.jpg "Ultimate GGPoker Cheat Sheet")
This article was written by blackrain79.com contributor Fran Ferlan.
GGPoker is currently the biggest online poker site in terms of traffic and the number of active players.
While GGPoker’s rake may be slightly higher compared to other poker sites, the fact that it attracts a lot of recreational poker players makes playing on GGPoker potentially very profitable.
In fact, I have made an entire career out of crushing the incredibly soft fields on poker sites like GGPoker.
In this article, you will learn the 5 best ways to start winning quickly on GGPoker, regardless of your current skill level.
This is your ultimate GGPoker "cheat sheet."
*There will also be a free download below of the best hands to play GGPoker.
Let’s get right into it.
How to Win on GGPoker Tip #1: Play Tight Ranges Preflop
If you want to get an immediate edge over your competition on GGPoker, your best bet is to simply play tight ranges preflop.
This means you should only play strong starting hands that have a good chance of connecting with the flop.
This way, you’ll get an edge over recreational players who tend to play way too many hands preflop (download the free charts below).
In practice, this means you’ll make strong combinations more often than your opponents, and your hand will often dominate your opponent’s hand.
A dominated hand is the one that’s unlikely to win against a stronger hand due to a weaker kicker.
A kicker is the card in your hand that doesn’t help you make a certain hand combination, but can often determine the winner if both players have the same combination.
For Example:
Consider the following scenario where two players both have a pair of Aces on the flop...
Player A has A♥K♦
Player B has A♠7♣
Flop comes: A♦8♠2♦
Player A is a massive favorite to win this hand (88%) because he has the stronger "kicker."
Here’s a general overview of starting hands you should play on GGPoker.
Best Hands to Play on GGPoker (Free Download)
A) All pocket pairs (A♦A♦ all the way down to 2♠2♣)
B) Most broadway hands (face cards that can make the strongest possible straight, like A♣Q♥ or K♥J♠)
C) Most suited Aces (like A♥8♥ or A♣5♣)
D) Most suited connectors (like 9♦8♦ or 7♠6♠)
These hands make up roughly the top 20% of all starting hands in 6 player games on GGPoker or the top 15% if you play 9 player games.
Play all of the hands in yellow below.
*Simply right click and click "save" to download these free GGPoker charts.
*Simply right click and click "save" to download these free GGPoker charts.
You can also find these best hands to play on GGPoker charts in my free poker cheat sheet.
By the way, every hand that is NOT on these charts is trash and should be thrown away!
Ok I kid, of course.
Please understand that these charts are only a rough guideline for beginners to start winning quickly on GGPoker.
By the way, every hand that is NOT on these charts is trash and should be thrown away!
Ok I kid, of course.
Please understand that these charts are only a rough guideline for beginners to start winning quickly on GGPoker.
The number of hands you can play profitably will depend on a lot of factors, namely on your table position (more on that below).
Another reason you should play tight ranges preflop on GGPoker is the rake considerations.
The rake is a percentage of the pot the site takes away as a sort of tax.
A lot of amateur poker players don’t really pay much attention to the rake, but the rake structure can have a significant impact on your bottom line.
GGPoker has a relatively high rake structure compared to the industry standard.
Worse yet, it also rakes you even if you win the pot preflop, which is not a standard practice on most sites.
So the more hands you play, the more rake you pay overall.
This is why you should avoid getting involved in a lot of marginal spots with weak to mediocre hands.
Once I realized this my winrates on GGPoker really started to skyrocket.
Even if a certain play is around breakeven in theory, it becomes a slightly losing play after you take the rake into account.
And if a play is slightly profitable in theory, it becomes breakeven after the rake.
This means your best bet is to play only strong starting hands (especially if you are a beginner) and avoid getting involved in marginal spots altogether.
This is something that I actually talked about in my latest YouTube video...
"How I started winning at poker in 30 days"
Never miss my new YouTube poker videos. Join 120,000+ who are already subscribed.
How to Win on GGPoker Tip #2: Play Most Hands in Position to Get an Edge
Regardless of the poker format you choose to play, playing in position is just about the biggest advantage you can have in the game.
