Evolving from weak-tightie (lc)

[PinkSteel]

Lessons learned....

I did the typical idiot-to-weak-tight evolution a few months ago. Last couple months I've gotten aggressive, and I haven't done it well.

Continuation bets work, and the occasional well-placed big bluff can work too. But in trying to break out of the nut-peddling nit mode, I have violated some basic rules, that only came clear when I went back and reviewed a bunch of hands.

So for all those who've decided that it's time to LAG it up, here are the guidelines I'm posting on my monitor. Others welcome....

1. Fold top pair to a raise (absent a strong draw). (Copyright TWP 2005) For 1BB or 10BB, it doesn't matter. Whoever raised isn't afraid of the high card on the board. You're behind, dump it.

2. With a strong flop hand with no draw (e.g., flopping a set), facing a draw-heavy board and a raise, slow down. You flopped a set of 5s on a 567r board, congratulations. Someone else is raising. You don't have to play the set for your stack, and now is an excellent time to remember that. Ignoring your draw to boat up, you are now WAWB; don't go crazy.

3. Mid-PPs: no set, no bet. Even with position and a flop checked around, 88 vs. a board with two overs is not worth getting tricky with. (There are certainly exceptions here, especially HU, but this is a baseline.)

4. AK unimproved gets 1 continuation bet max, and not a penny more. You raised with it preflop, and if you get called on the flop, you're in big trouble. Prepare to let it go.