5 HACKS to CRUSH $1/$2 Live Cash Games

[@VOID_FLIX]

Been watching these videos for years and have received approximately equal value from the coaching lessons and Jonathan’s hilarious responses to the comments in the chat.

[@KissMyConverseFool]

i actually really value how he cuts off digressions and is direct with people in chat that aren't paying attention or make salty generalizations.

[@jonnygrowlately]

?

[@VOID_FLIX]

@@jonnygrowlatelycheeky way of saying that he was afraid to go broke. I think the main issue was that he said he planned to play a $1500 game and ended up in a $2500 game. Dude was either winning a decent chunk or was in for a bunch and didn’t want to dust it off. Or didn’t have funds to rebuy.

[@jpg7616]

Any chance you could use colorblind friendly options on the preflop charts? Red/green is hard for a lot of us and you often refer to the chart - but I can’t read it. Appreciate all your help just wish I knew what you’re talking about

[@vincent763]

Where do you play? Is it hard using the chips at your local casino?

[@lamediamond4172]

@@vincent763the chips are much larger and you can move closer to make them stand out/perspective-wise bigger, the chart is really small and on a screen

[@championchanph423]

@@vincent763 most chips have amount on it

[@jayurenos]

It's hard for me at some casinos, especially tournaments where many colors are involved. The tried tested and true way is to just declare my bets and actions

[@naswiipp]

@@vincent763 most of the chips have numbers on them🤣

[@TertiarySequins]

If you make it only lets say $8 preflop in a 1-2 NL Cash Game, you'll get 5 callers every time. I usually try and find a happy medium between what the table standard seems to be and what I think is correct. 1-2 is crushable if you just play tight/aggressive and from late position. After the flop, if you get resistance, pump the brakes. It's that simple. Been doing it for 20 years at local casinos.

[@Bartels92]

Pumping the brakes if you get resistance is a huge tip. Tournament aggression does not translate well to 1-2 cash

[@tyrellmayberry9196]

What is a late position?

[@gryffinsyme6357]

@@tyrellmayberry9196being one of the last people with the action at every street, at best the dealer seat

[@wieds1644]

@@tyrellmayberry9196one of the last to act pre flop

[@Chiezuz]

I would never make it less than $12. Ppl hate folding and the entire strategy should be based around this.

[@ligafftheindifferent3495]

6:30 There are LOTS of 1-3 games where a raise to 20 will get several callers. In many of. these games, 3-bets are rare also. I am sure solvers could adapt to this and show that the large raises are superior when opponents call very wide. I would also guess that we can discard some of the semi-bluff raises like 67s. So while the solver figures out that raising to 20 requires you to either have way too narrow a range or fold away too much money to 3-bets, the games typically found in card rooms do not suffer from these issues so the larger raises are good, exploitative poker.

[@DrSnowBrainHealth]

Jonathan ..been watching you as a rec player for many years../but now decided to up my learning and have been watching a lot of your KZbin videos…didn’t realize how good a teacher you really are …I am learning so much from your videos…thanks so much

[@waynehollingsworth1470]

Thanks!

[@tomstryker1005]

I absolutely love all that you do for us low to mid-range players. I'm working my way to becoming professional a couple years from now. I've been applying each lesson accordingly, and have seen vast improvements not only to my winnings, but my over game. One session a couple weeks ago I hit a hourly of $249 per hour in a 1/2 game. My best to date. I greatly appreciate everything you do and look forward to continuing this journey into my poker career.

[@MrMikegibney]

Lololololz

[@pb-rn3zs]

It's funny cause the poker player I became when studying the content of 2+2 publishing and forums as a young poker player all those years ago, still hold true with everything expressed here. GTO didn't change any of the theory and strategy behind poker that we figured out years ago, it just clarified and added depth to the unexploitable tactics

[@glenterris3980]

This is great content to someone new at poker and great content as a refresher for more experienced players who are wanting to center themselves with the fundamentals!

[@cristianreyes2590]

Hey Jonathan thanks for this live session.

[@PokerCoaching]

My pleasure!