To play in position means being the last to act in a betting round.
Here’s why you should play most hands in position:
A) To get more information
If you’re the last to act, you get to see what your opponents do, but they have no idea what you’re about to do.
Poker is a game of incomplete information, and the player with the informational advantage will come out on top more often than not.
B) To control the pot size
When playing in position, you get a final say at the price of the pot.
If you have a strong hand, you can bet or raise to inflate the pot size and put more money in the middle.
If you have a mediocre or drawing hand, you can just call and check behind to keep the pot size more manageable.
C) To bluff more effectively
Due to the positional disadvantage, players playing out of position won’t be as inclined to fight back for pots.
This means you can often push them out of the pot with a well-timed bluff.
For example, when your opponent checks to you, it’s usually a sign of weakness, which means you can often make them fold with a bet.
D) To realize your equity
Your hand equity refers to the percentage chance of winning the pot if players went to showdown without making any additional bets.
When playing in position, you’ll be able to get to showdown more often, meaning you’ll be able to realize your equity more often.
For example, if you have a mediocre hand that’s not quite strong enough to value bet with, you can still sometimes win the pot by getting to showdown.
So how do you play more hands in position?
You simply open-raise more hands when you’re playing in late table positions (namely the cutoff and the button).
By the way, if you don't know what the seats are at the poker table, there are diagrams walking you through all the seats in my free poker cheat sheet.
By the way, if you don't know what the seats are at the poker table, there are diagrams walking you through all the seats in my free poker cheat sheet.
Bottom Line:
When playing on the button on GGPoker, you will always have a positional advantage post flop.
This is why the button is going to be your most profitable seat over the long run.
The second most profitable seat should be the cutoff, i.e. the seat on the direct right on the button.
The farther you are from the button, the more selective you should be with the hands you choose to play.
That’s because you’re less likely to play in position post flop the farther you are from the button.
Similarly, you should be careful when playing in the blinds, because you will always play out of position in the blinds.
The only exception is when you’re playing in the big blind against the small blind.
How to Win on GGPoker Example Hand #1
6-max GGPoker Cash Game, Effective Stack Size: 100 BB
You are dealt Q♦T♣ UTG (under the gun).
You: ???
You should fold.
While Queen-Ten offsuit is certainly playable from later table positions, it’s best to just fold it when you’re the first player to enter the pot.
If you open-raise under the gun, you’re unlikely to play in position post flop if you get called by players left to act behind you.
The more players left to act behind you, the stronger your hand needs to be to be played profitably.
Worse yet, you run the risk of getting raised (3-bet), which can put you at an awkward spot.
Calling a 3-bet with QTo is unlikely to be profitable, because your hand can easily be dominated by stronger hands in your opponent’s range.
This includes all the premium pocket pairs and strong broadways like AQ or KQ.
For these reasons, it’s better to play a tighter range in early table positions, and gradually open up your range as you get closer to the button.
Playing hands like this from the wrong seats is in fact one of the 7 biggest mistakes beginners make on GGPoker.
Learn to Win on GGPoker Quickly With My Free Poker Cheat Sheet
If so, then I wrote this free poker cheat sheet for you.
This is the best completely free poker strategy guide available online today for GGPoker. It shows you exactly how to crush these games step by step.
Learn exactly what hands to play and when to bet, raise and bluff all in!
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How to Win on GGPoker Tip #3: Play Regular Tables Instead of Rush and Cash
Rush and Cash tables (aka fast fold or zoom tables) are a popular poker format that promises quick action.
On Rush and Cash, you are automatically seated to a new table and dealt a new hand every time you fold.
This means you don’t have to wait around for your turn to act, and you can play way more hands than you would at regular tables.
While Rush and Cash tables allow you to put up an insane amount of volume in short time, these games are arguably less profitable than playing on regular tables.
There’s a couple of reasons for that.
The first and most obvious reason why fast fold poker is harder to beat is the fact that the player pool is going to be playing a lot tighter ranges on average.
