How Tight is to Tight

[scott2130]

The other day a fellow 2+2er tracked me at 24 VPIP blah blah before the flop. He told me I should be 15 - 18 and needed to tighten up. He even went as far as sending me a spreadsheet to follow and bring my score down.

Is he right on the score being that low? I think trying to tighten up threw my game off because now I lost my edge and money. I guess it could be that down swing everyone is talking about because my cards do seem to be improving.

Is it ok to be a SLAG instead of a TAG as long as I'm not a [censored]?

[trentcroad]

15-18 is really what u want.
It can be a but higher in a very loose/passive game but generallt below 20 is the mark.

[Stork]

I've heard 18-22 to be optimal. At microlimits, lean more toward the 22 mark.

[cyblib53]

Sorry to ask a silly question, but what is VPIP and where is it from (a book, a program or what)?

Thanks

[ThreeAces]

Great first post, and very good questions. Get Ed Miller's and David Sklansky's Small Stakes Hold'em. There, you'll learn that VP$IP means "voluntarily put money in the pot." You'll also learn how to play better. Guarantied.

[itsmesteve]

it really depends (of course). like stork implied, at the microlimits you can be looser as the players are worse and you can make up for some loose calls with good play post flop. that being said, i myself am still too loose 22-24%, but i'm working on it.

another thing to consider is the sample size our fellow poster has on you. VPIP of 24% over 100 hands or so can't mean too much. that being said, i'm sure he/she is honestly trying to help (and probably thought of sample size as well).

one of the best ways i've found to lower my VPIP is to 1. stop coldcalling except in VERY RARE circumstances and 2. cut down on the hands i complete in the sb (there were WAAAAY too many before).

All this being said, I think the low VPIP numbers are the ideal for reasons arrived at by those with much more mathmatical knowledge, as well as poker knowledge and experience than me, and i'm inclined to believe'em.

[btspider]

[ QUOTE ]
Is it ok to be a SLAG instead of a TAG as long as I'm not a [censored]?

[/ QUOTE ]

i deem your information: INSUFFICIENT

if you just play party .50/1.00 at nights and weekends, then you could get away with 20-22 VPIP.

if you just play party 1/2 during the day, then 15 might be better.

[Hack]

Where does SSH mention VP$IP? I own the book, could you maybe tell me the section that it is it so I could read it?

Thanks.

[Hack]

Just like you told me bt, his Sample size is probably too small.

I find that some nights when I get bad cards my VP$IP is around 13-14, and other nights when the deck is hitting me over the head it's 25-26. It usually averages around 19-20, which i think is fine for microlimits. Put that with a PFR% of 10% and you could say that I'm a TAG, or sLAG, but I prefer to put myself in the tag category.

[ThreeAces]

You're right, come to think of it. "SSH" has become such a Bible for me that I tend to think every great idea must have come from it. Though "VP$IP" comes from elsewhere (PokerTracker maybe? Which the new player should also obtain) I stand by my recommendation that the new player should get SSH. I also stand humbly corrected.