The "Loose Table" Rule

[Che]

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Applying Harrington's theory is just playing like a fish in order to beat the fish.

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Your post seems to imply that playing LAG = playing like a fish. This is definitely not true.

For example, in the Harrington quote that inspired this thread, 3 players who are LAGs, but definitely not fish, were named.

The reality is that you can be a fish regardless of which style you play.

Harrington's point is that you should play LAG when against LAGs who are inferior to you, but you should not play LAG when competing with LAGs that are superior to you.

It only makes sense that you should not try to do the same thing others are doing if they do it better than you. But, what do you do when you are better than the opponents at the game they play (LAG, in this context), but you have other options that might be even more profitable for you (e.g. TAG, in this context)?

Dan seems to be arguing that playing superior LAG is better than TAG. My initial reaction is to agree since LAG play (at least preflop) gives you more opportunities to outplay the fishy LAGs than playing TAG does.

If you have always played TAG, playing LAG against fishy LAGs can be very scary at first since you will bust out early much more often than you previously did. However, the fact that you're busting out early more often does not mean you have become a fish. (You may have become a fish, but you would need more evidence to prove it. [img]/images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img])

Later,
Che

[Potowame]

Yes you here alot of players saying play your normal cash game early, which you would never call a 3-4Xbb raise with Ax or Suited connectors. But the main differance with a MTT Trny and a cash game is that the Fish Drown, and a large stack very good aggresive player takes his seat , yee ha.

[Potowame]

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(You may have become a fish, but you would need more evidence to prove it. )



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[img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img].

Very good post Che, You have inspired me to become a better LAG AKA FISH.

Take most players on this forum, thay can come out of the first hour with a below average stack 15-20bb and feel okay about thier chances. While you look at the LAGS that come out of the first hour with 100+BB and get destroyed later.

You passed up many small edges and a few large edges that you kicked yourself for to survive. I just think at some point to become the best trny player online, you must master the ART of LAG.

[woodguy]

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I just think at some point to become the best trny player online, you must master the ART of LAG.


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Shhhhhhhhhhh.
You're not supposed to tell anyone. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Regards,
Woodguy

[Potowame]

there is no guarentee that your KK wil hold up against the bad players A3s, when you are SS.

I have passed up edge after edge to get a monster edge, only to have it get clobbered by a crap hand. that is one of the biggest reasons I am considering changing my whole style, to have the chips to survive the Bad Beats that you WILL take.

[GtrHtr]

Anything wrong with seeing some flops on the cheap early with the AQ or high pair early on? Say only a small push or call if you have position?

[Greg J]

I'm certainly not a regular on this board (I'm mainly a limit ring game player, but enjoy playing NL tourneys, and am doing alright in them so far), but I thought I would chime in with a thought. If I say something wrong I'm sure one of you guys that knows more than me will straighten me out.

One pattern I have noticed is that a lot of loose and really bad players in the early stages of a tournament will tend to take each other's money. That is, a few weak players will bust out, but they have given thier chips to other bad players. Also, a good player may make a move on a poor player and suffer and bad beat, therby increasing bad players' stacks. My style in the early stages is to play cautiously and let this happen. If I get a great hand I try to play it and play it correctly, but try to walk a fine line between risking a lot of my chips and being aggressive when I probably have the best of it. I also know I have to get chips sometime, but then the blinds are still small in proportion to my stack, I will play carefully and let the weak players get more and more chips, which it seems to me they often do. I will later take these chips from them as I pick my stop. This is my "ATM" theory.