[@jlaux7]

6:13 "If you make it 7 big blinds preflop, you are going to have a nearly impossible time winning at live poker." I beg to differ on this. If your opponents are calling your 7x opens with marginal or even garbage hands (very common in low stakes games), I think it's fine to continue doing this as you'll maximize value on your good hands.

[@ligafftheindifferent3495]

Especially if they don't adjust and 3 bet you into oblivion.

[@DaveBassman]

When he says don’t open 7x, why is this bad? It’s very common in the 1/2 games I play. Is he saying if you open you should raise bigger than 7x in these games?

[@josephwilloughby-nu4zb]

According to Steve Selbrede and his compiled statistics, and from my own experience playing at 1/3 tables, people's open ranges are in the 6 to 8 percent range, not wide at all. I live in Vegas so maybe it's different in other cardrooms across the country idk.

[@Declan4253]

These are my stakes pretty often. I go to a small poker room in NH so sometimes even at these stakes there are good players just because there are no other stake options. Thanks for your good advice as always.

[@bulldog3512]

It’s easy to go from a 2:30 800 meters to 2:05. Going from 2:05 to sub 2 is much harder and each second after that is that much more difficult. My track and field comparison to your teachings. I am a much better player now after reading 4 of Sklansky’s books and listening to you over the last 30 days and I have 25 years of playing experience with previous learning only by playing. Thank you!

[@danielgarland9838]

This was useful content Jonathan which I shared with someone that will benefit from it. Best wishes to your family and you this holiday season!

[@Joeyg_127]

Great explanations. Really well done. Please do a video on capped ranges. 😊

[@PokerCoaching]

Thanks!

[@JuiceJams]

How should your 3b range change when people open to 10 bbs regularly. It happens more frequently then not at my local 1/2

[@audistant4011]

As they raise bigger, your range should be tighter, however it really depends on your opponents

[@michelepuluti7807]

Thank you Jon! Great seminar.

[@jamesstaggs4160]

I've found that not giving your opponents so much credit for sophisticated plays at low stakes works out well, so you don't have to wrack your brain on every street coming up with your own sophisticated play. Like he keeps repeating, just good fundamentals. That gets you 80 percent of the way there with the other 20 being putting each player on a style and makkng small adjustments to your plays. They're right and passive you're (sorta) loose and aggressive. They're going to showdown every time they're involved in a hand don't bluff that one. One guy only limps preflop for an entire hour try to get heads up with him, bait the hook and reel them in.

[@CaptiaNIFTY]

I've been listening to your audible, love it. Can you do a series on how to tackle a deep stack on 1/2 cash when they raise to say 15 almost every hand and they bet all the time. ❤

[@AspiringPokerCrusher]

there is really no option when table raises 5bb in 1/2. If you are calling those 5bb or 3betting them, you should do it with a tighter range, people at low stakes are dumb and will not respect open raises of 2.5 bb. Also, it depends on your stack depth.

[@brettgreen853]

Congrats on your big win last week. Continue with the crush.

[@parrits]

Quick question, with the A10 example can you not reraise an all in on the River when seeing duece of spades? Sure they have to fold a straight but with the Ace of spades you know they can’t have the nut flush and they also know it got there

[@Metskins_Poker]

I mean texas poker you are getting 4+ callers if you make it 15+ bb preflop so making it 3 bb seems to be lighting money on fire

[@pokerpig9069]

Exactly. This reality seems to be unknown or ignored by all these poker coaches. Or they dismiss it. Raising with AA in middle position to any typically recommended amount will guarantee 3 to 6 callers at all home town poker table games. The trick is to figure out how much to bet to ensure minimal callers. But apparently that’s incorrect strategy. Yeah right.

[@greer2402]

Don't go by charts and percentages when playing poker. Play the players instead

[@marcianozuniga3781]

Hey man.. just stumbled across this video and am now a subscriber. You mentioned that online cash games are great for getting better due to availability I think. However, where does one go to play when residing in California?

[@SKeegs]

I open $14 (1/2 game) and get 4 to 5 callers. Open $6, get 7 callers. Open $20+, get 2 callers.

