Ring Game Strategy : Poker Player

Ring Game Strategy - Adjusting to Deep Stacks

In poker tournaments, most players will have pretty short stacks most of the time. This calls for a specific poker strategy. Some starting hands are playable, others are not, and so on. If you find a premium starting hand, a pre flop all-in is often a workable scenario.

However, when you play ring games, or cash poker games, the typical situation is quite different. Most of the time, most of the players will be playing with very deep stacks, containing around 100 big blinds, or even more.

Deep Stack No-Limit Games

In a deep stack no-limit game, the recommended strategy choices change. Even if you hold pocket aces, you're probably not going to go all in for $2,000 to win a $50 pot. Even with blinds of $5/$10, if an opponent raises to $50, you're probably going to have to raise less than your full stack with your AA. Then, if your opponent wants to call, there'll be a flop and a lot of tricky play left in the hand..

This means there will be many more decisions for you not only on the flop, but also on the turn and river. And a bad decision may be more consequential, since you stand to lose quite a lot of money in one go.

Adjusting to Deep Stacks

Deep stack cash games are not for the faint of heart. There are many more opportunities for big bluffs, big wins and losses, hyper-aggressive play and, as mentioned, big mistakes. You'll need a great deal of confidence in your no-limit hold'em ability to play in these games.

You'll have to stay very focused and try to develop good reads on your opponents as quickly as you can, before getting into a big pot with them. Not watching TV at the side is the first rule in any working online poker strategy.

Tips for Deep Stack Play

If you're in a deep stack poker game, you need to think a few moves ahead. Before you put in your first raise or call, think about what might happen now and on the flop and how you would react.

When making that flop bet, consider all possible turn cards and how you will play them. This is not less true for the river.

If you enter a pot prepared for all the eventualities, a giant river bet shouldn't take you by surprise, and you should be able to hold your own.

Printed with permission from Poker Listings - www.pokerlistings.com.