Am I too tight

[celiboy]

I have just started playing .5/1 at Absolute after being a .02/.04 player for 3 months. I jumped to .5/1 due to Absolute's reload bonus. The play is extremely tight with at most 4 to a flop.

My goal is to play break even to 2 bb/100 poker and then of course clear the bonus which is possible at this level. So far I have been playing good poker and am achieving my 2bb/100. I have not read any books but have read 2+2 diligently for the past 3 months. I am also very tight and am seeing less than 25% of the flops.

I have some specific scenarious where I folded preflop where I am thinking I may have been too tight. No hand histories as I think it's easy to follow below

1. I have A/4 suited. I am one spot from cut off (so 3 spots from the BB). Everyone has folded to me. I fold as well. Given everyones fold is this correct? I may well have the best hand with the blinds and one more to go. The flop came a/4/9....lol.

2. I have A/9 suited in mid position with one caller right before me. I fold. Too tight?

3. I have K/Q suited in late position. One raiser who is very tight in Early position and one caller after him. I fold

My philosophy is to be tight so as not to get in too much trouble.

[MrWookie47]

Yep, too tight. I raise the first one, maybe raise the second, and the third is probably a cold call unless you know the guy only raises AA-QQ and AK.

[Jaran]

25% is not too tight. If anything it's a little loose. In hand 1, if the blinds are loose, a fold is correct, but if they are tight then you could raise. Hand 2 is an easy call if not a raise. Hand 3 prolly doesn't matter much either way. A fold is not a real problem, but your sooootedness could let you call if you think there will be further callers after you.

-Jaran

[brazilio]

[ QUOTE ]
25% is not too tight. If anything it's a little loose. In hand 1, if the blinds are loose, a fold is correct, but if they are tight then you could raise. Hand 2 is an easy call if not a raise. Hand 3 prolly doesn't matter much either way. A fold is not a real problem, but your sooootedness could let you call if you think there will be further callers after you.

-Jaran

[/ QUOTE ]

There's a difference between 25% seeing the flop and 25% VP$IP, although I'd say he is perhaps a bit too loose. Absolute's .5/1 is tighter than party's .5/1, but it's a good arena for blinds battles when you do get up to 3/6+. Semi-stealing becomes more important there, marginal hands you perhaps wouldn't play become raising hands because you have fewer people left to play, and your equity becomes greater, not to mention the times that they fold preflop or to a single flop bet.

[Jaran]

[ QUOTE ]
There's a difference between 25% seeing the flop and 25% VP$IP,

[/ QUOTE ]

Yup, you're right. Read the op kinda quickly b/t hands and just saw 25%. Thanks.

-Jaran

[celiboy]

What about Q/J unsuited in early

I folded this

On another hand someone raised this hand in EP and I had Aces in late position and we capped the flop. Flop came Q/J/rag. I just cant see calling with this hand let alone raising with it in early position....

[MattC]

hand 1: raise
hand 2: raise
hand 3: play based on read, if raiser is super tight fold, if you think there will be more callers behind you call.

how do you get 25% vpip playing this tight i have no idea.

[Jaran]

QJo is pretty much trash. Good fold, especially in ep.

-Jaran

PS-don't become result oriented. Make the right plays and the money will take care of itself.

[Jakesta]

His sample size is probably too small to get an accurate VP$IP.

[Jakesta]

[ QUOTE ]
QJo is pretty much trash. Good fold, especially in ep.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'll play it for one bet after a couple limpers from MP3 on.

I will steal-raise with it in MP3+. Is this bad? I think it might be, because it has very little high card value.

[Jaran]

[ QUOTE ]
I'll play it for one bet after a couple limpers from MP3 on.

I will steal-raise with it in MP3+. Is this bad? I think it might be, because it has very little high card value.

[/ QUOTE ]

I won't play QJo with people already in the pot except in CO, btn, blinds. Open raise in late mp+ is fine, methinks.

-Jaran

[Jakesta]

What about against loose opponents and super loose blinds who defend at every opportunity?

I think it might be -EV at that point if I can expect 3 people after me to call. But it could be +EV if I am at a tight table? I don't think QJo is a value raise at this point. AxS would be, but not QJo. QJo, yes.

[dozer]

I think you shouldn't adjust your game because of a bonus. Just play correctly and you will make money and clear the bonus at the same time. When I am clearing bonuses I always make more in profits than I do from the bonus.

[Jaran]

If the blinds are loose (and they prolly are at party), you're not giving up much, if any, to just fold QJo in this spot.

-Jaran