After talking to a friend, and experimenting with different styles. I have subbed out my high variance lag play for a conservative tight approach. I am looking for a critique on this particular style. Am I missing out on too much money, or is my reduction in variance worth a lower return for the marginal cost of reducing variance. On average I am pulling in 3-5 big bets an hour on a typical 3-6 or 4-8 game.

The new approach is nothing fancy. Hit top pair with a good kicker, and get a few streets of value. People make enough mistakes, specially pre-flop that there is no need to get to imaginative. Additionally, the approach does not involve a lot of drawing scenarios.

No going to go into a specific hand chart, but selection is rather simple, more or less the top 20 hands, in addition to all the pocket pairs, Axs, and the bigger suited connectors 87s+. Generally, raise with TT+ AQ+ early, and limp in early position with the remainder of the top 20 hands, small pocket pairs, and Axs. As position improves raise a greater portion of the top 20 hands, and throw in a few bigger suited connectors 87s+ and broadway to limp with. Not rocket science.

Other than that, if you hit top pair or over pair, then keep betting unless a draw gets there. At which point be willing to call 1 bet. Likewise if a larger card falls be willing to call 1 bet with second pair decent kicker. With TPTK, and in some situations TP 2nd kicker be willing to go for 3 streets of betting on favorable boards. With TP decent kicker or a decent 2nd pair perhaps only 2 streets of value. Give up to heavy resistance unless you have a big hand.

Over simplified, but should be enough information. Basically go for max value with strong one pair hands on favorable boards, and be willing to call 1 bet on unfavorable boards. With the exception in heads up pots and some 3 way pots, then do not bluff or fire multiple barrels.

This is a level.

Newall's book talks about the pyramid of poker skill.

The biggest pool of fish are loose passive. You can beat and profit from this base of players simply by playing tighter than them. Your stronger initial range will be enough to crush them.

If that's entirely the player pool around you then can stay on the next level and be fine. If you actually want to grow and improve as a player, you will need to develop more skills against other player types. The next progressions are the LAG-style to destroy the predictable NIT-style, then the balanced crusher-style which will pwn all.

Good point PhunkPhish, that explains the crux of the posts. Many people in the 3-6 and 4-8 games play loose passive. Just play 1 step ahead, no need to get fancy and play 2 steps ahead. Do not necessarily make high variance plays if the is an abundance of good spots for decent gains.

I think you are missing out on too much money. You should shoot for 8-10 BB/100 rather than mere 3-5. I think only limping A2s+ and 33+ UTG is way to conservative of an approach and will prevent you from reaching those higher win rates.

Also, its not too hard to spot better plays and adjust. Although, my post is speaking to generalities.

I also limp better broadway hands that are not good enough for a raise.

That's not what I said at all.

I said you can do fine being an uncreative nit if everyone around you is horrible. But if you have any aspiration of improving as a player, you will need to learn and improve beyond that.

How many hours is this 'average'? I think you are probably running very good now. The best stretch of 3 bb/h plus stretch I've had was probably 200+ hours and then the reality set in where I have sessions after session of making minimal mistakes but terrible results. I think long term 1bb/h is probably as good as it gets (in the fishiest pool of players) in 4-8 due to the relative high rake. Good luck!

then 8BB/hour should be attainable.

Given you are making up to $40 an hour playing 4/8 I wouldn't change one thing about your game.

I do have a suggestion: I say roll up your sleeves and battle it out with the sharks at 6/12 to squeeze $60 an hour. If you can cram 2000 hours in a year you'd be making 120k a year. Probably worth the gut wrenching $800 swings in a typical 6/12 session.

But more important: don't forget to refill your prescription asap.

He's been playing 24/7 since February 6 when he had solved poker with his LAG strategy, so like 300 hours.

I think the previous poster is perhaps suggesting that all unsuited kings and such can be overlimped to take advantage of a loose player ahead of you who has already made a mistake by limping in.

If you are making 1/Big Bet an hour consistently at 3/6 or 4/8 you are doing great! I raise pretty much any hand that I'm going to play at those stakes. Sometimes raising a hand like Q-10 early works out better than late position because more people fold. I notice that the bad players always play worse when there is a bigger than average pot to play for. Runner runner flush, straight and trip draws are all "priced in" now

I have been playing a lot of 4-8 at my local casino and have been playing a TAG approach that, as someone posted above, does really well against the loose, passive fish that generally make up at least half of the table. But then I have trouble against the LAGs and advanced, balanced players.

Any tips or strategies on moving your game from ABC TAG poker into more advanced stuff?

I would be extremely surprised if there are any advanced balanced players in your 4-8 game. There are plenty of good instructional videos online (I recommend Deucescracked) if you have already exhausted all the good books (have you?). Solid TAG style will do fine against anyone.

Posting hands here is always useful, as is posting in other folks' threads. Discussion and analysis with players as good as or better than you is one of the very best ways to improve.

Keep in mind if you are beating 3-6 or 4-8 at all in the long run you are doing great, since the rake is usually terrible. I don't expect 1 bet per hour is sustainable for the most part.