A lot is said about the different styles of play and the different skill sets needed to do well when you're playing different limits. In this thread I'll give you my opinions on how to defeat micro limit games, and hopefully others will add some quality input.

First, what is a micro limit game? Online, the micro limits are any Limit game played with coins: Any NL or PL game played with dimes and nickels for blinds. Live, the micro limits are any Limit game with stakes under 5/10: Any NL or PL game with a big blind up to $2.

These games are filled with 2 types of players:

1) People playing strictly for fun (80-90% of micro players)

2) People with a serious interest in learning the game (10-20% of micro players)

Micro limits DO NOT contain gamblers or good players. Gamblers have no interest in betting with silver coins, and good players quickly move out of these limits (if they venture there at all).

Micro limit games typically have family pots, and almost always the hand will go to showdown.

Now, what does it take to beat these games? In order of importance,

1) Knowing a solid general strategy. Starting hand knowledge, pot odds, and when and why to check-raise, raise for value, slow-play, etc.

2) Patience. Patience to wait patiently for good cards and profitable opportunities, as well as the patience to stay level headed when you suffer horrendous beat after horrendous beat.

3) Recognizing how your opponents play and adjusting to them. A crazy bluffer is just as bad as a a calling station but it will take different strategies to make the greatest amount of money possible from each.

If you can do those 3 things you'll do quite well in micro limit games. Things like game and seat selection won't help you very much at these limits.

good post steve, i like these informative threads. what you said may seem obvious but its amazing how much of those things are actually overlooked in micro limit play, even by solid players.

Steve-O has always been full of this useful information!

Steve-O has always been full of this useless information!

FYP, LOL

you may play differently. Perhaps you feel you're running well so you cold call a raise with 89s or ATs, or you raise with KJ. A lot of people do this.

You also need to adjust your style to your table image. If you have raised 3 hands in a row and won without showdown someone is going to play sheriff soon and call you down. Even if those 3 hands were AA, KK, and AK, your opponents don't know that. So, if you've been involved in a lot of pots and haven't had to showdown you'll need to tighten up even further. Conversely if you keep turning over monsters you can start stealing more.

It's not neccassarily how you play, but how your opponents think you play.