THe Soft Rock

Shrerer's term signifying players that will call any hand with a 10+ kicker pre-flop, regardless of previous action or position.

He estimates there'll be about 3 in your garden variety $30-60 ten handed game.
His strategy for maximum gains in such a scenario is to play 'garbage hands'

(small suited connectors and small pairs)

He uses 7-6s and 6-6 as examples.

Say three players fold and it's up you.

He advices bringing the 7-6 for a RAISE since, though the odds are against your making the flush, you may pair or do better.

In other words, it is NOT mathematically, a 'volume hand' that needs a lot of customers.

Raising is therefore right in order to isolate, and as an added plus, it disguises your holdings.

In fact, if the three players had called, raising may be viable anyway, because on the few times you do hit the disguise will bring in action.

Small pairs, on the other hand, should be limped, as they are volume hands.

Intriguing.

Whaddya think?

[Jimbo]

I think you need a big bankroll to raise 7/6 preflop with regularity.

Jimbo

[J_V]

Garbage. People keep looking for ways to make little cards win. The problem is little cards are inferior for obvious reasons and playing ability cannot overcome a large starting disadvantage. When you hit a hand like 7-6 what does that mean? Your most likely hit will be a pair that's not a top pair, putting you in a difficult spot, but let's say you get lucky and flop top pair, no kicker. What's going to happen? You may get action from your disguised hand, but its not action you want since all of your opponents will have outs, probably six or more. Sure if you flop the nut straight you'll get paid, but have fun waiting. The big cards win, because the make big pairs, big two pairs, big trips, big straights, big flushes, and big full houses.

If you don't believe me, go watch some of the players with the six digit online bankrolls play and see how many times they are caught raising a hand like 76s. I find that these players play amazingly tight.

[J_V]

if you are raising 76 with regularity, the size of your bankroll does not matter, you will go bust.

[angelo alba]

The book you're all referring to is "No fold 'em Hold 'Em."

Has anyone read it or know of any reviews?

Sherer's a competent tournament player, though I've no idea how good his limit Poker is, and this is high stakes limit advice. And he's not talking about limping with 7-6s on the button or blinds, but raising from MP.

I have to agree with JV, I don't see the logic of it. Or rather I do but it seems a bit twisted:
you get 7-6s but even if you make a flush draw or open straight draw on the flop, you're an underdog to anyone with a high card, let alone a pair.

And the more players that regularly go in with 10+ kickers, the more of an underdog you'll be, therefore (here it comes) raise to narrow the field. And then you're hand will be 'protected' from all those pesky 'soft rocks' who would have stayed in with K-Q , so you might just do well if you pair ---OK. . .

In all fairness perhaps I'm missing the math (Mason where are you?) or the psychology (Mason? Zee? Anyone?) but I don't get it.

Are there special situations where this is a viable play?

[andyfox]

If I understand your post correctly, you're saying that there are usually 3 or so players who will cold-call a raise with any hand with two cards 10 or above in a 30-60 game.

So if they will cold call with Q-J, why would I raise with 7-6?

You may always "pair or do better" with any hand.

"Raising is therefore right in order to isolate, and as an added plus, it disguises your holdings."

Why would I want to isolate with 7-6? Plus I could disguise my holding by raising once a round without looking at my cards and limping once a round without looking at my cards.

Garbage in, garbage out.

[budman]

This seems like very bad advice. There are players in my game who will play with two high cards, but not from early position unless they are premium cards. And then they usually come in for a raise.

If you do play against these guys with 7-6s and do flop a pair or flush draw or straight draw, your opponents will most likely all have different outs to beat you.

If they don't have outs, then they will probably not go too far with their hands and you will not be able to extract enough from them to make the MANY times you will flop nothing or worse.

The only profitable use of moves like this that I can see is for advertising and only then infrequently enough to get action from the other players.