Table is Too Good - limit holdem (Strategy reminder)

[ToolMan]

This has probably been written about before, but I just relearned an important lesson yesterday after suffering bad beat after bad beat.

If the table sees 6 or more people to the flop almost every hand, you are in a loose game. Especially when it gets raised and everybody routinely calls. (I've been playing higher limits and hadn't seen this in a while.)

The effect of this is that top pair, top kicker hands absolutely will not hold up. At the very least someone will have two pair and you should too to continue playing. If all you have is top pair, call one bet to the turn and see if you improve. If it's raised to you, throw it away. If the board is very uncoordinated, you might continue - but it have to be very spread open.

Play for straights and flushes. Top pair hands OK if you can drive people out with a raise from early position. Forget about raising in late position.

I knew this before, but it cost me a little money to relearn yesterday showing a friend how to play at smaller limits.