[2026 BEGINNER'S GUIDE]Simple modern strategies to beat the lowest stakes online

Originally posted by Maple33
Is this strategy possible in tournaments? Or only cash games? And is it useable in 9max tables instead of 6max?

I’ve been using it online 6max cash games and it’s been amaaaazing! But my friends want to do live tourneys and they also use 9max. Is this strategy still viable?

No, unfortunately the strategy doesn't work for tournaments. That's because the stack in tournaments is constantly falling and rising and you can't just buy back up to 100bb or change tables. Tournaments are also referred to as different game phases. Early game, mid game, late game. The strategy in the phases is different and also linked to the number of big blinds in your stack.
In addition, a chip is not always worth the same. That has something to do with when you start getting money in the tournament, i.e. when you are "in the money", and other factors.

The strategy isn't designed for 9max tables either. You're missing the first 3 positions in the charts. You can try to play the beginner's strategy again at the Lo Jack. In general, however, the dynamics are different at a 9max table. And as I said, as soon as you play a tournament, the number of opponents doesn't matter, because the strategy won't work there.

Here are the statistical values ​​and winnings from a user from the German community:

He writes:

This is basically 95% beginner-level strategy. A mistake here and there, a stupid call, a stupid raise, etc. But that shouldn't be too significant. The leak tracker in PT4 doesn't show me anything that would suggest I should change anything.

A 4bb win rate after EV on NL 5 is already very good for a beginner strategy, and the 8bb on NL 2 is insane.
There may still be variance in the win rate, but it still shows what a successful strategy we've put together.

Hey guys, the ranges have been updated - we are now defending a lot wider against the Small Blind in the Big Blind!

Interessant, dass 9-max eine ganz andere Strategie erfordert wegen der vielen Positionen. Für mich ist 6-max dynamischer und übersichtlicher, aber ich würde gern mal angepasste Ranges für 9-max sehen. Gibt es da irgendwelche Empfehlungen?

Yeah, folded 53s, shouldve looked at chart.

Originally posted by KlausF002
Interessant, dass 9-max eine ganz andere Strategie erfordert wegen der vielen Positionen. Für mich ist 6-max dynamischer und übersichtlicher, aber ich würde gern mal angepasste Ranges für 9-max sehen. Gibt es da irgendwelche Empfehlungen?

Hallo, du bist im englischen Forum, hier kommst du zum Einsteigerthema der deutschen Community, stell da deine Frage am besten noch mal
https://forums.pokerstrategy.com/de/forum/thread.php?postid=21276163

We changed the strategy for the situation, where we are the preflop aggressor and are playing Out Of Position:

Step 2.1.2: You raised preflop (raised pot) and are playing out of position (OOP)!
Flop
Worthless hands are checked/folded.
With any strong draw or monster, we check/raise to 3x. Against another raise, we call strong draws up to 2.5x, and with monsters, we go all in.
All other made hands are checked/called up to 3/4 pot.

Turn
Worthless hands are checked/folded.
If we don't have the initiative: With any strong draw or monster, we check/raise to 3x. Against another raise, we call strong draws up to 2.5x, and with monsters, we go all in.
All other made hands are checked/called up to 2/3 pot.

If we have the initiative, or all players have checked on the flop: We bet for 2/3 of the pot with every made hand. Against a raise, we call strong draws up to 2.5x, and with monsters, we raise to 3x.

River
Worthless hands are checked/folded.
If we don't have the initiative: We bet every monster directly for 2/3 of the pot; against a raise, we raise to 3x. Against another raise, we go all in.
All other made hands are checked/called up to 1/2 of the pot.

If we have the initiative, or all players have checked on the turn: We bet for 2/3 of the pot with every made hand. Against a raise, we raise to 3x with monsters and go all in against another raise.

You can allready find the change in the postflop article.

Hello community!

I'm translating and updating the guide into Portuguese.
[Guia para iniciantes 2025] Estratégias simples e modernas para bater os micro stakes

You can use Google Translate to follow along.

Nice and thx

Just wanted to show my appreciation for this guide! It had been over 8 years since I last played poker / followed it consistently. When picking it up again this summer I was looking for something exactly like this guide; a solid basis regarding hand selection, post flop strategy and bet sizing. After reading the guide, memorising the hand chart and watching the accompanying videos I felt ready to pick up online cash games again - and it is safe to say that my enjoyment so far has greatly benefited from this content.

After getting familiair with the nuances on 2NL, I have moved to 5NL and have found the guide to be a formidable foundation for my play there. It is of course still a small sample size but after 3k hands my all in EV is 14BB/100 with my actual winning far exceeding this. This is most probably due to running hot of course but I don't think capitalising on this hot streak would have been possible for me without this guide.

Thanks guys - will def be using it for the foreseeable future!

Originally posted by Pallando
Just wanted to show my appreciation for this guide! It had been over 8 years since I last played poker / followed it consistently. When picking it up again this summer I was looking for something exactly like this guide; a solid basis regarding hand selection, post flop strategy and bet sizing. After reading the guide, memorising the hand chart and watching the accompanying videos I felt ready to pick up online cash games again - and it is safe to say that my enjoyment so far has greatly benefited from this content.

