In NL 1/2 I find myself in a lot of crazy games. I'm a TAG and a lot different from OMCs or rock type players, but to many more wild players there's no difference between a 5 VPIP and a 20 VPIP.

I take seriously the value and excellence of these games. I never complain about getting sucked on and try to be friendly with everyone.

I know it's -EV but lately I've been announcing "nit straddle" which makes people laugh when I post on the button a straddle. Do you think this is a good move to make action players feel like more serious players are less serious and less parasitical?

Perhaps listening to DGAF has made me more conscious of image and making people feel more comfortable with the game. Do you think this is a good idea? Any other tips without my getting stupid with A3 offsuit?

Button Straddle is not a nit move.

Straddle under the gun if you want to open the game up.

Agree on straddling and doing things to make the game more fun - especially when dealing with nits.

You don't have to make -EV plays to contribute to a positive atmosphere. Just be social and likeable. Don't be glued to your phone. Have a beer.

I'd suggest no alcohol ever, don't even have your phone out, and always follow the game.

The No Fun police above... lol I myself am not a big drinker at the table, but sometimes if the table is having fun, being loose and everyone is having some beers, or someone offers to buy a round, you don't want to be the only guy not having a beer at table, and unless you're 5'1, and 90 pounds having 1-2 beers isn't going to affect your game and a lot of times while you're having the 1-2 beers, they'll be crushing 4-5 in that time period and the game will loosen up.

One of the funnest games I ever played in, was a 1-2 game on a Saturday night where some guy, semi regular, probably 30 or so years old claimed everytime he won a pot over $100 he'd buy the table a round if they wanted, usually 4-5 accepted every time it happened, and the game was a blast and everyone was having fun and the chips were flying...

Moral of the story is, Poker is about making money, but that doesn't mean you can't have fun time to time too, and can't throw a few dollars towards a few beers with some strangers at the poker table, and a lot of times, it will benefit the better players more in the longrun anyways..

This 100%

Nothing kills your action more than one guy not having a beer at the table - it really outs you as a shady character who isn't there to have fun but is so hell bent on exploiting any edge they'd rather not have a drop of alchohol even though they could have several without losing any mental edge

same with the phone, headphones and sunglasses - these will kill far more action than you'd get in any imaginary edge

when on the phone though, announce what you're doing - "hey guys my buddy is getting married in Indiana right now so I go to pay attention to the group chat" or "I got a work thing to follow" or "I got $100 on the Padres so following that" - it doesn't have to be truthful - just needs to be a plausible reason to be anti-social and on your phone

swiping tinder at the table is +EV - gives you are a real action image

there was a russian pro i played with a lot in Macau, was a crazy nit, maybe played one hand every 2-3 orbits, if he decided to play he'd put on sunglasses and draw up his hoodie and stare at the felt so you couldn't even see his face - otherwise he would just fold and silently play with his phone - whenever I tried to engage him in any small talk - he'd berate me "no talking, why you trying to get an edge on me"

yes, a lot of small talk is with the intention to feel out someone, but refusing to talk is absurd

of course the one thing he ever said to me off the table when we bumped into each other at a restaurant was "today I got AA three times and everyone folded each time!" like he was surprised that would be the result

I haven't run any simulation on this, they don't allow button straddles in Macua, but I would assume any time you can artificially raise the stakes blind when you have the btn is a +EV move - if it's not, I'd love to hear why you think that

either way, if I were at the table, I'd be highly annoyed that the ****ing nit was extra nitty and exploited his btn as well - I'm of course talking as an outsider but that's how I feel

if effective stacks are pretty deep, an utg straddle mixed in occasionally can actually be +EV - when everyone is shallow it's pretty awful to do but it sets up for very big pots so if the stacks are deep enough then can be worthwhile punching a few straddle tickets to fold T7o and J2s to later wake up with AQo when someone gets out of line in a straddle leveling war where they 4bet you on the same range they'd have folded if you just opened like usual.

But you're a nit, so until you shed that image, you probably won't get those guys thinking it's a leveling war, they may just remember you're a nit so not even the utg straddle may get you loose action.

I think it's great that you're thinking this way, but honestly, slowly sipping a beer and being talktative to the table is the best way to shed your nit image - announcing to the world you're a nit while you have the btn would piss me off to be honest

Wish I could. I quit drinking for weight/health. I agree though.

Thanks for the feedback. I'm not sure that's true though with those guys. A player like me in terms of tightness may find it more annoying but that's not the target audience here. They like straddles period and would rather play 2/5 if they had the stack for it.

My experience is that they want the pots bigger bigger and bigger. If they see a straddle they raise it on principal regardless of cards so it wouldn't annoy them that my straddle made it five. That just means they get to raise bigger. They actually ask me to do it. That's where I got the idea.

