Open Side Menu Go to the Top
Register
Help Me adjust to this Table Help Me adjust to this Table

06-25-2018 , 02:58 PM
Played a session yesterday of 1/2 for about 4 hours. The table was pretty crazy with a couple $500+ stacks that loved to play hands.

The guy to my immediate left with a big stack loved to check/raise or 3bet on the flop and turn. Basically, he made you play for your stack quite often.

Now, nobody seemed to have the guts to call this guy so I'm not sure how much of it was bluffs, super strong hands, or just top pair with a junk kicker. But, he was playing a lot of hands so I'm going to assume he is playing a ton of junk.

Guy across the table from me seemed pretty tight (folded quite a bit preflop) and he made you play for stacks as well on the flop or on the turn by raising. He had a $500+ stack as well. Weirdly enough, this guy got more calls than the other guy playing everything.

There was another big stack playing a ton of hands but he seemed extremely passive after the flop but he called an all in with a flush draw so I really don't know what to think of that.

Other players were playing a lot of short stacks and were loose passive players. Lots of limping. Except one guy who was loose and passive who got stacked several times and started raising almost every hand to $15.

Does this just sound like "tight is right" and just play only the very best hands and fold if you hit nothing? Should I be limping when they allow me? For example, bunch of limpers to me on the BTN and I have 68o or J2s. Should I limp with them? Or do I just wait for AQ+ or TT+ and raise pre, then fold post flop if I hit nothing or don't flop an overpair? What about cbetting when I hit nothing? I get called a lot on the flop quite a bit if small cards hit the flop and I cbet. (At least, that's what it feels like.) A lot of these pots are obviously multiway.

What about suited connectors when I am in position? Just fold those? What about raising or calling with them?

Also, what should I do when one of these players make it 15 to go and it folds to me and I have something like ATo. I guess I'm just too afraid of MUBS so unless I have a nutter hand then I don't know what to do.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
Help Me adjust to this Table Quote
06-25-2018 , 04:45 PM
That's a lot to digest.
If someone can help you sort through all that, that would be awesome.
Every time you sit at a poker table, I'm assuming this is a casino you're talking about and not some private game with same people, the dynamics will be different.
If you feel uncomfortable, ask for a table change or just get up and take break and find another table when you come back.
I do it all the time. Not necessarily because I feel uncomfortable, I may think the table is simply unprofitable.
All else basically comes with experience.
Help Me adjust to this Table Quote
06-25-2018 , 05:02 PM
There are a lot of questions in your post and I'm not the one to ask about live games, so I just answer the easy one:
Quote:
Originally Posted by tlytle123
For example, bunch of limpers to me on the BTN and I have 68o or J2s. Should I limp with them?
No. Just fold your total junk. Limp along with hands that have a reasonable chance of making the effective nuts, like 44, or 65s, or T8s, not hands that usually miss the flop entirely or that make very weak connections. A good way to lose a lot of money (gradually if not immediately) in soft games is playing hands that make weak top pairs or second pairs, or that make straights that get beaten by boats and flushes. 86o, for example only makes a monster when it flops a boat, or makes a straight on a rainbow 754. Those things just don't happen often enough to make the hand playable even for 1bb. Overlimping crappy hands is what fish do, when they are trying to get lucky. You'll get "lucky" a lot more often if you play hands that actually hit flops and get paid by worse.
Help Me adjust to this Table Quote
06-25-2018 , 05:19 PM
What's the max buy-in to the game and for how much do you buy-in? Knowing if you play for 50BB, 100BB or 250BB obviously changes a lot of things, for example the value of suited connectors.

How much do you love/hate variance and how much does it bother you to lose a couple 250BB stacks?

In general, I'd advise inexperienced players and nits to tighten up and wait for their spots and strong post flop players and action lovers to engage those players and exploit them. Even if the ultra tight approach might be the most profitable one in theory, you're probably not in that game for the long run. So there's a decent chance that the game is already over before you're getting a chance to stack one of them.
Help Me adjust to this Table Quote
06-25-2018 , 06:45 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by madlex
What's the max buy-in to the game and for how much do you buy-in? Knowing if you play for 50BB, 100BB or 250BB obviously changes a lot of things, for example the value of suited connectors.

How much do you love/hate variance and how much does it bother you to lose a couple 250BB stacks?

In general, I'd advise inexperienced players and nits to tighten up and wait for their spots and strong post flop players and action lovers to engage those players and exploit them. Even if the ultra tight approach might be the most profitable one in theory, you're probably not in that game for the long run. So there's a decent chance that the game is already over before you're getting a chance to stack one of them.
1/2 game. Max buy in is 200 (100 BB). I always buy in for 200. If I play a hand or two and dip down below 180, then I add on back to 200. I always keep it at 100BB.

Live game at a casino obviously.

My main concern was that I'm being too nitty. Wasn't sure if I should loosen up and get into the action. It just really sucks because I feel like playing against me is so easy: if I raise and the flop is all small cards, there is a very good chance I have nothing so you can call or raise me with impunity on the flop or turn. If I have a pocket pair, then overs come and I have no idea if they have a real hand this time so I play it scared because there are often 3 or 4 to the flop if not more.

Dunno. Game is hard. Help Me adjust to this Table

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
Help Me adjust to this Table Quote
06-25-2018 , 07:48 PM
You adjust your game to the players in the hand. If you’re on the button and Mr. check-raise and mr. tight and mr. passive are all in the hand, what range do you think is going to be profitable, playing junk or playing tight?

If Mr. check-raise is on the button, that takes away that tool, but gives position. What is the best line to take out of position heads up with him?

So, while your questions are valid, you need to break it down into more manageable pieces to solve the puzzle. Your play is going to depend on who is in or who you expect to be in the hand. That changes every hand youare dealt.

Let me give you an example. My table dynamics this weekend had three players of note: OMC, intelligent ABC, and donkarific young drunk. I was in hands with one, some or all at various points. When OMC, was in the hand I better have AA, KK or QQ. Chances are he was only raising with JJ+ and AKs. Then I needed to figure out if I was set mining or had him beat preflop on bet sizing tells.

When intelligent ABC played, I had position. I played a much wider range and when a scare card came (A, K, flushing or straight) I could bet many times and get a fold. One hand was villain raise preflop $15, call. Flop bet $30 hero raise $150 call. Turn villain bet $250 call. River - spike a scare card, villain check, hero bet, villain fold. Super profitable.

Donkarefic drunk needed a different tact. Sticky as hell. If I didn’t connect in some way I couldn’t flat or bet, it’s just burning money.

Now you get 2 or 3 of these guys in a hand and the dynamics change again.

So as you can see, you play your cards and you play the people.
Help Me adjust to this Table Quote
06-25-2018 , 09:16 PM
Quote:
What about cbetting when I hit nothing? I get called a lot on the flop quite a bit if small cards hit the flop and I cbet. (At least, that's what it feels like.) A lot of these pots are obviously multiway.
Don't c-bet air multiway.
Help Me adjust to this Table Quote

      
m