Using position to create deception

[MRBAA]

Loose moderately aggressive 3-6 game at Mohegan Sun, perhaps 1/2 of the hands are raised pre-flop, play on the flop tends to be somewhat more passive. I am on the button with 5-6 suited. Four limp to me and I raise. Now, I don't raise here with only one or two limpers. I'm pretty sure all will call, so although I'm cutting into my implied odds somewhat by raising, my immediate odds are not horrible. My real reason for making this play on button and in cutoff is to mix up my standards somewhat. In earlier positions my raising standards are much higher, but many players don't really correlate the cards you play and the position you play them in, so I'm getting the added advantage of being seen as playing looser and more unpredictably. I preceive this as a solid play in the type of game I'm describing. Do others see it as a long-term negative?

[Homer]

I think it is a fine play to make with either suited connectors or medium pairs, but I would prefer to wait until my suited connectors were slightly higher (89 or so) and/or there was one more limper.

In a 3/6 game this tactic may serve no purpose, as your opponents may not even notice what you have done. Plus, low-limit players typically don't take into account silly things like pot size when determining whether to chase postflop. In other words, you don't need to raise preflop to tie them into the hand.

-- Homer

[marbles]

I have to echo Homer's sentiments on this one. Your rationale seems logical, but in order for it to approach +EV, all of your opponents have to have a clue.

It's a lot like the ol' play of raising 66 on the button for a potential free look at the turn if your set doesn't hit on the flop. It's great in theory, but at low limits, most of the players will forget you raised preflop and play postflop with blinders.

[Robk]

You should read the chapter in Jim Brier's MLH book called "Deception". I would never make this
play at 3-6 ever, mostly for the reasons Homer mentioned.

[bernie]

this play is ok if you dont overuse it.

i dont agree with the others putting a blanket statement on LL games. ever been the 'nut' player in those games? i have. even fish can get a clue on the person who's only played 1 or 2 hands an hour. and those types of tables you can find on any limit. though they do tend to be more prominent in LL.

if the players are that bad, youll be making much more postflop on many hands than you will lose preflop alterations against them. that is, if, in general, youre starting standards are better than theirs. which im guessing they are.

this play can help your image a little in that youll fit in with them a little more and gain action on better hands. now if youre already getting action on most of your good hands, you dont have to worry about these plays as much.

that's your gauge. the action youre recieving on better hands...

if the normal call for a raise on this table is say, 4+ players, but when you raise you maybe only get 2 or 3, you can lower the standards a little. not a lot, but a little.

OR, depending on how tight they play against you postflop, you can just switch gears and run over the table for a couple hands. however, this move, on this texture of a table can be harder to pull off. so you wont be able to push them around for as long as you might on a different type of table.

even fish can get a read on a player after awhile, even suckerfish can find food in a stream.

you have some good ideas, just make sure youre picking the right spots.

have a good one

b

[Tyler Durden]

I think it would be a good idea to sit in a 10-20 game where you're an unknown and raise w/ 89s in LP and show it down. Then the players will think you're bad and you'll make lots of money raising with AA, AQ, KK, etc.

[Barry]

Be careful fellows. I've been known to sit in on that game, and I have, at least a clue, if nothing else.

There are a few regulars there that are decent players, but there are also plenty of swimmers. My favorites are the hot shot college kids that post live straddles, raise almost anything preflop.

I almost feel sorry for them as I stack their former chips.