Join Nathan 'BlackRain79' Williams as he reveals 12 advanced online poker tips that will transform your gameplay and increase your winnings at the virtual tables in 2023.
Nathan 'BlackRain79' Williams: Nathan 'BlackRain79' Williams is a prominent online poker professional and coach with over 15 years of experience in the game. Having played over 10 million hands, he is known for his expertise in small and mid-stakes poker games. Nathan has a remarkable story, starting with just $60 and rising to the top, eventually quitting his job in 2007 to play poker full-time. He is recognized for creating some of the highest winnings in online poker history for these stakes. As a 3-time best selling poker author, Nathan has shared his strategies and insights through books and his poker training program, BlackRain79 Elite Poker University. He emphasizes the importance of game selection, aggressive play, positional awareness, and exploiting the tendencies of weaker opponents. Nathan also promotes the use of poker HUDs and tracking software like Poker Tracker to analyze gameplay and improve decision-making. His approach is rooted in both exploitative play and an understanding of game theory optimal (GTO) strategies, advocating for a balance between study and practical experience. His YouTube channel, BlackRain79Poker, is a source of educational content where he continues to guide aspiring players on how to succeed in the competitive world of online poker.
Choosing the Right Games: Select games with weaker players to maximize potential profits; look for players with a VPIP of 40% or higher.
Aggressive Playstyle: Raise when entering the pot, isolate limpers, and three-bet light versus regulars to assert dominance and control over the game.
Playing in Position: Aim to play more hands in position, like the button or cutoff, as it provides a significant advantage post-flop.
Value Betting with Strong Hands: Bet big with strong hands, especially in low stakes games where players are passive and tend to call too much.
Minimizing Bluffing: Avoid excessive bluffing in lower stakes where players are likely to call down with marginal hands.
Double Barreling on Scare Cards: Bet on turn scare cards that align with your perceived range, especially against tighter opponents with a low Went to Showdown percentage.
Maximizing Overpairs: Continuously bet with overpairs until facing resistance such as a raise, indicating you might be beaten.
Stealing Blinds: Increase win rates in tight games by frequently stealing blinds from players with low VPIP who are less likely to defend.
Raising Flop with Draws: Raise with draws to create more ways to win the pot, either by forcing folds or hitting the draw.
Studying Advanced Strategies: Learn GTO and advanced concepts once reaching mid-stakes games to refine your play against stronger opponents.
Fixing Leaks: Use tools like PokerTracker to analyze your hands, identify and fix leaks, and adjust strategies for better results.
Preparing for Variance: Be mentally prepared for increased bad beats and variance in online poker, especially in fast-paced formats like Zoom poker.
Maintaining Enjoyment: Keep the game enjoyable by focusing on the love for the game and understanding poker's long-term nature.
Choosing the Right Games: Stresses the importance of playing against weaker opponents and using VPIP (Voluntarily Put Money in Pot) to identify them for a strategic edge.
Aggression in Poker: Highlights the necessity of an aggressive approach, especially before the flop, by raising instead of limping and isolating limpers.
Playing in Position: Emphasizes playing more hands when in position, particularly on the button, to utilize the advantage of acting last post-flop.
Betting Big with Strong Hands: Advises betting big when holding strong hands to build the pot and exploit opponents' tendencies to call.
Minimizing Bluffing: Recommends bluffing less, especially at lower stakes where opponents are likely to call bets out of curiosity or indifference to small stakes.
Double Barreling on Scare Cards: Suggests continuing aggressive play on the turn when scare cards appear that favor your perceived range, targeting opponents with low Went to Showdown percentages.
Value from Overpairs: Advocates for straightforward play with overpairs, suggesting continuous betting across multiple streets unless met with significant resistance.
Stealing Blinds: Encourages frequent attempts to steal blinds from tight players, particularly from cutoff and button positions.
Raising Flop with Draws: Recommends raising on the flop when holding draws to increase ways to win the pot and keep opponents guessing.
Studying Advanced Strategy: Encourages studying Game Theory Optimal (GTO) strategies and using solvers once reaching higher stakes games to refine play.
Fixing Leaks: Highlights the importance of using tools like poker trackers to analyze and improve upon one's weaknesses in the game.
Preparing for Variance: Discusses the need to be mentally prepared for the increased variance in online poker compared to live games, including more bad beats and cooler hands.
Enjoying the Game: Reminds players to have fun and maintain a long-term perspective to mitigate the mental challenges of variance.
This article is a summary of the video 12 Advanced Online Poker Tips the Pros Don't Want You to Know (2023) by BlackRain79Poker published on June 05, 2021 at 13:30:23.
Q: How do I choose the right poker games and tables to maximize my profits? A: Select games where you identify weaker players with a VP IP (voluntarily put money in pot) of 40% or more. Use a poker HUD to spot players who limp often or call down with weak hands, as your winnings will mainly come from these players.
Q: What level of aggressiveness should I maintain in poker? A: Aggression is key in poker. Always raise when you're the first person in the pot, isolate limpers by raising with almost any playable hand, and consider three-betting light against regular players with speculative hands.
Q: How can I exploit positional play in poker? A: Try to play more hands when you're in position, especially from the button, and fewer hands out of position. Acting last post-flop gives you a significant advantage, allowing more opportunities for value bets and bluffs.
Q: How do I determine the optimal bet size in poker? A: Bet big with strong hands to extract maximum value, especially in low-stakes games where players tend to be passive and call too much. Avoid slow playing and build the pot actively because opponents are unlikely to do it for you.
Q: When should I bluff in poker? A: Avoid excessive bluffing in low-stakes games where many players are prone to call with a wide range of hands. Instead, focus on value betting and choose your bluffing spots wisely, such as when scare cards appear that favor your perceived range.
Q: How do I effectively utilize scare cards in poker? A: Double-barrel on turn scare cards, like high Broadway cards, which hit your perceived range. Target tighter opponents with lower Went to Showdown percentages, but avoid bluffing against players who tend to call down light.
Q: What is the best way to play overpairs in poker? A: With overpairs, go for three streets of value by betting on the flop, turn, and river unless the opponent shows resistance. If they raise and are not known to be aggressive, consider folding as they may have two pairs or better.
Q: How often should I be stealing blinds in poker? A: Steal the blinds frequently, particularly from players with a VP IP of 20% or less. These players often fold their blinds unless they have premium hands, so raising from late positions like the cutoff or the button can be very profitable.
Q: Should I semi-bluff with draws in poker? A: Yes, raising the flop with draws as a semi-bluff can increase your win rate as it creates more ways to win the pot. It forces opponents to fold or allows you to improve to a stronger hand on later streets.
Q: When should I start learning advanced poker strategies like GTO? A: Focus on GTO and advanced strategies once you reach higher stakes, such as NL100 cash games or $20 buy-in tournaments. At lower stakes, exploit fundamental mistakes made by opponents before shifting to more advanced concepts.
Q: How do I identify and fix leaks in my poker game? A: Use tools like poker trackers to analyze your hand histories, run filters for specific scenarios, compare winning and losing hands, and identify patterns that indicate mistakes. Then, adjust your strategy accordingly.
Q: How can I deal with variance in online poker? A: Prepare mentally for the increased pace of online play and the higher incidence of bad beats and coolers. Accept that variance will result in more frequent losing sessions, and focus on long-term results rather than short-term outcomes.
Q: How do I maintain enjoyment when playing poker, especially during downswings? A: Remember why you started playing poker and focus on the long-term aspect of the game. Ensure you take breaks, keep a positive attitude, and have fun with the game, regardless of the inevitable swings and challenges.