Raising Preflop in low limit games

[BradleyT]

Starting to enjoy these online small buy in cash games (doing the stars $25 NL now).

Question about raising preflop though. Doesn't really matter what position I'm in, if I get AA, KK, QQ and make it 3-5x BB I'll still get 4-6 callers. I thought the idea was to limit the amount of opponents so that you're dominating rather than trying to beat out 5 other people.

Then when I don't hit the monster, Q8 flops two pair and takes down a monster pot from me.

Sounds like the AA wins a small pot or loses a big pot theory?

So what can I do?

[CrisBrown]

Hi Bradley,

Make the standard adjustments for loose games:

(a) Tighten up on pairs and big cards. Medium and small pairs (including QQ) should be played for set value, not for pair value. Big cards don't play well in multi-way pots.

(b) Slowplay your monster pairs. Let the looser players do your betting for you. You can clean up if you hit two pair or better (i.e.: if the board pairs), and get away cheaply if you miss.

(b) Play a few more drawing hands. The loose players are giving you good implied odds, and drawing hands are easy to get away from if you miss.

(c) Bluff and semi-bluff less, if at all. They're going to call, so bluffing is a waste of money.

(d) Bet improved hands (two pair or better) for value more. Looser players will call you with hands that are beaten.

Hope this helps.

Cris

[Nero]

[ QUOTE ]
Question about raising preflop though. Doesn't really matter what position I'm in, if I get AA, KK, QQ and make it 3-5x BB I'll still get 4-6 callers. I thought the idea was to limit the amount of opponents so that you're dominating rather than trying to beat out 5 other people.

[/ QUOTE ]

You are trying to limit the field. In most games a standard opening raise will do just fine. In these games however you need to bet as much as you think it will take to get 1-2 callers. If this means 10BB - 15BB so be it, find the tables pain tolerance and exploit it.

[BradleyT]

The problem with slowplaying my big pairs is that so many people are in, one of them hits something bigger than me (you'd be suprised how many times K4 and K6 and K8 makes 2 pair in these games), makes a pot sized bet and I either call or jam and I'm stuck behind.

Perhaps I should set my "range" from $1.00 (4xBB) to $3.75 (15xBB) and raise within that range no matter what I have when I'm going to raise? It seems like ~$2.00 is the range where you get 1-2 callers if everyone doesn't fold.

[neotope]

I play the $25 PL at Party so I know first hand what you are coming up against. Usually if I get bullets and I raise to $4 I do not get everyone calling. On the other hand if I only raise to $1 or $2 I can expect a fair amount of callers. A lot of people at the $25 NL/PL tables like to play a lot of hands so it is always hard to tell.

I've decided to raise to a max of $2 maybe $2.50 depending on the table. This way I can save myself from a bad flop or a bad beat. This might be the wrong strategy but I've had K-K with A-A-x on the flop and I've had it the other way around get beaten too many times.

I think one of the keys with big pocket cards is you have to know when to fold them. Bullets might be the best hand pre-flop but unless everyone folds you are not going to win unless they hold up. It seems on Party that if someone gets bullets they are going down swinging regardless of the board and this is not how you should play.

[Al_Capone_Junior]

Raise more.

I hate the 3x the bb theory for any no limit game below $200 max buy-in. Morons galore will simply call you with every piece of cheese they would have limped with anyway. So why not raise more? you'll perhaps narrow the field, and if they are dumb enough to call you with Q8, well they just made a bigger mistakes than if you had only raised 3x.

It's not uncommon to see myself make it between 5x-10x the big blind, even first in sometimes if the game has been very loose. Against the typical players in the smallest online games, just pop them NOW, when you're certain your hand is best. Believe me, you won't steal the blinds very often.

And on any even semi-favorable flop, bet the pot!

al

[scrub]

Bingo.

If they're too dumb to fold, make them pay for it. Raise the largest amount you can get away with raising. Being able to get away with it means that some putz will often call you.

scrub

[Al_Capone_Junior]