Applying Small Stakes Holdem to the 15/30 on Party

[ZeeJustin]

I just finished reading Small Stakes Holdem (an amazing book that I highly recommend). I think this book has a great deal of value in any limit game, even including ones that are not loose, passive, and filled with bad players. However, if you play in games that don't fit those requirements, you absolutey most understand how to adjust properly. So let's discuss adjusting the play in the book to 15/30!

Here are my initial thoughts:

1) You should value bet the river less than suggested because the 15 game is very aggressive, and many players love to check raise the river, even occassionally on a bluff.

2) You should be more inclined to take a free card on the turn, again, mostly because you are more likely to get check raised.

3) You must tighten up some (but not much at all) because the players will make fewer mistakes than the imaginery opponents in the book.

4) You should rarely make a loose call on the flop for image purposes after already putting money into the pot on the flop. There are sooo many 15/30 players, and you will most likely blend in with everyone else.

I don't think the value of protecting the pot changes at all. The pots are often 5 ways in this game, and some players will actually fold many hands that create dead outs for you.

This is just a start for a discussion. I'm hoping others will be more willing to go into detail and maybe even *gasp* disagree with me.
-Justin Bonomo

[M2d]

I won't disagree, but maybe throw in a caveat.
I agree with the less value betting, but I don't think it's a universal adjustment. in the 15 game at AJ's, you can play a basic 3-6 strategy with some adjustments for certain players. The great thing is, you know (or can easily tell) who the players are for whom you need to adjust. Otherwise, the weaker players (who usually outnumber the good ones) can be counted on to make the same longshot draws and hopeless calls as their lower limit brethren. It's simply a matter of who pulled out of the stock market at a more opportune time, and who got eaten by the dot com crash.

[ZeeJustin]

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in the 15 game at AJ's,

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I'm referring specifically to the party 15/30 since so many players here play it.

[shemp]

someone with very little poker experience, knows the ranking of hands, has played the occasional family style home game, etc. Would like to play low-limit (say 3-6, but never higher, and only after an aprenticeship in smaller games). In short, Is this a good place to start?

[1800GAMBLER]

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1) You should value bet the river less than suggested because the 15 game is very aggressive, and many players love to check raise the river, even occassionally on a bluff.


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I think their aggression lets me value bet the river a lot more. Their aggression gives away more information about their hands rather than if they were being passive. I think 3 times in my session yesterday i value betted AK unimproved on the river because the preflop action was somewhat heavy and then he checkcalled all the way.

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2) You should be more inclined to take a free card on the turn, again, mostly because you are more likely to get check raised.


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This also needs to be weighted. Well really it depends on your hand. I will usually never take a free card with anything i consider to have showdown value on most boards because people love to call down with Ace high. With draws i very regulary will.

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4) You should rarely make a loose call on the flop for image purposes after already putting money into the pot on the flop. There are sooo many 15/30 players, and you will most likely blend in with everyone else.

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Anything image related in this game is a waste. However folding the flop regulary in the game is usually bad too. You have great implied odds over the next few streets and their betting range will be wide so you probably have more outs than you think.