Is it just too much at the margin not to worry about or should the way the rake works affect your play? (ignoring the decision of whether you should be in the game or not!)

1) Full rake on any flop. e.g. $5 removed instantly
2) Gradual rake 10% until cap say $5 is reached
3) Raked at end
4) Continuous uncapped rake percentage (not seen this, but heard it exists)

Rake impacts play. For example, when rake is taken as a percentage of the pot, it encourages tight play pf compared to timed rake. It is one reason that 5/10 and above tend to be looser games than LLSNL.

Absolutely, and +1. Raked pot = tighter play, it always astounds me how many otherwise intelligent people have trouble understanding that. In addition, if the rake is say 10% to 5 dolla, you ideally wanna play for stacks every time the pot gets to 50 (since you are playing tighter preflop, you will generally have a hand that you don't mind playing for stacks when this happens) as the rest of the pot is "rake free".

Also, if you play at a no flop, no drop place, you want to steal the blinds more often, whereas if they rake 5 immediately, you are indifferent to stealing the blinds.

I don't like a time rake at 1/2 or 1/3, above that I don't mind it, as long as the game is moving at a reasonable pace.

Agree with much of this, but...

Above $50 in pot, just play for max EV. This may be for stacks and may not.

Never play in game with uncapped rake. Avoid games that don't follow no flop = no drop policy.

But these adjustments are at the margins. Better to spend your energy figuring out how to beat the other players. That is the best way to beat the rake too.


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Ive never heard anyone say or seen anyone do anything that I thought was influenced by the rake....other than chop the blinds. 75% of people probably couldnt even tell you the rake structure.

Should and whether "you heard" anyone are different things.

If I am getting taxed per VPIP, I would make sure each occurrence is worthwhile.

If you play in flat rake games, like most of LA area, then limping pre-flop is a huge mistake. For example at a 1/2 game with a $5 flat drop, when 2 people limp more than half the pot disappears in the rake. This should be a huge incentive to play tighter and raise when entering a pot. To my amazement, many players don't make this adjustment.

This advice is the nuts!

Depends what your goal is.

If you are sitting in a relatively unbeatable game then profit likely isn't your main goal.