3 BIG Mistakes To AVOID In $1/$2 Live Cash Games

[@kenrobinson1188]

I can go 2 hours without playing a hand(keeping it tight), and raise 5 big blinds UTG and still get multiple callers preflop on 1-3 NL. Its mind boggling.

[@ShaneMclane-PrivateEye]

Being tight/aggressive in the low stakes games will also afford you the opportunity to observe your opponents play because your going to likely be folding a lot pre-flop. which will allow you to observe your opponents make mistakes with each other and in turn, you use that knowledge to exploit them as the game progresses.

[@halfxyou]

🤔 You might be onto something with this… Now that you mention it, I have won more when I play less hands pre-flop bcs I can read the table with more calm

[@danaparkpizza]

Just finished 9th out of 72. Listening to you kind of works lol

[@djStens]

I just fundamentally disagree with the statement "if they're winning 1/2 players and they're good they would've moved up". I think you're making a massive assumption on people's goals and intentions with the game. Believe or not, there are people OKAY with surviving off of 15-20/hr. I've seen a few live 1/2 graphs that shoot straight up with 10k+ hour samples and they're making around that hourly and they're okay with their life. They stick around at 1/2 because the environment is just way more enjoyable and opponents are just having a good time playing cards at the casino.

[@Simon-vo7gi]

I went to the casino for the first time in a few years on Black Friday. I ended up averaging ~$100/hr in at 1/3 playing for a few hours. That being said, I don’t expect this every time I play.

[@djStens]

@@Simon-vo7gi you'll get an idea of your actual win rate around 1500 hours of live poker

[@marcusallee8991]

At the lower stakes you can make a little money by just playing tighter by playing mostly premium hands and not making big mistakes. This is an easier skill set to acquire than what Jonathan teaches. My goal is to improve my skills and eventually move up, that is why I watch his videos. I explained this to a poker friend who agreed more with you, the best point my friend made that I was missing is that the worst players are at the low limit tables and are therefore the easiest to beat because they make a lot of mistakes. Something about the low limits though is that rake and customary tipping really eats up a lot. In researching and watching my game closely, my game deals about 30 hands an hour, my portion of the house rake averages to be $12.50 an hour based on total house rake divided by 9 players. I average tipping $2.50 an hour, a total of $15 an hour. If I play full time of 200 hours a month, it costs me $3000 a month to play!

[@Teslacustoms]

Our 1500$ cap at 2/5 keeps a lot of tight and decent 1/2 players at 1/2 even though max rake is same when average pot is 5 times or more and players raising pre flop with no rake if no flop comes out. 1500 buy in vs 300$ keeps most people at 2/2 here. Our 2/5 game is more profitable for sure but I don’t have the bankroll 🤦‍♂️

[@briansheppard9358]

This also applies in life outside of poker. Some people are ok with having no career skills and making 15 bucks an hour. It’s not that they’re too dumb, lazy or inexperienced to move up in the world. It’s because they enjoy having a shitty job and going nowhere in life.

[@erdaddy5845]

I think a lot of these charts aren't that applicable, because you're rarely facing one single raise and all folds. Probably 80% of the time, someone raises and 3 or 4 people call ahead of you. So what's the chart for BB vs EP raise to 5x ($10) with 4-6 callers. This is the most common scenario I see. Again probably 90% of pots are 3+ players to the flop. Leaning how to play multi way to the flop is the most important thing I think, and it should have its own video.

[@toasternfriends3329]

Tighten your range on the BB and defend less often for multiways, and 3b large for the top of your range.

[@erdaddy5845]

@toasternfriends3329 Intuitively yeah, this seems right, and I've tried it. The only problem is that if your getting dealt and average range of cards, then the table notices your playing "too tight", and I've literally been called out for it. So it's a catch 22, you play tight because that's the best strategy, but people notice this and give you NO action when you do play, and so you still walk away with almost nothing. At that point you're still just waiting for a cooler situation to make money.

[@toasternfriends3329]

@@erdaddy5845 Mix in more bluffs!

[@88crazykyle]

@@erdaddy5845if people noticed you’re playing too tight, this is your opportunity to bluff some hands with your tight image.

[@Petty-Cash]

@PokerCoaching You mention C betting less turns after being called on the flop. Does this mean we should bet bigger or jam on more rivers after being checked back on the turn?

[@TheHigh-endCultivator]

Very good tips as always.

[@PokerCoaching]

Glad you think so!

[@Jermo484]

I think top two pair on super dry flops is just as much a slowplay as top set... and then obviously like boats where you're basically hoping they have exactly the one card left out there for trips.

[@PhilosophyProf14]

Speaking as a 50-something whose eyes are not the best, do you think you could do something about the display of the charts in these vids? They are fuzzy to begin with, and the numbers are so small. Even just increasing the font size in the squares would make a big difference.

