Odd hold'em structure

[PseudoPserious]

Hi,

I need some input on how to adjust to this (slightly odd) variation of holdem.

The blinds are .25/.50. The small bets are $2. The big bets are $4. THERE ARE NO RAISES --- there's only a single bet on each street.

Let's say the game is played 9-handed, with 6-7 people in for $2 preflop and 3-4 staying for the showdown.

What sort of hands are profitable in this game?

Thanks,
PP

[JonPKibble]

Drawing hands (suited connectors, small pairs) go way up in value, and big offsuit cards go down in value. Big pairs become more vulnerable. I would simply play more hands, because pot odds will go through the roof.

[tonypaladino]

My first thought is to either find a better game or knock some sense into the host.

If you must play in this game, play a lot of suited connectors, Axs, & Kxs. Draws would be pretty valuable in this game. Poket pairs probably don't have much value unless you trip up or the board is ragged.

TONY

[pheasant tail (no 18)]

Whoever says that you should find another game is dead wrong. That structure, given the level of participation is awesome.

Playing a lot of hands, w/ very little blind money in is obviously wrong except when the SB and BB always complete anyway. Since everyone else seems to be doing it...I would see many many flops w/ just about any hands that can flop made hands and raise all big cards. Since you stand to get so much action when you flop a big hand I would not worry so much about ideal PF standards.

Seeing lots of flops for 1 bet and folding when you whiff will not DQ you from being one of the guys. Playing like a nit in a 2-4 homegame will either have the effect of turning you into the beer wench or the wet blanket if not both.

Try to introduce Omaha high w/ the same blind structure. You will then get 5 to showdown.

[ QUOTE ]
Since everyone else seems to be doing it...I would see many many flops w/ just about any hands that can flop made hands and raise all big cards. Since you stand to get so much action when you flop a big hand I would not worry so much about ideal PF standards.


[/ QUOTE ]

You must have missed the part in the first post where he said there are NO RAISES allowed in the game.

[PseudoPserious]

Without worrying too much about the "social" aspect (playing like a nit in a home game), there are a few things I'm trying to figure out...

1) Is position important? I don't think it is, if it's a guarantee that 6-7 will go to the flop.

2) I think tight is right. It costs you less than 1 SB to play 2 full rounds. You can wait for premium hands and it doesn't cost you much to do so. But what are premium hands in this game? A7s and 66? QQ+?

3) Are speculative hands (small pocket pairs and suited connectors) profitable? If you flop a quality draw, you don't have to worry about being raised off your hand. On the flip side, if you do hit your hand you can't extract multiple bets later on.

3b) If the game suddenly got "tight", with only 3-4 seeing the flop and it usually being heads-up at showdown, do you still play little pocket pairs and suited connectors?

PP

[Lottery Larry]

[ QUOTE ]
I think tight is right. It costs you less than 1 SB to play 2 full rounds.
PP

[/ QUOTE ]

Just to be clear:

PF, the betting is limited to calling the $0.50 BB
Flop, the opener for $2 is the only bettor allowed.
Turn-river, the $4 opener is the only bettor allowed.

Is that correct?

I'd LOVE to hear the logic that went behind the development of this game that vaguely resembles "poker".

[PseudoPserious]

Hi Larry,

Sorry I wasn't more clear. Although the blinds are .25/.50, the bet preflop is $2. Both of the blinds have to complete to $2 to see the flop.

PP

[EStreet20]

[ QUOTE ]
Hi Larry,

Sorry I wasn't more clear. Although the blinds are .25/.50, the bet preflop is $2. Both of the blinds have to complete to $2 to see the flop.

PP


[/ QUOTE ]

I didn;t see that yet so disregard my first reply. This game is retarded. I guess play really tight, but without raising you can't put yourself in many favorable situations.

[Lottery Larry]

If you could find out, I'd like to seriously know why they created this limitation and why they keep it. If it's a stakes limitation, then lower them and play poker, not call-along.

As for this format, I'd play a lot of suited connectors, if not all of them. One- and two-gap straights, big pairs. Small pairs are tough- you get the odds to catch, but you can't shorten the odds for others once you do.

Stay away from high-low card hands and don't let yourself be bothered by suckouts, because I assume there are a lot of them.

Why don't they just put $10 in the pot each and play blind-man's bluff? This isn't poker, it's just finding out who gets lucky.

Silly game, but if you have to play in it....