Approaches To Playing Against Pre-flop Raiser...

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

I am still "working on my game" and find that my comfort zone is $100 max buy-in for $1/$2 Blind NL TxHE - Casino Live Game Recently I was playing against a guy who at a full table (seated directly to my right, so he was always acting immediately before me) would raise $10 literally every hand preflop. This was an obvious attempt to eliminate limpers and then concentrate on out playing others after the flop. Initially, it really took me and most others at the table out of our comfort zone, so while annoying, it was effective. I found this annoying because basically what he was doing was turning the "kiddie table" into a $12 blind table. I consider that sort of bottom feeding. If he is man enough to play at a higher stakes table then he should go sit at one instead of pushing around relative beginners at the $1/$2 table.His strategy worked well for a couple of orbits and he built a good sized stack. However after getting a little annoyed, I found a strategy that semed to work against this loose/aggressive style. First I set him up with a couple of well timed bluffs to steal his pre-flop raises. Then I quickly tightened up, only playing VERY quality hands. He turned into a calling station. A couple of other guys quickly adopted the very tight approach to break this guy. Any obesrvations on this guy's approach and strategies to combat it?

[Zach6668 513]

Man, thinking that his strategy is low is just retarded.It's poker. He's there to make money. His strategy was effective because he found a table full of people playing scared, apparently.The best way to defend agaisnt this guy is to come over the top more often. If he's raising every hand, then you don't need a tremendous hand to beat him.You were on his direct left! I'd have a big chubby if I were in that situation. 3-bet to isolate baby! OR, take down $10 extra each time PF.- Zach

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

Man, thinking that his strategy is low is just retarded.It's poker. He's there to make money. His strategy was effective because he found a table full of people playing scared, apparently.The best way to defend agaisnt this guy is to come over the top more often. If he's raising every hand, then you don't need a tremendous hand to beat him.You were on his direct left! I'd have a big chubby if I were in that situation. 3-bet to isolate baby! OR, take down $10 extra each time PF.- Zach

Is it a requirement that some people HAVE to be rude in a reply around here? I said that while annoying, it was effective in the short term given the table. Yeah, it is poker and if I can't take the heat, I should stay well away from the kitchen. Just asking for observations and comments. Thanks for your reply.

[Zach6668 513]

Easy killer. Don't get your panties in a knot.

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

Easy killer. Don't get your panties in a knot.

Yeah, yeah, I know......lighten up Francis!You're right....so anyway......best approach is to steal his pre-flop raises, isolate, and out play after the flops - basically what he was trying to do to us?

[Zach6668 513]

Yeah, yeah, I know......lighten up Francis!You're right....so anyway......best approach is to steal his pre-flop raises, isolate, and out play after the flops - basically what he was trying to do to us?

As long as you are comfortable playing big pots with marginal holdings, then yes.A read on his postflop ability would be good too. Ie, since he commits so much PF, would he be willing to shove his whole stack (or yours) on 2nd pair, etc? A lot of the play depends on his propensity to pay off, OR his propensity to be weak postflop, ie folding a lot of hands after you come over the top preflop.- Zach

[iggymcfly 0]

I will never for the life of me understand people who complain about loose action. I mean, god, he's bored, he's doing the rest of the table a giant favor, and you're complaining about it? Give me a ****ing break.(Sorry if I'm a little testy, but where I play there aren't any live games higher than 1/2 most of the time, and I can identify with Mr. Preflop Raiser a lot more than you. You sir, are a prick.)

[navybuttons 15]

i like calling in position if the players to our left are tight and won't come along.that way if the SB or BB wakes up with a hand we can get away cheaply. also, it's imperative to get reads on this guy postflop. how he bets how much and what he has.eventually he's going to hate us always trying to outplay him postflop and he'll probably get in line.

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

I will never for the life of me understand people who complain about loose action. I mean, god, he's bored, he's doing the rest of the table a giant favor, and you're complaining about it? Give me a ****ing break.(Sorry if I'm a little testy, but where I play there aren't any live games higher than 1/2 most of the time, and I can identify with Mr. Preflop Raiser a lot more than you. You sir, are a prick.)

Thanks for your reply.

[Zach6668 513]

Thanks for your reply.

Don't mind Iggy, he's probably drunk :PHowever, I hope it helps to get into you that these players are a joy to play against, and should provide you with a ton of profit, although the variance can be somewhat high.- Zach

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

Don't mind Iggy, he's probably drunk :PHowever, I hope it helps to get into you that these players are a joy to play against, and should provide you with a ton of profit, although the variance can be somewhat high.- Zach

Clearly. That evening I won more than 4x my buy-in. Mostly from the pre-flop raiser. I was just sort of hoping for some intelligent, respectful, dialogue rather than being called names.I realized pretty quickly that he turned into a calling station. Which enhanced my ability to get value when I did catch a flop.

[Zach6668 513]

I realized pretty quickly that he turned into a calling station. Which enhanced my ability to get value when I did catch a flop.

I'm salivating just thinking of this...

[Sluggo 0]

Then I quickly tightened up, only playing VERY quality hands

Against a loose aggressive player, you need to play MORE loosely and aggressively, not less. This is because his ranges are much wider. This means your holdings will be relatively better, compared to his. If he's raising 100% of the time, that means he's holding a random hand. You should not play tightly against someone willing to put money in the pot with a random hand. You need to play more hands, and play them more aggressively.

