6-Max Cash Game Equilibrium (below NL10) aka: "Why you should stop trying to outplay the guy who limp/calls 72s")

[Manjerica1]

aka: "Why you should stop trying to outplay the guy who limp/calls 72s"
if you’re playing 6-max cash at NL2, NL5 or NL10 and trying to play perfect GTO strategy — stop. For real.


Down here, there’s no “equilibrium”. There’s the dude who calls every pair, the guy who never folds top pair (even if his house is on fire), and the maniac who jams draws on the flop ‘cause he “felt it”.


You can memorize all the charts, know exactly how often to c-bet on dry boards, balance your turn checks like a robot… and still get called on the river by T-high ‘cause “you didn’t look strong”.


Here’s the real game plan:

✅ Don’t get fancy – no slowplays, weird lines or galaxy brain moves. Keep it clean.
✅ Punish limpers – raise hard and play pots against 'em with decent hands. See these guys who limp calls all the time? start doing 7bbs10bbs raises to see if he continues... Do that with your best hands if they continue to play bad hands and be patiente
✅ Avoid hard spots – don’t flat random hands out of position just to “see one”.

And even 7 more 'simple' strategies: ( I took note from them from a RYE cash class)

1. Fold bluffcatchers against big Bets (especially on the River) All-ins, Jams, Donkjams

2. Sizingtells: Big Bets when they should go small a lot (flushcards for example)
- „sizing triggered by handstrength“

3. Win all the small uncontested pots when both players can have lots of air (e.g. SRP gets checked to the River, BTN v BB)

4. STEAL STEAL STEAL in late positions.
- CO: 28+, BTN 50+, SB 50+
- EP: Tight is right. Fold 22-44, 54s etc

5. Everyone forgets 3bet bluffs out of the BB, ESPECIALLY against EP/MP. — Overfold massively ( by the field )

6. Valuebet as THIN AS POSSIBLE ,,, ( TPTK against a week player? You perceived his range as narrow or week, make a bet that you think he will call you and get that money )

7. Don’t try to bluff people of v strong hands (Top Pairs / Overpairs)


Microstakes cash is about simple, solid, and punishing mistakes. You don’t need to “outplay” anyone. Most of them don’t even know what position means.


Wanna become a GTO god? Fine. But first, learn how to crush the guy who min-raises UTG and calls your 3-bet with Q3 offsuit.

 

[fundiver199]

Lots of excellent advice

 

[Manjerica1]

It's the first time i'm taking cash games more seriosly, and guess what?
It is really paying one beer a week hahahah, but it's already something, instead of paying someone's beer'

 

[eetenor]

I assume by "outplay" you define it as (try to make them fold the top part of their range). Some players any pair is thought to be part of the top part of their range. Yes, this is a crucial mistake thinking they will fold.
We always want to "outplay", defined as (using tactics to make the most of their mistakes) all of our V--- some of your suggestions literally were ways to "outplay" players who make certain types of mistakes.

Good post over all.

Regarding GTO
The error most players make is incorrectly applying GTO cut and paste strategies to weak Villains you are correct - they just replicate the solver without adjusting the ranges--they use seat position and stack size ranges not real-world player ranges.
A GTO solver is very effective for low stakes when you know how to adjust it for ranges (AI solve or Node lock)--You can even do so on the free version by moving your V's position mentally --- based on your experience of their exploit style or your player pools shared habits

While it does not specifically help with whales stations and maniacs--the rest of your player pool falls in the ok to solid player skill level-solvers are great for learning to maximize your EV vs them when we make the right range adjustments.

 

[or3o1990]

Some solid tips here. The reality is that you don't have to be balanced at all if no one or at least most players in your game aren't going to exploit you.