15-30 Raise calling standards out of BB
 

I'm usually a MTT and STT player, but on a recent Vegas trip, I've been playing a lot more of mid-limit holdem 15-30. One question that I have is that I felt like I was leaking money out of the blinds when I'd call raises.

Ex - MP raises, 2 callers and I have 86o (or T7o) in the BB. I would call to close the action and see the flop. Or same scenario with 1 caller and I have K7. In NL, I'm very used to calling getting 7.5:1 and playing from the flop, however, NL pots are generally larger, I dont know if its more +EV to simply fold.

Also related, I want to complete with any almost two out of the SB in an unraised pot. I would def call with the above hands, but T5, Q6 and other rags - is that worth a call - even on a slightly loose table?

Apologies if this topic has already been debated multiple times - search didn't yeild much related to the question.

Re: 15-30 Raise calling standards out of BB
 

Call if you hate money. Otherwise fold. These leaks add up tremendously. Hands like K7 and crap have no possibilities, you're either gonna hit a 7 which probably won't be TP, or you're gonna hit the K in which case you might be outkickered, but you probably already knew that.

From the blinds, this is where you can complete/call raises with suited connectors (given proper pot odds)with lots of posibilities, or hands that you would otherwise normally play like QJ, KQ, AT, AJ, etc etc.

Read a book about limit hold'em. What i've said barely scratches the surface.
Cheers,
Bluffman85

Re: 15-30 Raise calling standards out of BB
 

First of all, recognize those hands for the trash that they are. Why would you want to play these for a raise when you will be OOP the rest of the hand? You are new to LHE -- play tight until you get a much better feel for the game. Good cards/good position should be your mantra.

Second, you need to give serious consideration to the position of the initial raiser in mid limit (and higher) games. If the raise comes from early and mid posiiton, AND several players have already called the raise cold, fold that trash. You don't have the implied odds in LHE to play a hand like 86o against a MP raise, and unlike NL, limit isn't going to allow you to double through another player when you flop a monster. More than anything, LHE (at least at the 15/30 level) is about making many, many correct decisions. And the correct decision with these hands is to fold. You can consider making an exception once the odds of calling the raise in the BB rise to 11:1 or better, but these situations are typically rare, and even then, you are basically looking to flop two pair or better or you will need to fold.

Regarding the second part of your question about blind vs. blind play, I think you may find the following article (from this month's 2+2 internet magazine) helpful:

http://www.twoplustwo.com/magazine/c...eetin1105.html

Re: 15-30 Raise calling standards out of BB
 

I'm calling with a lot of crap hands getting 7:1. If it is soooooted or connected. Fold Ax 80% of the time and Kx 100%. But I like making straights and flushes. Its fun.

Re: 15-30 Raise calling standards out of BB
 

1 - I know they're trash. I'm capable of folding TP post flop. I'm trying to flop monsters, not 2nd pair.

2 - I'm aware of inital raiser's position, and I hope they overplay big pairs when I hit monsters on junk flops.

3 - Second part of my question is completing in the SB in an unraised (3 handed or more) pot, not blind vs blind play.

Re: 15-30 Raise calling standards out of BB
 

Mez, points 1 +2 are exactly why I like calling here. Many players will get attached to a hand when they flop a piece of the board, but so long as you are able to toss TP and know how to calculate outs/odds, you can play such hands.

As for the SB, I'm adding in KX and AX hands. The theory being that these hands now have a much greater chance of being good when they hit. Kx especially as a lot of people limp AXs/o but most kings get raised (or folded). However your implied odds are less in a limped pot IMO. 1) People have less pot odds to chase. 2) There is no PFR you can use to juice the pot. 3) Limping hands tend to create monsters or weak hands.

The plus side is that it is a lot easier to take down a small pot with a little piece of the board.