Preflop Quiz

[scotty34]

Here is a quiz inspired by my recent stats check post and one of Nick Royale's suggestions. I am trying to improve my preflop play in what are currently marginal situations for me. I went over a session of about 500 hands, and picked 10 preflop situations where I am either uncomfortable, or habitually fold what might be a profitable call. I was going to do it in poll form, but I figured that doesn't give enough information. It would also help if you post your usual limit, VPIP and PFR and any comments/reasoning on any of the hands. (Grunch this)

Assume a 10-handed game for all of these. Players are nothing out of the ordinary unless a specific read is given.

Hand 1:

You are on the button with A7o. There are two loose limpers in early-mid position. The rest fold to you.

Hand 2:

You are in the BB with A7o. A loose UTG limps in, folded to the CO who raises, Button coldcalls, SB folds.

Hand 3:

You are in MP2 with Q9s. UTG+1 raises, UTG+2 coldcalls, MP1 folds. The players to act behind you and the blinds are all moderately loose (in the 30 VPIP range) and not particularly good.

Hand 4:

You are in the SB with QTs. A solid player in MP2 raises, CO and Button coldcall.

Hand 5:

You are in the SB with A5o. Two somewhat loose players limp in from UTG+1 and MP1.

Hand 6:

You are in the CO with JTo. It is folded to you.

Hand 7:

You are on the Button with JTo. There are two reasonably playing limpers in MP.

Hand 8:

You are in the CO with 87s. It is folded to you.

Hand 9:

You are in the CO with 87s. There are three loose limpers in EP, MP3 raises. The blinds and Button are semi-loose.

Hand 10:

You are in the CO with Q9o. It is folded to you.



Editing to add one more situation.

Hand 11:

You are in MP3 with 66. There is one limper in EP, folded to you.

[SteveL91]

I usually play 1/2 but I'm mixing in a bit of 2/4. I can't give exact VPIP and PFR numbers because my sample is tainted. Since I've moved back up to 1/2 and beyond, my game has really shifted. Over 7,000 hands at UB 1/2, I'm running around 19 VPIP and ~12 PFR.

Hand 1: Depends on post-flop characteristics a nd the blinds. If they're fit or fold with tight blinds, I'll raise. One limper and I'm likely always raising if I'm playing.

Hand 2: Fold.

Hand 3: I don't mind a call, but I'd prefer to be a little later to act. If the players behind me aren't that aggressive, I'm calling.

Hand 4: Call.

Hand 5: Meh. I'll call with two, but more than that and I fold off-suit garbage As.

Hand 6: Raise.

Hand 7: Limp. In the CO, I might raise to buy the button, but I'm definitely playing this.

Hand 8: Raise or fold. If I've been caught stealing a lot, I'll fold; otherwise, raise.

Hand 9: Call.

Hand 10: See Hand 8.

[shadow29]

1-5: Fold
6: Raise
7: Fold
8: Raise
9: Fold
10: Raise
11: Depends on limper, but I am not folding.

[xenthebrain]

#1: fold
#2: fold
#3: fold
#4: call
#5: fold
#6: fold (not sure on that one)
#7: call
#8: fold
#9: call
#10: fold
#11: call

tough questions

[scotty34]

FWIW, I would fold all of these most of the time. A lot of these look like situations where I would be able to loosen up a little bit more often. I think I play quite well from UTG-MP1, but as pointed out from MP2-Button I should loosen up to take advantage of profitable situations resulting from position.

[iNsChris]

Fold everyone except...
6 call, 7 call, 8 call, 11 call.

I'm tight and picky /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Isura]

Hand 1:

You are on the button with A7o. There are two loose limpers in early-mid position. The rest fold to you.
- Fold. A9o is about as low as I go here.

Hand 2:

You are in the BB with A7o. A loose UTG limps in, folded to the CO who raises, Button coldcalls, SB folds.
- Easy fold. This is worse than hand 1 since we have poor position, and the pot is raised, indicating we're up against stronger average hands (from CO and button atleast).

Hand 3:

You are in MP2 with Q9s. UTG+1 raises, UTG+2 coldcalls, MP1 folds. The players to act behind you and the blinds are all moderately loose in the 30 VPIP range) and not particularly good.
- Fold. Although I'm not sure if calling is better.
Hand 4:

You are in the SB with QTs. A solid player in MP2 raises, CO and Button coldcall.
- Call. Good enough pot and implied odds to see a flop with the 2 coldcallers.

