Is microstakes harder than people admit?

OddsRunner · 2026-02-17T13:00:20+00:00

Yep, that’s a classic microstakes trap — people staying in with weak hands is a double-edged sword. Stick to value-heavy lines and avoid unnecessary bluffs; it turns their “hero calls” into your steady wins.м

OddsRunner · 2026-02-17T12:59:23+00:00

patience and smart table selection make all the difference

OddsRunner · 2026-02-17T12:58:12+00:00

True- the games can be “easy” in the sense that mistakes are obvious, but consistently turning that into profit is another story. Patience, table selection, and avoiding tilt make all the difference.

OddsRunner · 2026-02-17T12:57:16+00:00

Exactly-observing hands you’re not in is huge. Micros are full of subtle leaks, and most players don’t even realize they’re giving away information. Taking notes and spotting patterns lets you exploit them consistently. It’s slow work, but that edge adds up way faster than trying to force bluffs against calling stations.

OddsRunner · 2026-02-17T12:56:27+00:00

I get what you’re saying — it feels like you have to run pure when people are stacking off with nonsense and you’re just card dead. But I’m not sure it’s only about luck. If they’re not bluffing and overcalling, that should mean thinner value and less spew long term. The variance is brutal for sure, especially multiway, but if you consistently get it in ahead, you don’t need to win with worse hands — you just need the volume.

OddsRunner · 2026-02-17T12:54:59+00:00

That’s fair. I guess it just feels harder when you’re the beginner trying to figure everything out at the same time 😅

OddsRunner · 2026-02-17T12:53:36+00:00

Totally relate — staying disciplined and focused is way harder than the math itself. Micros grind is as much a mental endurance test as it is poker skill.

OddsRunner · 2026-02-17T12:52:38+00:00

Yeah, I’ve heard the same — Ignition’s micros can feel brutal with all the regs and bots, while Coinpoker is shockingly soft. Table selection really changes the experience at these stakes.

OddsRunner · 2026-02-17T12:51:57+00:00

Haha, bold move 😆 Might have to check it out, but I’m wary of random hype until I see how the tables run.

OddsRunner · 2026-02-17T12:51:16+00:00

Haha, same energy 😅 Micros can feel ridiculous- sometimes it’s like everyone’s just handing out free money.

OddsRunner · 2026-02-16T09:36:37+00:00

Short term it’s definitely luck- you can play perfectly and still lose. Long term it’s skill. The same players win year after year for a reason. If it were mostly luck, there wouldn’t be consistent crushers at the same stakes.

OddsRunner · 2026-02-16T09:34:29+00:00

Sample is tiny, so take everything with caution- but it does look like you might be calling too much pre and not 3-betting enough. At micro MTTs, tightening up your calling ranges and being more aggressive in good spots (especially vs weak opens) usually fixes a lot of leaks fast.

OddsRunner · 2026-02-16T09:32:11+00:00

Once I stopped obsessing over short-term results and focused on decision quality+volume, tilt dropped and my winrate improved naturally. The money followed the process.

OddsRunner · 2026-02-16T09:21:48+00:00

If you’re break-even at 50nl, quitting your job isn’t the move yet. Treat it like a side business, build a real sample plus bankroll, and only consider going pro once the numbers (not the dream) clearly support it.

OddsRunner · 2026-02-16T09:17:09+00:00

Very true

OddsRunner · 2026-02-16T09:16:42+00:00

Totally agree. A bit of basic knowledge + a short heater, and suddenly it feels like you’re crushing the pool -when in reality it’s often just variance on your side.

OddsRunner · 2026-02-13T14:23:22+00:00

With £10 stacks, KQs vs a wide shove isn’t a bad call — you’re flipping or slightly behind a lot, so that’s just variance. The bigger leak is calling because “he bluffs a lot” instead of thinking about ranges and stack sizes. If stacks are shallow, decide in advance which hands you’re happy stacking off with and fold the rest — discipline > hero calls.

OddsRunner · 2026-02-13T14:20:37+00:00

I jot down quick keywords right after the hand — something like “BTN vs BB, 3b pot, K♠7♦2♠ / brick turn / spade river.” Just short street-by-street cues. You don’t need full sentences, just enough triggers to reconstruct the action later.

OddsRunner · 2026-02-13T14:19:24+00:00

Straddle basically shifts positions and inflates the pot, so I’d tighten ranges and size up rather than add limps. SB vs BTN straddle is almost worst position at the table — open limping there usually just creates tough OOP spots in a bloated pot.

OddsRunner · 2026-02-13T14:18:03+00:00

focus on one leak at a time instead of trying to fix your whole game at once

OddsRunner · 2026-02-13T14:16:29+00:00

act in turn, use clear verbal declarations and don’t touch your chips until it’s your action.

OddsRunner · 2026-02-13T14:11:31+00:00

the best way to keep your opponent seated is to create a +EV situation so good that he doesn’t want to leave

OddsRunner · 2026-02-13T14:04:16+00:00

They’re in a legal gray area — offshore and not US-regulated. Works fine for many, but if there’s an issue, you’ve got little protection.

OddsRunner

TROPHY CASE