Beating a bad LAG

[iceman5]

I have a fairly bad LAG that I play alot in my $1/$2 NL 6 max games. He raises about 20% and ALWAYS calls when I reraise. He raises any 2 suited, any ace, any connector, the obvious big hands..and probably more than that.\

Heres an example.
He raises to $8. I reraise to $26 with TT. he calls.
Flop Axx..He checks, I bet $40 and he calls.
Turn blank and I push. He calls with A6.

Ive done the same thing and busted him when I had AK.

So he calls a reraise with weak aces and wont fold TP.

When he raises something like 52s, he will bet if he pairs up or hit a draw, other wise he will check/fold. So anytime he checks to me, I bet no matter what I have and he folds.

On to the question:

Should I be

1) calling with any 2. And betting any time he checks and folding unimproved otherwise?
2) Reraising any 2 that can hit a big flop (suited connectors), and pounding any flop....then check fold if he calls the flop?
3) Only reraise preflop with big pairs and big aces?
4) Play my normal game? I dont think this is an option. he raises too much and Ill never get in a hand.

Im beating him so far with what Im doing which is a combination of all the options and just mixing it up, but I want to demolish him. I want to punish him.

He did tell me he dropped about 12 buy ins in the last 3 days and it doesnt surprise me the way he plays, but I want those 12 buy ins. Any thoughts?

[AllIn3High]

[ QUOTE ]

1) calling with any 2. And betting any time he checks and folding unimproved otherwise?


[/ QUOTE ]
Is this question for real? No, you should continue to play hands with solid value. You beat loose players by playing tight.

[ QUOTE ]

2) Reraising any 2 that can hit a big flop (suited connectors), and pounding any flop....then check fold if he calls the flop?


[/ QUOTE ]
No, you'll rarely flop a big hand, most of the time you'll flop middle pair or a draw and he's gonna give you poor odds to chase.

[ QUOTE ]

3) Only reraise preflop with big pairs and big aces?


[/ QUOTE ]
Yes, I might throw in re-raises with the bigger middle pairs and some of the more dubious broadway hands.

[ QUOTE ]

4) Play my normal game? I dont think this is an option. he raises too much and Ill never get in a hand.


[/ QUOTE ]

I would play most broadway hands against this guy, any pair and the bigger suited connecters (98s or 87s would be the lowest). You want to make hands that have solid showdown value from the flop on.


That's what comes to my mind. Feel free to rip me apart.

[guaranteedBluff]

In this situation I would consider these things:

1) keep tight reraising standards, because you know he'll call and pay you off with slightly inferior hands
2) cold call his raises with SCs and low PP - these are great hands to surprise a LAG with.
3) Be careful about playing his game - don't loosen up too much PF because you know he's willing to tangle and it puts you in difficult spots given his huge range for hands.

I think the most important factor is not letting his play get to you. That in itself will cause you to play poorly (eg, calling with any two. BAD idea.) and lose value against a potentially very profitable situation.

Yeah he throws his weight around, but also, yeah, he loses a ton of money. Just be patient, pick your spots, and outmaneuver him.

[scdavis0]

The responses to this thread demonstrate why playing LAG in these games is such a great style: people don't know how to make the correct adjustment.

If he's raising with all sorts of junk, then you want to be re-raising him to isolate him in position. It's great that he always calls your re-raise because it basically becomes free money for you at this point - it's hard to hit flops in hold 'em. When he checks just bet pot.

To beat this guy you want to be check raising, raising and re-raising him liberally. He'll so often be out of line in any pot he plays that you'll take the pot down frequently.

Playing tight is NOT the way to beat LAGs -- good or bad.

[iceman5]

[ QUOTE ]
The responses to this thread demonstrate why playing LAG in these games is such a great style: people don't know how to make the correct adjustment.

If he's raising with all sorts of junk, then you want to be re-raising him to isolate him in position. It's great that he always calls your re-raise because it basically becomes free money for you at this point - it's hard to hit flops in hold 'em. When he checks just bet pot.

To beat this guy you want to be check raising, raising and re-raising him liberally. He'll so often be out of line in any pot he plays that you'll take the pot down frequently.

Playing tight is NOT the way to beat LAGs -- good or bad.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree with that 100%. Especially in 6 max.

[emil3000]

I generally agree that a good approach to beating LAGs is to be willing to gamble with them, and play aggressively against their aggression. I would like to add that the hands to play back with are the hands that make big one pair hands. Since he opens with weak aces and calls any reraise, KQ and AJ once again becomes dominating hands. 65s however is behind hot and cold against most of his raising hands. I'd be more inclined to reraise the suited connector against an opponent who will frequently give up before the flop.

Seems like the best idea is to reraise him preflop, make som big pairs and play big pots with them.

[scdavis0]

Agreed. I'd be pounding AT, KQ, etc pre flop. Go ahead and take flops with the suited connectors and pairs, but don't be afraid to raise his flop bets with air in these instances.

I'd also occasionally re-raise a 93o and show it to him.

I have been trying to generate this exact discussion about how to play back against a bad LAG preflop here and here.

Obviously our reraising range needs to be opened up against this kind of opponent. Is it better to rereaise these villains with hands like AJ and KQ or suited connectors and 1-gappers, or low pairs, or what?