Hand 5:

You are in the SB with A5o. Two somewhat loose players limp in from UTG+1 and MP1.
- Fold. I'd call with A8o+.

Hand 6:

You are in the CO with JTo. It is folded to you.
- Raise. I'd raise J9o here.

Hand 7:

You are on the Button with JTo. There are two reasonably playing limpers in MP.
- Probably fold. I'd limp if the players were loose passive and bad.

Hand 8:

You are in the CO with 87s. It is folded to you.
- Fold. Suited connectors are not great steal hands. I'd raise this from the button in most cases though.

Hand 9:

You are in the CO with 87s. There are three loose limpers in EP, MP3 raises. The blinds and Button are semi-loose.
- I'd probably peel if I was confident the pot wouldn't be 3-bet or capped.

Hand 10:

You are in the CO with Q9o. It is folded to you.
- Raise.

Editing to add one more situation.

Hand 11:

You are in MP3 with 66. There is one limper in EP, folded to you. /images/graemlins/confused.gif en
- Raise. I'd like to buy the button and play this hand short-handed if possible. Unless CO and BT play nearly every hand, we can't expect multiway action.

Edit: I play mostly 6-max, but my advice I use when I play a full ring game too.

[HollywoodDB]

I read your response and was curious why you fold #4 and #9. I would be tempted to call #4 and would certainly call #9.

This may be a big leak for me.

[thesharpie]

I play 1/2 with 18/11.4 over a relatively small sample.

Hands 1-5 I fold. Hand 4 with QTs in the SB is a tempting call but I think the suitedness can't make up for the domination factor.

Hand 6 I raise depending on button/blinds.

Hand 7 - limp.

Hand 8 - fold. I'll raise if the button and blinds are extremely tight and I have a tight image.

Hand 9 I cold call.

Hand 10 - same as the hand 8 situation.

Hand 11 - raise if everyone behind me is tight. Limp if I think there will be one more limper behind me.

How'd I do?

[Isura]

[ QUOTE ]
I read your response and was curious why you fold #4 and #9. I would be tempted to call #4 and would certainly call #9.

This may be a big leak for me.

[/ QUOTE ]

#4 is an easier call than #9 IMO. Calling either hand is not a big leak.

[scotty34]

[ QUOTE ]
How'd I do?

[/ QUOTE ]

Most of your answers seem to be fairly close to everyone else. I personally think these are all quite marginal, but I would fold most of them. I think people's answers here are really going to depend on their playing style. The 19+ VPIP's will probably be calling/raising a lot of these, and the 18- VPIP's will probably fold a lot of them. That's what my prediction was while writing the quiz.

[detruncate]

[ QUOTE ]
Hand 1:

You are on the button with A7o. There are two loose limpers in early-mid position. The rest fold to you.

[/ QUOTE ]


What are the blinds like? I might consider raising if I think there's a decent chance of knocking them out, especially if they'd fold better aces. Else I limp.

[ QUOTE ]
Hand 2:

You are in the BB with A7o. A loose UTG limps in, folded to the CO who raises, Button coldcalls, SB folds.

[/ QUOTE ]

Fold.

[ QUOTE ]
Hand 3:
You are in MP2 with Q9s. UTG+1 raises, UTG+2 coldcalls, MP1 folds. The players to act behind you and the blinds are all moderately loose (in the 30 VPIP range) and not particularly good.

[/ QUOTE ]

Fold.

[ QUOTE ]
Hand 4:

You are in the SB with QTs. A solid player in MP2 raises, CO and Button coldcall.

[/ QUOTE ]

This one seems close between folding and calling. I probably fold.

[ QUOTE ]
Hand 5:

You are in the SB with A5o. Two somewhat loose players limp in from UTG+1 and MP1.

[/ QUOTE ]

call.

[ QUOTE ]
Hand 6:

You are in the CO with JTo. It is folded to you.

[/ QUOTE ]

Raise. I might consider limping if both the blinds are super loose/passive, but almost always raise.

[ QUOTE ]
Hand 7:

You are on the Button with JTo. There are two reasonably playing limpers in MP.

[/ QUOTE ]

I presume the initial limp came from MP1, as MP2 would usually be a raise or fold. The overlimp implies a multiway hand or little chance of an isolation raise being successful. I probably call in both cases, though more warily in the latter.

[ QUOTE ]
Hand 8:

You are in the CO with 87s. It is folded to you.

