I am struggling with moving up from 1/3 to 2/5. As expected, many of the things that work well in 1/3 are exploited by the better players in the 2/5 games.

I'd like to give 23examples to start of specific things that I am having trouble with. If you can respond to just 1 or all of them I would appreciate it:

1. In 1/3 when I have raised preflop and have initiative and position in a HU pot and the flop is super dry...it is very easy to just standard cbet and take it down. But in 2/5 my opponents also know that the board is dry - and that I miss the board most of the time too. This gives them the option of mixing in some check raising, etc and I am really struggling with how to handle this. My opponents aren't going to just call my raise pre and C/F every dry board they miss.

2. It is much harder for me to get iso and get HU in 2/5 then 1/3. In 1/3 even if there is a couple limpers my normal raise gets it to HU or 3 handed consistently, obviously with the occasional 6 way family pot, etc...
However, in 2/5, regardless of my position when I raise preflop (say $25) 3-5 people call pretty much every time. We end up going multi way to every flop and even if I have position it feels like I am just playing bingo with the other 3-5 players hoping to smash the flop and win the pot. In comparison, in 1/3 I am almost always HU or 3 handed in my raised pots and it is much easier to win pots when I miss flops.

3. In 2/5 my opponents seem to just "make a pair and hold on". Whether that is having a pp like 88 and calling down either a double or triple barrel by me on like a 447J9 rainbow board or making a pair on a dry board and calling me down such as if they hold AT and board is T8842 or something. If I have AK, AQ or any 2 broadway cards am I basically supposed to just be cbetting once and then giving up every time? In 1/3 I double barrel those types of board and get a lot of folds but it seems like it never works in 2/5

Sorry I know this is a long post with many questions. Please just respond to parts or whatever you can. Much appreciated!

I don't play 2/5 sinceit doesnt run close to me, but this thread is very interesting.

Sounds like the only adjustment you have to make is to play abc tag preflop and bet only for value postflop... Interesting that your 1-3 player pool is less stationnary then your 2/5. You might have some tell tbh.

Edit: I hope you didnt base this thread on 1-2 sessions at 2-5. >.>

It's in your head more then there being an actual skill difference. Keep at it and you will see its just like 1/3 mainly.

What is your sample size for 2/5? 2/5 tables are going to play differently from one another just as they can at any level.

Anyways if they are calling too much then raise more for value. 2/5 players aren't generally check-raising with air, but one thing you could do is stop cbetting so much with air. If they are calling too much with 1 pair hands then take them to value town when you have better and don't cbet when you have worse. That being said, your bet sizing probably sucks. Double barrelling should work vs most opponents if your bet sizing is good.

See the many threads on this subject.

You've learned how to play one style that wins at 1/3 without having to make any adjustments. You're now at a level where you have to change your style to win. Think about how to exploit the weaknesses of your opponents as you change levels.

Locked.