What you might encounter at DoylesRoom.com

For the past two months I have been spending most of my online poker playing time at DoylesRoom.com. Doyles Room was one of the first sites that I started playing at over four years ago.  I used to know some of the people I played against quite well back then. I am learning new people now. Prior to two months ago, I played almost exclusively at the Limit Hold ‘Em tables.

I used to hold my own at Limit but for some reason Limit is not played as much at DoylesRoom and when I did play it was against players who were better than I was and I lost.

I switched over to No Limit tables and read and re-read my No Limit books to be sure I would have an edge. Since playing No Limit, I have started to build up my bankroll there. Most sessions have shown to be profitable with just an occasional set back.

What I have noticed is the level of expertise by players, even at the .25/.50 tables. It seems that at least four or five of the nine people at the table have read both Super System and Super System 2 by Doyle Brunson.  Perhaps they got the books as a sign up bonus or as a prize. Whatever the case, some of these players make the Doyle Brunson text book moves described in his book. Doyle’s aggressive style of play is not for everyone.  I am not that aggressive, but knowing about that style allows me to defend myself properly.

In general, if you play Doyle’s recommended style of play, you will try to gain control of the table and you will attempt to take the blinds as often as possible. In general, you will enter the table with as large a stack as allowed and you will try to bully your way into winning pots. With good hand selections, you will be able to stand up to anyone who challenges you or tries to stop you from taking the blinds. You will come into a pot by betting the size of the pot and if you are challenged you will bet 3x the pot size to force your opponent to fold. You will show that you are willing to go all in with the worst of it and come out with the best of it. Of course all this sounds pretty good until you realize that perhaps other opponents have cards as well.

Still, these Doyle like players do pretty well and they do win and lose large size pots. In fact, I chose these type of players because of the large pot sizes. They make the occasional error and I sometime find myself in position to take advantage of these errors. Sometimes they overvalue their hands and think that AK pre-flop is the best all-in hand they can have. I don’t often go all-in pre-flop but when holding pocket Aces or Kings I will make an exception, especially when I know the other player’s possible range of cards.

Have you read either Super System or Super System 2 by Doyle Brunson? Do you play his style of No Limit? Are you able to play against that style of players?

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Doyle Brunson’s Super System: A Course in Power Poker, 3rd Edition

Super System 2: Winning strategies for limit hold’em cash games and tournament tactics