4 replies to this topic

[screech]

I've started to loosen up my nl play a little bit. I've been playing more suited connectors and raising with some marginal holdings in late postition. I've been able to take down alot of ragged flops with nothing, and when I do hit my suited connectors, I usually get paid off nicely.One problem is that I don't know how often I should raise these hands, and how often I should just limp. Obviously, if there are lots of limpers ahead of me, I just limp. But what if I'm first to act? What frequency do you like to use?

[AK33]

I'm in the same boat right now, I'm trying to do the exact same thing. I like to raise with those type of hands in middle to late position if I'm the first one in or if there is one limper typically. The one thing I've noticed about playing this way is that when you raise with better hands you get much more action especially if you've shown your hands a few times. You have to mix up your play and not get into a habit of doing the same thing every time. If you can successfully "change gears" as mike sexton (the lamest commentator ever) likes to put it you can really confuse your opponents and throw them off. The one thing you always must consider is who is already in the pot and what type of player are they. You should have a good feel for each players style after a half hour at the table. I made a mistake last night that cost me a nice $200 pot. I was on a semi bluff on the button after the SB raised and bet on the flop. He checked the turn and I had a gutshot draw and an overcard that I knew was a live card. I bet out on the turn and got called and at that point I should have known not to bet the river but I really wanted to take this one down so I shot out another bet and he called me practically right away. He showed me pocket nines after calling two bets with two overcards and a straight possibility on the board. I thought he was a smart enough player to lay that kind of hand down, now I know what kind of player he is and what I can put him on.So just choose your opportunities carefully and know what kinds of hands a player will call down with, then act accordingly. I wouldn't be in there raising every time with suited connectors, the other players will catch on and run you down unless you change it up. Hope this helps, good luck. ~Slick~

[MasterLJ]

Things like suited connectors are based on implied odds and those are the trickiest to figure out. They change from hand to hand and from table to table so they aren't something you can calculate ever.I've definitely found out the Sekrit Soss™ for wins in tournaments and it's loosening way up pre-flop. One of the greatest skills you can acquire is figuring out whether a pre-flop aggressor is rasing with AK or pocket pair. Online you can go by amounts and position pretty well. Once you have a good idea what you're opponent is holding, then you're set. You have to be able to call all-ins when your 6 pairs on a low board with maybe one over card. You can't expect to flop the nuts, but early on in a tournament you CAN expect pot-sized bets from the original aggressor even with AK that hit absolutely nothing.That doesn't mean calling huge raises with big sik, but it does mean calling with pre-flop hands that have a lot of ways to win against top pair.Not only does Daniel use this strategy, but I played in 3 tournaments yesterday and final tabled at 2 using this strategy. (50 dollar 52 people and 5 dollar 259 people at Full Tilt). Be warned, you are going to get hellatious flames from people with AK asking why you called a pre-flop raise with 56 suited, but none-the-less it's a good strategy. It works the best when you've built some kind of chip lead to be able to call pre-flop raises. It generally is best to play this way in the 2nd hour of the tournament.

[screech]

Thanks to both of you for the advice.I have one more question. Should you try to play these cards early in the tournament when the blinds are relatively low? Or should you wait until the later stages?

[MasterLJ]

screech said:

Thanks to both of you for the advice.I have one more question.  Should you try to play these cards early in the tournament when the blinds are relatively low?  Or should you wait until the later stages?

Most people say that you should play them in the 2nd hour. I go either way. If my table is overly tight, I play them in the first hour and for cheap. If it's early and I have a nice stack, I definitely play them to 3-4xBB raises as long as I'm sure that it's an AQ,AJ or AK raise as opposed to pocket pair (UTG raising 2xBB is a great sign).The point is, get a good read on your table. If they are playing at a tight-aggressive table, as is usually the case, you will profit heavily from low suited connectors that two-pair or flop straight, or even top pair (you WILL get called by AK to at least the turn, if the board turns paint, you may want to get out unless you have 2 pair or better).To expand on why this works, you have to realize which hands are totally and completely dominated...Things like Q 10, J 10, K 10 are all dominated hands that I've pretty much given up playing. If you don't straight, two-pair or flush, you KNOW that someone has something better. That's why low cards work. It's kind of like counting cards in black jack. Your 56 suited gets better and better with more and more players at a tight-aggressive table. They are all cancelling eachother out by playing all the paint, that there aren't any cards left in the deck to hit them and alot more for your low hand.