[/ QUOTE ]

Usually raise. What sort of players are left to act?

[ QUOTE ]
Hand 9:

You are in the CO with 87s. There are three loose limpers in EP, MP3 raises. The blinds and Button are semi-loose.

[/ QUOTE ]

Call.

[ QUOTE ]
Hand 10:

You are in the CO with Q9o. It is folded to you.

[/ QUOTE ]

Usually raise. What sort of players are left to act?

[ QUOTE ]
Hand 11:

You are in MP3 with 66. There is one limper in EP, folded to you.

[/ QUOTE ]

Usually raise. I want to play this out HU if possible. Consider calling if at least 3/4 left to act are very loose.

[tijean]

1: Depends on the blinds. If I think they'll both fold, I'll raise here (and I want an A-high flop), otherwise fold - A7o is a shitty multiway hand.

2: With no reads on CO or Button, I'm inclined to fold.

3: Fold. I'm in a lousy position if there are more callers, and there's not enough action if everybody folds.

4: Call. Position is worse than Hand 3, but I'm getting a discount, there's another player already in the pot, and my cards are better too.

5: Fold. With one limper and a tight BB, I'd raise.

6: Raise if I think I can take it down or at least get HU, fold with loosey-gooseys behind me.

7: Call, and hope the blinds come along.

8: Fold. This needs a multiway pot.

9: Call. See Hand 8.

10: Same as hand 6.

11: Completely depends on who's behind me. If I know I can get it HU, it's a raise, otherwise a call.

[Nick Royale]

Ok, I play 3/6 ~16% vpip ~11% pfr.

Doing this blind.

Hand 1: Fold
With one loose limper and a good chance of folding the blinds I raise. Even though the limpers are loose i might very well be dominated. The folding equity I gain on the flop by raising isn't great either.

Hand 2: Fold
Easy fold IMO. It can't be considered a steal.

Hand 3: Fold
This is an easy fold.

Hand 4: Fold
I fold in this situation. It's much closer than hand 3.

Hand 5: Fold.
My God, I'm tight! /images/graemlins/cool.gif

Hand 6: Raise or fold
Finally I got to play a hand. This is marginal and depending a lot on Button and the blinds. If I have reason to believe I'm picking this pot up a decent ammount of time without seing a flop or at least get it HU I'm raising.

Hand 7: Fold
This might be one of these possible limps from Button I miss (my vpip from button is a bit too low). With loose limper I limp, so I also guess it's a matter of what you mean by "reasonable".

Hand 8: Fold
I don't like attacking the blinds with 8-high from CO. We can easily hit our 9 and still have two overs on the flop.

Hand 9: Fold
Our relative position stinks if we flop a draw or made monster.

Hand 10: Raise or fold
I need a read on the blinds to try to steal with this hand from CO. It's close though, as said I usually raise QTo here.

Hand 11: Limp
From CO or Button I would most often raise. As usual depending on the blinds.

[Nick Royale]

[ QUOTE ]
FWIW, I would fold all of these most of the time. A lot of these look like situations where I would be able to loosen up a little bit more often. I think I play quite well from UTG-MP1, but as pointed out from MP2-Button I should loosen up to take advantage of profitable situations resulting from position.

[/ QUOTE ]
You're not not giving up much by folding any of these hands except for hand 11. That hand got to be played.

[Nick Royale]

[ QUOTE ]
Fold everyone except...
6 call, 7 call, 8 call, 11 call.

I'm tight and picky /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
Calling hand 6 is not good. Raise or fold. Calling is the worst option.

[Fantam]

1. Fold. A7o is not a great hand even in late position.
2. Fold. I still think this hand is too weak against a raiser, caller and probable UTG caller.
3. Fold. You are starting to make me feel weak-tight now. Sorry I just dont think you can start cold calling raises with hands like Q9s when there are only 2 players in the hand so far. I am not sure that I like the idea of calling this raise at all.
4. I dont like it but I think this one is close. QJs I would definitely call. But as long as you are prepared to release your hand if you dont connect favourably with the flop I think its ok if you really want to call.
5. Fold. I dont think A rag are strong hands to play. You have a weak kicker if you hit your A.
6. Ah I think this might be a steal raise hand. Go for it! (dependant upon reads of course)
7. Call. You are looking to benefit if you connect well with the flop and have straight making possibilities. If you get top pair, its your judgement from there on.
8. Fold. I dont want to try a steal raise with 87s playing micro limits. No thankyou.
9. Call. You have persuaded me with your description of all the other players being so loose. Normally I would fold though.
10. Fold. Not strong enough to steal raise with because I read it in SSH lol. Simply because the rake in small stakes games is higher % than in higher stakes games.
11. Fold. I dont think the odds are good enough for hitting my set. And I dont like playing this pair against probable overcards. Close decision though I think.

