Since I've started playing 6-handed limit, I've opened up my pre-flop raising standards quite a bit, but I still may not be at an ideal level. So, my question...

What range of hands are open-raises from UTG? Y'all have implied that KTs is a raising hand from there, though it's not advocated in SSHE's MP section. What about KJo and ATo? I'm raising 99 and up, while I'm limping 22-88 (assuming a loose-passive game). Obviously, some of this depends on game conditions...so feel free to clarify.

I've also just recently gotten on the bandwagon and started open-raising QJs, JTs, and QTs from LP. How important are those raises?

Finally, what are the lowest pocket pairs that should be open-raising from the button and CO? (Again, given specific game conditions.)

1. Don't open limp; raise or fold.

2. Read - http://vindikation.com/poker/shorthanded.pdf for guidelines

I usually fold 22 - 77 UTG. Open limping is bad.

I usually raise KTs or ATs and muck ATo, KTo. But some depends on your table.

QTs/QJs is an easy open raise from LP. JTs is meh..close at best...comes down to your blinds.

Finally, what are the lowest pocket pairs that should be open-raising from the button and CO? (Again, given specific game conditions.)

In position, I usually raise 55 and up if I'm first in. I really hate getting involved with 22 - 44 unless I have some maniacs in the blinds that will pay me off. If my table is very loose I'll limp more of my baby pairs and look to be paid off.

My Short handed games are 5 max, so a little different from 6, but still this is what I follow usually.

That link is a good one.

- Jordan

2+2 has a chart that I have downloaded on my computer that seems to be good. Let me know if you want it.

Thanks for the pdf, Canada. And, not ever open-limping short-handed is a really strange concept to me...it's just so...severe, I guess. That said, I tried it out last night and it seemed to work pretty weel.

That said, I think I'm too weak-tight to be open-raising 76s from the button. I just don't think I have the post-flop proficiency to be doing that. I find that my pre-flop hand selection is decent and my post-flop selection is fine, but I think most of my trouble playing post-flop comes when I've raised pre-flop with a "marginal" hand. I guess that's what these forums are for. :-)

That said, I think I'm too weak-tight to be open-raising 76s from the button.


You really shouldn't be in most games.

Against very tight blinds, but then you're opening any two cards on the button against very tight blinds a lot of the time.

Good luck.

So what if the blinds are liable to 3-bet me or call and bet/check-raise the flop?

So what if the blinds are liable to 3-bet me or call and bet/check-raise the flop?


Just fold it.

I'm not sure who came up with it being a good idea to open raise it there, but most people don't.

good luck.

What's at the bottom of your button open-raising range in these games?

Kudos goes to econ_tim

What's at the bottom of your button open-raising range in these games?


Position matters a lot.

I'll open 77 and better UTG as well as KTs and better. I tend to limp-reraise AK, AKs,.QQ-AA from UTG. I don't limp with any weak hands there, but no one ever seems to notice that I only limp to reraise.

On the button, I'm opening a lot more hands, but I'd really want a pair or reasonable high card stregnth as it's likely to be heads up.

I'm folding TJo on the button for instance, which probably gives up a little value, but not enough that I worry about it much.

i don't understand why a lot of people so firmly state an absolute like "never open-limp, only open-raise or open-fold." whatever happened to game conditions?

in the $1/$2 six-max games i play on stars, i'm open-limping a bunch of hands because the tables i select tend to be loose (three-way flops at LEAST, a lot of times four-way and five-way pots, and six-way pots aren't uncommon). why would i open-raise QJs UTG when it performs much better multiway? why would i fold 22 UTG when i know it has great set value against this field?

you have to adapt to table conditions, and to make absolutist statements like "never open-limp" is just flat-out wrong, IMHO.

if the game is loose and your hand works multiway, there's no harm in open-limping if you feel you can get the pot to be multiway that way. if the game is tight, then open-raising or open-folding becomes more correct. but, like i said, i tend to seek out the loose games, so i don't have this mentality of always having to open-raise or open-fold.

just my two cents.

aseem

Not looking at the other posts, so forgive any parroting...

First and foremost, you are going to make money in the marginal "grey area," hands combined with aggression.

