BeerGolfPoker
03-03-2005, 07:36 AM
Hello all. Been lurking around here for a while but thought I'd like to post a little as well.
Suppose you are 4-handed and everyone has roughly equal stacks (i.e., if anyone was to be involved in an all-in showdown and lose, they would be severely crippled). Also, let's assume you are at least at level 7, so that you are in push/fold mode. I usually play the 215s on Party, so this situation comes up often. I think I perform relatively well in this spot, but coming in 4th sucks, and I know I'm not as good as I could be here.
I'm specifically interested in open-pushing standards from different positions: UTG, button, and SB.
I think I've actually had the worst outcomes pushing from the button, which seems odd. I haven't played a ton of these yet, so my sample size is probably not large enough yet. Maybe it's the stigma of a "button steal" that leads to more calls from the blinds. The SB seems by far to be the best stealing opportunity, because I only have to go through one random hand; against some too-tight opponents it seems +EV to push virtually any two cards.
So assuming there are no crazies who are calling/pushing with anything:
Pairs - I'll open push them all from any position.
Aces - This may be a snag in my game. I may be pushing weak/medium aces to strongly. I'll push AK-A9 from any position. I will usually push A8-A6 from the button or SB also(though this is somewhat player dependent). A5-A2 I usually don't push from the button, but always from the SB.
I should note right here that if I am UTG and about to be in a sticky situation (i.e., losing fold equity) in the BB, I will push any ace.
Perhaps I should be pushing these weak aces more/less? I'm really not sure. The problem is that when called, I am almost always no better than a slight favorite against two middlers like KQ, and often find myself dominated. Yet I have an ace and the blinds are extremely valuable...
I find myself much more inclined to open with something such as 86s, from any of the positions, unless I have a liberal stealing reputation at the time. Unless called by a medium/big pair (or A8, A6) I can't be much worse than 60/40.
Oh yeah, all aces suited up though.
Other hands - KQ-KT from anywhere. Suited down to K8 from anywhere probably (is this just an arbitrary, irrational stopping point?).
QJ, QTs-Q9s, JT, almost always the middle suited connectors and one-gappers from the button or SB.
If I am UTG and about to be put in a bad spot with the BB I sometimes find myself pushing some random middle offsuit garbage such as Q8 or something like 45s. This might be bad, but I want to keep my fold equity. If I can stand being blinded and maintaining fold equity, then my range here is slightly smaller than from the button. QTo? No. K8s? Yeah, maybe.
From the SB my range at times becomes extremely wide. Any non-absolute trash hand. Even against players that are more willing to call I loosen up considerably here.
These hands are not set in stone, however. Table dynamics, the players, how often I've been stealing, what kind of hands I've shown down thus far, etc. are certainly factors.
Anyway, these were just some random thoughts, sort of disconnected, but now I am tired of writing. This seems worth discussing even if it has been hashed out a lot in the past, because bubble play is crucial (duh).
I have doing better than average in these spots (if I were to guess), but I know there are players performing better.
So fire away.
Suppose you are 4-handed and everyone has roughly equal stacks (i.e., if anyone was to be involved in an all-in showdown and lose, they would be severely crippled). Also, let's assume you are at least at level 7, so that you are in push/fold mode. I usually play the 215s on Party, so this situation comes up often. I think I perform relatively well in this spot, but coming in 4th sucks, and I know I'm not as good as I could be here.
I'm specifically interested in open-pushing standards from different positions: UTG, button, and SB.
I think I've actually had the worst outcomes pushing from the button, which seems odd. I haven't played a ton of these yet, so my sample size is probably not large enough yet. Maybe it's the stigma of a "button steal" that leads to more calls from the blinds. The SB seems by far to be the best stealing opportunity, because I only have to go through one random hand; against some too-tight opponents it seems +EV to push virtually any two cards.
So assuming there are no crazies who are calling/pushing with anything:
Pairs - I'll open push them all from any position.
Aces - This may be a snag in my game. I may be pushing weak/medium aces to strongly. I'll push AK-A9 from any position. I will usually push A8-A6 from the button or SB also(though this is somewhat player dependent). A5-A2 I usually don't push from the button, but always from the SB.
I should note right here that if I am UTG and about to be in a sticky situation (i.e., losing fold equity) in the BB, I will push any ace.
Perhaps I should be pushing these weak aces more/less? I'm really not sure. The problem is that when called, I am almost always no better than a slight favorite against two middlers like KQ, and often find myself dominated. Yet I have an ace and the blinds are extremely valuable...
I find myself much more inclined to open with something such as 86s, from any of the positions, unless I have a liberal stealing reputation at the time. Unless called by a medium/big pair (or A8, A6) I can't be much worse than 60/40.
Oh yeah, all aces suited up though.
Other hands - KQ-KT from anywhere. Suited down to K8 from anywhere probably (is this just an arbitrary, irrational stopping point?).
QJ, QTs-Q9s, JT, almost always the middle suited connectors and one-gappers from the button or SB.
If I am UTG and about to be put in a bad spot with the BB I sometimes find myself pushing some random middle offsuit garbage such as Q8 or something like 45s. This might be bad, but I want to keep my fold equity. If I can stand being blinded and maintaining fold equity, then my range here is slightly smaller than from the button. QTo? No. K8s? Yeah, maybe.
From the SB my range at times becomes extremely wide. Any non-absolute trash hand. Even against players that are more willing to call I loosen up considerably here.
These hands are not set in stone, however. Table dynamics, the players, how often I've been stealing, what kind of hands I've shown down thus far, etc. are certainly factors.
Anyway, these were just some random thoughts, sort of disconnected, but now I am tired of writing. This seems worth discussing even if it has been hashed out a lot in the past, because bubble play is crucial (duh).
I have doing better than average in these spots (if I were to guess), but I know there are players performing better.
So fire away.