Straddle? Spread Limit?
 

I've been playing online for about a year now and am planning a Vegas trip for my first live action. In reading this forum I've come across some unfamiliar terms. So what exactly do the following B&M terms mean, and what's the correct strategy for them?

<ul type="square">[*]Straddle[*]Live Straddle[*]Spread Limit[/list]Thanks

Re: Straddle? Spread Limit?
 

[ QUOTE ]
I've been playing online for about a year now and am planning a Vegas trip for my first live action. In reading this forum I've come across some unfamiliar terms. So what exactly do the following B&amp;M terms mean, and what's the correct strategy for them?

<ul type="square">[*]Straddle[*]Live Straddle[*]Spread Limit[/list]Thanks

[/ QUOTE ]

Straddle is a bet posted UTG before the cards are dealt. If the straddle is live you get the option to raise yourself when the action is back on you. If it is not live it is technicaly simply a "raise in the dark" and you do not get the option to raise yourself.

Spread limit does not follow the usual 2/4 bet format. ie, if you are playing 10/20 all bets preflop or on the flop are ten and on the turn and river all bets are 20. in ay 2-10 spread limit game you would be able to bet any amount between 2 and 10 on any street. So preflop with blinds of 1 and 2 you could raise to 4, 6, 7, or 12, etc. If someone already raised to 6 you could raise anywhere from 4-10 (4 minimum because they raised four, and ten maximum because that is the max raise). So if you wanted you could call 6, and raise to anything between 10 and 16. It is a more common betting structure in stud than holdem.

Re: Straddle? Spread Limit?
 

Thanks stabn.

So only UTG can straddle?

How about strategy-wise? It seems the live straddle is quite powerful since you can reraise yourself. Is it something you should always do if your roll permits? How about image considerations?

Re: Straddle? Spread Limit?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks stabn.

So only UTG can straddle?

How about strategy-wise? It seems the live straddle is quite powerful since you can reraise yourself. Is it something you should always do if your roll permits? How about image considerations?

[/ QUOTE ]

Straddling is generally a poor strategy EXCEPT in 3 handed games, PL/NL games, or when trying to liven up a tight game.

Putting money in the pot without looking at your cards is almost always a bad idea.

Re: Straddle? Spread Limit?
 

Generally straddling is a bad idea, but if you are like the last 2 people I've seen straddle, you'll pick up AA or KK. If you can pick up AA or KK when you straddle then you should do it every time.

Re: Straddle? Spread Limit?
 

If you are doing a live straddle in most cases you act last from any position. I've seen people live straddle to 4 from UTG in 2-10 because it lets them act last. Say you straddle from somewhere in the middle for 10 (max straddle in 2-10), and some people on your right call, somebody on your left calls, and then somebody on your left raises. You do not act until after everybody else calls that raise, and you still have the option to reraise. I think it can actually be reraised before you act and you still act last.

Straddles can also sometimes be restraddled in line. So if UTG straddles, anybody from UTG+1 to the Button can restraddle. Generally if this is allowed straddling in a blind is not permitted, but YMMV on that.

Straddling is a nice tool if the table tightens up too much and you want to see some action, nobody respects a straddle bet. Otherwise it is a bad idea, it generally gets you labeled as overly aggressive. I like playing with guys that straddle, I just do not want them within 2 seats of me because it kills my blind limping.

Re: Straddle? Spread Limit?
 

[ QUOTE ]

I've seen people live straddle to 4


[/ QUOTE ]
This is not the normal rule. The normal rule is you can only straddle UTG.

Re: Straddle? Spread Limit?
 

I've seen a live straddle be used effectively in the late stages of a tournament, i.e. last 2, 3 or 4 players, particularly if you are the big stack and your opponents are easily bullied.

Re: Straddle? Spread Limit?
 

Where can you live straddle in a tournament? I definitely didn't think that was allowed. Dark raise maybe, but it would not be live, you would not have the option if it got called back to you..

Re: Straddle? Spread Limit?
 

In the UK. We do everything differently here [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Re: Straddle? Spread Limit?
 

[ QUOTE ]
In the UK. We do everything differently here [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

It would be more effective so simply act like you looked at your cards and then put in the raise. Even if you don't care what they are it is typically better if your opponents think you do. But then, you guys do things differently anyway [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img].

Re: Straddle? Spread Limit?
 

I've been playing live for over a year now, and I finally lost my Straddle Virginity last night at the Caesars IN 3/6 Table on the last orbit I played (I typically play 10/20, but decided to slum it since a poker rookie friend was in town and wanted to play small stakes).

I got 3 callers and my pocket 4s held up. Whoohoo!

Re: Straddle? Spread Limit?
 

How to play spread limit in two sentences:

max bet!
don't slow play!



... its a bit more complicated than that, but not much more really...

Re: Straddle? Spread Limit?
 

Thanks for the replies.

Now one more: What is a Kill Game and usual strategy?

Re: Straddle? Spread Limit?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks for the replies.

Now one more: What is a Kill Game and usual strategy?

