New player and happy that a group of buddies have put together a weekly home game. Typically 7-9 handed table .25/.50 NL hold'em. None of us has a ton of experience. Think of it as "learning together."

So, in this setting, there is a TON of limping pre-flop. From the SB, it is quite common for the action to get to me with 5-6 limpers ahead.

I have a lot of questions about how to handle this, but to keep the post focused, I will choose one:

Does it make sense to call a very wide range of hands pre-flop from the SB? Everything I read says "never limp from EP," but in this case, why not? Say I have some dog of a dominated hand like J/8 off suit. Sitting in the SB, I may be getting 11:1 pot odds on my $0.25 call. My odds of hitting 2P or better on the flop (from any 2 cards) is something like 50:1 - 2% of the time. But when those hit, the implied odds are often quite large, especially at this table, where stringer bets like 1/3 pot size pull in many callers.

I think this logic is more sound if I tighten up a bit and play cards that have some hope at being a hand - small pairs, suited connectors, 10/J off suit. If so, what is the bottom of that range? Qx? Kx?

Interested to hear your thoughts.
Thanks

I think for me it really depends on table dynamics, how comfortable you are playing multiway with marginal hands and how you are as a post flop player.

With your dynamics, everyone is passive? Then even when you bet bet bet you could just be valuetowning yourself.

For me, I've really nitted it up OOP. I folded KTo in sb for another $1 with 4 limpers. I just don't want to put myself in a tough post flop situation. I don't even think a hand like this would get me paid, more reverse implied of anything.

So I prefer if you're going to limp, do it in LP. Range for me to complete sb is more connectors, pp or ATo+ again... I've really tightened up my range EP..

The advise don't limp from ep is not intended for the small blind...

In a non raked game, J8o 5 or 6 way is probably slightly +EV but not a great hand to play. If you can hand read a little, well at least enough to know that if you bet out on top pair with J8 and get 2+ callers or check it and see it go bet from utg and call from MP your done with the hand...Then its marginally ok . If the games raked the margin goes to the rake and its an easy fold...

In general, weaker hands require steel equity and implied odds. Both of these drop down when played oop. Thats why a hand like 78s is often a fold from the BB, when there is a raise and a couple of callers. Its so much harder to semi bluff from OOP, or extract value when you hit a miracle that it should be folded without incredible odds (25 or maybe even 30 to one implied odds) .

just complete every hand from SB. if you're learning you'll learn faster by playing more hands.

FYP.

Excellent first post, my friend.

OP, the best strategy (imo) depends on what kind of passive your table is. Sure, they're limping machines pre, but how do they react to LP raises? EP raises? How does the sizing of these raises affect the number of players who usually see a flop?

On the flop, are they playing fit or fold and dumping their air and weak hands to c-bets frequently, or calling down multiple streets (or even playing back) with draws and bottom pair/A-high type hands? Are they ever leading into the PFR from OOP or taking stabs from LP if the PFR checks?

For passive tables where multiple villains see a flop even in the face of a raise, but fold to a c-bet, you can print money by raising from EP/the blinds and c-betting a high percentage of flops until the table catches on. With a little study and introspection, I'm sure you can figure out good strategies for the other situations.

Regarding your actual question -- imo, the absolute bottom of my SB completing range in a limped pot where I can expect the BB to check most of the time is something like any two suited plus offsuit connectors and one gappers down to 86o or 65o, but limping presents challenges in hand reading (when you let in an essentially random BB and wide LP ranges) and betting for value (when your 72s hits trips on a 822 board, it's hard for villains to have a 2nd best hand that can call you).

So, it's hard to go too far wrong by raising frequently, since you make the hand easier to play afterwards against more defined ranges, get more value when you smash flops, and rake in easy money when your c-bets get through.

Passive table advice:

Bluff infrequently, especially preflop. Always bet for value.

Try not to call bets with easily dominated hands, like Q10.
Why not? Here is why, lets say I raise JQ,QK, or AQ preflop and you call with Q10 and I will cbet every flop, then that means everytime you miss I will win, everytime you flop a Q I have you out kicked, so you are never Ina fantastic spot.

That concept above was probably the most difficult for me to understand.

You are ready to investigate the idea of reverse implied odds.

It won't be fun to try to be good in this type of home game.

Just go have a blast, get drunk and play for fun.

play good positional poker.

this is probably the most overlooked concept for beginners (and some experienced players also)

here you go

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/17...llsnl-1168186/