Comprehensive would be the best word to describe this semi-professional low limit hold’em player. The owner of the Counting My Outs website, Michael Hawley utilizes this resource to reconstruct his poker hands on a daily basis in order to improve his, as well as the readers, all around game. This prolific player and writer continues to expand the mentality of poker and possesses a unique mind that will maintain his success for years to come. You never know, in the future we very well could see a Michael Hawley publication.
What changes have you observed in the online poker world besides the increase in players? Will these changes provide a solid footing for the future of online poker?
There have been so many changes over the last seven years that I have been playing online. The biggest change of late is definitely the limited number of sites that U.S. players have available due to the UIGEA that was passed last October when it was snuck into must-pass legislation. As most people know, many poker sites made the decision to not accept U.S. players.
Since poker has become so mainstream, there are two pieces of legislation that are being introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. The first one is from Rep. Barney Frank and would essentially repeal the UIGEA and provide a means to regulate online gaming in the U.S. The second is from Rep. Robert Wexler and it would exclude online poker from the UIGEA, claiming it is a skill game.
Both are gaining some support in the House of Representatives and look promising, but I really do not expect either to become law in the next year. The fact that it is becoming a bigger issue does give online poker somewhat of a solid footing because we now have someone defending our right to play. I do think, however, that it will take a few years to get all of this sorted out.
What advice can you give to a beginning player trying out an online site? What advice/steps can you give a beginner trying to maintain and build a bankroll?
A beginner should choose a site where they are comfortable with the software and feel that their money is secure. Also, he or she should pick a site that has plenty of the types of games that they like to play.
In regards to maintaining and building a bankroll, a beginner should play at sites that offer consistent deposit bonuses and hopefully some type of rakeback or cashback program. This will give a beginner the opportunity to get “paid to learn”.
Also, the beginner should not play in games where they do not have a sufficient bankroll. An often quoted bankroll guide for limit players is to have at least 300 big bets for a bankroll at the limit they play. For example, if a beginner started out by playing $0.50/$1.00, they should have at least $300 for a bankroll ($1 x 300). I think it is a very good idea because even if you do succeed in playing very well, you can go through stretches of bad luck and lose.
What types of reads/patterns do you notice with online players?
The most important read or pattern that I try to pick up from any online opponent is their betting patterns. Things like do they bet only when they have a good hand or do they bluff a lot. If you can pick up on these patterns, you will almost know what kind of hand your opponent has because very few online players try to change things up and they most often play in a predictable manner.
Do you utilize player notes? And if so, do you have a process of describing your opponents?
Yes, I do utilize player notes. I describe my opponents with terms in two different categories:
- “tight” versus “loose”
- “aggressive” versus “passive”
Since I primarily play Hold’em, I try to describe their play before the flop and after the flop. I do this because some players play differently before and after the flop. For example, an opponent may be tight before the flop, but loose after the flop because they cannot let go of a hand. On the other hand, some players are loose before the flop, but play very well after the flop.
Are you mostly a Limit player or do you play other games, like Omaha, Razz, or Badugi? Any sngs or tournaments?
I probably spend at least 90% of my time playing full ring Limit Hold’em from $1/$2 to $3/$6. I do like playing in No Limit Hold’em SNGs and they are a nice break from playing in Limit games. I will play in an occasional No Limit Hold’em tournament if I know that I have a few hours that I will have uninterrupted.
Which professionals have you learned the most from? What about any specific writers/book/articles?
Even though he is a NLHE tournament player, I have probably learned the most from Dan Harrington. He has incredible composure and never seems to get rattled or upset. He also shows that you can be a tight player, if you know how to use that trait against your opponents in the right spots. He knows when to bluff, which is a powerful tool for a tight player and those concepts also work in Limit Hold’em games against the right opponents, usually other tight players.
As far as books and articles go, I have learned so many things from so many writers that the list would be very long. I have read many, many poker books and articles. I try to look at all of the different theories and viewpoints that each author has. There is not always a “right” way to play a hand, so I do not memorize what an author says and try to apply it at the table. I try to understand why an author does what he does when playing a hand and see if it is something that I can apply.
I would say that the best books are mostly from the 2+2 publishing company though. Anything written by David Sklansky is a must read for any serious poker player.
How much have you won in one day? Lost? Which sites?
The biggest one day win I had was around $400 at Paradise Poker when playing $3/$6 limit Hold’em. The biggest one day loss I have had was about $180 at the $3/6 limit Hold’em tables at Poker Stars.
What is your biggest poker pet peeve? Any pre-game rituals?
Biggest pet peeve? That is an easy one (laughing). When players at my table give a hard time or try to educate to bad players who are getting lucky.
It’s really not a civilized thing to do. If you think about it, it could just be someone’s 70 year old grandfather wanting to have some fun and play poker online or someone trying to learn how to play. Would you want someone cussing out your grandfather or your significant other who is just picking up the game?
The other reason it is bad to do it is that do you really want a bad player to leave your table? No matter how well any of us play, we make money at the poker table from our opponents mistakes, not our own brilliance. When someone verbally assaults a bad player at my table, that bad player is either going to leave the table or tighten up and play better. Either way it makes it harder for all of us to win. It is short-sighted and bad business.
The funny thing is that the “table coach” that gives a bad player a hard time is usually not a good player, either. They usually play tight, but not well.
The only pregame ritual I have is that I take 10-15 minutes to stop thinking about other stuff before I play. It’s hard enough to play well, but when you have other stuff on your mind it is twice as hard.
Give us your top three poker sites. Why?
Since I am in the U.S., I don’t have many options these days. My three top sites are all Poker Stars (laughing).
They have the best support in the industry and always try to do the right things for their customers and they have a nice rewards program for players who play quite a bit. Also, since they are the biggest site, they do have the best selection of games. Even though they have the reputation of being tight games, they are better games than most people would think. I also feel that my money is safest there since they are the largest site.
Before U.S. players were banned from some sites, I also liked playing at Party Poker, Paradise Poker and the iPoker network (Titan, Noble, etc.). I really wish I could play on the iPoker network because it has grown so much and supposedly has very good games right now, especially No Limit Hold’em cash games, which I have been wanting to start playing.
What would be the one piece of advice you would give to someone to improve their game, specifically to online poker?
I’ll give you two for the price of one.
The biggest thing would be to just to have fun when playing. Try not to get upset and go on tilt when your luck is bad, because evryone has occasional bad luck. It is so easy to go on tilt when playing online because you will often let yourself get more upset while playing at home than you would at a casino because of the embarrassment factor.
Also, just spend at least a couple of hours a week reading a poker book or article and look at how you could have played a hand better. Learn from your mistakes, try to do better next time and move on.
Post a Comment