The holiday season is nearing it’s end, but this last week of the year is always hectic for me. My birthday is in a few days and my sister’s birthday is a couple of days after that. Add to that my new brother-in-law’s birthday is the day between ours, and my sister is pregnant and could burst at any time. I don’t even know what to think about new year’s celebrations…

Luckily, though, I have a minute to write. And I’m very excited to announce the release* of my first poker ebook, Double or Nothing Sit and Go Strategy Guide. As I’ve mentioned multiple times here, I believe turbo Double or Nothing SNGs are the easiest and best way for new and low limit poker players to quickly build their bankroll. And there are many reasons why this is true:

• The average low limit DoN player is awful
• The rake taken for turbo DoNs is very low when you get to the $5.20 buy in (4% of the buy in compared to regular SNGs which are 10% of the buy in)
• DoNs are very easy to massively multitable, meaning you can earn more per hour
• Variance is low compared to other poker structures

I designed the book to be a quick read with easy to understand strategy advice. In most instances, players will only need to make a few adjustments to their game to achieve a high rate of success in DoNs. In addition to the strategy advice, I included practice hands to reinforce what you learned in the strategy sections and make you aware of some of the situations you will be in when playing DoNs.

You’ll learn:

• When to play tight and when to play tighter
• How to take advantage of the mistakes most players make
• How to keep from making those same mistakes yourself
• Why you’ve probably made some mistakes if you have a very large stack
• When it’s an absolute necessity to fold pocket aces preflop
• How to adjust your play according to stack size
• How and when to steal and resteal
• How you can play more tables to maximize your winnings
• Key concepts and strategies for successful play

I’m really proud of the ebook and truly believe it’s a great first step for new and low limit poker players to build their bankroll so they can play at limits where the rake is not as difficult to overcome. Click here to learn more about and purchase The Double or Nothing Strategy Guideat a great introductory price.

*The book has actually been available for a couple of weeks, but today is the official release.

When I jumped back into poker with my short bankroll I had read that PokerStars would soon be spreading money badugi tables. I had never played badugi before, but I thought it would be the best opportunity to build my bankroll, since new poker variants are often a goldmine when first introduced on a site. I learned some basic strategy and tried it out on the play money tables, and realized the game has high variance. I didn’t think my bankroll would be able to handle any swings, even if the chances were good I would be up against terrible competition.

Then I stumbled across Double or Nothing SNGs, and, even though they had been around for a few months, found that the play was still very bad. Better yet, the game has much lower variance than badugi (and many other games). My bankroll shot up quickly. And the games are still excellent for bankroll building.

So always keep your eyes open for when sites introduce new poker variants to their sites. If you can quickly develop a strategy to beat those new games you will often be able to add to your bankroll when the games are first introduced. And if you’re really lucky, you’ll find a game like Double or Nothing SNGs where the players keep playing but they don’t get much better.

Do you remember the WSOP broadcast that showed Hevad Khan multitabling over 20 sit & gos? It seemed like such a ridiculous amount to play at one time, and I know that I thought I’d never be able to play that many. SNGs require too much concentration for me when it gets down to 3 and 4 handed. I’m not able to make the reads that I would need to be successful. But with Double or Nothing SNGs, I’ve had no problem playing 20 tables at once. And I would bet that most players could do the same.

And it’s a good thing because Double or Nothing SNGs present a great opportunity to make a nice hourly rate, which quickly adds to your bankroll. One of the biggest complaints about Double or Nothing tournaments is that they are boring. My first reaction to that sentiment is “You’re probably not playing them right.” I have a hard time believing anyone thinks easy money is boring. My second reaction is the player probably isn’t playing enough tables at once. If you have enough time to be bored then you should open up a few more tables and increase your hourly rate.

Playing a high volume of Double or Nothing SNGs also has other benefits. Tilt control is made much easier if you have many tables going on at once. In most situations, if you are victim of a bad beat, you won’t even be aware of it as you’ve moved on to another table. And if you aren’t aware of the bad beats you suffer it won’t affect your play on other tables. In addition, you will get past any downswings or break even stretches much quicker if you massively multitable these tournaments.

But in the end, the greatest benefit of Double or Nothing SNGs is the speed that you can build your bankroll. And even if you do think it’s boring (again, I’ll never understand how making easy money is boring) you’ll be able to return to your favorite poker variant in no time.

