From easy to tough games.

[jedi]

I was in Vegas last weekend, and the low limit games were very, very juicy. Typical loose SSH type player. Made a good amount. For sure, I hit a bunch of draws, but I just mainly played good value betting poker. I didn't try to bluff too much, value bet top pair against people who would call down with anything. Great weekend.

Now I'm back, and I just dropped $200 in the UB 3/6 game. The game is certainly tighter, and more agressive than the 3/6 and 4/8 B&M games as you all know. I think I'm having trouble adjusting back, so let me see if these adjustments make sense.

1) Respecting the turn raise in small type pots. I reviewed some hands, and noticed that I was paying off too many turn and river raises and check-raises. If I didn't have a note on someone as LAGGish, they'd always have top pair beat at least. While the B&M games frequently had huge pots because of the 5/6 way action pre-flop, UB 3/6 games were frequently 3-4 handed or even heads up. Folding in small pots isn't too bad when the action tells me that I'm beat.

2) Drawing hands go down in value. Loose-Passive B&M games meant that I could play hands as bad as 67s from late position. Tighter, more agressive games meant that I didn't get pot odds. Instead of blindly playing suited connectors, I think I need to re-learn to fold it in smaller pots.

3) Don't bet unimproved overcards into big fields with high-type cards flopping. I shouldn't be bluffing into 2 or 3 players with just AK. The pot has been inflated pre-flop and I won't get top pair hands to fold. It's not a bad time to check and call if I have other outs, or just check folding sometimes if the pot is really small.

Thoughts? Am I out of line? Playing too weak?

[TheHip41]

I think your first mistake is comparing the low level B&M games to 3/6 at UB. They are miles apart.

You have to play a different style for each game. Also, 1 weekend at B&M, and a few nights at UB is statistically insignificant. Just play well.

[Bodhi]

My suggestion is not to play UB 3/6. /images/graemlins/grin.gif There are definitely more profitable 3/6 games on the net.

[toss]

The other poster is right about the two games being miles apart, but you have a good idea on how to adapt.

[jedi]

[ QUOTE ]
My suggestion is not to play UB 3/6. /images/graemlins/grin.gif There are definitely more profitable 3/6 games on the net.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think I have to learn to beat the tougher games at some point. Now might be the best time.

It's just a little frustrating. Most of the bad beats are actually from people drawing with correct odds as it turns out. I just gotta hunker down and try to stay the course.

[MagicMan08]

In these low limits people are always theoretically going to be getting pretty good odds, esp if it is multi-way. (but I am new)

[profpeebody]

[ QUOTE ]

Most of the bad beats are actually from people drawing with correct odds as it turns out.

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Isn't this statement contradictory?
An opponent drawing out with correct odds is not a bad beat in my mind.

However, seeing more opponents draw with correct odds is a clear indicator that your game is tougher.

[jedi]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

Most of the bad beats are actually from people drawing with correct odds as it turns out.

[/ QUOTE ]

Isn't this statement contradictory?
An opponent drawing out with correct odds is not a bad beat in my mind.

However, seeing more opponents draw with correct odds is a clear indicator that your game is tougher.

[/ QUOTE ]

True. It's not really a "bad beat" in that sense, but it's still frustrating. Example: I had AA and raised in EP pre-flop. 1 cold caller, plus the blind come along. 8SB to the flop which comes QTx 2 diamonds. I'm betting out the whole way, only the Big Blind calls me down. The river hits the 3rd diamond and he leads out and I call. He shows me A3 diamonds for the rivered flush. I'm pretty sure I would have played it the same way as him, but in my shoes it's frustrating to lose to something like that.

I think part of the problem is the fact that in the loose B&M games, people were giving me money hand over fist. In the tighter games, it's not quite as easy. I'll have to push smaller edges and if they don't hold up, so be it. I'm still trying to identify some potential leaks, such as the river call in the above hand. Do I make the call? I thought so in the past since the pot was big, but that's usually against donks who would bluff the river like that. Also, I'm at a loss on what to do when an overcard hits sometimes. In the totally loose game, I could fold my QQ when an Ace hit the flop when the action told me that Ax was out there. In a tighter game, it might be someone betting middle pair trying to push me off of my hand. I fear that I'll be losing tons of bets if I keep calling down with an underpair routinely.

Just more to think about for me. Maybe I should peruse the Mid/High stakes forums since the UB 3/6 game plays more like mid/hi than a B&M 3/6 game for sure.

[nightlyraver]

First, a 3/6 B&M game is probably comperable to a .50/1 game on an average internet cardroom. Think about it: 3/6 is usually the lowest limit; Most low stakes people go to a casino to lose money and be entertained; A game like blackjack or craps averages at about $10 a throw in Vegas so $100 can be gone in like 5 min. - even a total donk will probably last an hour or two with $100 at a 3/6 table; Internet players are there to play and to try and stay profitable while casino players are there to just have fun in most cases. That said, it's a totally different game playing online versus B&M play.

Second, in your flush draw hand you almost always have to call in that spot. You are getting 8:1 on your call making it profitable to call if you expect to win just 15% of the time. Against a player that is known to never bluff, I guess you can lay it down. However, it's a very costly error to fold the best hand on the river for 1 bet - especially HU.

Thirdly, playing a big pocket pair shouldn't be that difficult when overcards fall against all but the most tricky players; it's simply an exercise in handreading. The number of players and the position in relation to the preflop raiser construed against the texture of the flop should dictate your actions. Personally, I'm often raising with QQ when the field is short and an A flops. 1 small bet will tell wonders. If an A falls later on, it's more about what hands would still be there for the turn/river that hold an A.