18 replies to this topic

[DTrain]

For the last two months I've been playing in a regular 1/2 NL game twice a week. This is an extremely loose game where a $10 preflop raise will often see several callers (I once made it $30 to go with AA just to see what would happen and still got 2 callers), and by the end of the night there is usually $5-$6K on the table. It's been a very profitable game for me so far, but I've never played at a table that's this loose, and I'm still trying to figure out the optimum strategy. One scenario I'm having trouble figuring out is a weak ace on the button.

In a normal game I'll often go for a blind steal with a weak ace on the button if there have been 0 or 1 callers, and if called try to take down the pot on the flop with a continuation bet. In this game however I've been throwing away anything below A8s from the button, because the game is so loose before the flop and there are so many callers that someone usually catches a piece of the flop. I'm wondering if this is too tight for this game? Is any suited ace good enough for a call in a game this loose? How about if there's been a raise and 3 or so callers? Or is calling with A8 playing too loose in this game?

Discuss.

[linkwood]

I would treat a suited ace like a drawing hand (98s, 33, etc) and try to see cheap flops where you can flop monsters and stack somebody. Stack size is really important though. if this is a 100 max buy in game then early on you should play tight and stay away from the drawing type hands. once you get a good sized stack (300-500) i would start mixing it up by limping/calling more with drawing hands in position to hit big flops and have someone pay you off with some donk hand. dump all weak offsuit aces. i probably would only aq, ak off for a raise. aj off only in position, and maybe a10 off if the circumstances were right. dump all others.

going for steals in this game though is basically suicide. you're going to get looked up. not only are you wasting money, but it seems to me that you're wasting your time. if these people are going to pay you off when you make your hand you don't need to try to make more money when you don't have a hand. you don't have to steal when they are giving it away.

[DTrain]

I would treat a suited ace like a drawing hand (98s, 33, etc) and try to see cheap flops where you can flop monsters and stack somebody. Stack size is really important though. if this is a 100 max buy in game then early on you should play tight and stay away from the drawing type hands. once you get a good sized stack (300-500) i would start mixing it up by limping/calling more with drawing hands in position to hit big flops and have someone pay you off with some donk hand. dump all weak offsuit aces. i probably would only aq, ak off for a raise. aj off only in position, and maybe a10 off if the circumstances were right. dump all others.

going for steals in this game though is basically suicide. you're going to get looked up. not only are you wasting money, but it seems to me that you're wasting your time. if these people are going to pay you off when you make your hand you don't need to try to make more money when you don't have a hand. you don't have to steal when they are giving it away.

That's pretty much exactly how I play it: first couple hours play tight and try to build a stack, because nearly all of my good hands get paid off, then loosen up a bit and try to flop a monster. There's only 2 or 3 players in the game I consider good. Oddly enough we almost never tangle with each other. We keep the max buy-in at $100 to encourage people to play, but everyone in this game makes plenty of money and has no problem dropping $500-$1000 in an evening. It's very common to have a couple $1000 winners and losers at the end of a session.

[linkwood]

That's pretty much exactly how I play it: first couple hours play tight and try to build a stack, because nearly all of my good hands get paid off, then loosen up a bit and try to flop a monster. There's only 2 or 3 players in the game I consider good. Oddly enough we almost never tangle with each other. We keep the max buy-in at $100 to encourage people to play, but everyone in this game makes plenty of money and has no problem dropping $500-$1000 in an evening. It's very common to have a couple $1000 winners and losers at the end of a session.

I don't think its "odd" that the good players are avoiding each other. IMO the only time you should play a big pot with them is when you have the nuts or close to it. No reason to get mixed up with good players when the bad ones are so prevalent and well-endowed.

(not in that way you sicko)

[DTrain]

I don't think its "odd" that the good players are avoiding each other. IMO the only time you should play a big pot with them is when you have the nuts or close to it. No reason to get mixed up with good players when the bad ones are so prevalent and well-endowed.

(not in that way you sicko)

Sorry, I was being facetious when I said "oddly enough". Probably should've made that more clear. Like Mike McD said, you never see pirrhanas eating their own.

But you're right. I can only remember one time when 3 of us were isolated post-flop, and we had all flopped big hands or huge draws.

[linkwood]

Sorry, I was being facetious when I said "oddly enough". Probably should've made that more clear. Like Mike McD said, you never see pirrhanas eating their own.

But you're right. I can only remember one time when 3 of us were isolated post-flop, and we had all flopped big hands or huge draws.

sounds like a great game though. where's the cardroom?

[DTrain]

sounds like a great game though. where's the cardroom?

Kabul, Afghanistan. Yes, you read that correctly. I work with emerging political parties out here. There's a group of about 20 people who play regularly in this game, mainly aid workers, people involved in reconstruction, and security contractors. It is a great game, but it took me a while to get used to how loose it was. I've played with a table full of drunks in Vegas and haven't gotten this much action. Once I got used to that though it was just a matter of playing my game. My average win rate so far is about $45/hour, and I think that will go up over time. Before I started playing in this game I haven't played any serious poker since before I left the US last May, so the rust is just starting to wear off.

