If you are choosing to play micro or low stakes cash games, be sure to to remember something VERY important.  There is no need for tricky poker skills here!  Generally micro to low stakes poker players don’t really have a clue, so playing tricks really isnt going to get you far.  Play a typical tight aggressive game, ABC poker, and you will be fine!

I see this happen often with players who have been paying too much attention to the professional poker players around.  Being aggressive, means you must be SELECTIVE in your aggression.  Raising in the cutoff just because its folded to you – is not a smart move in the early stages of a poker tournament.  Play tight, protect your chips, play aggressive when you have hands in all positions, and wait for the opportunity to take advantage of your opponents.

Just happens too often!  Poker Players overplay AK thinking it is a “premium hand”.  Keep in mind its only AK high.  And even if you hit an Ace or a King (just one of the 2) it is only 1 pair!  When playing hands like AK in poker, just make sure you are playing the poker players along with the hands!

While Zen and the Art of Poker is probably one of the easiest books to read, and many will think that its too easy – I believe it is probably one of the best poker books out there.  Learning patience and the mechanical play of Texas Holdem would be an incredible asset when playing online poker.  You will learn how to be relaxed and play only with your mind, rather than playing poker with your emotions.

For the most part, you should be limping under the gun (UTG) with your decent hands (88,99,TT,JJ,AJs,AQ,AQs,AK,AKs) and not raise – at a full table.  The reason for this is, either you are expecting someone to raise, for you to be able to reraise, or players will assume with a UTG limp that you are strong and fold – giving you the same implications of raising, but still getting potential action on your decent holdem hands.