SB lek or gold mine?

NLHE, three scenarios: 1, 2, or 3 limpers.

You hold junk in the SB; 10-8o, 54s, 97s, 97o

In limit calling with these for a 'bargain' is a helluva leak in the long run.

How about here? Implied odds, remember.

And no, you don't have a thorough read on the limpers, nor are you intuitively almost telepathic.

It's just a ring game and the chips are fairly even.

Well?

[Greg (FossilMan)]

If you can play better than the opposition postflop, then all of those hands are worth half a big blind. If you only break-even postflop, then you probably should fold, as these hands can be tricky and you're out of position. If you lose money postflop, you definitely have to fold these hands.

Of course, if you play big bet poker poorly postflop, there's almost no hands you can play profitably, so you have to either improve, quit, or always be a contributor.

Later, Greg Raymer (FossilMan)

[Phat Mack]

With two or three limpers, I would play all of these hands in a NL ring game under the right circumstances. In big bet I determine my position in relation to the aggressor. If the flop hit me, very good. If it gave me a draw, I would want the person to my left betting, so I could count the callers, know their stack sizes and play as though I were on the button. A lot of NL games that have several limpers BTF can play like PL or spread limit.

JMO

[Jimbo]

You stated "In limit calling with these for a 'bargain' is a helluva leak in the long run." I am not sure this is a correct statement.

Jimbo

[StoneAge]

a communal display ground for certain bird species? The males dance anound and the females pick the best to mate with.

I'd have to agree with Jimbo.

I think playing T8o and 97o in SB is a leak... maybe not a huge one.

But, I think that playing the connected suited cards 54s and the mid-range 1 gapper suited T8s for half a small bet is probably net positive.

[Phat Mack]

I've often wondered why I have so much trouble scoring at the poker table. Maybe I should concentrate on my small blind dance perfomances.

[Jimbo]

Anon,

Allow me to elaborate evn further on calling the SB. Assume a 10/20 game with 2 limpers to you. It costs $5 to call with $35 already in the pot. There are very few hands that dominate any two random cards 7 to 1. Even if one player showed you he limped with AA you should call a half a bet with nearly any two cards. This certainly includes the examples of T8o 97o T8s and 54s.


Jimbo

[angelo alba]

Stone Age: You forgot to mention that leks produce a natural antibiotic which can cure positve EV.

Ok, let's talk post flop play. 3 limpers and you call with 97s

The flop comes 932 only the 2 is your suit. Now what?

Jimbo: In limit would you bet out?

And for Greg and everyone else, In NL would you check or try to show strength?

Thanks.

[Greg (FossilMan)]

In big bet, what I would do in your example depends upon the opponent, and how I expect him to play an overpair as compared to AK or such. I would usually play to learn what he has cheaply, and then play on accordingly.

Later, Greg Raymer (FossilMan)

[Jimbo]

I agree with Greg's response in N/L or P/L. In limit you bet out and three bet if raised.

Jimbo