[@elleonverduzco7653]

At the place I play we can only buy $100. Action is insane. No respect for pre flop raises

[@DaveBassman]

Is this why he says opening 7x is bad? I wish he would have elaborated on that a bit more

[@lance3815]

how long will the black friday special be available?

[@PokerWithDr.Parlay]

Great content, and I am learning a lot from your videos!

[@PokerCoaching]

Glad to hear it!

[@tb9149]

The 1/2 where i live is pretty wild its more like 1/2/25 so much money thrown around. Max buy in is 250bb. But too often ive 3 bet with premiums to like 25bb and have 4-5 callers because they like the pot odds. Any advice for that kind of shit? Its a drag when you get AK suited or kings or aces and end up having 5 callers on a 50-100$ preflop bet.

[@bobbyqaeda]

Thanks man. Ill be tuning in more. Way too often: i sit down at 1/2, get up $500-$1000 within a couple hrs, then lose it all in the next hr or 2, playing way too many hands. Happened again yesterday smfh

[@dsrrellgriffith1161]

always put some profit in your pocket, i know its hard to stop playing. But winnings add up month to month,,,,

[@donaldshotts4429]

It's easy to do when you're up and feeling good at a table with loose/bad players. I've only got one local casino though and the games really only get good on weekend evenings. Hard to consistently beat the $9 rake the rest of the time, I don't care how good you are

[@richardmillar5362]

Would you put color-coded legend on your charts. What is "black"? Bigger charts would be nice too.

[@jonathanjones1573]

I assume the same rules apply to $1/$3, yes?

[@marksimpson2321]

I think you should be approximately 33% tighter from the SB because you need to put in $2 to win a pot of $6 instead of $1 into $4.

[@anonguy6453]

No

[@PokerCoaching]

1/2 and 1/3 play almost exactly the same.

[@Notype976]

@@PokerCoachingHello, I play 2/4 in Germany. Same thing?😊

[@jeffk862]

So what is a good betting strategy for 3-betting? Doubling the 2-bet? Tripling? Obviously it changes depending on whether you are bluffing, looking for a call, or a fold. But what would you say is the most profitable over the long run?

[@andrewb4943]

Depends on position, number of players in hand, and whether it’s cash or tournament.

[@chanceneck8072]

Cool, my old Hold'Em Manager 2 / Leak Buster video layout, brings up some nostalgia... 🥰 Just the color is different....

[@frankeberley258]

When talking about your buy-in amount and covering bad players, how would you know this when sitting down at a Casino?

[@c.t.7289]

How would you adjust this play under a 4 hour time limit

[@maxslowplaysHARP]

I would recommend this very video for the Americas funniest videos of all time!! And it doesn’t mean that coach John isn’t talking about right things !! For me this is the most and educational video.. but it’s funny

[@dogsand8292]

what?

[@jaredlinton1983]

Weird bc most people say where they play that players open to 7-10x. I play $1/$3 and I see a ton of min raising now from any position. Which then gets tons of callers. Have to 3B more like he said to drive most of them out. Especially in position. My standard open size is $12 and you really never see 6-7 callers, but obviously different at every room

[@ikrenji8125]

$12-$15 is good. you want to raise enough to only get 1-3 callers at most. 3+ players all of this GTO magic goes out the window anyway and the room to outplay Vs shrinks dramatically as someone is going to hit something more often than not

[@Chrispy-tf5ou]

New to the game. My question is, when i go to the casino to play 1-2, what should i buy for chips?

[@nickfoleie2074]

The max, usually 200-300

[@elleonverduzco7653]

Because you are new, you better buy a set at home and play with family because you won't believe the bullshit badbeats that will happen in a session. It doesn't matter how much you buy if you can't control getting TILT

[@greer2402]

Right. I had a opp hit runner runner two times in a row on me

[@truegritgaming460]

Very informative and honest sound advice !!! Will be watching more of your videos. I enjoy how clearly articulated every word is easy to understand. Thanx

[@Billiam112]

Haven't seen it all yet, but initially I just want to know why you specifically say "LIVE" cash game? Wouldn't it apply to online too, and if not, why/or what differs?