[/ QUOTE ]

Win a pot that sees a flop and you get the LEG, win the next hand with the LEG, and it is a kill. There are rules involved and can vary between rooms, ask if you are not sure. For example a normal rule would be in a 3/6 game that the pot you win with the LEG is 10xSB or $30.

Now that it is a KILL pot, the limit doubles. The SB and BB still post the normal, and you the killer posts 2xBB and acts last. So in a 3/6 game, its 6 to go instead of 3.

As for strategy, you will have to ask someone that wins more kill pots than I do. LOL

Re: Straddle? Spread Limit?
 

Kill pot doubles the limits for the table under certain circumstances. In hold'em, kill is usually active when a player wins 2 pots in a row. Sometimes there is a size-of-pot qualifier (i.e. if youwin $50 then steal the blinds, the next pot isn't killed).

When the pot is killed, the player with the kill button must put out a blind equal to the new big blind. All bets are now doubled for that hand.

Example: $3-6 with a full kill.

You've just won 2 pots in a row and you now have the KILL button in middle position. Even though it is not your blind, you need to put $6 on top of the KILL. The blinds still put out $1 and $3 but players must come in for $6. Bets after the flop double to $12. (NOTE: if you were in the blind, your kill bet counts as your blind).

Some games are half kill. In the case of a $2/4 table, 1/2 kill pots would be played 3-6.

In Omaha H/L, kill pots are usually the result of a scooped pot. In the 5-10 Full Kill game at the Mirage, you need to scoop the pot and have more than $75 in the pot. Happens a lot, like playing 10/20. In Stud 8b Kill is usully called Scoop.

And a note on straddling: don't do it unless you don't care about your money and/or you want to piss off the table. I've never seen it referred to as a good strategy in any 2+2 book...

Re: Straddle? Spread Limit?
 

[ QUOTE ]
And a note on straddling: don't do it unless you don't care about your money and/or you want to piss off the table. I've never seen it referred to as a good strategy in any 2+2 book...

[/ QUOTE ]

good enough for me

Re: Straddle? Spread Limit?
 

Oh yeah, that's the entire reason I've ever straddled - to piss off the table.

It's often quite effective, too, especially when you have a bunch of angry old rocks at the table who are otherwise hoping that the poker game won't interfere with their reading the newspaper.

Re: Straddle? Spread Limit?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
And a note on straddling: don't do it unless you don't care about your money and/or you want to piss off the table. I've never seen it referred to as a good strategy in any 2+2 book...

[/ QUOTE ]


good enough for me

[/ QUOTE ]

*CLASSIC*

Re: Straddle? Spread Limit?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
And a note on straddling: don't do it unless you don't care about your money and/or you want to piss off the table. I've never seen it referred to as a good strategy in any 2+2 book...

[/ QUOTE ]


good enough for me

[/ QUOTE ]

*CLASSIC*

[/ QUOTE ]

i am a fountain of useless information.

Re: Straddle? Spread Limit?
 

When someone else has straddled, and no one else has called before you, it's generally best to either fold or raise. Even more so than when there isn't a straddle since when there is a straddle there is more money already in the pot than usual.

Many players who straddle will almost always raise when it gets to them, no matter what they have.

I've been in games where 3 wild players would straddle whenever they had a chance. So that in a 2-5 spread limit game with one $2 blind there would be the $2 blind, then straddles of $7, $12, $17. Then one or two of the straddlers would raise - to see the flop, you'd sometimes have to put in $27, then only be able to bet $5 max in any round of betting. That is called a wild game

Straddle, re-straddle, and double-re-straddle
 

Straddle - do this when you are good and drunk. It's going to be "live" here in vegas, which means it's another blind, and you can pointlessly jack it up some more when it comes to you by raising yourself again. You're basically buying last action, and the right to make it three bets before the flop, no matter what.

re-straddle - do this when the guy on your right straddles. It's not live, but it does attain the goal of pointlessly jacking up the pot some more if the straddler doesn't reraise himself.

Double-re-straddle. Do this after your 12th redbull and vodka at MGM in the 6-12 game when there are two Magoo looking las vegas dealers who also post on 2+2 in your game who have already straddled and re-straddled.

Open-cap - do this when it's straddled, re-straddled, and double-re-straddled and you are the first one to act who doesn't have money in the pot already and you have pocket aces.*

al

* all this actually happened last monday night at MGM on their opening night! 2+2=Super-Magoo!

Re: Straddle, re-straddle, and double-re-straddle
 

Aye, this all happened.

We opened a 6/12 game up with 3 of us and 4 or 5 other guys that showed up. Well I start UTG. I live straddle to 12.

Al on my left raises immediately to 18. 4 calls, I call to "Defend my straddle BLIND!" (well thats what I told the table.
Flop 10 9 7 rainbow. I check, al bets, 2 calls, I call.
Turn 6, I check, Al checks, MP bets out 12, I checkraise to 24 and said I raise BLIND. Al folds, MP calls.
River 2. I bet 12, MP calls.

Photoc shows 8 2 offsuit for 10 high straight. MP angrilly tosses cards and says..."how the F do you play that [censored]". I just shrug and said...I played blind!