A Growing Feel

[homer001]

Unless an overwhelming favortie before the flop, I'm beginning to think I like to play from behind in this game. In hold'em, AA, KK, QQ, AK other than that, I'd rather be a decent dog. Favs seem to make a little, unles they stand pressure, dogs, make a lot. This may cause a lot of discussion.

[Rickfish]

You mean you would rather play something like 65o instead of AQs? You will lose all your money calling raises and missing flops. Once in a while you will flop something like Q43 get all you chips in and if you're lucky make the straight. Have I misunderstood your argument?

[Al_Capone_Junior]

In NL, the favorite hand, played well, makes bookoo bucks of people who like to play while the dog. Also, expert players smartly lay down dogs rather than pay big bux to chase with the second best hand.

Now a good draw, in the hands of a skilled player, might actually be more desireable than a best hand that's vulnerable to getting drawn out on, but other than that, I can't see any reason to want to be the dog.

al

[homer001]

You both hit good points. No way am I advising to call raises with the worst of it. It is fun to play small hands cheap. I was trying to say that smaller hands offer more oppourtunites for good play and may be more profitable if played well.

[Al_Capone_Junior]

As for the smaller hands, true, they can be played quite profitably. I wouldn't think of them as a dog tho. They are hands with high implied odds, even tho they don't do well in heads up simulations. Still, if I make a small straight with 65, I want my opponent to have an overpair or top pair with AK. This is despite the fact that 65 would be a huge dog to AK on a simulator.

al

[TAFKAn]

You mean you would rather play something like 65o instead of AQs? You will lose all your money calling raises and missing flops.

Actually, if I have 65o I MUCH prefer to be facing a big pair than something as weak as AQs. In addition, if I'm facing an opponent who won't often bet after missing the flop, I am in GREAT shape with this hand calling his raise (but only with position and a sufficient stack of course)

If "missing flops" is something that will make you go broke, don't forget you're just as likely to miss the flop with AQ as with 65.

[Rickfish]

The guy with the big pair is going to raise so you will need to call the raise to get on with these hands. I don't do this if I think it will be heads up for 2 reasons a) the raiser is likely to bet out with something like AK heads up b) I want more people in the pot because if I get my flop I want the extra chips and the extra chance of catching someone.

It reminds me of a hand where I did have 65o and called a raise. On the flop I had position on 3 others. Someone bet and I called on a flop of something like Q43 and 2 diamonds. When another diamond came which was no help to me (neither of my cards were diamonds) and they checked I bet and they folded and one of them said "I know you've got the flush". So you can make money on these hands by bluffing in the right situation but then any 2 cards would do. Actually making a hand and getting paid on it is much more difficult.