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Want to know the secrets of Double or Nothing SNGs? Wondering if you’d be bored making easy money? Grab your copy of Double or Nothing Sit and Go Strategy Guide today!

When new players discover Double or Nothing Sit & Go tournaments, their natural reaction is “if I don’t play many hands I’ll win every time.” This thought process quickly changes when they see that most of the other players are thinking the same thing. And this is where new players make the wrong strategy adjustments and start playing hands that seem strong, but are actually very vulnerable. You can easily beat these types of players.

Playing tighter than normal is a good first step in crushing Double or Nothing Sit & Go tournaments, but it is not the only step you need to win. Each stage of the tournament requires a specific strategy in order for you to make it to the end. You will be able to build a solid bankroll if you look carefully at your chip stack, your opponents’ chip stacks, the amount of players remaining and, finally, your cards. There will be situations when you will fold pocket aces. And there will be situations when you shove with 72o. Both of these situations happen regularly, and smart players will know when to use each move, and many others, effectively.

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Want to know the secret to crushing Double or Nothing Sit & Go tournaments? Pick up a copy of Double or Nothing Sit and Go Strategy Guide today and start building your bankroll.

This is a bit of a repeat of what was said earlier, but man, the holidays are difficult. I had high aspirations to play a ton of double or nothing tournaments and just haven’t had the time to sit at the tables. So unfortunately I’m going to be calling off the challenge until at least January. I’m hoping that I’ll find time before then to get a good deal of tournies in, but I’m not sure if that will work.

I still believe that double or nothing tournaments are the best way for new players to build their bankroll. The play at these tournies is pretty awful, and the opportunities for new players to build their bankroll are great. But, as this blog is called “Online Poker Bankroll Builder,” I know there are other good opportunities online to build your bankroll. What do you think the best games are? How would you suggest a new player start their online career? And what advice would you give them as their starting? Why? I look forward to your response.

I think I know what my advice would be. Don’t try to do it around the holidays…

In the world of online poker it can be difficult to find a game that is soft enough to win at a good hourly rate. It is especially hard for low limit players who are trying to build their bankroll and move to higher limits. Luckily, most online poker sites have started offering Double or Nothing Sit & Go tournaments, which are the best bet for low limit players trying to build their bankroll. There are many reasons why this game is good for bankroll building:

• The format is still pretty new and players haven’t adjusted. The strategy for Double or Nothing Sit & Go tournaments is much different than standard Sit & Gos and cash games. There is an opportunity to take advantage of the many mistakes new players make.
• Little information is available on the proper strategy for Double or Nothing Sit & Gos. Many players understand that if they play tighter they will have a better chance of winning. But those players are still making mistakes on starting hands and with post flop play. And, as they usually find out when they bubble out of the tournament, playing tight is hardly enough to turn a profit.
• The games are lower variance than most of the cash games, Sit & Gos and tournaments available online, meaning fewer and less drastic swings in your winnings.
• The rake for most Double or Nothing Sit & Go tournaments is lower than comparable Sit & Gos and cash games.
• The structure and nature of the game makes it easier to multitable, meaning more games and a higher hourly rate. In addition, the tournaments often end quicker meaning you can play more tournaments and add to your hourly rate.

If you haven’t started playing these tournaments yet, now is the time! The lack of information on proper play in these tournaments has created an opportunity for knowledgable players to make a good amount of money off of these tournaments. Get in on the action now and start building your bankroll.

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Double or Nothing Sit & Go tournaments are a great way to build your bankroll, if you have the proper strategy. Learn proper strategy with the Double or Nothing Sit and Go Strategy Guide

Ah, the holiday season. Your goals suddenly disappear in the wake of shopping, shopping and more shopping. I’ve tried but I haven’t had the opportunity to really start the Double or Nothing challenge. But, I have time tonight and I’m really going to put in a lot of effort. Tomorrow I’ll have a full update on where I am and how well I am doing.

If you have decided to take on the Double or Nothing challenge, what are your goals? Do you just want to make a little extra money? Do you want to move up to a certain limit? Or are you just hoping you’ll be successful in a new game you’ve heard about?

It’s important that you set goals for yourself when playing poker. Knowing that there is an endpoint will help you stay disciplined and provide the motivation you need to learn how to play better. Even better is to set two goals, one that is short term and another long term. This will keep your long term goal from seeming impossible if you get a couple of victories with your smaller goals.

