The new trend at my casino

[felson]

I'm not going to try to defend David's argument as I think he may have assumed that you are not also posting a straddle. But I don't understand this comment.

[ QUOTE ]
The antes have gotten larger in relation to the future betting. Therefore, you should play looser.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is true in 7 stud or in NL tournaments when actual antes are used, because the antes create favorable preflop pot odds. But in a straddled game, your pot odds are the exactly the same as they would have been in a non-straddled game (with the minor difference that there are three forced posts in the straddled game). So this is not a reason to play looser.

You should play looser postflop, because the pot is bloated. But that reasoning doesn't apply preflop.

In addition, your implied odds are worse in straddled pots. So starting hand requirements should be slanted towards hands likely to win at showdown and away from implied odds-type hands -- as your K9 example suggests (I wonder whether this is profitable in EP - this would be useful knowledge in shortstacked situations). But I don't see why it would increase the proportion of hands played.

[tessarji]

I agree that the 'tighter facing a straddle' argument is only applicable if you are not also straddling.

[TimM]

[ QUOTE ]
I agree that the 'tighter facing a straddle' argument is only applicable if you are not also straddling.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't see how the strategy of playing in hands where someone else straddles could possibly be affected by whether you straddle or not in a later hand. The EV of each decision in the current hand will be the same regardless.

[tessarji]

Yikes, you're right.

This whole thread should be in game theory where the real wonks could get to work on it.

[elindauer]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I agree that the 'tighter facing a straddle' argument is only applicable if you are not also straddling.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't see how the strategy of playing in hands where someone else straddles could possibly be affected by whether you straddle or not in a later hand. The EV of each decision in the current hand will be the same regardless.

[/ QUOTE ]

You're absolutely right, it doesn't make a difference. However, if you are not straddling, then you can afford to pass up marginally profitable situations and just play strong hands, and still make money. You can't do this if you are also straddling.

HPFAP "proves" that tight is right by showing that you can play tighter and still turn a profit. It's up for debate whether you can play as many hands or even more hands and make even more money.

-eric

[elindauer]

[ QUOTE ]
You should play looser postflop, because the pot is bloated. But that reasoning doesn't apply preflop.

[/ QUOTE ]

Good point, you're right. Perhaps it's only the mix of hands that changes. I'll have to think about it some more.

thanks,
eric