A guy yesterday was so nitty that he was moving seats to avoid the big blind. It was absolutely bizarre and I asked him WTF he was doing that.

As with anything, an action loses it's 'umph' if constantly repeated without 'extreme' action. There are so many angles to look at here ...

1) If you never raise your straddle .. useless
2) Why would you want to draw extra attention to your perceived image?

3) There's nothing wrong with taking down pots on the Turn ... even though gaining a few extra 'thin' calls going to the River sounds enticing.
4) If you don't change your actions/play from any other position .. useless

5) I think a better, yet more risky/expensive, way to 'prove' your worthiness at any table would be to 3-bet a touch more ... yes w A3s from the BB!! (and show)
6) Another way would be to simply vary your opening size and see if anyone notices

Your intentions are on the right track, but in your case I don't want to draw 'everyone's' attention to what I'm doing since they 'should' think that there's a secondary plan attached. And since there's a mix of Player's at the table you might draw more attention to yourself than desired. I guess I'm just worried about it looking fake ...

In the opposite light, as someone who has a very high VPIP, if I feel the table getting a little immune or too 'reliant' on my opening bets I will draw attention to my folds by saying 'Take a picture' or 'Another one bites the dust'. It usually has the desired affect within an orbit with Players opening themselves, which allows me to slip in a 3-bet.

As others have stated, I think as long as you are somewhat engaged in the non-poker table talk that most Players are more accepting of how you play. OMCs and NITs who play the part to an extreme become targets and unwelcome sights at the table ... and become 'C' listed for home games. As seen in plenty of 'hero/underdog' movies, ultimately it's better to just be who you are than to try and force something that's not natural (and you get the girl anyway!). GL

They don't need an excuse to 'raise bigger' ... This is another interesting twist. They may actually be trying to get you more involved since they feel your range is predictable and maybe you're a touch passive?

There's a guy in a home game that goads everyone into straddles, and yet doesn't put them out himself!! Why? Because he feels he has an edge over the table and wants them in more pots with their chips at risk so he can navigate at less risk himself. And it's not that he doesn't provide his share of action, but it's only when he wants to provide it .. not 'dark' and bloating of pots before they even begin. GL

Well, they would like everyone to straddle ala Live at the Bike. They'd like rounds of them. It's not just me they ask but standard nits respond with "No Way!"

I don't drink AT ALL. Am I a shady character?

What about the other thirty percent of Americans who don't drink? Are they all shady as well?

https://www.healthyplace.com/blogs/d...-drink-alcohol

It's painfully obvious he means someone that is there solely to prey on the game and is there to win over any other motivation and doesn't care what anyone thinks of them. Poor use of word? Yes, but not sure we need to derail on that one.

I would never judge someone for not accepting a beer. Some people have good reasons not to. However if you don't have problems with alcohol then you really shouldn't have a problem playing your A game with 1-2 beers in you, and it's good for the atmosphere.

BU straddles are bad because you're putting money in blind and halving effective stacks. You don't just have to be +EV, you have to be more +EV than the best position on the table without the straddle. Putting money in blind is never going to be more +EV than choosing which hands you play.

Getting everybody to BU straddle is very +EV, obviously.

I'm a drinker. I never drink while playing cards. I think you're overreaching with

"Nothing kills your action more than one guy not having a beer at the table - it really outs you as a shady character who isn't there to have fun but is so hell bent on exploiting any edge they'd rather not have a drop of alchohol even though they could have several without losing any mental edge".

I don't think I've ever took notice of someone not drinking at the table. I notice if someone is obviously drunk, but that's not the same thing.

Difference between "not drinking" and refusing a drink when a round is ordered.

That said, there is also a big difference between someone declining a drink but obviously still having a good time with the table/talking/laughing vs someone sitting in a hoodie staring silently at a phone and not joining in.

I'll just politely decline the drink if I don't feel like drinking but if they insist I'll tell them I'll have a soda or coffee.

Your mindset in questioning your image when doing it this way is a good one to have and focused on the real value of a small stakes poker pro, customer/fish service. The money in LLSNl comes from stacking opponents who don’t care/mind losing with chips that are flying around the table. Where opponents will call your triple barrels with middle pair, again setting up a culture of stacks zipping in followed by numerous rebuys. Culture is everything if you read up on human group psychology and you want to create a friendly fun environment so people are less inclined to 3B your numerous opens etc. So straddle it up and see how people respond. I wouldn’t even say the word nit it will rub any players who are already losing wrong, just smile and button straddle away and encourage it, and maybe mix in 1-2 UTG straddles to not kill that vibe. The key is not calling a $25 open over your straddle and getting stacked with top pair J kicker.

The key takeaway here is that you don't need to create the illusion of action to get paid in these games.

If you are different from an OMC, but they view you as the same, then you have an advantage from an inaccurate table image. I would try to exploit that, not change it.

Very sound advice, my friend, thanks.