[@airhead3333]

Skill level

[@caka2716]

Thanks for making this video!!

[@PokerCoaching]

My pleasure!

[@ph34poker]

Chris got ALL the smoke LOL I love it. That part got me 😆

[@wesch6354]

I run into that AT scenario all the time in my 1/2 games. A decent chunk of the time my opponent has KX and calls my flop C-bet. But a lot of the time they just have pocket pairs and TX hands. And what ends up happening is I check back the turn thinking they called my flop bet with KX. Then they take the bet lead on the river and they almost always bet pot or more making my call with 2nd pair very -EV no matter what. Thats why I prefer to continue betting somewhat small in that spot and if I get raised then I just fold. Because I can't tell you how many times my opponent has bet out on the river and I just fold and then they roll over junk. But then later when I actually do make the call remembering their bluff then they have it.

[@PaulHamilton-x8p]

I read most of your blogs

[@SerialDoffy]

what do yall do when people play things like 65off or 22 from early position

[@deline8ed619]

Crush them with your medium to tight range

[@Fatpigkenny]

Great point on buy in. Buy enough to cover the bad players

[@ericbush1544]

I vote for colorblind friendly charts as well

[@ozwaltreacts4709]

I'm in a state where it's illegal to go to poker sites and I found one that let me play. They had a way around it by having you buy coins or tokens and then play with that and then you could cash out the coins or tokens. I want to play again but can't remember the name of the site. Anyone know?

[@theunapologeticapologist5279]

Global poker

[@dchawkins7717]

Played my first 1-2 cash game. Had pocket Ks and club and heart. Bet 25$ and everyone folded but one. Flopped 3 hearts and villain went all in. I had ❤K and pair so I called. He flipped 2 low hearts adm the next 2 cards didn’t help me at all. Was it the right decision to call? I hopes he was bluffing or I’d river a heart but o well.

[@aaronp9306]

Great video, man!

[@PokerCoaching]

Thanks, glad you liked it, Aaron!

[@iainparamor1482]

In regards to point number 4 i have a hand from my last game thats haunting me, where I folded a low flush to a NIT I limped in with a bunch of other limpers from early position with 67hearts Flop Ks 2h 4h - check to me i bet 3bb, folds round to button who raises 6bb, I call, heads up. Turn 3c - check check River - Kh i bet 5bb, NIT SNAP raises 20bb like they already had the chips in their hand! I think hard, i try some verbal chat with them, theyre a brick wall. Never seen them bluff a river before and we’ve played together a few times. I fold. Later I calculate I had 95% equity against a tight button range. Did I do the right thing considering the opponent? She could have had trip kings or a higher flush.

[@steveflanagan5206]

Thanks!

[@PokerCoaching]

You're welcome, Steve!

[@greer2402]

In low stakes you have to play the players instead of going by charts. Ive seen players do opposite what you are saying and crush the game. You got to be versatile

[@PRICEX]

Well of course you can see people play not by the book and still crush. Playing by the book guarantees that you will be winning long term. Playing bad poker can still give you a good session, however in the mid to long term you will be a losing player.

[@Viper_Poker]

The problemthat I am running into three betting 1-3 no limit is once you three bet your maniac then all they want to do is flip all night and then within 30 minutes the game is dead because everyone got pissed off and left the game. This happens a lot! You and I both know we dont make money flipping its insanely stupid! .... So how do you combat that!?

[@greer2402]

If you have a good hand, 3 bet. But if you miss and your opp bets you might be broke soon

[@austinbelitz3808]

One time at a 1-2 game at the Winstar in Oklahoma, that I don’t go to very often, I made a few players mad because I open raised 3x on all my playable hands. This table would go 5-6 limpers to the flop at least 50% of the time. Later in the game I opened 3x and one of the agitated players said “look at big money over here.” IT’S SIX FCKING DOLLARS

[@FreeJidion6969]

theres no way that guy was being serious haha

[@CorekBleedingHollow]

"Playing good ranges" what does that mean?

