Ususual Hold 'em Variant: How to Play?

[Hedge Henderson]

One of the local bartenders is a regular in our Saturday night micro-limit home game. He's invited me to a slightly higher stakes hold 'em game another bartender hosts. While I know I don't have the bankroll (it takes a while to build one at $0.05-$0.10 blinds, even in NL), I am interested in playing. I feel I've got a small amount of poker sense and I know a large number my opponents will be under the influence.

There's a problem, though. If it were a regular game with blinds, I'd play (and play tight) in a heartbeat, but it isn't. It's dollar ante, with everyone seeing the flop for free. Like the fish say, any two cards can win. Betting is $1-$5 on the flop and turn, pot limit on the river.

Assuming you're a poor college student who doesn't want to blow his bankroll, how would you play? Would you only play safe sets and good draws to the nuts, or would you take more chances since ante is so large?

I'm also interested in how you might play a game with this structure in general. For now, I'll probably just call a few rounds with a similar set-up in our home game for practice and play for real only after I know I can cover tuition.

[Nottom]

OK clarify the betting again for me. From your post it seems like it goes: ante $1, see a flop, bet $1-5, see turn, bet, see river, bet. If thats the case then it seems pretty straight foward. I wouldn't continue past the flop without at least top pair ... maybe even 2-pair ... unless the pot odds justify chasing. Seems like a really silly format to me.

[Easy E]

With that high of an ante, normally you'd get killed playing tightly.
With the no-cost structure preflop, and the huge implied odds on the river, you can take a lot of speculative hands through, even more so since it costs you "nothing" to see the flop.
If anyone ever bets less than the max $5, watch out!

I suggest avoiding this game, given that you can't handle a lot of bankroll variance. Big hands will bet hard to try to reduce immediate odds, while long-shot hands are gaining pot equity to bet with on the last street. It sounds like a really wild ride...

Anyone else with thoughts?

[Easy E]

sure sounds as if there's a lot of dangerous potential here...

[Nottom]

Ack, I missed the pot limit river bet ... thats just silly. Seems like suckout central. I'd be mucking top pair in this format all day I think. I think you best hands to play are going to be sets and draws to the nuts (or near nuts) and basically dump everything else (top 2 pair is probablt worth holding onto).

[GuyOnTilt]

I don't think it'd be very wise to sit at that game. I think you lose a lot of your advantage over your opponents just from your preflop starting hand selection, not to mention your hand-reading skills being severely handicapped. I just don't think I'd play in a game where my edge was so greatly diminished.

If you don't have the bankroll to play, I don't think you should EVER sit a game, no matter how soft. I've been cold-decked playing in the softest of soft games and been down 100 BB's without dragging a pot before. Always play within your limits.

[crockpot]

i would like drawing hands a hell of a lot more in this game because of the implied odds. also notice that there is a lot more to be said for slowplaying when the stakes increase like this. however, if everyone is playing every draw hoping to get the implied odds, you may as well bet your good hands.

[Stu Pidasso]

[ QUOTE ]
Assuming you're a poor college student who doesn't want to blow his bankroll, how would you play?

[/ QUOTE ]

Is there any compelling reason why you want to play in this game when your money is scared?

Stu