[@jasminepainter1897]

Adjusting your picture quality in settings may fix the fuzziness. I screenshot the charts so I can zoom in and also for future review.

[@PhilosophyProf14]

@@jasminepainter1897 No, that's not it. I'm at 1080p, normal speed. The problem is with the charts. They are definitely more blurry than the text around them, the chat, etc. Plus the font size is too small. (I have a large screen.)

[@peter30180]

Could you touch on when there’s a mandatory straddle? My local is 1sb 2bb 5 straddle for the 3rd seat

[@TheMiningProbe]

Treat it like the $5 straddle is the big blind and play a little tighter preflop because there are 3 people in the blinds rather than 2

[@Whatisknowncannotbeunknown]

Can you also apply these teachings in online cash games? I see a lot of the same players (PS) in 0,5/1 1/2 and 2/5 and I am curious if the setting (online vs live)changes anything Thanks from Denmark

[@narutofan33323]

Dont we also say that small stakes players underfold, and therefor we should underbluff? How do we reconcile this tip with the small stakes exploit above?

[@whosRickyy]

Imo yes, but varies on the table

[@goodvibestv5380]

I need some advice. For a bit I was getting better at playing with friends and even starting to win some games. However I constantly find myself in situations where I just don’t really understand how to play my position or how much I should be raising to get the other players to fold. I’ll get a decent hand in late position and get 3 bet raised all the time to the point where it’s not even worth seeing the flop and chipped away to nothing, basically forcing me to wait for a decent hand and go all in with whatever I have left. We play 1/2$ games and I’ll usually win the first couple hands and then everything just goes to shit. When should I be getting aggressive? Because I honestly cannot read them for the life of me.

[@johnoneill6975]

Thanks I love the content and can not wait for the Book next week ... Hope my wife gets me the Pokercoaching for Christmas this year.

[@Woodflooralchemist]

I don’t understand many of the terms being used. For example what is three Betting

[@michaelm7836]

A 3 bet is 3 times the big blind.

[@andrerivera2730]

Don't listen to this guy^^^^🤦‍♂️ Three betting is a bet after it's been raised. The next bet after the first raise is called the three bet because it is the third bet in sequence.

[@RottTheGamer]

These charts are different than GTO, even with rake included. is GTO wizard not a good tool?

[@nice22915]

thank you

[@austinbensman6953]

Hi Jonathan love your videos. At my 1-2 games I seem to be one of the only players opening to standard sizes while everyone else opens way too big. Should I adjust my sizes based off of the game or stick to raising to $6 even though most are raising to $12+? (100-200bb)

[@jestes7]

As he said in the video, if they're playing the same hands with a higher bet as they normally would with a $6 bet, bump that f'er up.

[@jestes7]

This only is optimal with the tight/aggressive strategy, of course.

[@susymay7831]

Will Johnathan's new book of 100 tips be out on Kindle in December?

[@StandAndStare]

I think a lot of 1/2 winners don't move up because their roll isn't isolated from the rest of their money.

[@danielmeuler2877]

yup! also. Why screw with a good thing. Those are the two top reasons I don't move up. well besides I have to drive 1.5 hrs to the closest room and i can only play once a week tops.

[@ahaaha8462]

moving up is a life choice, when you are solely for profit player, and you don't have a significantly bigger 2nd source of income, it would be so hard to step out of the comfort zone.

[@goonerbear8659]

To play 1/2 regularly with a low risk of ruin, you need thousands of dollars you can afford to lose, the emotional and mental fortitude to weather bad and neutral sessions, good fundamentals, flexibility to adjust and play the tables you have, and to realize your profitability over many hours of play. It's a lifestyle unto itself. Some people like me can't do it. I want to be good at poker and make good and profitable decisions. It's just a game to me, first and foremost. Second, while there is a place I *can* play poker in my hometown, it's in a gray area that's not 100% resolved. The nearest places I can play within 100% legal bright lines are multiple hours out of my way. And the grind only gets harder and more expensive at higher stakes. And you still have to be able to play higher stakes with amounts of money that your brain will tie to real-life milestone purchases like car or house payments, rent, repair bills, etc. Hard to make that +EV shove if you're thinking you might lose two months' worth of rent on one hand because you might get sucked out.

[@kenrobinson1188]

Unfortunately there are not bigger than 5-10 games available in my area

[@banana403]

Whats with A3s being such an auto 3-bet?

[@mikehager5506]

Sounds like you would vpip less than 10% if you were to play like the chart suggests, especially in the low stakes games where lots of people are putting in money loose

[@williamklein6749]

Some players consistently make $$ at 1/2 and 1/3. But the rake structure makes it hard. If you are good enough to make money at the low stakes it's way in you best interest to move up as fast as possible. Get a second job for a few months and put it your bankroll.

