Do you tighten up Pre flop against LAGS

[Silverback]

I have never really felt comfortable playing in games with LAGS,

However, Ive noticed a few players that have said its good to play against LAGs, especially the poor ones, like 75vpip 35% pfr, and also when loose passive fish games are not around, LAGS are 2nd best

Well tonight I had 2 crazy LAGs at my table, and although at first I was playing my normal starting hands,,,,I started to think if that was right, and should I tighten up against LAGS,

Hands like KJo felt weaker,

Is that the right thing to do versus LAGS, tighten up a bit,

As it happened it was the suited QJs which regained my lost chips and then some, but while I was up I left the game, as I dont like the swings, and Id been down since sitting at the table, and seeing typical LAGS beating my top pair K with 2 weak pairs by the river, etc etc

Anyone any good threads on how best to play pre flop and post flop versus these LAGS, I cant always change table as some sites have limited table selection.

[djoyce003]

Sit to the LAGS left and relentlessly threebet his raises with what you would normally consider a marginal hand. Remember, he is raising more hands than you even consider playing...that means he is raising things like 78 suited, k 2 suited, crappy aces, etc. You can threebet and isolate very easily especially if the other table is passive and generally folds to the threebets and doesn't pick up on what you are doing. If he is one of the maniacs that caps when you threebet, don't get scared by it, as it probably doesn't mean anything either. Against a tag raise, you might fold KJ...against a lag, you should threebet, and the rest of the field likely folds out. Then you have position on this clown and can basically clobber him if you hit any flops at all. If you are on his right, you should be limp re-raising with more hands than normal and always limp reraise your big ones.

[TStoneMBD]

punish lags by isolating them. play more hands against them.

when they are in the blinds, and you know that you have hardly any fold equity preflop, you should often tighten up. unless they play terribly postflop, weak hands are not worth playing.

[sfer]

Assuming I'm to their left, playing looser or tighter has less to do with the LAG and more to do with the willingness of the rest of table to stay out of my way.

[Silverback]

It was a very loose table, for example I raised KJ from UTG,
LAG reraised, button and a blind called it,

[Silverback]

[ QUOTE ]
Sit to the LAGS left and relentlessly threebet his raises with what you would normally consider a marginal hand.

[/ QUOTE ]

So your saying to play looser, and in fact become a near LAG myself?

[wjmooner]

If the LAG plays 70% of the hands and raises 40% you can loosen up and isolate him with hands you normally wouldn't 3-bet with, instead of playing 23% of hands you could play 35% and still have a much better hand than his.

WJ

[low content]

One of your points is that you don't like swings. If you're really trying to control variance, then I think you have to tighten up or switch tables. The advice in previous posts is (IMO) the best way to play LAGs, but obviously it will lead to greater swings because of the action you're going to give them on their winners. Even paranoids have enemies, and even LAGs get AA.

[djoyce003]

Not a near lag, but you loosen your calling standards a bit and turn them into threebets. Example. You are in MP with A7o. LAG open raises, against a TAG or TP, even LP I consider letting this go, against a LAG, i'm threebetting it. This assumes that the rest of the table is usually folding to the threebets and letting me isolate him. Your A7 stands to be way ahead of his holdings most of the time. Remember the guy is playing 70% of the hands, and raising 30 or 40%...which is more hands than you normally even play...so a hand you might limp or just call with basically turns into a statistical favorite over whatever he has, which is why you threebet to isolate.

[Silverback]

I dont like swings, only because I havent the confidence in the way Im playing against them, If I was confident in my strategy then I wouldnt mind so much, but when you sit there and wonder if your playing into there hands, you could in fact just do that

[Silverback]

I just tried the 3 betting approach,

Not for me, I prefer to sting em with premium hands, they are so stupid they still give you action when you get the premium holdings,

Lowering 3 betting standards isnt the way to go as they are happy to play for luck post flop, and in the meantime taking any pots where you totally miss.

[Silverback]

Does anyone play tighter against a LAG, and just let them walk into your good hands?

I was thinking any marginal drawing hands go out the window, only play high cards, over Q and suited high cards, high pocket pairs, these can take all the reraises and reraises better, so marginal QJ, QT, KJ, all folded, pairs like 77-22 folded,


Just be more conscious on protecting my blinds, and more alert, bit looser post flop against the LAG. Not be put off by his raising.

Does anyone agree? Or are you all of the agreement with the other posts and 3 betting the LAG with more hands than normal.

They have an advantage in that they cant be bluffed,

Silverback

[Silverback]

Can other players please add comments on how to best beat a LAG.

To me A7 is not a good hand with anyone on the pot, as for 3 betting it against a LAG surely im asking for trouble?

Even if its stating you agree with the past posts.

Thanks