A question of style

After over fifty days of reading and posting on 2 +2, I think I have learned a lot about the game

while reading some really funny posts. Keep up the good work, guys!


The one aspect of most of the posts is how aggressive you really have to be to win at this game. Also, my card reading needs a lot of work.


So here is my question: Is it better play a lot of hands before the flop and try to outplay your opponents from the flop on, or to play tightly

and then be aggressive from the flop onward?


I know the first way requires a larger bankroll

relative to the limits, but is it more profitable?


Your comments will be greatly appreciated. /images/smile.gif

if you would like to work on your card reading skills it's simple, you don't even have to play, just sit out and watch, as for you, i would only play big hands.....


remember, if you don't flop a set, you can't bet...


take my style "TIGHT-AGRESSIVE"

don't pay to see many pots but when you are involved in a hand and want to make some money..be very agressive...


don't play loose, if you really want to.... play 1-2 or 2-4, but then again, some of those games, people don't take seriously.....so they stay in with all types of junk....to work on card reading ability, you can read all the books you want, but nothing except for experience will teach you that aspect of the game.......with experience now, i can sort of sense when someone has flopped a set......and when someone is betting a draw.....


only experience will help in that aspect.....but good luck and welcome to the game

"Is it better play a lot of hands before the flop and try to outplay your opponents from the flop or....?"


I personally find the money-winning formula is to "outplay" my opponents pre-flop by folding hands that have no business being played, given either the relative weakness of my cards, bad position, or tough opponents.


I hear the word "outplay" used a lot these days Mr. mikelow. Perhaps it is over-used by some.


Start from the lowest common denominator, your two preflop cards, and start outplaying us all right there. Funny how much easier it is to get the best of us on the flop or later streets when you start off correctly.


Best of luck to you. LTL

If you have to ask, the latter path is almost certainly superior. There are a few successful players who choose the former path, but only a few, and most of them would probably be even more successful if they mucked a few more of those marginal hands.

One reason I posted this is:


Some posters (they know who they are) delight in how they play some marginal hands.


It makes me wonder. If you have been following my recent posts, you know I fall in the latter group also.

In the last two to three years, I've gone from playing fairly tight, to virtually maniacal, to A-B-C (super- tight), then to loose- aggressive, and now I'm finally getting where I want to be, which is the tight- aggressive approach.


The answer to your first question, IMO, is to play relatively tight before the flop, then selectively aggressively afterwards. Don't be afraid to back off if someone shows strength, and trust in your reads.(This is an area where I'm gaining experience- it takes a lot of time and effort.) Once you gain experience, you can always add more hands pre- flop.


Short- term, you may have greater profit by playing more hands, pre- flop, but be prepared for greater swings, both short and long-term. How one copes with those fluctuations is dependent on one's make- up, and should be borne in mind.


perfidious