[Pot Odds RAC]

Kabul, Afghanistan. Yes, you read that correctly. I work with emerging political parties out here. There's a group of about 20 people who play regularly in this game, mainly aid workers, people involved in reconstruction, and security contractors. It is a great game, but it took me a while to get used to how loose it was. I've played with a table full of drunks in Vegas and haven't gotten this much action. Once I got used to that though it was just a matter of playing my game. My average win rate so far is about $45/hour, and I think that will go up over time. Before I started playing in this game I haven't played any serious poker since before I left the US last May, so the rust is just starting to wear off.

Aid workers, reconstruction, and security contractors have enough spare cash to have games where there is $5-6K on the table 2x a week in a 1/2 game!?!?

[Acid_Knight]

Aid workers, reconstruction, and security contractors have enough spare cash to have games where there is $5-6K on the table 2x a week in a 1/2 game!?!?

I thought that amount of money was ridiculous for a game in Vegas with $300 buyin. Here, he's in Afghanistan, playing a $100 max game with aid workers and there's 5-6K on the table? Anyone else wanna call shenanigans?

[linkwood]

I haven't seen that much money at my 3-5 game. What do they pay aid workers these days?? Our tax dollars, hard at work!

[No_Neck]

I thought that amount of money was ridiculous for a game in Vegas with $300 buyin. Here, he's in Afghanistan, playing a $100 max game with aid workers and there's 5-6K on the table? Anyone else wanna call shenanigans?

you never know, at my house we have had $1500 on the table in a .10/.20 blind game.


THe only time I play a weak ace from the button is if I can open with it.

[Acid_Knight]

you never know, at my house we have had $1500 on the table in a .10/.20 blind game.

Not saying that it's impossible. I'd just wager more money that the numbers are exaggerated than I would that they are accurate.

[Pot Odds RAC]

Not saying that it's impossible. I'd just wager more money that the numbers are exaggerated than I would that they are accurate.

The only reason I didn't play the "BS Card" is because we have all been in games where over the course of a night things escalated to epic proportions... and they are likely a bit of an island unto themselves - sort of a bonding thing going on without much else to do. But I agree that $5-6K several times a week does seem exaggerated.

[Acid_Knight]

The only reason I didn't play the "BS Card" is because we have all been in games where over the course of a night things escalated to epic proportions... and they are likely a bit of an island unto themselves - sort of a bonding thing going on without much else to do. But I agree that $5-6K several times a week does seem exaggerated.

It's the $5 to $6K with a 100 max buyin that gets me. If it were $300 max, then I would be more icnlined to believe it. You're telling me that there are 50 buyins on the table? That is what seems unbelievable.

I don't know why people exaggerate stakes at the poker table. Some people play for pennies, some play for $100 bills. The only difference is if you ask the right people, the stakes your playing for can almost always be small compared to some of the bigger games in the world. No shame in playing 1/2 NL, but don't make it out to be a game as big as a 5/10NL game.

[mtdesmoines]

I thought that amount of money was ridiculous for a game in Vegas with $300 buyin. Here, he's in Afghanistan, playing a $100 max game with aid workers and there's 5-6K on the table? Anyone else wanna call shenanigans?

Some of the contractors there are getting gobs of money handed to them in return for risking their skin, doing everyday work. And then ... there's not much to spend it on, is there?

Add it up: people on the edge, lots of money with no outlets for it = big poker game.

[Acid_Knight]

Some of the contractors there are getting gobs of money handed to them in return for risking their skin, doing everyday work. And then ... there's not much to spend it on, is there?

Add it up: people on the edge, lots of money with no outlets for it = big poker game.

It's not a question of having the money. It is a question of "how the hell do you get 50-60 buyins on the table?"

I mean, some people have to be winning. That means that others must be stacking off every hand that they play and rebuying 10-15 times. Think about it.

[mtdesmoines]

It's not a question of having the money. It is a question of "how the hell do you get 50-60 buyins on the table?"

I mean, some people have to be winning. That means that others must be stacking off every hand that they play and rebuying 10-15 times. Think about it.

I've seen some amazing things. If the game goes on a while and every other hand is an "all in" hand, it can happen in a few hours.

I have seen -- one time -- a $1/2-100 game with at least $8K sitting on it. That was one time. It's not out of the ordinary to see $3-4K on a $1/2-100 game. The stipulation is that there is no bigger game in the room.

[dms26]

Not saying that it's impossible. I'd just wager more money that the numbers are exaggerated than I would that they are accurate.

they're playing 1/2 afghani, it's worth about 2 cents.


it could be believable, since they probably get paid pretty well to be there. I don't many people are heading over there to make 6.75 an hour

[dms26]

It's not a question of having the money. It is a question of "how the hell do you get 50-60 buyins on the table?"

I mean, some people have to be winning. That means that others must be stacking off every hand that they play and rebuying 10-15 times. Think about it.

1/2 100 max is a shovefest. I witnessed it this weekend, 2 or 3 players out of the 10 made it a crazy game. Blind raising to 8, blind pushing for 60. If they aren't concerned about the money I could see it getting to 4-5K on the table over 5-6 hours.