Some people may wonder why poker is so competitive despite being largely luck-based. Truthfully, skill and strategy often matter more than your hand in poker. Professional poker players do not aim for lucky wins at big tournaments; they see the bigger picture. They know they can make a profit in the long run regardless of the short-term luck involving their hands. Each poker pro has their own unique playstyle and strategy. Daniel Negreanu, one of the world’s most renowned modern-day poker players, has made his playstyle famous. It is known as small ball poker, and this poker guide will cover all the necessary details.
What is Small Ball Poker?
The small ball poker play style originated from Dan Harrington, a professional poker player and WSOP main event winner. He wrote about it in his book series titled Harrington on Hold ’em, all the way back in 2004. However, small ball poker was mainly popularized by Daniel Negreanu. He used it to succeed in tournaments and even wrote his own book about it in 2008. Small ball poker is a playstyle that revolves around aggressively playing a wide variety of starting hands but only using small bets to save money on failed plays. It is better suited for multi-table tournaments than cash games because it requires larger stack sizes. The main goal is for you to increase your stack by making plays with little risk.
Benefits of small ball poker
This playstyle can be very profitable, as proven by Negreanu himself. Here are a few benefits of this playstyle:
Downsides of small ball poker
Small ball poker, like every playstyle, still has weaknesses. Here are a few of them:
Playing small ball poker
Now that you understand the pros and cons of this style, here are a few tips for playing small ball poker effectively:
Trying out small ball poker
We hope this article taught you how to play poker like Daniel Negreanu in his signature style. GGPoker, the world’s largest poker room, is a great place to practice your skills. Online poker allows you to play more games in less time and is more accessible. You also get free access to poker trackers and heads-up displays many players would pay for just by using the site. Sign up at GGPoker today!