This means the recreational player won’t make the common mistake of playing too many hands preflop.
After all, why would you play a mediocre hand when you’re potentially a second away from getting dealt pocket Aces?
Add to that the fact that GGPoker allows players to automatically fold hands below a certain threshold, and you’re looking at a potential nitfest.
One of the reasons recreational players play too many hands is boredom.
They simply don’t want to wait around for a decent hand for too long, so they will play a bunch of junk hands like rag Aces (ex: A♦3♠), suited trash (ex: J♦7♦) and so on.
This is simply not the case in Rush and Cash games, where even the recreational players are likely to be more disciplined with their starting hand selection.
Another reason Rush and Cash games are likely to be less profitable is the rake.
Fasl fold poker usually has a higher rake structure than regular tables, but you’re also playing more rake overall because you’re playing way more hands.
Add to that the fact that GGPoker actually rakes you even if you win the pot preflop, you’re looking at a potential rake trap.
Of course, all of this is not to say that Rush and Cash games can’t be beat.
It just means that you can expect a lower winrate on Rush and Cash compared to regular tables.
So if your winrate is very low to begin with, your results are likely to be very swingy.
The lower your winrate, the bigger the impact the variance will play on your overall results.
But if you’re beating your current stake with a decent winrate, Rush and Cash games can be quite profitable.
That’s due to the insane volume you can put in on Rush and Cash.
So if you’re grinding out a bonus or are looking to win some rake races, Rush and Cash may be a good option for you.
How to Win on GGPoker Tip #4: Don’t Use Autofold Option on Rush and Cash
If you don’t mind a lower winrate and still want to play Rush and Cash tables, you should consider this next tip.
GGPoker allows players to set up the autofold option on fast fold tables, where you’re automatically folding the hands below a certain threshold.
There was a lot of controversy surrounding this feature, and some have argued that this is veering a little too close to RTA (Real Time Assistance).
I’m not going to argue whether or not this was a good idea or discuss the implications this might have for the game in the long run.
But I will advise you not to use this feature for purely strategic reasons.
The most important reason why you shouldn’t use the autofold option is that the hand matrix you select is not sensitive to your table position.
The number of hands you can play profitably will depend on a lot of different factors, namely your table position.
The closer you are to the button, the more hands you can play profitably and vice versa.
This is one of the 21 Texas Holdem strategy tips the pros don't want you to know by the way.
While the autofold option simplifies the preflop game somewhat, it may lead you to miss out on potentially profitable preflop spots.
Let’s use an example to illustrate the point.
How to Win on GGPoker Example Hand #2
GGPoker Rush and Cash Game, Effective Stack Size: 100 BB
You are dealt A♠2♥ on the BU (button).
You: ???
You should open-raise to 2.5 BB.
Let’s say you set up the autofold option so you’re folding out all the rag Aces (i.e. offsuit Aces with weak kickers).
While you should probably fold rag Aces from early table positions, there’s nothing wrong with open-raising with them on the button.
When you’re playing on the button, you can often get away with open-raising an insanely wide range.
I literally wrote an entire book about this which shows how I was able to create some of the highest winnings of all time.
This is especially the case if the opponents in the blinds aren’t likely to defend their blinds as often as they should, which is a common occurrence on Rush and Cash.
In Rush and Cash games, a lot of players won’t bother defending their blinds because:
a) they don’t like playing out of position
b) they can just fold and wait for a better spot.
This can make blind stealing very profitable in these games.
This brings us to the last reason why you shouldn’t use the autofold option, and that’s because it doesn’t really teach you how to play poker.
It removes a huge part of the decision making process from the game, which stops you from improving as a poker player.
This isn’t a huge issue if you’re just playing poker for fun.
But if you’re reading this article, it means you actually want to improve your poker skills and achieve great results in this game.
By the way, if you really want to take your game to the next level on GGPoker, I have just opened up enrollment in my Blackrain79 Elite Poker University.
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I show you the exact strategies that I have used to create some of the highest winnings of all time against the weaker players on sites like GGPoker.
