My game is live $2-5 NL with a $100 maximum and minimum buy in. Everyone starts with $100. After a few hours there are usually several decent stacks and some <$100 stacks, so even if you have built up to several hundred you're likely to be playing short stack poker. Also, it's a 10% to $6 max rake with no flop no drop.

After two months of this game I believe I've figured out something close to optimal strategy. Squeeky tight early, maybe some suited connectors and most pairs near the button for 1BB but it's clear that draws will often not get the needed implied odds and must be avoided. Even AK is problematic. Any continuation bet after a pre-flop raise will be for your stack. I believe a limp is best early and a push late or in the blinds pre-flop.

So now I find the need to adjust this strategy to best take advantage of my opponents gross deviations. Most players here chase the jackpot and call pre-flop raises with all pairs and suited connectors. They call raises with a lot of blackjack 20s, suited or not. They limp in with most anything, A rag, suited gumbo, you name it. Post-flop, they will call a pot-sized bet with any draw if it's close to their stack size. Same for most top and second pairs.

My first inclination was to just loosen up and play more hands but my win rate hasn't shown much of an uptick although the sample is small and includes some draw outs.

My questions for the serious students of the game are: What hands would you be looking to add? Would you pay less attention to position pre-flop?

Thanks in advance for your ideas.

LOL at home game that allows max buy in of 25 BB....lower the damn blinds, raise the damn buy in...c mon please allow some after flop play this is disgusting

It was 20 BB, and it didn't sound like a home game with a rake and jackpot drop.

It might be more fun for poker players if the blinds were smaller, but a lot of casual players like to say, "I'm all in." They also get to sit back and watch the cards come out instead of wondering what someone had.

With a $100 maximum buy-in, I think I'd win a lot more on average with a $5 big blind than a $0.10 big blind. While it is easier for bad players to make a large mistake in proportion with the pot when the stacks are larger than the pot, these mistakes are not as large in absolute terms when the pot starts out so small.

So, I don't view this structure as a disaster.

This is a casino game.

Like every game, there exists some optimal strategy. The one I've found so far is reasonably profitable, 5 BBs per hour in a very slow game. I suspect it could be improved to 7 or more.

find a new place to play

Why? This game is beatable as any. The play is all roughly first level and I earn well.

Correct play here isn't to loosen up but to play tight preflop especially since it seems like you wont be able to steal/resteal much.