Help with loose aggresive $0.5-1 PL

[zman]

Hi. This is my first post and im also fairly new at hold'em.
I have found a game where im a consistent winner, though. I would like some suggestions of how i can maximize my takings. Im playing pot-limit at a pokersite, the table is 8-handed, and basically all the players are pretty wild. Starting hands could be anything, and this sometimes poses some problems, where i have to guess a great deal. Just an example: Im holding AK, flop comes K72, now weather i have preflop raised or not any player would raise a bet with either K5 or 72, and there will normally be a call and overcall with worse. Normally its not a problem, but i suspect i could do even better. I play regular starting hands, with some more hands than i would normally play. I hardly do any preflop raising, there is really no need, except when i want to isolate a player which is rare. I play a lot of big-little and its generally the draws that give the most money. I would apreaciate any suggestions, comments and questions.

[matt_d]

Wait for AA, then go all in preflop and bust the entire table [img]/forums/images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

Seriously though, you want to tighten up your starting hands, as the blinds have become relatively small compared to the pots. This means the cost of folding has decreased dramatically - thus you can afford to play tighter preflop.

Stick with hands that work well multi-way - pocket pairs (for sets), suited connectors, Ax suited etc. You seem to be already doing this. Avoid KTo and stuff like that.

Post flop, going for draws like you say is a good strategy against loose multi-way pots. Stuff like Ax suited or Kx suited will also sometimes win by making top pair (this is where your preflop tightness pays off). If you flop top pair no draw, this can be tricky multiway. But chances are you still have the best hand, so unless you KNOW your opponents have you beat, I'd still get stuck in.

Apart from that, just try to develop a read on your opponents, watch how they play etc. It sounds like you are doing ok - just tighten up preflop.

[Lunamondo]

Vs. such players one should prefer no-limit ring games. I suppose everyone is going to tell you not to play big-little, but vs. really bad players from late position, who will put their whole stack there with KT top pair when you make two pair, I would play at least some of them, at least I would gamble with suited kings.

You also can get to draw to draws cheaply in many games like these, and when you make it, you get it paid of more often.

What I find hard in these games are some of their overplaying e.g. top pairs, with or without a kicker; now if I bet a good top pair and get raised big, I have hard time calling. And if I check and they bet big, how much heat can I take? So, there are problems when all you have is one pair. This is difficult at no-limit also. If you use less money, then you don't get good value of your bigger hands, especially at no-limit. No-limit full ring games offer a better chance to wait for a big hand, and fold mere pairs when they get too much heat - e.g. a heads up flop, where you might find opponents raising big with any top pair - you forced him to it with your bigger flop bet - they are not used to normal bets and just can't fold a top pair, so they play back, and you can't call just like that. there are difficulties everywhere with their wrong overbets and wrong underbets, making them unclear to read.

[zman]

Tks for your reply.

I completly agree with you concerning the difficulties of theese kind of games, the opponents are virtually impossible to read. Theres is not much point in trying to figure out a pattern in their play, since they will play anything. For example, i know this guy plays any A, now should i fold KK on the turn when i have preflopraised the pot and potbet the flop if an ace comes? I mean in a typical game it is an automatic fold if UTG comes out with a bet after the previous action from me, but with this guy who knows. Did he even consider i gave him that previous action with a kicker better than his 6 off??!! [img]/forums/images/icons/confused.gif[/img] I dont mind (well i do [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] ) losing this hand in a "normal" game, its just a part of it, but when it constantly happens with morons its frustrating. Im not whining, just trying to figure out how to git them.

Thats why i figured not to do that much preflop raising, the only thing it accomplishes is giving my hand away, it doesnt cut the field, the pots rarely need more building, it makes it easy to fold if it doesnt improve, and great opportunity to hit-back if it does.

Thats also why i like to checkcall with big-little or Axs, and then checkraise if it does hit.

I suppose it could be summarized as if a good tactic in theese games is tight/passive. When u slap, u slap once but hard.

Further comments and suggestions welcome and appreciated.