Cigar Store Game

[lapoker17]

After playing primarily in casinos - Commerce, for the most part - I infiltrated a NL game at a local cigar shop where there is generally plenty of money around, but the players are brutal - Play any big card and get their money in often with top pair, very weak kicker etc.

I sat for the first time on Saturday night, and though I played for only an hour - and lost $150 - I was totally thrown by their style of play. 6 or 7 see flops after EP 4X or 5X BB raises, and frequently 3 players will go to the felt in a hand. The game has a small buy in - $80 - but blinds are 2.50-5.00 and everyone at the table seems to rebuy every 10 minutes. After a few hours, there's usually 3 or 4K on the table - Not huge compared to the 10/20 I normally play - but pretty good considering how bad the players are.

My problem is this: I've never played in a reasonably big NL game with such a plethora of bad players, and it's frightening. I don't want to become a nut-peddler, but I don't really know how else to approach the game as any player can literally have any hand at any time. Maybe my first experience was flukey, but I'm actually a little worried about playing in this game.

How do you play NL against a table full of morons?

[limon]

you pretty much have to peddle he nuts...is 80 the max. buy?
act loose, drink, smoke, but peddle the nuts.

[coltrane]

I've played in a game like this, and different people will have different theories - i.e. - some will say to loosen up to outplay them after the flop, etc......

personally, I think it is highly profitable to play tighter (but very aggressive when you have the best of it) and almost according to game theory.....if you're saying they'll call almost any raise before the flop AND go to felt with mediocre holdings, well, simple math says that a pair of pocket aces will win very often compared to most other hands.....it seems like it's worth the wait for good cards.....

[Loci]

It's the old maxim of compensate their weaknesses by fitting your strength. They're too loose, you tighten. They're too tight, you loosen. if they're that bad, you'll win money on the nut hands. If they start respecting too much, loosen until they don't and then tighten again.
There are much worse problems to have. Down 150 on a table with 4K is nothing. One hand and you're up 500.