moving to 5/10 SH, some stuff im unsure about.

[TStoneMBD]

so i started 5/10 SH and hit a -30BB downswing after 1k hands. games are really soft though for sure. however, i dont really feel like im in my element in that game as much as i am in full ring. this is the first time ive played 6-max so things are very different. firstly, people dont let you steal their blinds. i really dont like raising it in with weak aces from the cutoff because people coldcall on the button with terrible hands, call the flop no matter what comes, call the turn no matter what turns, and then bets when you check to him. its hard for me to play a weak ace on a board like this because unless i want to call a river bluff every time, i have to fold. ive seen people showdown hands like Jh6h on a Qd7d3sKc2h board. obviously only some of the fish do that, but its hard to distinguish which type of fish im up against in times like these.

i also feel more comfortable raising a hand like K8o on the button then a hand like A2o. K8o plays better postflop, and ive had to fold A2o quite a few times to checkraises, and have been bluffed out quite a few times because of it.

my stats atm are 23VPIP with 18PFR. my W$SD is 38.8, which explains my losing streak, my aggression factor is 2.5, and my steal attempt is 42%. i dont know what 6max stats are supposed to look like, and understand that 1k hands is nothing, but could you fill me in on what i might be doing wrong?

some specific things;

do i need to bluffraise occassionally without any real player reads? are players perceptive enough to not pay off bets? ive raised the turn quite a few times with strong holdings only to not be paid off. then, my bluffraise attempts never seem to work. granted, this is probably just a sign of bad cards, but i want to make sure that its nothing im doing wrong.

when i raise preflop on the button with a hand like A5o, and the flop comes Jd9d7h none of my suit, i bet and am checkraised, do i need to call the flop and fold the turn for metagame purposes? ive been folding the flop in these situations, and i feel that players have been taking advantage of me because of it.

should i not worry about these things against players with fishy looking stats and only worry about these things against players with the 23VPIP 12PFR stats?

[helpmeout]

Come back in 10k hands or so.

You dont need to be bluffing much at 5/10 the best hand wins most times. People dont fold much.

If you get checkraised on the flop with nothing then just fold.

I dont know what fishy looking stats are or how it is suppose to determine the best course of action.

[tolbiny]

"when i raise preflop on the button with a hand like A5o, and the flop comes Jd9d7h none of my suit, i bet and am checkraised"

Don't bet this 100% of the time.

[stigmata]

I'm not terribly qualified to answer your questions, but I will have a stab at a couple of points:

At 42%, I feel you are stealing too much - especially as you don't sound that comfortable doing it. 30% is more standard. Against loose blinds I would be inclined to tighten up with your blind steals, and make them pay off your legitimate hands. Against tighter blinds, sure, have a stab with borderline hands. It does sound like your high proportion of blind steals is encouraging people to defend and play tricksy with you. If you were trying to steal my blind 40% of the time, I would be loosening my calling /3-betting standards.

Becuase the oppurtinty to steal blinds is so much more common, people neccissarily become much better at defending. Hence whilst there are more oppurtunities for blind stealing, it is less profitable and more challenging.

With the example you give (A5o with Jd9d7h flop), I think I would be happy to fold that one. There is no shame in folding your blind steal and saving bets.


Finally, -30BB in 1000 hands is common, and is probably just cold cards, rather than flawed play.

[Gazza]

If you have a calling station sitting over you then you probably have to tighten up a little on your steal attempts.
Whether they are a fish or not their strategy of calling everything and betting when you show weakness is not that bad against a loose raiser, especially one who is willing to fold on the river. Whilst obviously value betting them to hell it may be worth going for a turn check raise (if u are CO against BTN) once in a while when you have something .
Anyway 42% is probably too high in the long run for attempts to steal blinds. I have 33 and am probably one of the looser players around here.

[ QUOTE ]
when i raise preflop on the button with a hand like A5o, and the flop comes Jd9d7h none of my suit, i bet and am checkraised, do i need to call the flop and fold the turn for metagame purposes? ive been folding the flop in these situations, and i feel that players have been taking advantage of me because of it.


[/ QUOTE ]

Well you can fold sometimes but not that often. If you feel they are taking advantage of you then start re-raising with nothing occasionally. Most of the time though I will quietly fold on the turn.
I don't really agree with the advice of checking the flop here, no matter what difficulties may be created by betting. Bet it everytime in 6 max.
And I think you need to worry about these things against fishy players as well. Sometimes they are paying even more attention than the multi-tabling players with healthier stats.

[Lost Wages]

And I think you need to worry about these things against fishy players as well. Sometimes they are paying even more attention than the multi-tabling players with healthier stats.

I think that's a really good point that I've never seen mentioned here. The really loose players are invariably playing only one table and, while they may have a poor understanding of poker fundamentals, they are often paying close attention and are able to pick-up on betting patterns and such. Of course, not all of them do but a good number.

Lost Wages

[turnipmonster]

[ QUOTE ]
hit a -30BB downswing after 1k hands.

[/ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]
my W$SD is 38.8, which explains my losing streak,

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POTD.