Medium and Low PP HoH style......

[AgentBishop]

I was reading through the Basic Strategy section in HoH and I have a few questions. Answer any questions you like or all questions if you like.

1. Where is the value in raising with 77 and 66 from fith position on? I understand that the chances to win the pot right there grow the closer you get to the button but if you get a caller and over cards hit you are in trouble. Is it because (%of the times they fold + %of the times you hit = +EV?

2. Pg. 182 he talks about low PP being counterfeited on a paired board. I wouldn't think counterfeiting your low PP is really a concern. You are still in the same situation you were before in such that you are beaten by a wide range of hands if you dont trip up. I guess counterfeiting plays a part if you do trip up. Because then you could hit and still be way behind.

3. "In early position, usually through these hands away." (pg. 182 ref to low PP 55,44,33, and 22) Does this statement assume and active table were you can assume a raise in front of you? If the table was passive preflop, could you limp in and hope to trip up or if the table IS that passive then you wouldn't make enough when you do hit for it to be +EV? Also, if you did hit and got action you could very well be beaten?

4. "In middle position, limp with 5's and 4's but through away 3's and 2's." and "In late position, mostly raise with 5's and 4's and call with 3's and 2's." What can I do with 5's and 4's that I can't do with 3's and 2's that would make these statements be true?

[d10]

[ QUOTE ]
1. Where is the value in raising with 77 and 66 from fith position on? I understand that the chances to win the pot right there grow the closer you get to the button but if you get a caller and over cards hit you are in trouble. Is it because (%of the times they fold + %of the times you hit = +EV?

[/ QUOTE ]

If you raise enough, you will either win the pot right there, or get it down to 1 caller. If you're called, you can bet almost any flop. Unless your opponent hit the flop (and more often than not he wont) you'll often pick the pot up here. Very few people will continue with no hand in this situation. Even if they think you're bluffing it will be too expensive to call you down. Overcards aren't necessarily bad to see on a flop. In fact I prefer to see 1 overcard whether I hit a set or not. More often than not it won't be a card that helps your opponent, and it will give your opponent one more reason to fold assuming he didn't hit anything. With all low cards he might call you down with 2 overcards and now you're stuck not knowing if you're ahead or behind. With 1 overcard, you will almost certainly know. So % of the times everyone folds preflop + % of the times you hit + % of the time a continuation bet will win the pot when your opponent misses + % of the time your opponent has a lower PP or something like Ax and pairs his rag and you win at showdown = +EV. There are lots of ways you can win. Don't give up on medium PPs against 1 opponent just because you didn't hit a set and there are overcards.

[ QUOTE ]
2. Pg. 182 he talks about low PP being counterfeited on a paired board. I wouldn't think counterfeiting your low PP is really a concern. You are still in the same situation you were before in such that you are beaten by a wide range of hands if you dont trip up. I guess counterfeiting plays a part if you do trip up. Because then you could hit and still be way behind.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think he was talking about when 2 pair comes on the board. It doesn't happen often, but when it does, your hand is literally worthless, so it is a concern.

[ QUOTE ]
3. "In early position, usually through these hands away." (pg. 182 ref to low PP 55,44,33, and 22) Does this statement assume and active table were you can assume a raise in front of you? If the table was passive preflop, could you limp in and hope to trip up or if the table IS that passive then you wouldn't make enough when you do hit for it to be +EV? Also, if you did hit and got action you could very well be beaten?

[/ QUOTE ]

You might be able to play these if you are very sure there will be a lot of limpers in behind you and no raises. But it's rare to find a game like that. If you are in a game that loose, you'll almost always need to hit your set to continue, and even then it won't always hold up. These are marginal hands in late position if you know there won't be any raises and there is already a lot of action, in early position when you can never be absolutely sure it's best to throw these away. They'll get you into trouble more often than they'll win for you.

[ QUOTE ]
4. "In middle position, limp with 5's and 4's but through away 3's and 2's." and "In late position, mostly raise with 5's and 4's and call with 3's and 2's." What can I do with 5's and 4's that I can't do with 3's and 2's that would make these statements be true?

[/ QUOTE ]

You can beat anyone with a pair of twos or threes. That might happen if someone was holding a PP of 2s or 3s, or maybe you open raised in late position and one of the blinds called with A2 or A3 and paired his kicker. There are a few ways you can accidently win with 4s and 5s where 2s or 3s would have lost.