This is my first post and its a question I have thought about a lot. Is it really possible to beat the micro stakes? The most common reason people play micro stakes are because they're losing players. I know this isn't always the case but usually micro stake grinders are not good players. (myself include, I do feel like I put more effort and study more than the average micro limit player. ) I have played poker on and off for about 5 years. Pre-black Friday I mainly played micro - low MTT's on PS with some decent 4 figure scores nothing life changing though. I recently made a deposit on ignition of $20 and ran it up to about $620 playing MTT's and $10 double or nothing SNG's. I decided to play .5 - .10 and .10 - .25 cash games on ACR and I have been spewing money. I admit a lot of the times I lose when players call down with 2nd and 3rd pairs which I know I'm supposed to exploit them for but its frustrating that way? I cant really seem to place guys on ranges because of the erratic play. Should I continue to grind micro limits or maybe move up in stakes to play with guys who wont call every raise because the cards are suited or because they have a Broadway card. Thanks again for your input. Again this is my first post so be gentle. I'm sure this may seem like a dumb question but I don't have friends who play poker so i'm hoping everyone here on twoplustwo can help me out

If you turned $20 into $620 on MTTs and SnGs, why would you not just stick with that? You're obviously killing it.

Sorry I should have clarified that part lol. I did the free trial of poker tracker 4 and deposited $50 on ACR. With ignition being anonymous and i would like to use pokertracker to sharpen my game I'm going to stick to ACR and try to build my BR on there.

I'm pretty sure any limits are possible to beat. You just have to stick to good BR management. But if your succeeding where your at now why change anything unless your looking to increase your profits. Just remember when going up in limits it's also going to lead to downswings as well which in turn can lead to going bust.

Yeah it is. Just have to identify fish and know how to play vs them, and identify regs and know how to play/avoid them. Also table selection, and must study off the table. Poker is as hard as ever, and most winning micro regs are improving their game somehow off the table.

Yes.

Hi there. This is my first post as well so please take it with the requisite grain of salt. Also I only play live and wouldn't claim to be able to beat micro stakes online at first.

The kind of player you are losing to sounds a lot like the type I used to break even against and now am doing better against. To me it sounds like the crucial question to ask yourself is: What makes it frustrating for you to try to exploit these calling stations? That will tell you about your own motivations and maybe help you hear alarm bells when you are about to make a fancy play you'll regret.

The way I see it if your opponent is calling very wide you're justifying their play by bluffing. Take them to value town and recognize the value-related ways you'll be outplaying them: you won't be playing hands oop with high RIO, you won't be giving horrible free cards, you won't be failing to build pots in order to trap, you won't be paying them off when they make the nuts, etc...

look at it that way: in those spots, they are actually outplaying you: they are making correct preflop calls with their T5s or w/e they like to play, considering implied odds from your habit of building big pots without a pair.

Now, if you think of it like that, you shouldn't get frustrated, but instead try to outplay them (it's not that hard, just bet only with made hands), not just assume you're "supposed" to win because you have stronger hand preflop.

I have HEM, and also playing on Ignition, Is ACR worth it ? Is it like HEM?

ACR = America's Card Room which is a poker site.

HEM = Hold'Em Manager which is HUD software.

If you want to lose more, sure.

Sorry lol, Wrong Post,

Got confused with the name when posting , went to check the first post and ended up seein this one and post on this one lol..ups

nh

I doubt if you even think this is sensible. Move up and you would have to find out how to beat the higher limit with less relative bankroll, you would go broke sooner.
Clearly if these players are calling down with 2nd and 3rd pairs you should be jumping for joy ... unless that is you have even less than 3rd pair! If this is happening a lot you will have to wait for better hands or maybe bet larger at times. It is possible to bluff sometimes at micro stakes but you need to have a sensible expectation of a fold happening often enough, small bet bluffs are unlikely to shift anybody, big bets sometimes do but they are very expensive if you judge it wrong. You will need to find/work out what will actually work and shift a player off something mediocre - take care and also to remember to get the most possible out of your good and medium hands.

A warning - I hardly ever play cash and so I know little of the game, take the above with a pinch of salt. Always think through any advice given and try to understand the reason why something may actually work as it is easier to apply if you understand the why in its proper context (also some advice can be wrong ). Another reason micro cash (or any type) can be difficult to beat is the amount of rake taken can be high so check if this is excessive at the site(s) you play.

I played plo10 and 20 at intertops and was just breaking even because of the rake. All my profits came from rakeback. They have like 5% rake with no cap perhaps. I also played nlh10 and 20 there and beat it something absurd like 10 bb/100 plus rakeback, but I was running hot a long time. I played two years.

Not bad way to play limet but nl you just burning money.

This is a strange topic.

Of course it's possible to beat micro stakes and it's a lot easier to do that than beat higher stakes.

What you get on micro stakes are the worst beats because you get it in so good and get called with complete trash that makes a better hand by some miracle. That happens a lot because you're playing against a lot of fish that will get stupid lucky quite often.

However, if you're getting it in good you should over time make a very tidy profit.

Against the stations you just have to tighten up and play your good hands exactly like you would if you were bluffing so you get them to call down. Eventually they will catch on and so will other players so you have to constantly be adjusting. Acr is harder than ignition since using software allows you to build up stats on your opponents.