So, what are your goals?

Poker is growing in popularity every day. But only a small fraction of those who play will be successful. Here are 7 reasons you’re a poker loser:

1. You forgot there were other games besides Hold Em
Hold Em has been the dominant game online and in card rooms since the poker boom. But it’s not the only game there is. While it may not seem that learning games like Triple Draw or Omaha Hi/Low could add anything to your Hold Em game, you’re wrong. Learning all forms of poker and being put in different situations will add to your skills in other games. Become an all around player by learning other games.

2. Hand charts guide your every preflop move
New poker players love hand charts because it gives them a solid first step to understand the game. But as they gain experience, many new players can’t get away from the guidelines given in the charts. You need to adjust your play according to game conditions. Though hand charts are a good starting point, they eventually become too rigid.

3. The term “strategy adjustment” is not a part of your poker vocabulary
This is similar to the problem with hand charts, but it applies to preflop and  post flop play. You cannot play one set way and expect to be a successful player. Good players are going to pick you apart if you don’t learn how to adjust to different conditions.

4. Your idea of bankroll management is checking how much money you have left after every hand
I understand the desire to play higher stakes poker. Everyone wants to move up in limits. But you’re never going to play optimal poker with scared money.

5. You’re playing too many tables at once
Common advice to new players is to play more hands. But adding too many tables too early will hinder your learning of the game. Play fewer tables at first to practice and understand the strategies you learn in books and on forums. Once you understand why you should make certain moves in different situations, you can add tables.

6. You’re letting the rake kill your bankroll
Low limit players have a hard time beating the rake. If you’re a low limit player you need to have rakeback. Even better, you have to move up in limits as soon as possible. If you don’t have rakeback, moving up to higher stakes poker is a necessity.

7. You don’t take advantage of the low variance games online
Some poker games, such as split pot games, have smaller and less frequent swings than others. Learning these games can go a long way in helping you become a successful poker player. Even better, there isn’t as much good information on how to play those games, meaning if you learn proper strategy you have a great advantage over the field.

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Tired of losing at poker? Want to take a shot at higher stakes but don’t have the bankroll? Check out Double or Nothing Sit and Go Strategy Guide.

If you’re a new or low limit poker player you need to move to higher stakes poker as soon as possible. The rake at the lower levels is too much of a burden on your bankroll. In order to build your bankroll, you need to find a low variance, low rake game with bad players. For your money, I believe the best bang for your buck is playing the Turbo Double or Nothing Sit & Go tournaments.

To show you how easy it is, I’m starting a new challenge, and I encourage you to join me. I’m going to start with $50 on PokerStars and multitable the $5.20 tournaments. My goal is to play 500 tournaments a week. This will be a little more difficult since I can’t play my preferred 20 tables at a time (at least not until I hit $100), but I don’t think that will be a problem. I’m not setting an end goal. My goal is for you to see how easily you can build your bankroll with these games.

If you decide to join me in this challenge, please comment on your progress. Good luck!

Tournaments Played: 0
Sets Played: 0
Bankroll: $50
Average Winnings/Set: $0
Multitabling Ability: 9 Tables

As I stated in the post Sorry, But You Probably Won’t Conquer Low Limit Poker, there are low variance online poker formats available that are great bankroll builders. The best format to come around in a long time is the Double or Nothing Sit & Go tournaments available at many online poker sites. If you have never heard of them, the twist in this tournament format is that 5 players get paid double their entry fee instead of the standard 3 players getting paid.

This new format is great for players trying to move out of the lower limits into higher stakes poker. If you learn proper strategy, you can easily multitable these tournaments and increase your hourly rate. The game is still in it’s infancy, meaning many players still don’t know how to properly play. A lot of them understand that you need to play tighter, but that’s the limit to their adjustment. By knowing how to play these tournaments, you have a big advantage over the competition.

Double or Nothing Sit & Go tournaments are also great for new players wondering what game is the best investment for their poker dollars. By playing these tournaments you’ll learn many of the skills necessary to be successful in other forms and structures of poker (and not just Hold Em). With the proper strategy, new players can become acclimated to online poker quickly, and with great success.

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Ready to start playing Double or Nothing Sit & Go tournaments but unsure of the proper strategy? Check out my book: The Double or Nothing Sit and Go Strategy Guide