Two LAGs to my right -- what are the correct preflop adjustments?

Nick C · #1 12-31-2004, 08:20 AM

I was at a table tonight with two major preflop LAGs to my right. With great frequency, once it was their turn preflop, the action went raise, 3-bet, followed by a bunch of folds, and they played heads-up.

Finally, the first LAG decided to take a hand off, and I saw my opportunity:

UTG is LP-P (VP$IP: 33.8; PFR: 1.5; AF: 0.5)
UTG+1 is LA-A (VP$IP: 50; PFR: 24.3; AF: 4.27)
UTG+2 is a LA-A (VP$IP: 85.2; PFR: 51.9; AF: 1.66)

Party Poker 2/4 Hold'em (10 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]. MP3 posts a blind of $2.
UTG calls, 1 fold, UTG+2 raises, 1 fold, Hero 3-bets, 5 folds, UTG folds, UTG+2 calls.

Flop: (9.50 SB) 2[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 6[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (2 players)
UTG+2 checks, Hero bets, UTG+2 calls.

Turn: (5.75 BB) 4[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (2 players)
UTG+2 checks, Hero bets, UTG+2 calls.

River: (7.75 BB) A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (2 players)
UTG+2 checks, Hero bets, UTG+2 folds.

Final Pot: 8.75 BB

So that hand worked out. In general, though, I wasn't sure how much to adjust my capping standards. During the early portion of the LAGs' "raise, 3-bet" show (at which point I hadn't seen much of the initial raiser's play yet), I laid down AJs to what turned out to be a raise by a much smaller suited ace and a 3-bet by pocket fours.

Anyway, in a situation where I can likely get into a 3-way capped pot against what are probably far less than premium hands, how far down should I adjust my capping standards?

MoDOH · #2 12-31-2004, 08:33 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Anyway, in a situation where I can likely get into a 3-way capped pot against what are probably far less than premium hands, how far down should I adjust my capping standards?

[/ QUOTE ]

With the table you describe and the action I would cap with AA-99, AKs-KQs,AKo-AQo. Essentially you only want to play your big cards against them. It´s boring and you are going to be folding alot of hands but when you do get a hand you expect to take down a huge pot...

Nick C · #3 01-01-2005, 05:32 AM

[ QUOTE ]
With the table you describe and the action I would cap with AA-99, AKs-KQs,AKo-AQo. Essentially you only want to play your big cards against them.

[/ QUOTE ]

That was more or less how I was approaching the situation, and as a result I didn't play any hands at all when the preflop action from the LAGs went "raise, 3-bet." (I was only at the table for 37 hands after the PFR 24.32 guy joined the table and didn't get the cards I was waiting for.) Thinking about it afterwards, though, I wondered if my approach was a little too tight. The table seemed to fall somewhere between the "Wild Games" and "Playing Against a Maniac" sections of HPFAP. (I was likely to end up with two opponents rather than just one opponent or 4-7 opponents.) When I folded the AJs preflop, it was during the PFR 24.32 guy's first few hands at the table. (I was already aware the PFR 51.85 guy was a preflop maniac.) If I had had more information to work with at the time, I think I would've capped. On the other hand, when I saw I had 99 in the hand I posted, I was anticipating the action being 3 bets to me preflop, and I didn't know whether I wanted to fold or cap. The decision became easier when UTG+1 folded instead of raising, but, in general, I wasn't sure what adjustments I should be making.

Bob T. · #4 01-01-2005, 02:27 PM

Play hands that have showdown value unimproved, medium and bigger pairs, and big aces, maybe big suited kings, and come in for a raise or reraise, and then play the hand through until you think it is hopeless, which should frequently be after they actually show you a better hand.

Schizo · #5 01-01-2005, 05:43 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Play hands that have showdown value unimproved, medium and bigger pairs, and big aces, maybe big suited kings, and come in for a raise or reraise, and then play the hand through until you think it is hopeless, which should frequently be after they actually show you a better hand.

[/ QUOTE ]

Isn't this against SSH? SSH says you can only 3-bet with QQ -AA and AK.

7ontheline · #6 01-01-2005, 06:21 PM

You have to adjust to the table conditions rather than playing constantly "by the book," regardless of what book it is. Only 3-betting with such premium hands is a mistake against people who will raise with any two crappy cards. Normally, you restrict your 3-betting because you need to have a better hand than the average raising hand, but those standards are significantly reduced with a maniac at the table.

youngin20 · #7 01-01-2005, 06:35 PM

I think you have to remember other people are at the table. If you are playing 6-max you might be ok, but...dont push your luck at a ring game.

7ontheline · #8 01-01-2005, 08:22 PM

This is true, but he does mention that his table seemed to be letting the two LAGs go at it - to me, this implies that everyone else is playing tight. I would loosen up some against the LAGs and tighten back up if anyone else got involved.