Hey, by the way, do you think I might be able to write a book like Lee Jones, (even though I have not yet read WLLH) because my responses seem to be a bit weak-tight? /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Nick Royale]

[ QUOTE ]
11. Fold. I dont think the odds are good enough for hitting my set. And I dont like playing this pair against probable overcards. Close decision though I think.


[/ QUOTE ]
And the rake is less in hand 6 /images/graemlins/wink.gif

[ QUOTE ]
11. Fold. I dont think the odds are good enough for hitting my set. And I dont like playing this pair against probable overcards. Close decision though I think.


[/ QUOTE ]
This is the only hand you have to play in this quiz IMO.

[Nick Royale]

[ QUOTE ]
Hand 11:

You are in MP3 with 66. There is one limper in EP, folded to you. en
- Raise. I'd like to buy the button and play this hand short-handed if possible. Unless CO and BT play nearly every hand, we can't expect multiway action

[/ QUOTE ]
Multi-way action? If we call we can usually expect 4 players to the flop, and that's good for 66. I don't mind raising though. It's pretty read dependant.

[MrWookie47]

Hand 1:

You are on the button with A7o. There are two loose limpers in early-mid position. The rest fold to you.

I fold. I would raise one limper and tight blinds.

Hand 2:

You are in the BB with A7o. A loose UTG limps in, folded to the CO who raises, Button coldcalls, SB folds.

I think I fold this, typically. If CO is very aggro preflop and button awful, I might call, but with the button in there too, I won't have good position to check/raise a favorable flop.

Hand 3:

You are in MP2 with Q9s. UTG+1 raises, UTG+2 coldcalls, MP1 folds. The players to act behind you and the blinds are all moderately loose (in the 30 VPIP range) and not particularly good.

Easy fold.

Hand 4:

You are in the SB with QTs. A solid player in MP2 raises, CO and Button coldcall.

I'll call this, knowing that I'll have a hard time being satisfied with a pair of Q's.

Hand 5:

You are in the SB with A5o. Two somewhat loose players limp in from UTG+1 and MP1.

I fold. I don't like my position here.

Hand 6:

You are in the CO with JTo. It is folded to you.

Easy open raise, unless button and blinds are very loose. Then I might fold.

Hand 7:

You are on the Button with JTo. There are two reasonably playing limpers in MP.

I limp.

Hand 8:

You are in the CO with 87s. It is folded to you.

I fold.

Hand 9:

You are in the CO with 87s. There are three loose limpers in EP, MP3 raises. The blinds and Button are semi-loose.

I might fold or call depending on my specific read at the table, tending to fold.

Hand 10:

You are in the CO with Q9o. It is folded to you.

Raise tight blinds, or fold if I know I can't steal.

Hand 11:

You are in MP3 with 66. There is one limper in EP, folded to you.

With loose people behind me, I limp. If they're tight, and the limper is tight, I raise.

Edit: I play 1/2, both full and 6 max. My full stats are 20%/13% (2.5k hands at tight tables means lots of open-raising), and for 6 max, I'm 25%/17%.

[Fantam]

I think you are good enough to play 66 in late position Nick.

But I am not sure that I am. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

Its going to be tricky hey ?

[iNsChris]

I need to work my preflop big time!

[Nick Royale]

[ QUOTE ]
I need to work my preflop big time!

[/ QUOTE ]
I see you also limp hand 8. That's no good either. But other than that you managed the quiz well. Just some small adjustments to be made. Remember, limping first in from CO is very rarely (read: never) correct.

[Nick Royale]

[ QUOTE ]
I think you are good enough to play 66 in late position Nick.

But I am not sure that I am. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

Its going to be tricky hey ?

