How to play in a Super Pass- Loose HE game?

Well Hello & Howdy,


Well last night I got into the last hour of the most amazing game I have ever seem. It is 1-2 HE, 10 handed with me the only folder preflop for the entire time I was there. Also 3 folks have AA and didn't rz prfp because "they always lose with good cards!". The only prflp rz was from a young guy in the blinds with J10s (which I thought was a great value rz). This is a home game that goes a couple of times a week from 10pm-1am with no rake so I think it is hi variance but very profitable.


Here is my thoughts and then I invite opinions from everyone else.

1. I love how passive it is and I don't want to get everyone else rzing prfp. However how can I not rz with big pocket pairs and hi suited connectors?

2. I plan to play Axs & Kxs from any position and middle connectors suited or not from any position.

3. How to play post flop with top pair when folks call with a 3 str or 3 flush and what about value betting until rz'd all the time?


Any and all thoughts are welcomed and encouraged.

I am fortunate to play in this type of game frequently as well. I don't agree that it's a high variance game as you don't have to pay much for your drawing hands and if you're behind you rarely get raised. You make the max when you win, and lose the minimum when you lose.


Raise with any high pairs and high suited cards. I don't usually make value raises pre-flop (e.g. 10-Js). Don't worry about turning passive players into aggressors.


Remember what your intentions are when playing hands like A-x, K-x and connectors. You are looking for a flush or a str8, not top pair. Frequently I see players get tied to top pair because "the pot is so big".The pot is big every hand, wait for a big situation. These players will frequently check strong hands because they don't recognize how good they are. Personally I don't play these hands 'til mid-late position.


Top pair is a problem in these games. With lots of players seeing the flop and turn, one pair is unlikely to win. That's not to say that you should check (or not raise with) top pair good kicker. But be aware of the board and the players. Since so many players are drawing, value betting the river is less important.


Finally be prepared to lay down big hands. Over pairs, top pair/top kicker are not what they are in more 'normal' games.


GL

It's funny that you posted this topic today. Last night I also played in the most loose-passive game I have ever seen. I was playing 3-6 HE at the Yellowhead Casino in Edmonton, Canada. I've played with tables full of calling stations before, but this table was ridiculous. The only preflop raisers at the table were myself and another young guy whom I think is pretty solid. The rest of the table called with any two cards preflop, for any amount of bets and only raised or bet with top two pair or better. One guy even check-called his AA on a board of A-Q-2-2-Q all the way to the river (?!). Another guy made a runner-runner 2nd nut flush and only check-overcalled my two-pair bet on the river. The worst of the lot lost $600 in 4h while I was there (and he apparently lost another $500 before I got there). This guy was so passive he bet twice and raised once in the whole time I was there. The hand he raised, the flop was 3-3-3 (I wonder what he had?).


Now I found that this type of game is easy to beat, but it does take some adjusting. As an answer to one of your questions, I still raised all of my premium hands. I was also more likely to raise my suited connectors such as JTs or 98s. I was also raising many of my small pocket pairs in the more multiway pots because if I flopped a set, these calling stations were going all the way to the river with any pair or overcards. I never tried pushing an unimproved AK or anything either.


I also found it impossible to bluff anyone out, so I gave up trying pretty fast as people were calling the river (and even overcalling) with as little as bottom pair. For this reason I also value bet the river everytime with top pair or better. Guys would check-call with 2nd pair or 2nd nuts, you just never knew. I lost a few pots when one of these guys turned over an absolute monster hand on the river, but I feel I made that money back plus some by always betting the river.


It's unnerving in these games because you have no idea where you are at any point in the hand. I just made sure I always started with decent multiway hands and I always had something when I bet. There was no need to "mix it up" or anything because fancy plays were lost on these players.

I agree that you should value bet the river a lot if they call with any pair. If they only call with top pair or better, I think you're better off checking. Frequently they're calling with a draw and won't call anyways, and, as you mentioned, many times you'll be out kicked or looking at a monster.

I agree. I was only betting in this game with top pair-good kicker or better. You are also right about Ax and Kx top pair hands. They are trash in this type of game. I don't like these hands preflop, and if I don't hit a good draw or two pair I often let them go. With these players, it didn't matter how many times you showed down quality hands, they just kept calling the river with any pair anyways.

1. no. raise with your good hands for value. if you get others raising preflop eventually, so be it, you will adjust later, but not raising your best hands for value means you lose major amounts of money you would be making if you correctly raised. With that many callers, I would raise any suited connectors JTs or higher in any position, and raise smaller ones sometimes in late position, especially on the button. I would raise virtually any pair in any position, as long as you know your raise will not drive anyone out. if raising drives people out, then I would only raise smaller pairs once I was sure at least 7 players were in.


2. pretty much good thinking, except I really don't like middle and small non-suited connectors, and usually fold them, except in late position in ideal situations.


3. When the game is super-passive, value betting is just about the only thing you can do, so do it.


Dave in Cali