After getting familiair with the nuances on 2NL, I have moved to 5NL and have found the guide to be a formidable foundation for my play there. It is of course still a small sample size but after 3k hands my all in EV is 14BB/100 with my actual winning far exceeding this. This is most probably due to running hot of course but I don't think capitalising on this hot streak would have been possible for me without this guide.

Thanks guys - will def be using it for the foreseeable future!

It's amazing to hear! Don't forget that you will inevitably encounter some dips along the way - that's poker. Make sure to keep us updated!

Hello, could you check it this hand

FLOP acording strategy is really FOLD ? Against DONK bet max call 2/3 POT ? Including hand like QQ+ ?

NL Holdem 0.10(BB)
HERO ($10.24) [VPIP: 27.6% | PFR: 22.8% | AGG: 39.9% | Flop Agg: 51.5% | Turn Agg: 36.8% | River Agg: 24.7% | 3Bet: 9.4% | 4Bet: 11.1% | Hands: 6335]
SB ($10.46) [VPIP: 22.5% | PFR: 20% | AGG: 26.3% | Hands: 81]
BB ($7.30) [VPIP: 21.9% | PFR: 17.8% | AGG: 34.6% | Flop Agg: 40% | Turn Agg: 50% | River Agg: 20% | 3Bet: 17.1% | 4Bet: 50% | Cold Call: 7.9% | Hands: 77]
UTG ($14.22) [VPIP: 29.5% | PFR: 26.2% | AGG: 39.3% | Hands: 61]
HJ ($16.03) [VPIP: 26.7% | PFR: 24.2% | AGG: 42.3% | Hands: 121]
CO ($11.78) [VPIP: 23.9% | PFR: 21.6% | AGG: 48.8% | Hands: 183]

Dealt to Hero: Q♣ Q♠

UTG Folds, HJ Folds, CO Folds, HERO Raises To $0.25, SB Folds, BB Calls $0.15

Hero SPR on Flop: [12.82 effective]
Flop ($0.55): T♣ 7♣ 5♥
BB Bets $0.53 (Rem. Stack: $6.52), HERO Calls $0.53 (Rem. Stack: $9.46)

Turn ($1.61): T♣ 7♣ 5♥ 4♦
BB Bets $1.53 (Rem. Stack: $4.99), HERO Calls $1.53 (Rem. Stack: $7.93)

River ($4.67): T♣ 7♣ 5♥ 4♦ 3♠
BB Bets $3.33 (Rem. Stack: $1.66), HERO Calls $3.33 (Rem. Stack: $4.60)

Hello, I'm from the German community and therefore don't check in here very often.
In the future, if anyone here is reading along and wants to discuss hands according to the beginner strategy, they are welcome to use the hand evaluation thread from the German community and simply post there in English. That way I'll see the hands directly and can respond more quickly.
German Hand Evaluation Thread

@Poldi
In the future, please don't include the results in the hand analysis, not even as a spoiler. That can lead to results-oriented analysis, which we don't want.

And are you playing according to the beginner strategy? As I see, this is NL 10. The beginner strategy is designed for limits NL 2 up to and including NL 5. At NL 10, you should already be a bit more advanced for NL 10.

Regarding QQ
Flop
Not played correctly according to the beginner strategy! If the opponent donk bets, i.e., bets before it's your turn, even though you were the preflop aggressor, then we only call up to 2/3 of the pot with any made hand that isn't a monster. A monster starts from two pair+.
Here you only have an overpair, which is not a monster. So it would have been correct to fold directly against this large bet size.

The larger the opponents bet in such cases, the higher the probability that they are doing this with hands that are stronger than a top pair, or as in this case, an overpair.
He could hold 55, 77, TT, T7s, T5s in the big blind preflop. He then plays the sets and two pairs so aggressively because he's afraid of the flush and straight draws.
Even if he occasionally holds a strong draw himself, we are already behind with our QQ against the possible range, i.e., all the hands he could play like that. Therefore, this is a fold against this bet size.

Turn
As played, this is also not played correctly on the turn according to beginner strategy. If we ignore the flop and only consider the turn, we would also only call up to 2/3 pot size here according to beginner strategy. The opponent bets significantly larger again, and we have to fold here. Same reasoning as on the flop.
Especially in this case, it should also be noted that our call on the flop was already a mistake. The opponent now bets very large twice, which is an easy fold on the turn. With 86, a completed straight is also possible, which he could be holding.

River
Just like on the flop and turn, you should have folded here according to beginner strategy. The beginner strategy only calls up to 1/2 pot size on the river. But since we should have already given up on the flop and turn, this only reinforces the reasoning that we are definitely behind against the possible hands with which the opponent is playing like this. Fold!
___________________

I would recommend that you play at a lower limit and work through and apply the beginner strategy; then you would have played this hand correctly, for example.
If you have any further questions, just ask.

Originally posted by Paxis
Hello, I'm from the German community and therefore don't check in here very often.
In the future, if anyone here is reading along and wants to discuss hands according to the beginner strategy, they are welcome to use the hand evaluation thread from the German community and simply post there in English. That way I'll see the hands directly and can respond more quickly.

