Many amateur poker players find themselves stuck at the microstakes, struggling to make progress.
If that's you, fear not...
Today I'm going to share 6 tips to help you break free from the microstakes and move up.
Opportunity cost
Staying at the micros can be frustrating and demoralising.
I get it. I've been there.
You're playing against a wide range of opponents who can be unpredictable and sometimes impossible to put on a range.
Your hourly sucks and you're starting to think that maybe flipping burgers at Burger King might be a more profitable endeavour.
But you can't do that in your underwear, can you?
Once you get past the micros and zoom past low stakes, you'll make more money and challenge yourself against tougher opponents.
If you stay stuck in the never ending loop of micro stakes MTTs, you risk stagnating as a player and you'll miss out on the excitement and growth that come with playing higher stakes.
"But it works for Phil Ivey."
Many players attempt to escape the micros by playing more hands in an attempt to "outplay their opponents".
Others try to copy things they've seen professionals do on TV or Twitch without understanding the reasoning.
And then others will play too tight because they heard "tight is right" and take it too far...
These approaches often lead to inconsistency and frustration, as players don't have a solid foundation to build on.
Understanding and applying the right strategies is key to moving up in stakes.
Keep it simple, make it work
Here are six tips to help you escape the micros:
1. Overfold to 3-bets
At microstakes, 3-bets usually indicate a strong hand.
Overfolding in these spots, especially out of position, can save you from losing big pots.
It might feel tight, but it's better to fold the 2-2.5bb now than to risk your entire stack if you flop something good, but not great.
2. Value bet relentlessly
Most microstakes players are too passive. They call too often and don’t raise enough.
Take advantage of this by value betting your strong hands aggressively. You'll extract more value from their weaker hands and build bigger pots when you have the best of it.
But beware when you face resistance.
You want to value bet relentlessly until you're given a reason not to. That means top pair, top kicker isn't a strong anymore when your opponent check/calls the flop, check/calls the turn and then check/jams the river.
3. Raise more from late position
Weaker players don't defend the blinds enough. Or if they do, they play postflop poorly out of position.
So raise more frequently from the Button and the Cutoff.
This simple adjustment can significantly increase your win rate, as you'll be playing more hands in position against weaker players and be able to make better decisions based on additional information.
4. Encourage the weaker players to VPIP
If someone opens, there's weaker player still left to act behind in the blinds and you have a decision between 3-betting and flatting, think about flatting to give the weaker player a greater chance of coming along too.
If you 3-bet, you run the risk of forcing them out, and a lot of your EV is going to come from playing pots in position against the weaker players.
5. Fold your bluff catchers vs the triple barrel
One of the biggest mistakes at microstakes is calling down with your bluff catchers, hoping your opponent is bluffing.
Most players at this level don’t bluff all three streets.
If they’re betting big on the river, they likely have a strong hand.
Don't even start to think about how your hand is, "... a great bluff catcher because I have good blockers."
Stop.
They're not bluffing enough.
Just fold.
6. Pay attention to hands that go to showdown
Showdown hands are a goldmine of information.
Observing how your opponents play their hands to showdown helps you understand their tendencies and make better decisions in future hands.
This insight can give you a significant edge.
Summary
Escape the micros in no time with these 6 tips:
1. Overfold to 3-bets
2. Value bet relentlessly
3. Raise more from late position
4. Encourage the weaker players to VPIP
5. Fold your bluff catchers vs the triple barrel
6. Pay attention to hands that go to showdown
Remember, small improvements in your game can lead to significant advancements over time.
That's all for this week.
See you next time.
Whenever you're ready, here's how I can help you:
The Final Table: Play your best poker when the most is at stake. Detailed analysis of over 100 hand examples at different stages of play. Learn how to make great decisions every time and set yourself up for daily progress.
Poker On The Mind: Listen to my podcast with Dr Tricia Cardner as we discuss peak poker performance and tournament poker strategy.
Train & Play Like The Pros: Join my signature programme that will take you from amateur to training and playing like the pros in the next 12 weeks.
Purposeful Practice for Poker: Gain a clear theoretical understanding of the science of purposeful practice and how you can apply it to your poker study & training. Includes specific exercises designed to create an infallible plan for poker improvement.
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