I suggest rigorous heads up play (SnGs if you like) to get a really good sense of what a strong hand short handed is.

First thing to note is that heads up, if you pair on the flop, you are ahead the majority of the time. Bet accordingly. This carries over to having middle pair to a relatively non-scary board 3-4 handed. Middle pair is generally a winner here. Also take your heads up play time to figure out where you stand pre flop. Much more often than not, you are ahead with any ace. This means that kicker becomes much less of a concern.

Raise Raise Raise. Disguise your good hands in with junk. You should be extremely aggressive. You pay much more (in the blinds) per hand , short-handed, meaning your rounds are shorter and you need to capitalize on less than steller hands that you are being dealt. You cannot wait around for a monster like you can in full ring.

I know this goes for all types of games, but you should figure out, and adjust to your opponent's style quickly. You should do this in any game, but in short-handed games it's much easier to figure your opponents out quickly since you will be involved in far more hands with them. If they are a calling station, then tone down the aggression, raise with hands when you know you are way ahead, and make them pay when you hit a decent hand. Calling stations *mostly* let you know when they have an extremely strong hand by raising. This is great!! You have their play pinned, they might as well tell you what they have. They call with marginal hands, they raise with superb hands. Sweet, you couldn't ask for more. The point is, figure them out faster than they figure you out. Some people don't even try, or some people type you into one style after the first five minutes and take forever (if they ever) to adjust. If they don't adjust, take advantage. If they do, switch back. You really only need two playstyles at the lower limits to do this... aggressive, and semi-aggressive =P. Semi-aggressive meaning raising less pre-flop (unless of course you have a hand that you are sure is better).

This brings me to another tangent... consistency is key whether you choose to be a calling station (not a bad option in some cases) or you decide to be super-aggressive. Hide your hands with consistent calls and/or consistent raises. Your betting patterns will be noted by your opponent quickly, and any anomylies will be rooted out. You can learn to use this to your advantage in certain situations (use your imagination). i.e. let's say you have a set, but you bet out on the flop with 2 same-suited cards, the flush didn't come on the river... bet squirrely to make it look like you missed the flush (sometimes an all in will get a call more than a big bet... people at lower stakes will sooner call an all in, than a big bet).

Table selection: Always buy in with the max, and join tables against 1. Weak players (duhhh) 2. calling stations (adjust and you can own them) and 3. People that buy in for less than max. People that buy in with less than max are just stupid. It's even more apparent in short-handed games. Just think of it as a tournament, or a SnG... when it's down to 3 players, do you want to be the big stack or the short stack? Gee.... let me think.... Dunno why people can't pull that together, but I'm happy they don't.

Position becomes MORE important. Some people think the opposite. I make it a habit to raise on the button with very weak cards on upward (depending on the texture of the game), sometimes completely trash hands to simply play position.

Pick up those small pots! You'd be surprised how many uncontested pots you can pick up. If you are playing a hand that you know can only win by betting, and no one else is betting, bet it out (Someone with the better hand of jack high is rarely, if ever, going to call you with no pair). This comes to play especially on the river. If they've checked it down the entire way (especially aggressive players), bet on the river no matter what. Those pots add up to huge amounts and are not contested that much, so that it's profitable. It also works in your favor if you get caught doing that, that's great! That means you are going to get more calls in the future. It's a win win. Uncalled, you win, called, you are establishing a table image that sets you up for more bets.

One last note of rambling before I shut it... low pocket pair can get you in trouble. I play them aggressively, but will not go all in with them pre flop. I will especially NOT call an all in with them pre flop even though you absolutely know you are ahead slightly. The problem here is this... You have 77, you raise it up and get significantly re-raised. You either want to call or fold... probably fold. Let's say "Joe the Bonehead" is sick of your aggressive playing, he looks down at J8 and decides to put a move on you. Welp, you DO have the best hand, but for all intents and purposes that J8 might as well be AK. Thus, Joe is getting rewarded for a fishy play. He is getting nearly the same odds he would be getting with a much much better starting hand. Also, people begin to think things like KQ, KJ, QJ are ok hands to call all-ins with pre flop... again, nullifying your advantage. That's why I favor hands like AK short-handed. I WILL go all-in pre flop with AK if the factors are right.

Hope this helped!

./signed