Loose Player Adjustments -- Question regarding Ace on The River

[ericlambi]

I just read Barry Greinstein's book Ace on the River. In the book he has a table where he lists an opponent's tactic, the typical incorrect adjustment, and a better adjustment. Under "Extremely Loose Play" for the opponent's tactic he says the typical incorrect adjustment is to wait for a good hand, and that the better adjustment is to loosen your standards and reraise frequently.

I guess I have been using the incorrect adjustment. Waiting for a good hand seems to work fine online when I'm playing 4 tables at once . . . I can't stand it when I'm at the casino watching horrible players play garbage at 40hands/hr while I wait for AK. Anyway . . . anyone on this list care to elaborate on this "better" adjustment strategy. Does this mean that you are re-raising with random cards like T9s, or you are just more aggressive with AQ/AJ/etc? Is the goal to see more flops and outplay the loose players after that?

[wutevahung]

I THINK, not sure, just reraise them if you are going to play a hand most of time

example- 4 limpers, lag raised to 3 times bb preflop on CO, you have 88 on button, reraise him.

but of course, it depends on the position too.

i m a very loose player myself, i hate it when people reraise me preflop after i raised with 56 suited.

because LAG player put stress on their opponents every hand by raising with random cards, so you can put the dress back at them by reraising them.

but what do i know, i suck.

[sawseech]

hand selection is used to give yourself a mathematical edge

against a player playing every hand, you need less of an edge

taking this smaller edge in position and as the aggressor (reraiser) is very powerful

[AceHiStation]

That's interesting. In recent casino visits I have played in some very loose games, 2/5NL($200) at Bellagio and Seneca(Niagara). In the Seneca game in particular the action was unbelievably loose. The first 30 hands I was seated there were probably 20 all-in showdowns. It was incredible. I am a maniac myself so when a game is very loose it used to be difficult for me to adjust. In my recent trips I have stayed tight for a good 5-6 orbits to establish solid reads before I go into maniac-mode. After my most recent trip(+700 in 6 hours of 2/5NL), my buddy who was at the table with me said "Man, you were hitting everything." And I pointed out to him that I only had 1-2 hands that I didn't show that I would have liked to be called on. I've never read anything like Greenstein has written there before, although hearing that makes me feel like a better situational poker player.

I find there are a few keys to dominating these types of games:

1. Isolating with big raises/reraise preflop, i prefer either a very big hand, or pocket pair/suited connectors. You're not looking to reraise big with a KJ or AT as often you will be dominated.

2. Must be able to sense weakness. Typically with these players they are very obvious about their weaker hands. If there are 4 of us to a flop and 2nd to act bets 1/3rd-1/2 the pot and 3rd to act calls, I will make a substantial raise here with any two whether I bet last to act or checkraising. These players also always assume a monster if you checkraise.

3. Setup plays with plays. Like I said before, sense weakness and pounce on it. Make a big overbet bluff and show the table. A few orbits later if you can pickup a case hand, look to make the exact type of hand, you will be looked up so often here.

4. Never bluff a station. I do this all the time. You get into a pot with a calling station, and you put him on 2nd pair or a weak pocket pair and keep betting when you know he's attached to his rags. In these types of games I hardly ever fire out more than 1 bluff-bullet per hand.

Hope this helps,
-Ace

[scdavis0]

Are you sure he's talking about no limit?

I agree with being loose. I'll play a lot of pots. However, against a somewhat weak player with very loose raising standards I'm going to re-raise him pre flop basically never.

I'd much rather just use position and take a bunch of flops with him. If someone is just pounding the pot out of position they can never get information about your holding and will often find themselves in terrible situations on later streets.

Even with something as simple as a nut flush draw, I'll usually call a pot sized turn bet if there is plenty of money behind. There is just too good of a chance when my flush hits that the guy has air and will try to represent the hand that I'm actually holding.

[ericlambi]

The table seems to be about poker in general, not applying to limit v. no-limit or even holdem in particular.