On Adapting Playstyle

[Mercman572]

In small stakes we often advocate playing ABC poker: "Tight is right," "Just fire a CB, fold to a raise." When a player at a 25NL table thinks someone might be playing back, we say "Players don't adapt fold."

We may or may not be right in saying this. The most important part of successful poker is adapting to the table conditions. For most small stakes games, that often DOES mean playing tight agressive. But we shouldn't forget why. It's because most SSNL opponents will simply play their cards, and play too many of them. So by playing TA you enter pots with better hands than they do on average and are in more +EV situations because of it.

When the table is weak we open raise more to steal blinds or buy position. When we continually do this and a weak player finally raises us, however, we become unsure of whether they are playing back and we should call. Most weak players don't adapt, so at least for the first time this happens you can reasonably say "No, they're not playing back" and fold.

Your continuation bets are getting called way too frequently. Is it because your opponents are hitting, or because you have being CB'ing too frequenttly? Ultimately this is something you have to decide for yourself.

The important thing, IMHO, is that you always question what you do and question the consequences your actions have. It took me a 6 buyin downswing to realize that a huge leak was consistently CBing into Lags that would call and bet any checked turn. If we can avoid ruts like this by constantly questing what's going wrong we can save ALOT of money. If you decide your regular style is still fine and variance is to blame then so be it, but think before you come to that conclusion rather than assume it and you'll be richer for it.