Extracting Max Value from big hands using aggressive image
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 189
This is more of a situational post, as it pertains to situatins I have been in, opposed to a few sample hands. I generally play $22 - $55 6-max SNG's. I tend to play tight in the early levels, but play aggressively postflop in hands that I am in (c-bet every flop, 3betting opponents who seem weak). So for the most part up until I get about 3 handed, I generally feel like I have a very TAG image.
Very often I find myself holding 50% of the chips on the table once it gets down to 3 handed. (9000 total, I have 4500ish and 2 opponents have remainder of chips). I used to play a very laggy style at this point, but found myself just becoming the table donator and bring stack sizes to about equal. However, I do play more aggressively and open my range of hands that I can open with in any position. I have learned how to lay a hand down tho, even with large blinds/antes making every pot a big pot.
My question is, I find myself raising 2/3 hands of every orbit and playing post flop very aggressively. I take down a lot of uncontested hands on the flop in HU pot. Because I am just running the table over, I tend to thnk that I can start getting big action with my big hands. However, I find myself time and time again flopping a full house after I have raised 3 hands in a row, betting 1/2 - 2/3 the pot and both opponents just instamucking.
I have watched lots of MTT final tables where great players lead with huge hands and get huge action. I kno my image was very TAG in the early stages, however, I have shifted gears and am playing a more LAG style. What kid of image must I build for myself inorder to be able to lead into a pot with the nuts and get paid off. I kno myself, if I find someone getting way too aggressive on his button and he leads paired board, I will 3bet and take pot away a lot of the time.
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 189
Just to add: The reason I find myself not understanding how I am not getting the action I desire is that if I do hit a big hand (say flop top two pair), If i check when I'm first to act, this seems out of the ordinary. I do not check a lot of flops as I c-bet msot of the time becuz I do not play a high volume of pots. If I check, I feel like my opponents would suspect something fishy.
Am I just being too agressive and not mixing up my play enough? Or are my opponents just overwhelmed by my large stack and they know they will most likely have to call at least 2 barrels to play the hand. Some may say, "yes you should mix up your play"
Is there a difference in playing all hands the same way and playing hands very differently. Don't both plays make reading you more difficult as betting patterns have stayed consistent the whole SNG.?
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 221
"I take down a lot of uncontested hands on the flop in HU pot.."
Since, monsters make up such a small part of the game..I can't imagine it really costing you that much in lost cEV or $$..
Although, if villains suddenly started calling all of your c-bets; I'm pretty sure that would suck.
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,840
Quote:
"I take down a lot of uncontested hands on the flop in HU pot.."
Since, monsters make up such a small part of the game..I can't imagine it really costing you that much in lost cEV or $$..
Although, if villains suddenly started calling all of your c-bets; I'm pretty sure that would cause you to make adjustments by only cbetting when you hit or else your roi would suck.
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 17,026
Probably has something to do with the majority of your opponents only play the strength of their hand.
So, they don't really adjust to your agressive style by making moves at you on paired boards because most pair boards are going to miss their hand.