Andrew “luckychewy” Lichtenberger

Andrew “luckychewy” Lichtenberger is a highly accomplished 22-year-old online pro from East Northport, Long Island, New York. Lichtenberger is the perfect example of a young online pro who has been able to transition his skills onto the felts in live tournament poker. He cashed five times at his first WSOP and came just short of his first bracelet, finishing second in Event 41 last June.

Less than two weeks later he was in contention for a bracelet at the WSOP Main Event, before busting out in 18^th place for $500,577.

When he isn’t playing live poker, Lichtenberger kills some of the biggest heads-up cash games on Full Tilt and has amassed upward of a million dollars in just two years. He also took down his first SCOOP bracelet in 2009 when he won the $2,600 buy-in heads-up event for $172,800. He answers readers’ questions this month.

What are some of the biggest mistakes people make online?

–        R. Piper, Milwaukee

The short answer is simply that players don’t adjust to and/or exploit their opponents as best they can. If someone doesn’t fold much, then bluff less; if they fold too much, then bluff lots, etc. Hand reading is a huge part of this and without a finely tuned ability to determine what your opponent has, it’ll be difficult to implement a strategy based around making the optimal play against your opponents most likely hand(s).

How has the online game changed in the last few years?

–        Billy Bob, Laredo, Texas

It’s basically just gotten tougher because everyone is getting more aggressive and realizing that the key to winning in no-limit is being aggressive. People are getting smarter and I’d imagine the number of winning players today is much higher compared to the amount of winning players a few years ago, where most of the players were breaking even/maintaining and a few were really crushing it.

What is the biggest difference between online and live play, other than physical tells, etc.?

–        Pendleton Pete, Oregon

There is just a natural difference that probably stems from the fact that live poker moves much slower and people often have more time to think about everything and take everything going on into consideration. Therefore, people definitely value their tournament life more and play more cautiously than they do online, and rightfully so in my opinion. 

I hear people talk about having good game selection. What exactly does that mean? What should you be looking for when playing cash games?

–        Going Blind, Boston

It basically just means playing in games you think you’ll fare well in and come out a winner over the long term in. I don’t practice much game selection as I’ve always been under the impression that the best way to improve is to play against tougher and more advanced players, though I’ve always expected it wouldn’t be the most profitable.

It depends what you’re looking for in cash games and it varies from player to player. If you’re trying to improve and move up to play tougher opponents, I’d imagine you should follow in my footsteps. Keep in mind it never hurts to move down and grind smaller stakes if shots at the higher stakes don’t work out.

I sometimes lose focus online. What is a good number of tables to play?

–        Bleary in Green Bay

It’s really different for everyone, but for me, somewhere between four to six tables for tournaments and probably up to 12 for cash games.

What kind of notes should you be taking on players? What are important things to recognize?

–        Gumbo Limbo, Key Largo, Florida

I like to take notes that indicate certain things my opponents are capable of. If someone plays a hand a certain way that is different from the norm, it’s always nice to know for the future, as you can extrapolate other tendencies he may have.

How can you best decide what game is best for you? I seem to do OK in tournaments and lose in cash games, but I like cash games better.

–        Conflicted in Athens, Georgia

There’s no way to say for sure which is better for you to play. I’d just include a mix of both in my schedule and if you feel like you’re advancing in one or the other quickly, then maybe put more time into them. It’s also worth noting that certain aspects of both are important for the other. For example, knowing all-in ranges in tournaments is nice for when you’re playing with short-stackers, and knowing how to play a deep stack is nice for playing the early levels in tournaments (or the late ones in tournaments with deep structures).

In cash games, should you always buy in for the maximum allowed?

–        Maximum Bob, Palm Beach County, FL

It depends on your bankroll and if any other good players have big stacks too. I generally buy in for the maximum because that’s the easiest way to play big pots and interesting hands.

What are your thoughts on training sites? Which are good ones and what should I be looking for?

–        Floundering in Fargo

I’m definitely biased because I make videos for leggopoker.com. We specialize in no-limit hold’em, primarily cash games, all the way from the lowest limits to $25-$50. We have some tournament and sit-n-go footage as well as some PLO.