We've all been there, right? You go all in with a big flush draw in a 3bet pot, you get called, and it doesn't make it. An orbit later you check-raise a LP dude with overs and get called by ace-high. Now the table is cracking jokes about how FOS you are.

This happened to me the other day. It's pretty obvious what to do after the flop: don't bluff as much. Instead, value bet slightly weaker hands.

I felt lost before the flop, though. I knew I should be playing different cards to match with my image, but I wasn't sure what to do. I thought about it after the session, and came up with:

Don't 3-bet bluff. I don't do this often anyway.

Stop playing 98s-54s. 98s flops top pair+ around 14% of the time. More frequently they're going to flop draws. I don't really want to play a small flush draw if I can't semibluff. I guess I should still play them in LP if I can limp in, but I definitely shouldn't raise them.

Stop playing A2s-A8s too, I guess? Ace-rag doesn't actually flop top pair that much more than 98s does (only 15% of the time). It gets better implied odds on flush draws, since flush-over-flush works for me rather than against me. So it does better than suited connectors in a situation where I'm check/calling my draws rather than bluffing them. I'm not sure what to do with these hands.

Play some more big offsuit hands. Raise EP with AJo and play KQo from MP. I'm more likely to get value from lesser made hands calling me down light.

What are all your thoughts?

There is a hand ranking chart. I would start off by just playing top 10% hands.

I wouldn't really think specifics because there's way too many other factors involved, like stack sizes, player types, table dynamic, etc. But obviously your fold equity has dropped a bunch so you need to 1. tighten up and 2. squeeze more value out when you do make a hand. I find at my tables though, if you just fold a few orbits, all will be forgotten.

I've never been there.

That surprises me not at all

I've never been there in a casino. Maybe around the kitchen table at home for a few £s and after a few beers.

Nrook, it sounds like you are making too many moves postflop and, quite possibly defending vs 3bets inappropriately. From what you say in OP it sounds like you are opening quite wide and/or not adjusting your opening range with reference to position and the other players' tendencies.

Firstly, what is your standard opening range from early position vs a table of unknowns?

Starting out bluffing is starting out spewing. You are going about this backwards. Starting out in the session you need to establish your credentials as a player who has the goods and nothing but.

Then you run a bluff or two on players you have seen fold to pressure.

I think they are amused by the sequence you chose? Or perhaps they thought your draw was too thin, or a long term loser play even if you had won?

Either way, establish yourself as a tough player first, bluff second.

I'm sure I've had a LAG image before but that was because I was getting cards or because the table was easy to push around (or both). Either way I wouldn't start nitting it up if one of those two things are happening. I'll still raise in some spots with suited connectors and suited aces.

What level are you playing? 1/2 or 1/3? 2/5? Something else? If you're talking about 1/2 or 1/3 NL then you are overrating the importance of image.


Sounds like you are playing recklessly to be honest. I don't remember running a c/r bluff with overs like ever. I'd be curious if you posted that hand. Also I doubt you would look that aggressive if you play a flush draw too aggressively, but you might be playing those too recklessly.

I've never had the table crack jokes about how FOS I am.

If you're lost when it comes to basic PF play then that's a problem.

Actually I don't think his fold equity has dropped a bunch. I think several posters here are vastly overrating the impact that image has. It affects the game only a little bit at the most.

I don't post hands if my own analysis says I played it wrong. I only post them to find out to my surprise I played it wrong ;)

What actually happened at the table was, after that particular hand, I said "I'm playing my C game!" and went home. But it got me thinking about what the correct adjustments would be were I to stay. I was playing 2/3 in a casino where that's the smallest game running.

At a table of 100bb unknowns from EP I open 22+, 87s+, A2s+, any two suited cards T+, AQo+. I drop the low Axs and SCs if the table is shorter stacked, since I have less room to bluff and low implied odds.

^My guess is you are under pressure to force the action a bit too much because you are opening a little wide. Particularly if you are playing 1/2NL it is all about value and too wide a range in EP will just see you x/f a lot of multiway flops.

I'm generally a bit on the tight side but just for comparison my EP opening range varies from as tight as TT+ AK AJs+ KQs up to the range you give above. Point is I'm not opening as wide as you do unless the table is tight preflop and weak/tight postflop. Vs unknowns I start off in my nitty little bunker and i don't go outside till I know exactly what I'm facing.