The New Stars

[spazm6666]

Stars has always IMO been a harder sight to beat than Party in the SnGo's. Partially because of a blind structure designed to let you play poker. But the players there have always just been better. SO I have been trying to really take in the play in my recent tourneys to see just HOW these people were playing "in general" to adapt and create a strategy that would readily push me ahead of them and into the money. Unfortunately I am a bit stuck.

They seem to play a decent amount of hands early. And this includes calling raises they probably shouldn't and just treating their pre-flop cards like they all have monster pocket pairs when it comes to calls. They generally will not raise if there is a raise in front of them but will raise with limpers ahead of them. They almost always will call all-ins with A10-AK. while we want this, it puts one in more race situations than preferred when we sometimes just want to take a few chips pre-flop.

Qx and Kx suited also seem fairly popular. We know the odds of that flush and the general lousiness of that kicker but hey, they don't.

So this doesn't seem to make them better, but post flop they seem smart enough not to chase very often and love to check raise. Since they play with so many hands this makes it a real guessing game as to what they called you with pre flop and just what they hit now. Worse when there are 3 doing it.

So tighten up? Loosen up? Aggression just seems dangerous without qq, kk, ak aa or limping and trying for a set. I have moderate success with suited connectors limping when possible and almost never betting when i miss the flop with any hand. qq and there is a k or a, fold. ak and no a or k on the flop, fold.

So... opinions, suggestions, comments on my observations? Give it to me baby! Unh hunh Un hunh!

spazm