[@ChrisWolfe31]

Thanks and GG JL

[@piggy4651]

both the bluffing examples hero had a flush and straight draw. what do do if its only 1 of those???? please reply fast im goin to the casino tonight.

[@yourwallet409]

😂

[@domo.sapien]

You shove and pray good luck

[@Metskins_Poker]

You fold the 97 if they shove with like 30% equity? That's lighting money on fire

[@InfectedFetus00]

Please never stop J.Little! Love your content ♥️

[@qsdailydose8970]

I open QQ get 3-bet from short stack I shove and they have AA. EVERYTIME!

[@JDUBAwDay]

But aren’t we leaving ourselves vulnerable to just getting steamrolled with some of these charts? If we’re playing against loosely goosey players shouldn’t we be widening our range by a couple of % points to take advantage of the fact that they’re going to be playing all their weak and marginal hands? Should I really be folding KJo QJo J10o against someone who’s opening with 67o 34s 97s Q9o/s etc? Shouldn’t I be 3betting more to take them off these hands Preflop? Or am I just overthinking it

[@UncleJoeLITE]

Seems I'll have to get the sale before I leave Canberra or I might forget! I'm curious about the young bloke. Plus I have to deduct a book from my bankroll. It is time. 🙂 _PS: Aussies, anyone out West, around Cowra, Dubbo, Armidale, Tamworth, Tenterfield, Grafton etc, pls hit me up if you read this! I'm doing the inland 1,300km Canberra > Surfers ride, planning it around local poker games. It's hard finding proper towns, let alone games, out here in the West. Ta, UJ._

[@LinusK500]

Much of this is bad advice, at least for games like the ones around here. Maybe if you were sitting at a table full of nits, you could think about folding AQ. Or you could find a better table.

[@johnz5055]

So basically just be dealt 1 of the 10 top opening hands and then flop the best hand to win If I'm at a table and a player is only playing 5 out of 100 hands unless I have a monster they won't get any action from me

[@idrivefast9095]

I don’t think that it’s true their not good enough for higher stakes- just way more action at 1-3

[@RockinTheDub]

Won $120 tonight then got coolered for 2 hours straight lol. That’s why I’m here

[@ridgerunner9072]

You are a hero jl

[@meanmr.mustard3511]

Good vid, but I have to turn this to 0.75x speed to slow you down man and you are still a little fast speaking then. 😂

[@bentonja668]

Tons of losing and breakeven players larping as winners in the comments

[@OneEyedJack01]

Got to love all these 1/2 lifers disagreeing with a professional player and coach that has won millions. SMH

[@chrissparks6380]

And how often does he sit now in 1 2 games? So does he know exactly how players play in every casino? Taking some things amd using them to your advantage and realizing what things will not work in your game is how you should use all of these videos. Nothing is absolute.

[@pokerqAK47]

I disagree. I CRUSHED small stakes BUT I have a psychological issues holding me to move up. As soon as I play bigger I start caring about $ all of a sudden. I don’t have that issue at 1/3 1/2. And I play much better so I stick to these stakes.

[@guillermoalvarez9400]

That’s a mental game issue that’s just as important to master as the technical side.

[@kevinbeazy]

@@guillermoalvarez9400yeah that’s what he said

[@andrerivera2730]

I crushed small stakes, but I have huge mental holes in my game...🤥🤦‍♂️

[@marcellevesque2442]

You take waaaaay too long to get to the point

[@The0xIntern]

500th 👍🏽

[@bobdobbs7708]

At small stakes they're just limping most of the hands solvers are raising. Their opens are tighter than gto and you're facing squeezes from the blinds way less than gto. Using solver output is worthless if you're not node locking for how they play in 1/2 games. You're making your students worse.

[@domo.sapien]

He addresses this sometimes. I think this video he is mostly talking about stronger games

[@4moecon]

i want to like this guy, but he sounds way too much like Ben Shabibo

[@stevenanderson7046]

😂🎉😢😂

[@somedude2677]

First 7min are literally just you saying to fold everything but premiums.. if you do what you are saying, you will get nothing but folds anytime you put chips in. You will make the absolute minimum and if you don’t hit your flop hard, you are SOL because anyone calling you at that point is a maniac and would probably call you down with one pair to beat your ace high. Nit play can only get so far man… you’re one of those people that is probably like “why would anyone ever rent a house, buying one makes so much more sense” … uhhh yeah. No shit, but life has a bit more nuance doesn’t it?

[@InfectedFetus00]

Folding 90% of hands from our BB against a 3BB open from the LJ. Yes you need to play tight, the next 7 mins were him explaining why lol

[@molonlabe8792]

Why does this guy talk like a bot?

[@stevenanderson7046]

😂🎉😢😂