Poker has gone from strength to strength over the years, with millions of players enjoying the game at casinos, at home, or online. Whether you enjoy playing in person or prefer playing online poker for money, micro-stakes poker games are a great way to start learning the game without putting too much cash on the line.

In this blog, you’ll learn what micro-stakes poker is, how micro-stakes and high-stakes poker games compare, and get some tips to help you avoid mistakes when playing micro-stakes online poker.

What is Micro-Stakes Poker?

There are different “stakes” or spending categories in real-money poker games, with micro stakes being the lowest-cost category of poker games. 

Here is a detailed breakdown of these categories and where micro-stakes poker games fit into them.

Nosebleeds

These are ultra-high stakes poker games called “nosebleeds” because the buy-ins and bets are so high that people think they might cause actual nosebleeds. This category of games is generally considered out of reach for most players except for the mega-rich and highly skilled poker professionals.

High-Stakes

High-stakes poker games are games with high buy-ins and bets that are generally considered to be for wealthy or high-skilled players since the amounts wagered are pretty high.

Mid-Stakes

Mid-stakes poker games are games where you consistently see players with skill and talent.

Low-Stakes

Low-stakes poker games are games where you start to see the first signs that players are serious about the game, but they’re still learning, so they don’t tend to be that consistent at the game.

Micro-Stakes

These are the lowest-cost poker games and are generally where most beginners start since these games cost very little money to play. This category of games allows new players to learn the game without risking large sums of money. It’s also where purely casual players who just want to play for fun can generally be found since the games are so affordable. This doesn’t mean these games are extremely easy or an automatic win if you have some poker skills, though; it’s just that the overall pool of playing skills tends to be lower.

You also only tend to find this category of small-stakes poker online, as these games are not very common when playing in person.

Micro Stakes vs. High Stakes Poker Games

Players who participate in micro-stakes games tend to have a lower skill level than players who compete in high-stakes games. As a result, these two categories of poker games tend to offer very different experiences and require very different strategies to win.

Firstly, there’s the cost difference, with buy-in being often less than $5 and bets being as little as $0.01 in micro stakes games, while high stakes games can have buy-in of thousands of dollars, with bets starting at $50 or more. 

Micro-stakes and high-stakes poker games also have very different atmospheres because of the goals of players in each category. A player in a micro-stakes game is likely just there to learn or have fun, while a player in a high-stakes game is there to win. As a result, micro-stakes games tend to be more chatty and relaxed, while high-stakes poker games have a more serious atmosphere.

There are also very different levels of risk in each of these categories. Surprisingly, you’d expect players in micro or low-stakes games to take more risks, considering how much they’re betting. This category is home to beginners, as well as players with small bankrolls, which are both risk-averse groups. On the other hand, high-stakes poker games tend to have more players taking (calculated) risks since they are far less afraid to lose the money, either because they have more or because they know they can win it back.

Poker Tips for Micro-Stakes Poker Games

Whether you’re new or just someone who prefers micro-stakes games, it’s important to have a micro-stakes poker strategy that can help you close out your games. Here are some tips to help you crush at micro-stakes poker.

1. Don’t Try to Bluff at This Level of Play

At this level of play, you want to get to grips with the fundamentals of poker and avoid trying to trick other players. This is because most players at this level simply don’t know when they should back off and are likely to face you down, regardless of what you’re holding.

2. Put Pressure on Players Before the Flop

If you have the nuts or even just the strong hand, you want to let other players know that it’s dangerous for them to stay in a hand by betting big before the flop.

3. Play Aggressively and Bet Big on Strong Hands

Learn what strong hands are in a poker game and bet big on them when you do. This applies to all stages of the game. At this level, most players are extremely cautious and will back down, even if you don’t have the nuts. Naturally, there are situations where your outs become weaker as the game progresses, but you’ll learn how to identify these situations over time.

4. Spot the Fish and the Nits

You’ll want to be able to identify the fish and nits, albeit for different reasons. The fish is a player you’ll be able to easily beat because they have a poor understanding of the game, while a nit plays such a tight game that they only tend to play hands where they have the nuts. 

5. Don’t Commit to Marginal Hands

As you play, you’ll get to grips with which hands are good and which are weak. While it’s important to understand the best and worst hands, it’s equally important to understand which hands are marginal. These average hands could net you some wins under specific circumstances, but you’ll want to fold if another player likely has a stronger hand. 

6. Avoid Slow Play

Slow play is when players intentionally avoid betting, choosing to check or call even when they have a monster hand. While it may be tempting to try to disguise the strength of your hand through slow play in micro-stakes games, most micro and low-stakes poker players tend to be tight, passive players, which means you’re leaving a lot of money on the table by not trying to boost the pot. This is why slow play is a bad idea in lower-stakes games.

7. Know How Your Position at a Table Affects How You Play

A fundamental of poker is knowing how your position at a poker table can affect your decision-making. In a nutshell, the player who acts last has the most information and can make the best choices. However, that doesn’t mean being the first to play is bad. As someone playing from an early position, you can exert pressure on other players and force them to match your tempo, regardless of your hand. It’s essential to learn the subtleties of positioning in poker to build a solid foundation of poker skills while playing micro-stakes games.

Find the Poker Stakes To Suit Your Playstyle at Borgata Online

Whether you enjoy fun and relaxing low-stakes poker games or the intensity of high-stakes poker, you can find what you’re looking for at Borgata Online. Borgata Online provides exciting, quick cash games and competitive poker tournaments to suit various budgets, with games available in Texas hold’em and pot-limit Omaha formats.

And if you like to gamble on more than just poker, your Borgata Online account gives you access to even more exciting gambling opportunities. With one account, you can try your luck with online casino games like blackjack, craps, roulette, and slots, as well as epic online sports betting on your favorite athletes and sports teams.

A world of exciting online poker and more awaits when you register at Borgata Online.