Quote:
Originally Posted by VBAces
A group of us have a regular weekly game, and each person is always trying to maximize winnings against each other. Being a typical home game, things get loose, and there will often be pots that are 400-500 big blinds.
On occasion, a few of the players will go to Hollywood Park or another cardroom, and play, sometimes at the same table. There is a debate going on about if there is something wrong with stacking one of your friends in a hand. One opinion is that this is simply another place to play and you play your hand the way you would normally play, and whatever happens happens. Another opinion is that there is a code that says when you go to another venue the goal is to take other people's money, and you should not try to maximize your winnings if you are in a heads-up pot with one of your friends.
Within the opinion that there is no such code is also the opinion that playing this way is actually against the rules, as it would be collusion or softplay.
Within the opinion that this play is acceptable is the thought that if you have an agreement beforehand it is different from if it is just an unspoken code. If you have an agreement, then you should stick to it, but if it has never been discussed then there simply is no "code" to adhere to.
My general discussions with friends on this is -- I'm not check raising my buddy as a bluff. If you have it fine, but rest assured if you call you're running into a top nut hand so don't call with bottom two pair or the butt end of the straight. Be prepared to see the nuts at showdown. My super wild home game guys will raise, check-raise or shove stuff in the home game that in the actual casino they will check-call or check-fold. So if they do come over the top, time to fold if you ain't got #1. That's my friends anyway ... you kinda need to know how your buddies play in a commercial casino as opposed to a home game, which usually plays short handed and short stacked. My general strategy is to play my range as normal anytime my buddy has already folded, and ratchet up hand selection if they open pre. Basically play them like a nit. Don't put a bunch of money in their pot with marginals. But I'm also not a Check Down Bro if I get HU. I will do what I can to pull their stack over to my seat if I can win at show down.