Last night I fired up a couple of $25 no-limit 6-max hold’em tables. My cards at the limit tables are still on a cold streak so I thought I’d switch up the pace a bit. Soon after taking my seats, I knew I was in for a ride. There were players going all-in on a $2 pot pre-flop. Raising and calling all-in with middle pair. Typical Party Poker play is really all it was now that I think of it.

As much as the donators were giving their money away, I’d give it right back to the table. I had my TT run into JJ, KK run into AA, AK run into AA, KK run into 99 that flopped a set and hit quads on the river, AJ beat by AQ, KK beat by J3o who flopped trip 3s and hit a J on the turn, and thats all I can remember right now. Of course I also beat KK with my AA, QQ with my KK, I flopped quads with my 99, and many others. So it wasn’t a one way street. I even took down a few pots with THE HAMMER! I probably lost more with it though when I was reraised and then had to fold when my miracle flop didn’t come. It was a lot of fun. I finished down almost two buy-ins, but it’s because I donated way too much.

If I raise pre-flop and someone goes all-in over the top, I shouldn’t be calling them with my TT or AK. Usually. My strategy isn’t realy clear on how to best play these tables I guess. Last night I tried a real aggressive strategy, which showed a lot of promise. If it was folded to me in late position and I had a calling hand, I’d raise. If the flop was folded around to me and I had a draw or small pair, I’d raise. My percentage of winning the pot when seeing the flop was almost 50%, although my percentage of winning at showdown was less than 50%. I’m not sure how the numbers should change for no-limit but I know that a 30-35% win ratio when seeing the flop in limit is good and 50% is much higher than that. On the other hand, you should win more than 50% of the times you go to showdown, so that number seems low. Not nearly enough hands to be making a judgement, but I’ll try anyways.

What does this mean? It means I was winning small pots (a lot of times just the blinds and pre-flop calls) and losing bigger ones. I think the other players were taking advantage of my aggressive play by slow playing a lot of their big hands. It sure was working. I’d start to build up my stack and then BOOM, I’d lose a big pot and be right back to where I started. Build up again…lose it again. Notice a pattern?

Whoever calculated that 14-15 outs on the flop will come in more than 50% of the time by the river must be on something. I think it’s closer to 0% actually. Or at least for me it is. Seriously, how can you not have the odds to call an all-in on the flop with a flush draw and an open-ended straight draw or a pair with a flush draw. Without even taking into consideration what is already in the pot, you are getting 1-1 with just one person going all-in. If there is another caller, it’s a no brainer. Hitting one of your cards on the turn or river is better than 1-1. Something doesn’t add up…maybe it’s that online poker really is rigged.

I really enjoy playing no-limit and think I’ll try it out for awhile. There seems to be an endless supply of buy-ins for some of these people. One player in particular bought in at least 4 times in a period of about 40 hands. I need some advice though. Does anyone know any good sites that have a list of some basics to follow for these lower no-limit games? I’ve been using roughly the same starting hand requirements that I use for the 6-max limit tables, but tightening up when there is a raise before me. I know I took some of my semi-bluffs a bit too far, which always hurts. Oh…and what’s the best way to play when you flop a set? I didn’t seem to be able to get anything from anyone unless I slow played my set all the way to the river. I know, I know…as with anything in poker…it depends, right?