I think I have a leak in live games.. maybe not

[Python49]

After playing online for so long in cash games i've grown accustomed to a certain style of play that is tight and very aggressive. I believe this to be a long term winning strategy but in cash games it just seems as though since you see hands so slow you are left sitting there playing very tight. How do you guys play in a cash game where there is a raise pre flop EVERY hand (100%... yes I was paying attention) and nearly every pot went to the river. Average pots were $20-$30 and the blinds were only .25/.5. There was no way in hell you were going to bluff these guys since they were 100% calling stations and maniacs... do you just play tight and wait for a hand? I'm assuming this is the only way but I felt like I was playing less than optimally sitting there folding that much and everyone saying "Wow you're so tight". I just don't see any other way to play when every hand is raised ahead of you and you're looking down at rags. Online it would just be one of 4 tables and i'd just continue to fold at it and try to see a cheap flop and get paid off. Wouldn't even bother me much, but in live since its the only table you're at and seeing no results it just seems very unproductive.

If every hand is raised thanks to a few LAGs (hardly unusual in B&M games), I play the game the same way as if everyone is calling. Or move tables if I don't feel comfortable.

Happened quite a lot while I was playing small limits in Vegas a few weeks back and on the occasional (especially the well concealed) monster hands I was walking away with pots larger than 30BBs.

[Fishwhenican]

Personally, I do not think it is wrong to play tight in games like this. You are correct that bluffing is not going to work so you had better have a hand at the end.
Only thing a guy might do is loosen up starting hand requirements, being aware of position, and look for suited connectors, middle or small pocket pairs and things like that that you can hopefully get in fairly cheap and let go if nothing hits just as easy. When you hit your hand or have a good draw push it and build a good pot with these mainiacs and get paid off well. Of course you can always just wait for monster hands but those can be few and far between sometimes!
You may only win a few hands during a session like this but the good part is those pots should help you come out ahead.

I'd like to tag along and agree with Fishwhenican.

I only have access to 3/6, 4/8 HE. My successes in 3/6 come from playing exactly like he suggests. The competition at this level is full of CS's and maniacs.

4/8 games usually have better players so I shift to tighter and more aggressive.

[ QUOTE ]
I'd like to tag along and agree with Fishwhenican.

I only have access to 3/6, 4/8 HE. My successes in 3/6 come from playing exactly like he suggests. The competition at this level is full of CS's and maniacs.

4/8 games usually have better players so I shift to tighter and more aggressive.

[/ QUOTE ]

I want to ditto Fishwhenican's reply also, it was dead on, esp. for limit play although the same would apply to NL. Playing this way IS the way to be productive in that type of game but it may take longer for you to *get them* and you may often have to wait for your next session. Patience and timing are key and remember that unlike most online games I've seen you are going to get 6 or 7 times your money on your winners. You don't have to win that many pots to have a great session.

[elena_elphie]

It's even better to play tight in games where every pot is raised by people who can't fold a hand, because the amount you are paying per orbit in blinds is dwarfed by the large pot you will win when you eventually hit.

[DesertCat]

What live cash game has a fifty cent blind?

Today I was playing 8/16 at Casino Arizona when a maniac sat down. He raised almost every hand. I was on his left a few seats, and so I just waited for good, but not great hands to reraise him with. KQo, KJ, any pair, AT+. He actually reraised me when I had Kings and I was able to five bet preflop (never done that before).

He finally hit two pair against me when I had aces. Two other players called as we four bet the flop. I almost folded the turn because I knew he finally had something, but the pot was too big. The river paired the board and I took home a $400 pot. He was really pissed. God knows what the other guys had, they folded the river.

You'll take your share of beats, but if people are that loose it's nice to start a big pot with the best hand. Just figure out when to lay it down. Don't let maniacs run you over, call them down when you have something. Never bluff unless you are heads up or have a great draw.

[Masquerade]

Assuming that several people are seeing the flop regardless of the raising, just play hands that are very clearly defined post flop. Pairs for set value and suited aces for example. Let big cards like KQ/ATo go.

[Python49]

This was like a bootleg version of chesterfield put together by a bunch of horrible players who just liked the game. That's why the blinds were so small. And in this game it was NL.. and at least 4-5 people were seeing the flop regardless of any pre flop raises. No exaggeration. That's why I figured I needed to sit back and wait for a hand. 4-5 were seeing flop even with an $8 raise pre flop and it was going to river regardless... so betting without a made hand seemed pointless.