I Give Up – Internet Players Are Just “Too Loose!”

Article by Al Spath (posted at Pokerpages.com)

I’ve heard that comment a thousand times, and read it on most of the internet poker forums. I’ve talked to players about this problem hundreds of times, but for the life of me, I can’t figure out what the entire ruckus is about!

Now, I fully understand that players, old and new, go totally ballistic when they are at a table with multiple chasers (players that will chase your down with hands requiring a miracle card or two), and have their large pocket pairs destroyed on the river, over and over again. There is undoubtedly a great many new players with large amounts of disposable income and plenty of spare time on their hands. They are all over the internet and have infiltrated the live games at casinos as well. To them, it is great sport to play “chase-em-down” hold’em, as they run the rocks into the river, on the river! They play loose, participate in almost every hand, and are willing to pay whatever it takes to see the next card. Their starting hands are marginal or sometimes flat out terrible. But not to worry, they operate under the rules of “there is no such thing as a bad starting hand.”

Let’s see what the options are to evaluate our “so called” dilemma. On the one hand, you have multiple chasers, a lot of loose play, and players paying whatever it takes to see more cards. They choose to play marginal to poor starting cards, and mathematically have a smaller chance to win most hands entered. Yet the complaint rings out loud and clear: “They are ruining the game, how can you beat them?”

On the other hand, conventional wisdom says that these players are exactly what you want at your table if you are the typical, solid-aggressive player. You are constantly seeking tables with a limited number of chasers, where sloppy play is quite evident, and extra money is being put into the pot. Why would anyone suggest that playing against stiffer competition, where those betting against you would have quality cards, or your opponents with marginal hands would fold early in the hand, leaving you a very small pot to scoop, would be a better scenario? Do you really want everyone playing his or her best game against you, or playing poker as solidly as you play? How much money can you expect to win then?

We all know that having a few chasers, a few limpers, and a few gamblers at your table is usually good for your earnings and good for the game, overall. I do believe that most frustrated “good” players get upset when the “majority” of the seated players play “Any Two Suited Will Do (ATSWD), Any Ace Will Do (AAWD), and even Any Two Cards Will Do (ATCWD). Players I have interviewed will tell you that if more than three of these type players are at your table, you will have way too many players seeing the flop, turn and river, and lots of quality hands will be cracked by some unbelievable long shot made draws.

So what can you do about this situation, besides whine at the table, in forums, and to your best buddy about the horrendous beats you have taken? Well, at least online you can view the lobby and select a table using the information provided to you by the site: Average pot size and percentage of players seeing the flop. This is powerful data and extremely useful. In stud, a site provides the percentage of players seeing their fourth-street card as well. This information should help players select a table that could “suit” their style of play. My advice, if you want a sane game, is to avoid tables with the higher pot averages, and ones where 60%+ of seated players are seeing the flop. The tables with the higher average pots and more players seeing the flop are generally more aggressive and usually contain those dreaded chasers. If this type action fits your game, then by all means, have a seat.

I personally came up with a way for myself to determine if the game suits my game by using a bit of simple math. I found that for no-limit games, if I multiply the big blind bet by 20, it gives me a baseline for an average pot size that meets “my own criteria” for an ideal table. This table would contain all sorts of players, not too many chasers, and best of all, enough action that I will be paid off when I do have a hand. An example would be a ½ NL table with a pot average of $42. This is the type table in my range (very close to 20 times the big blind bet of $2 = $40). If this table had a pot average of $60 (or 30 times the big blind bet), I would know this table is much more aggressive, there are more chasers, there will be more pre-flop raising, and more players vying for every pot. If the table had an average of $20 (10 times the big blind bet), I could instantly assume the table is tighter, not as much action, and I might not get the necessary action when I have a hand worth playing. On the other hand, if I choose to play at that table, I could steal more often (wink), by being very aggressive.

In limit, I had to devise a way to determine the same betting environment, so I established a range of average pots to target that would fit my game as well. I then would multiply the big blind bet amount, by 5, 6 or 7 (a range I use), and compare that figure to the average pot amount that was posted. For example, at a ½ limit table, $12 would fall into my desirable pot average ($10-$14 for a ½ table). Another easy way to arrive at this figure is to divide the big blind bet amount into the pot average ($12 divided by 2 = 6). Again, if the average pot is higher and the number falls above my own (self imposed range of 5, 6 and 7, then I know the table should consist of more chasers (more aggressive play, more pre-flop action), than maybe I desire with my style of play. If the table had a lower pot average, let’s say only $6, then it’s an indication of a tight table, and again, one for me to avoid, as I would not be getting paid off when raising with premium cards. Those players who want to find tables that are more aggressive, with higher pot averages, should use a higher range than the one I established to fit my game.

So, the next time you just want to quit your internet playing days, give it another shot and consider the alternatives to loose play, select a table that fits “your” game, and remember poker is one long game, not just one session or two. Over the long run, these players you might be complaining about, will give all that money back, and I for one want to be there to help unburden them….

“Raise More Than Call, Fold More Than Raise!”

Comments to Alspath@pokerinstructors.com or Teach@victorypoker.com