My Elite Poker University contains 17 hours of advanced poker training, hundreds of step by step example hands and downloadable "cheat sheets" below all 50 videos.
If you are serious about starting to win consistently on GGPoker, enroll today.
How to Win on GGPoker Tip #5: Use Exploitative Bet Sizing Against Recreational Players
If you want to win big in poker, you need to win big pots.
And the best way to do that is to build up the pot with your strong hands.
In other words, the best way to win quickly on GGPoker is to value bet your strong hands relentlessly.
To value bet means to bet with your strong hands when you can get called by a lot of weaker hands.
A lot of recreational poker players on GGPoker are likely to overcall, which means the best way to play against them is to bet big with your strong value hands.
To overcall means to call more than would be considered “optimal”.
This means calling down with mediocre hands, chasing too many draws, refusing to fold what they consider to be a strong hand and so on.
Check out my other article for the 6 common amateur poker mistakes you must avoid at all costs.
That’s because recreational players often don’t appreciate the difference between their absolute hand strength and relative hand strength.
Your absolute hand strength tells you how strong your hand is in relation to all the possible hand combinations you can make in no limit hold’em.
For example, a set is stronger than two pair, a flush is stronger than a straight and so on.
Your relative hand strength tells you how strong your hand is in relation to the board runout and your opponent’s range.
A lot of recreational players put too much emphasis on their absolute hand strength, while disregarding their relative hand strength.
How to Win on GGPoker (Advanced Hand Analysis)
Let’s look at an example to illustrate the point.
Let’s say you are dealt J♦J♣ on these 2 boards:
Board #1:
A♥J♠8♠6♣2♥
Board #2:
A♥J♠T♥8♣2♥
Your absolute hand strength is the same on these boards, since you have a set of Jacks on both boards.
But your relative hand strength is vastly different.
On board #1, you have the second best hand possible, as the only hand that beats you is a set of Aces.
This means you can bet for value and get called by a lot of weaker hands like weaker sets, two pair hands, Ax paired hands and so on.
That’s not the case on board #2, where your hand can potentially lose to a lot of stronger combinations like straights or flushes.
Hands like K♠Q♦ or 7♥6♥ both have us beat on this board.
This doesn’t mean you can’t still bet for value, but the relative strength of your hand is nowhere near as strong.
And if a regular player raises you, I will often make a tough fold here, as I discuss in my free guide on how to win at Texas Hold'em every time.
Now, versus the bad recreational players that you will often encounter on GGPoker the situation is much different...
Recreational players on GGPoker usually have a hard time folding what they "perceive" to be a strong hand.
So if you have a very strong hand (like on both of these boards), make sure to charge them a premium and get max value from them.
This means you should usually bet big when you have a lot of equity in the hand.
Some players are apprehensive about blasting out big bets because they don’t want to “scare their opponents off”.
So they choose small bets instead so they increase their chances of actually getting called.
But this is usually a wrong approach that just results with leaving money at the table.
That’s because most recreational players tend to be inelastic with how they respond to different bet sizes.
Simply put, being inelastic means that different bet sizes don’t affect how often they actually continue playing the hand.
This has to do with their inability to differentiate between relative and absolute hand strength, among other things.
If they have something they perceive as a strong hand, they will usually play it to the bitter end, no matter the price they need to pay.
Recreational players have a very hard time folding “strong hands” like straights, flushes, and so on.
And if they don’t have something good enough to call you down with, they’re just going to fold their hand regardless of the price.
Don't Slowplay Versus Bad Players on GGPoker
So it doesn’t really make sense to slowplay or size down your bets for the prospect of getting called slightly more often.
When you have a strong hand that has close to 100% equity, your goal is not to maximize the amount of times you get called.
Your goal is to maximize your expected value.
And big bets are simply going to be more +EV over the long run, even if they get called slightly less often than smaller bets.
This means you should look to bet exploitatively and bet big with your strong hands most of the time.
In other words, you should use big bets (and even overbets) when you can get called by a lot of weaker hands.
To overbet means to bet the amount that’s bigger than the current pot size.
