The game is 10/20nl uncapped with stacks starting at around 4k up to 20k and often rounds of straddles making it 10/20/40 with many pots being $300-500+ preflop. I tend to only play the game when it has close to a full table and isn't a total reg fest. There are two regulars that appear to actively attack me in that game or at least I get that feeling. I feel like they call my preflop raises a lot more than they should and they raise my blinds a lot more than they should over a fairly small sample size. I've noticed that both will call most of my bets on the flop, fold to turn and river bets, and semi religiously bet large if I check on the flop. One player likes to make large commiting river bets that I feel are fairly polarized. In general I would like to figure out why they are playing this way assuming they have solid reasons for doing it and an optimal or near optimal strategy for handling these spots in the future

My general strategy thus far has to been to simply tighten up my open raise range a bit when they act after me and let them bet for me post flop. I am relatively unknown in the game and most likely have a really tight image because I tend to buy in around 4k and with the straddle and general 3bet preflop pot size I'm seeing a lot of mid SPR pots and can often be the short stack at the table.

I feel like this can be hugely +ev for me if I take the correct lines against them until they figure it out and adjust.

some key adjustments I think are needed:
1) tighter open raise range
2) larger open raise sizes due to them calling me too often preflop. standard is 3x making a preflop raise on a straddle $120 so $160-$200 and $80-$100 for the rare time there is no straddle.
3) larger and less frequent continuation bets with mixing in check calling/raising
4) try to play in position against them as often as possible

What would types of mistakes or actions on my part that would make an apparently strong reg exploitative player play the way I've described?(leak(s), reads, etc).

How would you handle strong exploitative reg players who seem to be going out of their way to attempt to exploit you?

PM Sent.

If you are unknown to them then they are unknown to you. Unless it happens at a greater frequency I would not jump to conclusion and start making adjustments. If you can, please post some specific hh's including some form of gameflow/context to get a better idea of their frequency of what you think is them exploiting you.

1- I wouldnt tighted up immediately unless you are getting out of line, especially if they are only calling pre and not aggressively 3!/4! you.
2-sizing up your pfr size won't make a big difference in most situations
3- is much more complicated as far as your ranges in certain spots. I would wait until you have a better understanding of what they are doing before messing with that as far as their range and sizing.
4- in this case I would rather have pos on a fish>these guys


I would continue to focus on game selection and just play your game. Unless these guys are known tough pros I wouldnt jump to conclusions and even then dont, because you dont know how they view you.

If you want better advice we will need specific hh's whether they are vs you or other villains.

Key point is not to panic. Be patient, trust your instincts and pay very close attention to whatever information you see. Chances are they aren't owning as often as you think you so don't worry.

You could be capping your range in spots where you check. Do you ever check/call or check/raise with strong hands?

I think a good approach is to try and trap them with some hands that you may otherwise be betting even if some of those hands are vulnerable to some draws. Since they are calling too loosely preflop and betting the flop when you check, they may end up accidently bluffing too much on the turn and river.

look for and exploit sizing mistakes, 4bet lighter, 3 bet tighter