With the live poker hiatus, there were some questions that I wanted to go over before going back. I was mainly dedicating this time to studying, but will definitely be doing 5-10 hours a week playing micros on Ignition.

Anyways, I know we want to be using linear 3 betting ranges vs loose-sticky-stations (loose-sticky-stations kinda sounds like an adult film title lol.) But how much do we change our ranges vs these types of players?

For example, let's say we're in a game with a competent TAG (not a nit) opening OTB, and we're in SB. My base 3 betting range in this spot would be something like 66+, all suited broadways, all suited wheels, T9s, other suited connectors at a lower frequency, ATo+, and KQo. How does this range change when a loose-sticky-station opens OTB and we're in SB? 88+, ATs+, KJs+, and AQo+? Fold everything else?

What about IP? For example, the last time I played live (about a week ago, 2/5, 9 handed, $800 effective), there was a spot where a bad LAG, that was super sticky post, and hadn't folded to a 3 bet yet pre flop opened LJ and it's folded to us OTB with ATs (either blind was 3 betting without a premium) - this seems like such a slam dunk 3 bet in most spots, but are we supposed to be flatting with this dynamic?

Any other thoughts are appreciated, specifically if you don't mind sharing what your 3 betting ranges look like in this spots EP v. EP, MP v. EP, LP v. EP, MP v. MP, LP v. MP, LP v. LP, SB/BB v. EP, SB/BB v. MP, and SB/BB v. LP. Thank you.

You don't have any calling range against loose sticky stations? I love getting into a pot with them cheap and then getting them to play for stacks with a pair when I hit gin, and playing "it depends" poker when I have one pair.

If a LSS opens to a normal raise with 100BB stacks, even OOP I'm calling 22-99, and sometimes SCs and weaker suited broadways. IP I'm pretty much always calling with those hands. I'll 3-bet AJs+, AQo+, JJ+. AJo and TT are a mix.

I have a calling range vs these opponents, I was moreso curious about 3 betting ranges vs these players.

I see your range is a little tighter than mine here. I appreciate your feedback.

One of the things to remember, is that if you are up against a described villains that doesent fold to 3 bets and is extremely sticky post: 3 betting alot from the blinds/OOP can be a living nightmare, especially if deep.

For sure, we want to widen our value 3 bets because these types of villains is playing so loose. But when we simply doesent have any fold equity preflop, it can be a good plan to tone it down again, at least from the blinds. On the other hand if villain have a fold button to 3 bets, we can pick our spots good and go down in quality regarding our hand selection because we will take it down ucontested some percentage of the time.

In position i am 3 betting alot of stuff. Not just to isolate the villain, but also to give villain a bigger pot so he can make bigger more costly mistakes than he would be able to do in smaller pots.

I appreciate your feedback, as always. I completely agree about 3 betting these players OOP being a nightmare. At the same time, like in all spots, there'll be borderline hands that aren't our favorites to 3 bet but we still have to have a bottom of our range. What would you say your OOP 3 betting range would be vs these players? AQs+, AKo, and TT+? Or would you go a little wider.

I'm really curious about your IP range, because you said you'll be considerably wider. Why is that? If we are IP and 3 bet a hand like KJs, for example, we're almost 100% getting called, and then we have to play post flop vs someone with not much of a fold button. Wouldn't it be better to call very wide, and wait to hit our hand with great IOs?

What would be your 3 betting range IP vs these players?

If the premise is that villain doesent fold at all to 3 bets, so were getting called 100 percent of the time and have to play the flop OOP i would guess AQ off and some portion of the time KQ off would be my bottom range. Pure valuewise i would like to also 3 bet more hands for example like A10 off or KJ off, but i leave those out because of the pure nightmare it is to navigate those hands when villain always calls pre and is sticky postflop.

It can be good to flat hands like KJs as your example and try to hit with IO, no doubt. However, if villain is opening really loose and not folding to 3 bets i believe its an even better exploit to 3 bet alot versus him in position and build a pot with a range that absolutely destroys villain. Forcing him to play a bloated pot out of position without initative with a weak range= he will simply burn money to us longterm. Especially if villain is the classic sticky station that loses most money on calling mistakes, rather than betting mistakes. If you feel that you need better board coverage on medium size boards and your 3 betting range gets too facecards heavy, throw in some 7-8s or 9-10s 3 bets some portion of the time.

I prefer a more flat happy approach though like you mentioned if villain is more of the aggro type fish who vill bet huge on scarecards and that sort of thing wich skyrockets our IO. Basically the type of villain who loses most money with betting mistakes. Letting them keep the lead in the hand is huge, because it insentivices them to fire away postflop.

I'm with Garick. I'm more likely to flat sticky players pre and then value the heck out of them when I hit. Garick's range looks pretty good to me.

Seems pretty high variance 3 betting hands like AQo and KJo IP for value versus these villain types. I assume you're right though that we'll be printing in the long run. I guess versus super sticky players we just x flops that we don't have a pair or amazing draw, and then we essentially get a flop + turn by 3 betting IP.

So what would your 3 betting range look like IP and OOP versus these loose passive stations that are super sticky post? What about when they aren't super sticky post? I was hoping you could provide me with some concrete ranges if possible?

Thanks again though, like I said, I always appreciate your advice!

Sixseven, i think its kind tricky to post concrete ranges in each spot- because they changes due to many factors like stacksizes, table dynamics, your own image (losing or winning),sizingtells, opening frequenzies from villain and alot of other stuff. Also my own frequenzies changes of course. Just because i have KJ off in my 3 bet range, doesent mean i 3 bet every combo of it everytime if you know what i mean.

But as a baseline in position against a loose sticky callinghappy guy i am 3 betting something like 99+,KQo,AJo+,KJs+A10s+,78s,109s,J10s.

If villain have a fold button either pre or post, i widen even more in some spots because my EV is bigger when i can generate some fold equity. Mostly with offsuit broadways like KJ off or A10 off.

Yes, this is very helpful. Thank you.