When opening UTG in 6max is this too loose

I typically open something like Pairs 77 plus ATo plus A8s plus K9s plus, QTs plus TJs plus. IS this too tight ? Is opening 2.5x UTG too small as well?

any suggestions on how to play better UTG

Im no expert but I wouldnt think you would want to be opening stuff like K9s or A8s and ATo. Seems a bit too loose unless you are an absolute beast postflop. Also, why not 55 and 66 if you are opening K9?

I'm no beast preflop just the opposite trying to learn the best way to approach the game.

I would say tighten up to a 9-10% ish UTG range for now, just off the top of my head probably something like 66+, ATs+, AJo+, JTs+, KJs, KQo. Maybe a little tighter even...I dont know search around, fundamental stuff like this is easy to find lots of info on, even with just a quick google search

My default UTG 6 max is 22+ A8o+ Axs+ and 67s+, plus a few suited 1 gappers (4BB). I'm pretty ABC postflop and my calling range anywhere but the button is pretty much non-existent, so I don't get into much trouble. Frankly I don't expect to make much money UTG, so really it's all about generating a loose-ish image, to get value in better positions.

Of course my ABC play can be exploited, but I table select all the time, so if the decent regs get at me, I just move.

Depends, if you have a good postflop game then you could even open all suited aces and ATo+, 56s+, 57s+. But if you are weak postflop you might only want to open only premiums.

Depends depends depends depends

^^maybe i'm missing something but I just dont see how you guys would be not leaking mega $$$ opening 56s, 67s, weak Axs and the like UTG, (let alone playing them abc postflop!?!?)

If you were loosening your opening range in later positions as you should be wouldnt you be playing like 40% of hands? Just dont see how you would win unless your playing super tight super weak fish, please explain.

I like to open all pp's and TJs+, AJo+

And yes, If you start opening like 18% UTG you'll probably end up opening 60-70% OTB, and have a 35-40 overall VPIP

But it depends on how weak your competion is -- with weaker players you can open all kinds of sc's and such. Better players will be able to abuse you.

The biggest winners probably have a 10-11% UTG open frequency, at least in my experience.

This range is really strange. K9s? ATo? Where's the value in that? And why only open 77+? You're still going to run into lots of overcards that kinda push 77 into the setmining category. I'd raise 22+ and JTs+ from utg to start. By extending your PP's all the way through 22 you will help balance your range from the JTs category.

yes you are...it's this

and this

if I'm sitting at a table with a bunch of regs my opening range would be a whole lot tighter.

but I don't sit at table like that. I sit at tables compromising mass multi tabling nits on my left - who don't adjust (not quickly anyway) and fish on my right. My aim is to get into as many hands IP with the fish as possible with as many playable hands as I can.

Also

This is an exaggeration. I open about 35% on the button, but as I said, HU i have no OOP calling range to regs or nits, which cuts down my VPIP a lot because I am folding a massive part of RFI range when there is action before me.

In sum, on a nit/fish table I end up around 30/28, and I know where the fold button is.

I can only speak from my own experience, but when I was opening 18% UTG, I was opening 27-35% from the cutoff, and 50-70% OTB. It was just the natural progression of adding more hands in each spot.

This was several years ago. Poker was a lot different. I think I was 35/30ish or so overall.

aye that's true, but I think we must be careful to differentiate RFI and VPIP.

On the button with nitty blinds in an unopened pot I'm opening 40-50% trending towards ATC if they don't adjust.

However that is rare because the fish on my right will often limp in, min raise, or standard raise, always loose and wide. I'm now folding the absolute garbage, because even IP HU versus fish you want a hand you can do something with.

Also, as I've said my calling range OOP (in the blinds) is tiny and usually just multiway pots.

These things bring my overall VPIP right down and against players who are not watching closely or adjusting (that would be the fish and multitabling nits that I table select on) I get to steal a lot and play the fish IP for fat value when i have it.

Works well at Zoom, where you are often unknown to the villains.

Not recommending any of this above 25nl though - it would be too exploitable against all those good regs.

You are opening a bit loose from under the gun you want be opening roughly 10% of hands that would look more like 77+ Aq ak kjs+

I think some people are going off older advice here. A fairly standard set of opening ranges (I don't use precisely these) would be the following:

UTG: A2s+ KTs+ QTs+ J9s+ 87s-T9s 22+ AJo+ KQo (16%)
MP: add KJo ATo 76s (18%)
CO: add K6s+ Q8s+ J8s T8s-75s 65s A7o+, rest of the offsuit broadways (28%)
BTN: any two suited, any K+, Q6+, J7+, T7+, 97+, 86+, 76, 65, 54 (68%)

n.b. I'm aware this is BQ and would not recommend these ranges to beginners.

^^

Take a look at TDA's range here...I'm actually slighty tighter than that, yet some people commenting I'm too loose.

I don't get the logic behind the 77+ thing at all.

Setmining (done right) is hugely profitable and RFI all pocker pairs is an important part of setmining strategy. It's not just about flatting pp after a raise...it's about getting all your pp cheaply to the flop.

A utg raise is less likely to be attacked with a three bet than a late position steal, so a lot of you EP pp raises will either take down the pot pre (adding to you over pp profit) or see the flop without a reraise.

Moreover small pp are just about the easiest hand to play post flop in NLHE. So whatever else you have in your range, I'd recommend 22+ from utg to everyone playing 6 max.

Actually, I tend to fold 22-55 from UTG. The problem is that 90% of the time they flop zero equity so you simply have to x/f the flop which makes it all that much harder to construct ranges which don't miss value while having an adequately protected checking range.

You = 50NL

Me = 5NL (no balance required )

It depends:
if there are shortstackers you want to open tight
if there are loose guys in the blinds you want to open tight
if there are tight guys in the blinds you want to open loose

but since i see that you are a new player(probably) i suggest you to open only:
66+ AQo+ KQs+ AJs+

It's just that your starting hand choice is weird.
A8o plays pretty bad oop, there are basically no flops you want to see except flopped trips/two pairs.
Suited one gappers and small SCs are also pretty tough to play oop. You may want to include them for balance (which is obviously useless at 5nl), but otherwise it's usually not a good idea.

Why ?
UTG you should be more worried about people on your left than on your right.

Babarberousse,

Pretty much concur...but again, you've got to look at my table make up and what I'm trying to achieve. Which is get the nits out the way and isolate the fish.

If I raise UTG and get called by a nit who has position on me pretty much everything plays bad post flop.

My range is constructed around the table make up at 5nl and the situations I want to be in. Quite often in the nits don't adjust (multitablers at 5nl often don't) i'll open out to Axo. Card removal means the nits will mostly fold and if I get called it will be in the blinds by fish.

Like I said, I've disciplined myself to pot/control and/or fold the danger spots and I said at the outset, my style would not work further up the levels.

Maybe I should point out that I'm not looking to progress my cash play up the levels - I do have the bankroll, but I don't have the time to put the study in. I'm a keen tourney player too.