel I do better sticking to one table. I don’t like to play any more than three tables at a time, as my style of play is quite read dependent and you can miss important stuff if your attention is spread too thinly. Also, I firmly believe you have a better chance at higher stakes if you learn to focus on playing the player at lower stakes, and this is so much easier to do if you are not playing too many tables. If you find yourself getting flustered at the amount of decisions you are facing then you are probably playing too many tables.

I’m looking to seat myself to the left of loose and/or aggressive players and to the right of tight and/or passive players. Say there are four loose/aggressives and one tightie at a table. I’ll try to sit to the right of the tight player. The reasoning behind this is already well known. Tight players being more predictable are less likely to spring unexpected moves, so you don’t suffer by conceding position to them. And you can raise to steal his big blind if it’s folded around to you. If a tight opponent does get involved you can put him on a fairly narrow range of hands and play pretty correctly against him.

One reason I want maniacs and generally loose opponents to my right so I am not taken by surprise by their actions. Having position on them is a huge advantage and allows me to build the pot when I think I have a better hand or get away cheaply if I feel I am behind. Also, when a maniac gets involved and I have a good hand I can raise/re-raise to isolate them and build a big pot. As with table selection, if I cannot get a good seat I close that table and open another one.

But what is tight and what is loose? I have never seen any consensus on this but you have to have some reference point. From observing the 6-max tables at my site, tight seems to be a VP$IP of around 20%, somewhat loose would be around 24%, above 30% would be loose, and above 40% is simply giving money away.

Considering looseness in combination with aggressiveness produces four archetypal players I encounter at my poker room. Note that x/y/z = VPIP/PFR/AF.

1. The commonest player type I encounter has stats like 20/18/3.5, and is a member of the species known as the regular TAG, which I call REGTAGS. They’re usually decent players though they do make the occasional big error like overplaying a big pair or TPTK on the flop. REGTAGS comprise about 30% of all players at my poker room. Funnily enough, some of these guys are quite touchy and tend to get steamed up when they get outdrawn by inferior opponents. I think a characteristic of a sizable minority is a sense of entitlement- they have read the books and understand basic strategy so they feel outraged when a fish beats them.

2. The 2nd archetype is the CALLING STATION. Their stats are usually something like 45/2/0.8 or worse. They will call you down to the river with as little as middle pair and no kicker. They will pay big to draw and then check when they hit. These guys are easy to beat. All you need is cards, but you do need cards. Some can be folded off if the flop is completely dry and extremely unlikely to have hit them, but in general save your continuation bets for an opponent who can fold. Instead take advantage of their lack of aggressiveness by taking the free cards they offer you. STATIONS probably comprise about 25% of players. They are purely recreational fun players who probably see poker as pure gambling, like pulling the handle on a slot machine.

3. The Agro Donk. Stats around 45/28/6. Always raises if first in no matter what he has and often bets and raises for no reason. He always bets if you check to him and cannot resist bluffing if you show weakness. He will get all-in on a draw regardless of odds. Comprises about 10% of players. His mentality is the same as that of the guy on the road who tailgates you to try and force you to move into the hard shoulder so he can pass. Always has to be the aggressor and loves to push people around. An easy enough foe to play against, though you should expect swings. The Agro Donk can be trapped for all his chips - numerous times I have checked a monster on the river against an Agro Donk and he just couldn’t help bluffing all-in.

4. The Good LAG. In spite of LAG being a “fashionable” style, I don’t see many of these at my poker room. I would say about 10% of players fit this category. Typical stats are 30/25/4. Very loose and very aggressive preflop. An Agro Donk with brains! There are easier opponents to play against but you will sometimes have to play back at him and play your marginal hands strongly in order to keep from being run over by him.

That’s how I see the $50 NL online tables. I find what they say is true – there is a fair bit of money to be made at these tables if you are patient and don’t try to get fancy.