[Actuary 3]

Against a loose aggressive player, you need to play MORE loosely and aggressively, not less. This is because his ranges are much wider. This means your holdings will be relatively better, compared to his. If he's raising 100% of the time, that means he's holding a random hand. You should not play tightly against someone willing to put money in the pot with a random hand. You need to play more hands, and play them more aggressively.

no doubt.***************8Iggy,you should be ashamed. Unless, I misread that.****************seems like this guy was beatable because he couldn't fold postflop. So, collectively,a tight table will have someone wake up with a hand enough to play him. And then to be a calling station, well, of course, he'll fortify all ya alls' wallets. Now if he raised every pf and could play good lag poker post flop, we'd have a problem. In that case, I'd isolate with by stong hands and call with my 87s, 44, type hands and use our postion. I don't play much NL.I do know that when you are willing to lose a lot due to variance wit players like this well..not him because he sucked so much and called down post flop) but my point is with high profit comes higher risk. To partake, you should lower your preflop and get in with that player in position. You were on the KatByrd seat.

[iggymcfly 0]

Oh come on. We aren't allowed to **** with the newbs now? I figure that since I make productive, helpful posts 98% of the time, that entitles me to be an ******* the other 2%.

[Actuary 3]

Oh come on. We aren't allowed to **** with the newbs now? I figure that since I make productive, helpful posts 98% of the time, that entitles me to be an ******* the other 2%.

I must miss the 98%.

[aucu 3]

Does sound like a very good place to be. Look to play more with this guy.

[Royal_Tour 0]

I am still "working on my game" and find that my comfort zone is $100 max buy-in for $1/$2 Blind NL TxHE - Casino Live Game Recently I was playing against a guy who at a full table (seated directly to my right, so he was always acting immediately before me) would raise $10 literally every hand preflop. This was an obvious attempt to eliminate limpers and then concentrate on out playing others after the flop. Initially, it really took me and most others at the table out of our comfort zone, so while annoying, it was effective. I found this annoying because basically what he was doing was turning the "kiddie table" into a $12 blind table. I consider that sort of bottom feeding. If he is man enough to play at a higher stakes table then he should go sit at one instead of pushing around relative beginners at the $1/$2 table.His strategy worked well for a couple of orbits and he built a good sized stack. However after getting a little annoyed, I found a strategy that semed to work against this loose/aggressive style. First I set him up with a couple of well timed bluffs to steal his pre-flop raises. Then I quickly tightened up, only playing VERY quality hands. He turned into a calling station. A couple of other guys quickly adopted the very tight approach to break this guy. Any obesrvations on this guy's approach and strategies to combat it?

No offence but i agree with IggyYOu're in a casino gambling. You knew what you got into, you shouldnt be playing with money you cant afford to lose, so with that in mind, he has every right to raise whatever he wants, regardless of limits.Kiddie table?? here is a tip, Dont Gamble

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

No offence but i agree with IggyYOu're in a casino gambling. You knew what you got into, you shouldnt be playing with money you cant afford to lose, so with that in mind, he has every right to raise whatever he wants, regardless of limits.Kiddie table?? here is a tip, Dont Gamble

Thanks for your reply.Did I ever say he didn't have a right to raise whenever he wants?Did I ever say I was risking money I couldn't afford to lose?I know I am in a casino (Thanks Again) - Did I ever say I didn't understand or accept the risks inherent in gambling?Yeesh.I still consider the guy as trying to bottom feed. Which is fine - no poker rule against that. Like I said: If I can't stand the heat, I should stay away from the kitchen. My "Kiddie Table" reference was meant to be self-deprecating. I did wind up changing my style to adapt to his and got paid off as a result. Like I said, I am working on my game and looking to improve. I was just looking for suggestions on how to handle his style - kind of the point of the Strategy Forum - No?Thanks again for your reply.

[Zach6668 513]

Thanks for your reply.Did I ever say he didn't have a right to raise whenever he wants?Did I ever say I was risking money I couldn't afford to lose?I know I am in a casino (Thanks Again) - Did I ever say I didn't understand or accept the risks inherent in gambling?Yeesh.

Dude, your first post DEFINITELY implied these things, or at the very least had them as an undertone.

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

Dude, your first post DEFINITELY implied these things, or at the very least had them as an undertone.

Sorry if I implied that I didn't think he had a right to do so. Yeah, I think he was annoying, but certainly playing within the rules and taking advantage of the table's weakness - If I put my money on the table, then the lesson I learn that evening may be that there is no safe "Kiddie Table" - understood and accepted! I am just as willing to take advantage of his weakness and get as much of his money as possible. I have no ethical problem with that. I can certainly see where by being "annoyed" I was contradicting that philosophy.Point made.

[Actuary 3]

I've always thought I had a knack for getting a feel for someone.Why do I always see other posters, imo, mis understanding the tone/intent of another?Can't you all see the difference between whining and a legitimate question peppered with a tad of frustration, maybe.anywa,y keep posting RAC.

[Sluggo 0]

Because they failed reading comprehension in kindergarten and got put on the stupid track through life.Yes.

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

I've always thought I had a knack for getting a feel for someone.Why do I always see other posters, imo, mis understanding the tone/intent of another?Can't you all see the difference between whining and a legitimate question peppered with a tad of frustration, maybe.anyway keep posting RAC.

Thanks man, will do!

[The Nuts 0]

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