Cash Game Advice for Don

So, Don, you mentioned that you were thinking of playing more cash games for a while. You didn't tell me if you were doing limit or NL, but would like to share with you my limit cash game "wisdom" from playing in these games the past 5 years (they do not offer NL games at the non-Indian casinos here).

1. Forget about "tells". Most players are just playing their cards. That said, the super obvious ones do apply sometimes with some players. For instance, if a player says "Do you have a flush?" when the board hits the third suited card, but the board is paired....he can beat the flush. Whatever hand he mentions, he can beat.

2. Game selection is critical. I would much rather play at a table of rocks than a super loosey goosey table. There is much less variance (in your bankroll), and play is more predictable. That said, it does help to have at least one loose player to give you action.

3. Bankroll management is key. Depending on the limit you are playing, I like to set a "stop loss" at around 3 buy-ins if the game is good, fewer if it is a donkfest. I like to buy in for around 10-12 times the big bet, so in a 4/8 game my buy in is $100 and I am prepared to rebuy two more times. If I get stuck $200 can sometimes recover, but not usually $300. Also, when I triple up my buy in, it is usually a good time to quit unless you are running very hot or the game is still juicy. Nothing more frustrating than "snatching defeat from the jaws of victory" and losing after a good session.

4. I like to play loose in a tight game, and tight in a loose game. You will take money from the rocks who will only play AA or KK, etc. when you hit your connectors hard. Because they play so few hands they are often reluctant to fold them. In the loose games you cannot get sucked into the mindset of the mob. They will just trade chips back and forth with their random 2 pair hands and crappy flushes. The hands I do like to play are big suited connectors (10/J and up), Suited aces, any pair. The hands I like to avoid are gapped connectors whether suited or not, "any two suited cards", weak aces and most early position. Smallpairs I am set mining to nail a big pot. I fold nearly always if the flop misses, which of course it does 7 times for each one you hit. If the pair is large (or if the flop is small and uncoordinated) you can often win with your overpair.

5. Watch the rake!!!! In low limit games the rake is your deadly enemy and will eat you. Biggest error for most players is: entering too many pots.

6. Lately I have been tight folding blinds...small blind if less than 5 limpers, and both blinds against any raise. You are out of position with normally random cards and need a great flop, which doesn't happen often. Better to fold and wait for cards and/or position to get your money in.

7. The Straddle. Man do I hate straddles, especially from the guy to my immediate left. Have been known to tell him "that is the last straddle you will do". Then, when it is my big blind and he shoves his straddle out, I just stand up take back my blind and go to the restroom. I reenter the game after the button passes and pay both blinds with position. Some guys complained about it, but there is no rule against this.

My other straddle strategy is to always punish the straddler if I have a real hand, particularly with limpers (I mean how weak is that to limp a raised blind knowing the guy could raise big later?). I like to make it $24 to go in our 2/20 spread game.

8. Monte Carlo or high hand boards to me are the bane of the game. The Player Supported Jackpot drop of $1 on every hand dealt just sucks money out of the game and creates very weak play (I had to play my 2/3 suited because the 6 high straight flush pays $300!!!!). I play a lot and last year got a tax hit for $800 on my monte money...which you never get in a cash game otherwise. The casino I frequent tracks all montes and if it goes over $600 total in a year, bang, tax report. Ridiculous. Most players will never recover the lost money and it encourages a bingo mentality.

That is about it for now, hope this helps. I know you are a very experienced player but the difference between limit cash and tournaments is huge and I always have to switch gears mentally when going from one to the other.