Thanks for the invitation!

You are welcome.

Hello everybody!

I have been trying this beginner strategy now for a couple of weeks and it seems quite nice! Here is one hand which came to me yesterday on NL5 in 888 poker.

In my opinion everything went okay untill river, when I made some mistakes and also was confused with the board. Technically I had a monster, but in paired and 3 on board it didn't really feel like it..

I was quite sure I was behind and will be check-raised so I was thinking just to check behind. For some reason I made a small bet. Partly because of confusing board but also because I forgot what is the correct play for this ♦.

So what should I have done here and any opinions on adjusting to situations like this? Thank you

Pacific Poker - $0.05 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 5 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

Hero (CO): 122.2 BB
BTN: 110 BB (VPIP: 8.33, PFR: 7.14, 3Bet Preflop: 5.41, Hands: 84)
SB: 73.6 BB (VPIP: 14.29, PFR: 0.00, 3Bet Preflop: 0.00, Hands: 7)
BB: 136 BB (VPIP: 28.57, PFR: 25.97, 3Bet Preflop: 17.86, Hands: 80)
UTG: 141 BB (VPIP: 60.98, PFR: 55.00, 3Bet Preflop: 33.33, Hands: 44)

SB posts SB 0.4 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.4 BB) Hero has A♥ J♠

fold, Hero raises to 2.4 BB, fold, SB calls 2 BB, fold

Flop: (5.8 BB, 2 players) 6♦ Q♠ Q♦
SB checks, Hero bets 1.8 BB, SB calls 1.8 BB

Turn: (9.4 BB, 2 players) K♦
SB checks, Hero checks

River: (9.4 BB, 2 players) T♠
SB checks, Hero bets 3 BB, SB calls 3 BB

Hi everyone,
I recently started studying this beginners’ guide and it looks really solid and well structured. However, there are a few things that are not clear to me.
Could someone please explain why there is no calling range after an opponent open raises? Maybe I’m misunderstanding the charts, but it seems that versus an open raise we either fold or 3-bet. The only situations where calling appears allowed are in the special rules section, referring to pocket pairs and suited connectors when there is an open raise and at least one caller before us.
Doesn’t this approach give up set-mining opportunities? I’m also worried that following this strictly might lead to having a 3-bet range that is too high and potentially exploitable by other regulars.
Thanks in advance for any clarification!

Hi hruska,
Welcome to PokerStrategy.com

Originally posted by hruska
Hi everyone,
I recently started studying this beginners’ guide and it looks really solid and well structured. However, there are a few things that are not clear to me.
Could someone please explain why there is no calling range after an opponent open raises? Maybe I’m misunderstanding the charts, but it seems that versus an open raise we either fold or 3-bet. The only situations where calling appears allowed are in the special rules section, referring to pocket pairs and suited connectors when there is an open raise and at least one caller before us.
Doesn’t this approach give up set-mining opportunities? I’m also worried that following this strictly might lead to having a 3-bet range that is too high and potentially exploitable by other regulars.
Thanks in advance for any clarification!

Have a look here...
Starting Hands Chart: Which Hands Should You Play?
Notice the section "Low Pairs"

In that section, the chart does indeed recommend calling if a player raises. The "Call20" is a rule-of-thumb that says, "Call if the effective stack size is 20x the required bet". It is a very conservative rule — other players and coaches will call if the effective stack[1] is as low as 10x the required bet.

What I do disagree with in those charts is the "call" when all players before you have folded or called. That's a limp. I never limp. Lots of people do, but I don't limp or overlimp in cash games. Tournaments are a different matter.

Note: If you were referring to a different chart, create a specific post either in General Poker Discussion or Questions and Answers

Cheers,
VS

[1] "Effective" stack is the smallest of the stacks in the hand. It assumes that if you do hit your set, you can get a stack. This is rarely the case against better players.

Hi!
Thank you for the quick response. I will most definitely take a look at that chart. However i was referring to the chart present in this very topic : "2026 BEGINNER'S GUIDE - Simple modern strategies to beat the lowest stakes online". As i was going through i did not see any calling range with the exception of a couple of special rules.

It’s great that there’s finally a modern beginner guide – but then linking to an article from the early 2000s kind of defeats the purpose. That’s a bit unfortunate.

Modern online poker is very different. There’s much less flat calling overall. “3-bet or fold” has basically become the standard in many spots.

The big exception is the big blind, which is defended much wider than it used to be. The recommended ranges should already be included in the original post.

There are also a few calling exceptions worth mentioning. For example, when multiple players have already called, it can be reasonable to overcall with certain hands like pocket pairs or suited connectors, trying to hit a strong postflop hand in a multiway pot.

But overall, today’s games are much more aggressive. If you call too often, you’ll frequently get pushed out of the pot by a 3-bet preflop. Postflop play is tighter as well, and calling purely for set mining is usually not a good enough reason on its own anymore.

Just my two cents – I think the guide should reflect how the game is actually played today.