What extra hands should I be playing?

[Stealthy]

Very new to 6 Max and just playing $1 $2 at the moment. In my first few thousand hands my VP$IP is just 22% and my PFR is 14%. I am not worried about the PFR stat but I seem to be playing far fewer hands than shorthanded play would seem to demand. At the moment I follow MEbenhoe's pre-flop chart as much as I can although I will open with a lot of extra hands in the CO or button as first in against a tight blind. But realistically how many tight blinds do you find at $1 $2 and how often is there not at least 1 limper? I just don't see where say an extra 5% of hands is going to come from!

It is likely that MEbenhoe's chart is just training wheels to be expanded on but as I am very careful about playing against a raise (I tend to re-raise or fold) which additional hands should I be looking at?

If you are following the chart, then the reason your VP is only 22% is because of your small sample size of 1k hands.

Also, loose blinds isnt really a big deal most of the time.
This is because on the button you control the amount of bets that go in each street, you get free cards, and you get the most information before each of your actions. As a result, your hands make more money.

[jason_t]

Button, Button, Button, Button, Button, Button, Button.

[trentcroad]

I think 22 isnt too bad

In the low stakes game u should have no trouble increasing this number as u gain experience. There are so many open limpers to isolate and so much opporunity to play almost anything in LP.

[RunDownHouse]

I've run right around 22 my entire career, and was even a bit tighter when I was at 3/6 due to the blind structure.

Try not to worry so much about lining up your play with some stats, much less a largely unrealistic 30/20 style. As you get more comfortable with whatever limit you're at, you'll loosen up with your steals and defends and your VPIP will probably creep up a point or two. In short, just play poker. Don't worry about that stuff unless you're 35 or 15.

[spydog]

Anything beyond 22% at 1/2 is rake suicide. At that level I would be aiming for 19-20%.

[imitation]

raise T8s after 1 limper in MP, also regularly 3-bet 22-66 in LP, never fold a PP on the button. *cough* you know who you are

[Silverback]

[ QUOTE ]
Anything beyond 22% at 1/2 is rake suicide. At that level I would be aiming for 19-20%.

[/ QUOTE ]

This wrong, you are think in terms of small pots, stealing and defending.

WIth generally more players in each hand and less aggression it opens up areas for playing more hands, albeit not much above 22%, but definetly not less.

BTW, if you are intending to 2+ tables then 22 is fine long term, if you stick to 1-2 tables then a higher vpip can be played.

[Megenoita]

I think with that VPIP you should raise a higher %. I'm like 19/15 on cruise control and 24/17 when I'm really concentrating.

[Stealthy]

I guess I find my raising % tough as you still very often have to show down a hand to win at $1 $2. So if I am running cold and keep raising and missing I am wasting a lot of bets pushing the turn and river with nothing against my lone oponent who will not fold his pockets 2s. I have found out over the last 2 days especially just how cruel limit 6 Max is when you continually miss or get sucked out on.

Glad that my PFR % is nothing to be too worried about.