#616 – CONTEST ANNOUNCEMENT – The Winner of Cash Game Killer

The contest to write an essay about an idea for how to become a cash game killer was difficult – difficult to enter, difficult to judge. For example, just about every theory or idea in poker has a counter-argument or criticism. So if someone says, for example, “always enter raising,” like Chris Ferguson, Ted Forrest would tell you the limits that puts on your game. But if Ted told you to see a lot of flops cheap, Chris would explain what you lose by doing that compared with raising.

This was a hard one to judge, and none of these tips come with a money-back guarantee.

It was tough but I’m awarding this contest to Justin (a/k/a Necro2883). He and two others focused on the idea that aggression in NLHE cash games has limits and drawbacks. Although all three entries made the same point, I thought Justin’s explanation was a little bit better, a little bit more detailed.

This was Justin’s winning entry:

Advice: Aggression isn’t always king.

As you become more and more skilled at cash game poker, especially at
limits as low as $2-$4, you will find that the game has changed since
many of the instructional books were written.  It is not as profitable
as it once was to play the nigh unto infinitely aggressive way Doyle
that recommends in Super/System 2 because such a high percentage of
players are so aggressive now that you will find yourself very
marginally ahead with all of the money in if you are that aggressive in
a cash game. 

The moral of the story is that you can’t give players free or cheap
cards with draws on the flop, nor should you let them in to a flop for
cheap.  However, it is not necessarily advantageous to 3 bet preflop
every time you have 10’s, J’s, or Q’s when it’s clear that your opponent
has two overs.  Nor is it necessary to shove with every flush draw you
have, unless you feel your opponent is weak as a player.  It is entirely
possible, and provides a much more stable bankroll, to do more calling
than was correct previously.  Your opponent is likely to be aggressive
for you.

There was also an excellent entry by Kay (a/k/a OKay5) from Dortmund, Germany. Kay gave four pieces of advice, all concise and valid. Unfortunately, the contest asked for “ONE idea” (and that was emphasized in the contest rules). His entry was great but if I gave him the prize, some others might justifiably feel their adherence to the rules limited them. But much respect to Kay’s runner-up entry:

My advice:

1.:
Learn how to gain from the mistakes of your opponents. The best way to do this is to play with a deep stack, cause the small stack players have to make restrictions to their game, so you can profit from that, if you find out the patterns they play in.

2.:
Play the Andy Bloch style! When I met Andy Bloch this year I had the chance to discuss the A5s and cash game. His advice was to adapt the general ideas and the charts from the Full Tilt Poker Tournament Guide chapter he wrote to deep stack cash games. It works so wonderfuly.

3.:
MAKE NOTES! For Example: If someone overplays top pair and does it everytime, make a note, try to find him through the “search a player” feature, see a lot of flops cheap with hands like small pairs and felt him if you flop a set. Do it over and over again.

4.:
For the start, only play one table at a time. Only play when concentrated and be aware of tilt. After a session, look through the hand histories and make notes about your opponents and look at how you played some key hands.

I will award the $216 to Necro2883, pending confirmation of his elibility. If there’s some problem, I’ll announce the alternate winner here.

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