When to turn up the aggression

[rusty JEDI]

Okay, so when do we turn up the aggression. At what point does preflop stealing get turned into high gear.

Is it based on number of players left?
Size of the blinds?
Size of the blinds relative to your stack?

Or is it one of those damn all of the aboves?

Thanks

rJ

[Lori]

Or is it one of those damn all of the aboves?

Also include:

Size of your stack relative to other stacks.
General playing style at your table.
Your previous play in this particular game.
Future blind levels.
and finally, how many Canadians there are in your game /images/graemlins/wink.gif

Lori

[eMarkM]

Of course, it's all of the above. Generally speaking, using Party SNG format as an example, I usually come out of my shell when the blinds hit 100/50. Only then do they become worth stealing.

[KenProspero]

In Party/Empire Limit (with their blind structure), I generally figure I need one decent pot in the first 30 hands to put me in contention. So I usually play very conservatively through that level.

After 30 hands, I usually pick it up either when:

1. I think I've figured out the rest of the players left in the game, so I can start playing the players, or

2. My stack, is getting low, relative to those who I think are likely to be there at the end.

I know this is simplistic, but seems to work.

[DontPlayScared]

I'm also more inclined to steal from the shorter stacks at the table, provided I'm in decent position for a steal. This is the proper move, correct? ($30 party)

[eMarkM]

Actually, if you have a good stack, stealing (and by stealing I mean raising with sub standard hands you wouldn't call a reraise with) from medium stacks is best around bubble time. For example, blinds 300/150, UTG has 500 and folds. Button folds. You have 3K in SB, BB has 2000. I think you can see the value of raising basically any two here.