A lot of players who play no-limit hold’em don’t really take advantage of the “no-limit” part.
So they default to betting somewhere between half pot and full pot most of the time.
This is not bad by any means, but you can also deviate from standard bet sizing to take advantage of your opponent’s overcalling tendencies.
How to Win on GGPoker Example Hand #3
GGPoker Cash Game, Effective Stack Size: 100 BB
You are dealt A♦4♦ in the CO. You open-raise to 2.5 BB. SB (small blind) calls.
Pot: 6 BB
Flop: A♠9♠8♦
SB checks. You bet 3 BB. SB calls.
Pot: 12 BB
Turn: 4♥
SB checks.
You: ???
You should overbet 16 BB.
This is a good spot to go for an overbet against what seems to be a recreational poker player. Let’s break it down to see why.
Preflop you have a standard open-raise and get called by a player from the small blind.
You flop a top pair, so you fire off a standard flop c-bet and get called again.
The turn is where things get interesting.
The turn is obviously a great card for you, and it doesn’t seem too threatening for the villain.
So if they called you on the flop, they are likely to call you again on the turn, as well.
The question is, which bet sizing to use?
An overbet may bet a good idea in this spot because you are still likely to get called by a lot of weaker hands.
Your opponents will call you with any flush draw, any straight draw like 76, JT, a two-pair hand like 98 and so on.
So it’s absolutely crucial to build up a big pot on the turn, so you can fire off another big bet on the river.
Even though a small turn bet might get called slightly more often, going for a big bet is likely to be more +EV over the long run.
Again, you don’t want to maximize the amount of times you get called. You want to maximize your EV.
Even if you get called once in a blue moon, it’s going to be more profitable than just going for a small half pot bet and picking up a mediocre pot.
Ultimate GGPoker Cheat Sheet - Summary
GGPoker is known for attracting a lot of weak recreational poker players, so the games tend to be quite soft at this site.
And you that means you don't have to be a pro to make a lot of money on GGPoker.
I am well known for having created some of the highest winnings ever in the soft games on GGPoker and elsewhere, by just using a very simple strategy.
To sum up, here are 5 easy tips you can use to start winning quickly on GGPoker.
1. Play tight ranges preflop
If you only play strong starting hands preflop, you will get an automatic edge over opponents who play just about any random hand.
You should only play strong hands that have a good chance of connecting with the flop.
This includes pocket pairs, broadway hands, suited Aces and suited connectors. The rest is trash and should be thrown away.
2. Play most hands in position
Playing in position means being the last to act in a betting round, which gives you a huge advantage over your opponents.
Playing in position gives you an informational advantage, it allows you to value bet or bluff more effectively, and makes it easier to realize your hand equity.
To play more hands in position, simply open-raise more hands in late table positions (the cutoff and the button), and be more selective with hands you choose to play from early positions and from the blinds.
3. Play regular tables instead of Rush and Cash
Rush and Cash is a great way to put in a lot of volume, but it may come at an expense of lower winrate.
Even the recreational players tend to play tighter on Rush and Cash, so this format is likely to be less profitable than regular tables.
4. Don’t use the autofold option
If you do decide to play Rush and Cash, turn off the autofold option. Autofolding may simplify your preflop game to an extent, but it comes at a cost of missing out potentially profitable preflop spots.
Playing every single spot to the best of your abilities will give you an edge over opponents who simply play on autopilot and don’t really think through their decisions.
5. Use exploitative bet sizing
If you’re playing no-limit hold’em, take advantage of the “no-limit” part of the equation. If you have a strong value hand, don’t be afraid to bet big with it.
Use big bets or even overbets to extract max value from your strong hands, especially when you’re playing against opponents who overcall and generally have a hard time folding.
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This article was written by Fran Ferlan
Poker player, writer and coach
Specializing in live and online cash games
For coaching enquiries, contact Fran at email@franferlan.com
Or apply directly for poker coaching with Fran, right here
Lastly, if you want to know the complete strategy I use to make $2000+ per month on GGPoker, grab a copy of my free poker cheat sheet.
