My first day playing 1/2 - advice? + 2 hands

gorgeous · #1 03-20-2005, 12:10 PM

Today was my first day 4-tabling $1/2 tables and first let me say that I didn't realize that they were so full. I'll have to get used to this waiting list business. Anyhow, I only played 180 hands +28BB. I noticed there were more weak-tight players than in the $0.50/1 tables and I had a lot more data-mined players at my tables. Can I expect this every time I play?

Also, should I be folding hands like KJo and QTs? In $0.50/1 I was playing these hands, as well as suited aces and small pocket pairs from almost all positions, and now I can't do that anymore (less limpers). If anyone could link me to some previous threads about moving up to 1/2 I'd really appreciate that. Thanks

Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (9 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is CO with K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
5 folds, Hero raises (attempt to steal blinds), Button calls, 1 fold, BB calls.

Flop: (6.50 SB) Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (3 players)
BB checks, Hero bets, Button raises, BB folds, Hero 3-bets, Button caps, Hero calls.

Turn: (7.25 BB) 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero bets, Button raises, Hero 3-bets, Button caps, Hero calls.

River: (15.25 BB) 4[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero bets, Button raises, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 19.25 BB

Button is 69%/6%/3.00 (35 hands). In hindsight I think I should've just called his raise on the turn. Did I play this OK?

Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (10 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is MP1 with A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]. UTG+1 posts a blind of $1.5.
1 fold, UTG+1 (poster) checks, 1 fold, Hero raises, 1 fold, MP3 3-bets, 3 folds, BB calls, UTG+1 folds, Hero calls.

Flop: (11 SB) 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 3[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (3 players)
BB checks, Hero bets, MP3 raises, BB folds, Hero calls.

Turn: (7.50 BB) 2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero checks, MP3 bets, Hero calls.

River: (9.50 BB) Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero checks, MP3 bets, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 11.50 BB

MP3 is 30%/16%/2.5 (37 hands). I was thinking about reraising this flop and folding to a cap bet.. thoughts? Results will be posted later today.

JoshuaD · #2 03-20-2005, 12:25 PM

I would have switched the turn and river on hand 1. Call the turn raise and 3-bet the river.

I like your line in the second hand. You can't fold because you're gonna be getting your odds to draw to your 5 outs, so your line is best.

hicherbie · #3 03-20-2005, 12:43 PM

For the first hand id call the turn and try to cap the river.

edit: actually nm. the line on the second hand seems fine.

GrunchCan · #4 03-20-2005, 01:03 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (9 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is CO with K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
5 folds, Hero raises (attempt to steal blinds)

[/ QUOTE ]

If your'e stealing with hands as weak as this, you're probably stealing too often. Just becasue its folded to you in the CO, doesn't mean you should steal. If you steal too much, you'll start getting called down by garbage. You want to steal at just the right frequency so that the button and blinds won't be sure if your'e stealing or have a real hand. If you steal with hands like K4o, eventually they will be convinced that you are just stealing, and call you down.

So, fold hand 1 PF.

Isura · #5 03-20-2005, 01:47 PM

Hand 1: Fold preflop. K9o is about the lowest I go in LP to try steal first in. This is leaking chips, especially since you'll probably misplay the hand postflop (it's your new limit).

Hand 2: I'm not sure about calling this down with a middle pair against a 3-better. I might call the flop raise and bet out the turn. Then, probably fold the turn to a raise. On the river I don't see any hand other than AK that you beat.

JoshuaD · #6 03-20-2005, 02:11 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Hand 1: Fold preflop. K9o is about the lowest I go in LP to try steal first in. This is leaking chips, especially since you'll probably misplay the hand postflop (it's your new limit).

[/ QUOTE ]

That's too tight. K9o is a value raise. I don't think a K4o steal is out of line, if you've got a read on the blinds. I'm stealing with K4s often.

The cards you hold when you steal aren't as important as long as you're watching when you're stealing. If you've tried to steal against these guys the last two times, you should fold this K4. If you haven't stolen from them yet, get in there and mix it up.

Isura · #7 03-20-2005, 03:10 PM

Maybe it's too tight, but I'm not sure at this level if it is so. K4o has little high card strength, no flush or straight strength. In a 1/2 limit ring game I like to have atleast 2 high cards (9+) if they are unsuited and disconnected (and unpaired) to go for a blind steal. In a NL tourney with higher blinds it is true that the cards are irrelevant when stealing, since you have much more leverage regarding stack sizes, bet sizes, but in a limit ring game these variables don't come into the equation. Maybe this is a leak in my game, but I still feel uneasy raising this up.
I'd be curious to know your statistics with these types of hands in LP, maybe I'm missing out on +EV situations.