[@dvirgo7925]

Good advice♦️🎯

[@wesch6354]

30 min in JL is talking about adjusting your raise sizes to accomplish your goals. I started doing that and posting some of my HH's in discord and got ripped to shreds by some of the coaches for raising to big pf. Seems like you guys aren't on the same page.

[@marksimpson2321]

That KQo hand is like 100s I see on 0.01/0.02 on Stars and you're probably torching money against 90% players if you call that river as you most likely against AK at worst!

[@CorekBleedingHollow]

The last hand I played before getting knocked out, I was dealt Ace/King and bet all in. I get called by a 10 high... and I lost. It was bullshit

[@jeffk862]

It's funny you said in this video, no one will ever fold with a king high flush, I folded on a big raise this past week with a king high flush. The other player only had a ten. You win some you lose some

[@RockinTheDub]

Always trust your gut. Most of the time it’s right

[@fastvtgsx]

We need some texas $1-3 nlh tips! Literally no less than 5 to a flop w/ $20 raise unless 4 bet or more pre, then its 4 to the flop.😂😂😂

[@mikehoolihan8414]

SPR of 3.5? Plays pretty easy.

[@Metskins_Poker]

​@mikehoolihan8414 how is that an spr of 3.5 when you can buy in for 500+?

[@randylahey8207]

Texas NL tips: make sure you have a big enough bankroll, and hang on...😮😅😅

[@planetheirloom1062]

Why would you reraise players who only raise with qq or better? You call with atc and hope for trips, straights, 2p

[@mrwhite5511]

If the voice actor for the scientist on the Simpsons ever passed away Jonathon could fill in no problem.

[@SmokinOak]

I'll check out this video after I figure out what a BTN is.

[@kevinpilon11]

It's expext.

[@PokerCoaching]

I knew it!

[@grandmasterkevv]

I expext to win, Jonathan!

[@rawrite]

Pocket aces on every hand now wow😎👍

[@johnmaynard3463]

If OMC only 3 bets aces and kings...hes also never folding postflop. This means youre printing money by calling with almost ANY hand. These guys call 100bb shoves into a 25bb pot EVERY TIME.

[@robertogarza5435]

Five tips for 1/2 no limit hold'em first tip don't play one to you can't win either play 25 or 5:10 one two is a suckers game and he knows it

[@evingmadeez5008]

Thanks for this Jon.. can you teach us how to get to be a LUCKBOX like Rampunt? 😂😂

[@jj-se6ue]

Hack #1: Don't play $1/$2.

[@MrAgmoore]

45:30 Ace clubs, Ace Spades vs Jack of hearts, 4 of hearts: Jh 4h wins = 17.1 %, ties = 0.37 %. Ace clubs, Ace Spades vs Jack of hearts, 4 of diamonds: Jh 4d = 13.07 %, ties = 0.33%

[@Teslacustoms]

The players here at Tampa hard rock aren’t necessarily getting better but people are definitely playing tighter on 1/2 and 2/5. We need our de-gen’s back please 😂

[@RecoveredRidleyTruther]

I was oh PokerStars in a $20 bounty tourney. Was in 9th of 30/100... guy playing loose raised like 6x the pot. Preflop I get AA's and 3bet all in... he calls with 99s and hits a 9 on the flop and knocks me out... I seem to lose more with AAs, KKs, JJs going all in in the micro/small stakes bc everyone fking calls and gets lucky.

[@Dennis-xr7gs]

i`m listening

[@danieldepew2353]

How do you play when there's 4-6 in every flop regardless of preflop raising and the whole table is hard raising and bluffing. It seems like the whole stack gets in practically every hand. When it's one or two donks, you can isolate them, but when the whole table is going that way, you're going to lose by the river. If you get tight enough, you get no action and lose to blinds and rake. And you're still watching your AA lose to 5 callers. It's so frustrating to have a great read on a bad player, only to have the players on your left constantly betting half pot with air. How do you beat the whole field donking? One of the 5 players in will male the flush or straight on just about everytime, and bet like its there no matter what. The hardest part is when most rounds have strong players and fish in the hand at the same time.

[@CancelIFR]

lol no one in a 1/2 game is opening to 3bb.

