Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnnyGroomsTD
I would argue the opposite of this last point. If the better players play better, and the worse ones stay the same, aren't you getting More +EV out of the lower skilled player because they are effectively playing at higher stakes? Also, how many truly skilled players per table do you think is the average at a 1/3 game? If only 2 others at the table are "better" players, then 2/3 of the table is playing less skilled at higher stakes.... Just my 2 cents...
The game playing bigger only really adds value if the recreational players are buying in deeper. Since the games are capped, cutting the deepness/effective big blinds in half absolutely reduces the edge that the skilled players have over recreational players. (Harder to exploit a guy nursing 10 big blinds waiting for a premium to just jam all in preflop)
It's also a stone cold fact that the blinds will play tighter. A lot of people will complete from the SB with a 99% range in a limped pot. With the button straddle you could start to see the SB playing a range under 50%, especially if there is some perceived aggressive players behind isoing and squeezing a lot. The blinds making big mistakes out of position is a huge variable in what makes up a skilled player's edge. Putting on the button straddle almost evaporates that element entirely.
The last reason the button straddle is bad is it slows down the game and dramatically increases the amount of preflop mistakes of players acting out of turn. The sb will not know/forget the action is on them around half the time slowing the game. The UTG player will either fold or rasie out of turn almost half the time when the button straddle is being put on and off sporadically.
The button straddle ruins the nature of the game, plain and simple. Please reconsider and don't allow it.