[cartman]

There seem to always be a number of pros or wannabe pros hanging around the 5/10 game who usually play pretty solidly, but when they are heads up after raising preflop are <font color="blue"> guaranteed to keep the pedal to the floor the entire hand regardless of their cards, even if their opponent 3-bet preflop.</font>.

When they are the last aggressor preflop, they bet when checked to (not so bad) and raise when bet into (either immediately or on the next round). When raised, they 3-bet immediately or call and raise the next round.

When their opponent is the last aggressor preflop (for instance, they open-raise on the button and their opponent 3-bets in the big blind), I can hear their thoughts even before the flop cards come out. "Let's see, should I raise the flop or wait until the turn?"

In my opinion this strategy is doomed to epic failure against the tyical opponent, who will never fold Ace high or better in an million years. It is doomed to mediocrity against a LAG who will play the same as they do. It will only succeed against someone who folds way too much---not a common ailment.

I fold plenty, but it's not because these guys bet or raise. Their bets and raises are barely any indication of their holdings. My folds are based almost completely on my estimate of their PREFLOP raising or 3-betting criteria.

I might bet and fold to a raise with 55 on an AK2 board. I might bet and fold to a raise with QJ on an A62 board, but for the most part if I bet into these guys I have already decided that my hand can handle a raise. If I had a hand with a reasonable amount of showdown value that couldn't stand a raise, I would have just checked and called the 100% guaranteed bet.

If you fit this description you are a LAG even if only in a Jekyll and Hyde sense in the above situation. Maybe you are a winner, maybe even a pro. Now the real questions:

Is there something I am missing?

Can someone explaing to me the merits of such an approach?

Are there many of these usually TAG but turn into LAG types at the higher levels also?

Should I be playing this way?


Thanks,
Cartman