[@scrubfive9239]

I usually open anywhere from 4bb - 10bb depending on my table. But I'd say 5bb's is probably my average open in 1-2nl

[@ph34poker]

Now you need to do a 1/2 Texas version cuz 1/2 in TX is just different LOL

[@slowfuse]

Been losing to bad players all month, had some major leaks, had my first winning session today in ages after watching this, coincidence?

[@charlesnicot7363]

You are totally right with everything. Last session I had to let down kings AK and JJ (very bad flop) in an hour because nobody show me respect and 6 callers everytime. I take my time and slowly fucked them by playing good and basic poker and few hours later everyone was folding my 10$ raise utg and my stack triple up. It sad because I kinda notice that even old nit player are able to make money on friday night by betting the nuts but it's a sign that live poker is still in great shape. Anyway happy to see that I'm not in the wrong and I the advices you said are always good to remember!

[@LinusK500]

Jonathan is determined to ignore how people play in real-life cash games. The point is not that 10x pre-flop raising and 50% VPIPing is unbeatable. It's that the adjustment is to play more hands, not fewer. Why in the world would you even think about folding AJo, when it crushes your opponents' ranges, and they've already put a pile of money in the middle?

[@elleonverduzco7653]

It would help him to do a challenge fromm $500 to $5000 on a $1-$2 game so he can realized nobody gives a crap about a $15 raise preflop in position because at least 3 will call 80% of the time.

[@johnm.515]

$15 is not a raise. Its an invitation to the party.

[@aviloeza2583]

You said suited Aces and suited kings. How????

[@duffin3503]

He means all AX hands that are suited, like AK suited, AQ suited, etc. Same with Kings

[@scbluesman13]

A couple of years ago I finally began a concerted effort to stop paying off the nits at my game. The rewards seemed incremental & small at the time, but a secondary effect of this was that other players who played with me regularly began to start viewing me as exploitable when they saw me lay down lower straights or bottom 2pair to players who only ever bet rivers with the nuts. So gradually these other players began paying ME off on rivers thinking that I would just fold to them. So I'd like to add that there can be an extra benefit of not paying off nits - The other players at the table who aren't as good at discerning a tight player from a loose one may start to give you more action on rivers as a result.

[@Murph_.]

#1 hack... read players. Reading players is something very few people do in low stakes games. It'll give you a huge advantage.

[@theonehappyorc1235]

Three betting with bullets, now that's a tip, yeah. I would love to have player like you at our saturday cash game, it would be fun and excessive few hundred bucks wouldn't harm.

[@ikickpuppies01]

.... " In my Texas Game." We get it bro. You know that's not what he is talking about. People sit with 1k in those uncapped 1/2 Texas games.

[@lucabossi7253]

Playing Hu is not possible in this games. You should play 1000 x and tribet 20x size for make them fold

[@moitorras]

I from Brasil 🇧🇷👍 vamoooo gl☕💵

[@PokerCoaching]

Thanks so much! 👍

[@peimanghofrani5800]

17:15 😭😂😂😂😂

[@williamhope7865]

Expect

[@JPHolling]

I started watching this video thinking, wow this guy is really smart. Then felt a little uncomfortable when he couldn't spell expect. lol. Is there a word in the english language that ends in ext?

[@bigbluebraintrust3194]

Man if you cant find suckers at 1/2 casino nl you live in Siberia & i think they have suckers there too😂

[@blamer26]

Could you say that one more time?

[@sommguy1792]

40 mins to review 4 tips?..

[@ToddCallow-pc4rj]

Chase the ace , play your rags ppray

[@pokerqAK47]

I crushed 1/2 and 1/3 😄 Just 3b relentlessly. No one is doing it.

[@EternalSoul222]

This. 3bets are only KK OR AA or maybe QQ. Nothing less

[@ikickpuppies01]

Where do you play? That would be a wonderful place!

[@dawithiampa]

The saddest part is they're watching too😂

[@ericbush1544]

Expect has a C in it

[@Steve-yz7lp]

You need to have good fundamentals. Wow 😂