HI Everyone,

Newbie to 2+2 but I’ve been playing around 15 years, mostly 2-5 NL live.

I overall play ok and am profitable but I usually struggle against hyper LAG. I was reading Ed Miller’s “playing the player” recently, where he talks about how check calling LAG is the best strategy which obviously makes sense but I’ve been finding it hard to implement.

Here is an example hand I am sure I played poorly recently in live 2-5 NL. Both Villian and myself were deep with > 200 BB. About half the table were nits with a couple TAG and the villain who was very LAG.

Villian UTG+1 raises to $25
I call with As10s on the button, everyone else folds.

Flop A-J-4 rainbow, no spade

Villian checks to me and I bet $35. Villain raises to $110 which has pretty much been his type of move most of the game. I decide to flat call. Turn is a 6s and villain bets makes a pot sized bet for $275. I thought for a while and folded. At the time I figured the chance of him 3 barrelling the river is high and I really didn’t want to stack off with this a top pair middle kicker hand.

Hands that had me beat me were AK, AQ, AJ, and any set, which is a lot of combos. But based on his very loose play he could have easily had any Ax, middle pair, KJ/QJ/J10, and even complete air (he showed a few bluffs like this more than once). His range was really wide which was part of my problem.

In hindsight I think I should have checked the flop back and just let him do the betting. I definitely should not have called the check-raise without intention of calling the turn as well.

I’m curious how you guys would have played this hand?

I get that letting LAGs do the betting and just calling is the best strategy. But if I wait for a hand better than what I had on this hand I’d lose in the long run and get pushed around, whereas on the other hand if I check call him down the whole way I’m really committing a big stack for a marginal hand.

Thoughts?

P.S. I apologize if I’m posting this in the wrong section, I wasn’t sure if 2/5 NL is considered here small or medium stakes.

I think you explained it pretty well here yourself!

Preflop is fine, can sometimes 3b if you think the players in the blinds are good players.

Flop check back imo to realise all your equity, you're not really scared of too many turn cards and if V is hyper lag he's most likely to continue all his gutshots. (KQ KT QT)

As played once you call flop you probably have to call turn. and re-evaluate river.