[/ QUOTE ]
2nd in with 66 is very rarely a fold. This pot is not going to be raised behind you often enough to not be worth playing for 1 bet unless you have some very LAGgy reads. You can limp this for set value and it takes no skill to play a set /images/graemlins/wink.gif

[sin808]

1/2, 18.43/8.97

1. fold
2. fold
3. fold, but it could be a call depending on the raiser's standards, how likely the players behind me would be to re-raise and/or cold call.
4. I usually call here, but it's something I've been looking at, since I'm not sure if it's good or not.
5. fold
6. fold
7. fold
8. fold
9. tough...depends on the raiser, and how passive the rest of the table is. I'd still probably fold though.
10. fold, if the blinds are tight I might raise if I think I can steal.
11. raise, maybe fold.

[edit] missed the EP limper in #11. raise, maybe call, depending on the rest of the table.

[Nick Royale]

[ QUOTE ]
11. raise, maybe fold.

[/ QUOTE ]
Raise or fold? At least we need to limp it, if for nothing else set value.

[sin808]

yeah, I didn't read close enough. I thought we were opening. post edited.

[Roybert]

1) Raise
2) fold
3) fold
4) fold
5) call
6) raise
7) fold
8) raise
9) call
10) fold

[webgator]

I've only started playing .50/1.00 on the Skins and never Grunched before and figured I'd start with this post. My VPIP is around 28 and my PFR is around 4, but I've just started using PT around 4500 hands ago.

1-3 Fold
4 Call
5 Fold
6 Call
7 Fold
8-9 Call
10 Fold
11 Call

[Stuey]

I currently play .5/1 - 2/4. Last 20K hands in .5/1 I am 18VP$IP 8.5 ish PFR.

Hand 1:

You are on the button with A7o. There are two loose limpers in early-mid position. The rest fold to you.

<font color="blue">I fold. I need a reason? I just never play AXo.</font>

Hand 2:

You are in the BB with A7o. A loose UTG limps in, folded to the CO who raises, Button coldcalls, SB folds.

<font color="blue">I fold. This is worse than hand 1 in my opinion, as here I will have bad position for the rest of the hand and there is a very good chance I am dominated. </font>

Hand 3:

You are in MP2 with Q9s. UTG+1 raises, UTG+2 coldcalls, MP1 folds. The players to act behind you and the blinds are all moderately loose (in the 30 VPIP range) and not particularly good.

<font color="blue">Yesh I fold again, I hate Grunching, I think I'm wrong all the time! MP for 2 bets with a marginal hand with others yet to act. This is NOT one of the few times I consider cold calling. </font>

Hand 4:

You are in the SB with QTs. A solid player in MP2 raises, CO and Button coldcall.

<font color="blue"> I fold again. QTs has little high card strength in a raised multi-way pot, it is suited and connected but only makes one nut str8. If I was in the BB or the raiser was not a good player I would call here. </font>

Hand 5:

You are in the SB with A5o. Two somewhat loose players limp in from UTG+1 and MP1.

<font color="blue">I FOLD! yesh is this a trick? </font>

Hand 6:

You are in the CO with JTo. It is folded to you.

<font color="blue">I FOLD! I want to play JTo vs several players for one bet and only when conditions are perfect. I play this if it is suited and/or I am at a higher limit table I raise to steal the blinds, but not at .5/1, I fold it. </font>

Hand 7:

You are on the Button with JTo. There are two reasonably playing limpers in MP.

<font color="blue">I call here. This is better than the previous question as the limpers ensure the pot will be multi-way. And my position gives me a very good chance to see the flop for one bet. </font>

Hand 8:

You are in the CO with 87s. It is folded to you.

<font color="blue">I call here also. I don't raise as I have a drawing hand. It is suited and connected but has no high card strenght. I want callers, and I want to see the flop cheap and try to outplay my opponents from there. </font>
Hand 9:

You are in the CO with 87s. There are three loose limpers in EP, MP3 raises. The blinds and Button are semi-loose.

<font color="blue">I fold. I want to see the flop cheap with this hand. I have no idea if the players remaining will raise and have to pay 3 or 4 bets to see the flop with this hand is terrible imo. </font>

Hand 10:

You are in the CO with Q9o. It is folded to you.

<font color="blue"> I fold. I never play Q9o even when I first started playing. I feel like a rock now. I play this when it is unraised and I am in the BB however. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif </font>

Editing to add one more situation.

Hand 11:

You are in MP3 with 66. There is one limper in EP, folded to you.

<font color="blue">I call here. Middle pair I am looking to get in cheap vs several players and hit a set. I don't feel I win here unimproved very often at all.</font>

Thanks for the quiz. /images/graemlins/smile.gif I always thought I was to loose preflop, now I'm not sure. I will be interested to see what others said here.