The college NL game I frequently play in (as do a few members of this forum) is wild, psychologically intense, and a lot of fun. Most of the players known solid poker theory, yet totally ignore it; a raise means suited connectors or mid/low pocket pair, a smooth call AA or QQ, a check-raise all in out of position on the river (when an opponent could just check through) means the nuts. Every hand is raised preflop, usually to 6-10X BB (blinds are .25/.5), and most players then shut down post flop even with a strong hand, hoping to trap. I'm usually the complete opposite of the LAGs there - I play tight preflop, limp with drawing hands/low pp's, bet big on flop to protect strong hands, and have been avoiding most of the slow play traps by checking through and not taking stabs at pots. I was the tightest player there, until a few games ago.I decided I wanted to change gears dramatically, because people were getting reads on me too easily. Whenever Yang raises preflop or calls a raise, they say, he's got a great hand - although they aren't sure which great hand it is, and that's how I make my money (Aseem's line). Usually, I'm up a few buyins at the end of the night, but I wanted to see if i could maintain this/improve on it while loosening up a lot preflop. I decided I wanted to play off the tight image I've established there, and try a few nights where I changed from TAG to LAG, playing almost any two to a raise, and throwing in an occasional bluff (which I usually never do). One thing to note - I would never try this crazy loosening of preflop requirements in an online NL game, but in this specific NL game with very deep stacks relative to blinds and mostly post-flop play, I think it was possible to win while playing like this.A few hands really astounded my opponents. Here are 4 of them where I played with rags to a raise and hit bad two pairs, with alternating good and bad play and results. They were all tough hands to play, and I'll put a few more different types of tough spots in the future. I'd love to find some comments from the NL players here about how I did, since I'm usually a limit player.
Hand 1 - 9 handed game.Chief, a great LAG player, raises $3 from UTG. It's folded to me on the BB with 6
4
, and I immediately call :)Flop: A 6 4 rainbow.I check to chief, who immediately puts $10 in. I think for a while, raise all in, with over a $100 and covering his remaining $40. The entire table starts commenting that this is my one bluff of the night, and he thinks about for a long while, and lays down A 10. I have a feeling that if he had AK or AQ, he'd be forced to call; also that if I smooth called for one more cheap card and looked like I was on a draw on the turn, I could check raise him all in. Thoughts?
Hand 2 - 9 handed game.J, a great regular who has developed recently a disturbingly strong read on me, raises $2.50 preflop with a stack of about $60 from MP. I call (with stack of about $120) with none other than 7 2 offsuit. C, a short stack on the dealer button, also smooth calls. Flop: 7 6 2 rainbow.J immediately bets $10, I smooth call, C raises all in for $5 more. J calls, and I try to push here but unfortunately his raise was too small for me to do so.Turn: 7 6 2 9, 2 diamonds.J bets out $20. I push all in here, and he thinks for a while, says something like "you have A 7", and calls my all in. River: 7 6 2 9 3.J turns over 89 suited for an OESD and a pair of 9's (he read me correctly that the flop hit me, although not so hard). C turns over KK (!). I take down the $140 pot with the Hammer
Hand 3: 9 handed.S, a passive player who usually loses, raises $3 from MP. J and two others call (a lot players call his raises, because they know they can get his stack if S gets tied to a hand and can't fold). I look down at 10
2
from the BB, and call.Flop: 10
5
2
. I check, S bets about $12 (he has 30 left), J and others fold to me. I decide to push all in here, thinking he has an pocket pair/overpair, and hoping I can push him off if the overpair has no hearts. He calls quickly, turning over J
J
. He catches a heart on the turn, and doubles up off me.I was thinking that I probably shouldve folded this one of the flop - my weak two pair with no hearts probably was against at least a flush draw, if not a made flush, and I probably could find better spots to take S's money than this. Thoughts?
Hand 4: 4 handedChief raises $2.5 from UTG, and I'm the only caller from BB with 7
9
. Flop: 9
7
5
.I check, Chief bets $5, I raise for ALL of his remaining $30. He thinks about it for a long while, and calls with A
K
. He catches a spade on the turn and doubles up off me.I was thinking that this was just a bad spot for me - both of us had to make this play, and I don't think I wouldve laid down two pair if I had seen the turn spade. Thoughts?
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