Micro stakes limit

I changed my mind about the 1 table sit n' go. I didn't like them in the past, so I doubt if I'd like them today. Instead I decided to play a different game for the times when I don't have around 1 1/2 - 2 hours for a 2 or 3 table sng.

I've enjoyed playing limit in the past at play money, so I decided to play some limit hold'em. I started out at the very bottom of the totem pole, the $0.02/$0.04 limit micro stakes on PokerStars. I figured that would be a low cost way to try out very low stakes limit and see what it was like.

I played for a little under an hour. I lost a small amount. I played OK, I just wasn't getting any kind of cards to work with. I only took one hand past the flop, and I won that hand. Most hands I was dealt I just folded bad cards before the flop.

I looked for full tables with 8-10 people. Table selection was based on the percentage seeing the flop. I picked the tables with the highest flop percentage. The tables were not very stable, people kept coming and going. It was not uncommon for a table to go from 10 people to 5 in just a few minutes. If a table fell below 7 people I would leave. I don't care for the shorthanded game.

The play at this level was not very intimidating. It looked about the same skill as the play 200/400 level. The play was very passive. Not much raising on any street. More than half were seeing the flop. People just limping to the blinds, then passively calling postflop if they had any pair, Ace high, or any kind of draw, however remote. So I should be able to be profitable at this level over time. Just play tight. Fold early, fold often, and when I'm strong bet and raise. If I can't beat it then I'm truly not a very good player.


I did manage to win one hand in the session. Here is the fist low stakes limit hand I won. Hopefully the first of many won hands. I promise I won't post them all on this site.

PokerStars 0.02/0.04 Hold'em (10 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from http://www.flopturnriver.comFlopTurnRiver.com (Format: Plain Text)

Preflop: halpgr is MP3 with Ad, 9c.
1 fold,
UTG+1 calls,
3 folds,
halpgr calls,
1 fold,
Button calls,
SB completes,
BB checks.

--> I had A9 in MP3. I don't care much for A9. I will usually just fold it out of position. I considered folding it here but I figured MP3 is late enough for A9 to be playable. Also the table was very passive with little raising preflop or on any street, so I was expecting to be able to see the flop for only the cost of one small bet. As usual lots of people called the blinds and nobody raised.

Flop: (5 SB) 4c, As, Qd (5 players)
SB checks,
BB checks,
UTG+1 checks,
halpgr bets,
Button folds,
SB folds,
BB folds,
UTG+1 calls.

--> This is a favorable flop for me. I hit my Ace on the flop, giving me top pair medium kicker TPMK. Also the board looks pretty safe with no apparent flush or straight draws. It was checked to me so I bet.

My flop bet worked out pretty well. Three opponents went away, leaving their money in the pot. The one caller didn't raise and was out of position.

*** TURN (3.50 BB) *** [4c As Qd] [3d]
UTG+1 checks,
halpgr bets,
UTG+1 calls.

--> The turn looked safe. Villian checked and I bet, hoping to win the pot there. Unfortunately he called.

*** RIVER (5.50 BB) *** [4c As Qd 3d] [7c]
UTG+1 checks,
halpgr checks.

--> The river didn't look too scary. Villian again checked. I considered betting the river but decided not to. I thought he might have me beat with AT or AJ. Plus he might be slowplaying a much better hand and was planning to checkraise me on the river. My TPMK might or might not be good enough to take this pot. If I'm beat I don't want to spend any more money on this hand. I checked and took the free showdown.

*** SHOW DOWN ***
UTG+1: shows [Qs 5s] (a pair of Queens)
halpgr: shows [Ad 9c] (a pair of Aces)
halpgr collected $0.22 from pot

--> Yay, I won the showdown! Turns out he had middle pair and was chasing for another Queen, a five, the backdoor flush draw, or the double gutshot straight draw (which he almost hit). He missed it all and I won the pot.