Home Game Strategy

[Jonny5]

I generally play with a group of guys every 3 months a tournament for $60. Most of the players generally know what they are doing. Tight and agressive players who will reraise you back. Most flops (if we make it that far) are between 2 or 3 players max. My gameplan with them has been generally to play a tight game and throw in a few occasional bluffs against the right players.
I am going to a tournament with 18 people for $20 each, and from the sounds of things, there are barely anybody who can play. Almost ½ of them are woman(not trying to be sexist), wives etc, and quite a few people have requested a sheet with the hand rankings etc.
How much does my strategy need to change? I would guess I should try to avoid all in confrontations and try to build my stack with value bets? Is my thinking correct? I'm assuming that there will be a table full of calling stations. Should I call a lot MORE hands in the early going in order to flop a big hand? Or follow the play tight in a loose game mentality? Sounds weird to be asking how to play against worse players, but I know I need to have some sort of gameplan. (Part one of my gameplan is to throw bluffing out the window I think)

[warewulf]

One thing i've found when playing with noobs, is many consider themselves pot commited when they shouldn't be. This usually makes bluffs pointless because they will call you with rags as long as they hit the flop somehow. Some are just the opposite though and will usually fold to a decent size bet. Stick to your tight game and don't start to bluff until you've shown a few hands. When the blinds get large, steal from later positions more than normal if there's no raise or only 1 or 2 limpers. Most importantly, remember that even a noob can get dealt pocket aces, and they will most likely check it preflop.

[RiverDood]

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I am going to a tournament with 18 people for $20 each, and from the sounds of things, there are barely anybody who can play. Almost ½ of them are woman(not trying to be sexist), wives etc,

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Some wives/girlfriends aren't as interested in poker as their guys are -- and so they play passive/weak games that are easily beat. But in these kinds of social settings, you may come across a couple women who are deceptively strong and know how to trap. Don't let rigid stereotypes cost you your stack. If she's been making some smart bets and some astute laydowns, perk up. If that sort of player reraises you, don't assume that your TPTK is going to win an all-in showdown.

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How much does my strategy need to change? I would guess I should try to avoid all in confrontations and try to build my stack with value bets?

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In general yes. In your other game against TAG players, you might push JJ preflop and do well. But in a setting like this, if QTs, K6 and A3 all call you, each of them individually messed up, but in aggregate, they put you in a horrible box.

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I'm assuming that there will be a table full of calling stations. Should I call a lot MORE hands in the early going in order to flop a big hand?

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Here, position matters a great deal. Do loosen up from late position, calling with 1-gap connectors, Ax suited and any PP if multiple people are in and the bet is small enough. Play it almost like a loose limit game, where you're looking to play cheap longshots at times in search of a killer flop.

But be careful in early position. People who've watched too much TV are likely to push even tiny pairs if they're acting behind you. You don't want to get snarled up in someone else's weird aggression.

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Or follow the "play tight in a loose game" mentality?

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Depends entirely how fast the blinds go up. If you can see 50 hands before the blinds get ferocious, play as tight as you want. If you don't have that much time, look to be a chip accumulator early on.

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Part one of my game plan is to throw bluffing out the window I think)

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Early on this is a good idea. You may be able to bully short stacks in the middle of the game because they just don't want to go out too soon. Bet small on the flop and turn up the heat a little on the turn. Newbies hate to let go of even a dim draw on the flop, but by the turn, they're more realistic.

Once a few players bust out, you may be able to bluff if you're headsup after the flop with an Axx on the board or an obvious flush-capable board. Even rookies can sense that they might be beat. They'll hang on if the field hasn't started shrinking; they'll tighten up if a few of their buddies have busted out and they're now feeling the pain of dwindling chips.

Don't try to represent straights; they won't always see them coming.

Also, watch for OBVIOUS tells. If players are still learning the rudiments of the game, the players behind you are likely to look at their cards right away preflop and let you know whether they want to be in the hand or not. Adjust your betting accordingly. People with monster hands are likely to tremble, to reach for their chips or say something clumsily dismissive, along the lines of "I really shouldn't bet here, etc."

Most of all, have a little fun. These games can be consistently profitable and pleasant company if you don't intimidate the heck out of everyone else. Let even the losers feel that they had a good time and are starting to get the hang of the game.

[Etaipo]

general and effective strategy against loose passive new players:


tight tight aggressive

do.not.bluff.period.

take free cards, they will be given to you.

do.not.bluff.

value bet medium strength hands relentlessly, you will be paid off.

did i mention, do.not.bluff?

you can't bluff someone when they have absolutely no idea what they have, and don't have the foggiest of what you are trying to say with your raise.

ak suited before the flop, raise, you will get called. if the flop misses you, it will get checked to you, TAKE THE FREE CARD.

etc, etc.

[RiverDood]

every word of this advice is true for a limit ring game.

in an NL tournament, people get a little more scared and a little more excited after an hour or two. especially loose passive players who are down to 2/3 or 1/2 of their buyin. understanding that inflection point gives you a chance to pick up a couple extra pots.

[Jonny5]

RESULTS:

I finished 10th I don’t think I could have played much better. My wife finished 12th. I didn’t see how she played (on the other table) but I know she had all her money in on the flop with AdQd on a board of QJ8 rainbow, with one diamond. The other guy flips over 9-10. She hit a diamond on the turn to give her some hope, but then junk on the river.

The play was worse than I expected…and I expected bad. I saw a guy call all his money on the river with 9 high. Over ½ the pots were 6 or more handed. I was the last to win a hand (after 3 were eliminated) and the hand I won was a fairly small pot. One of the rare times not many people in, and I hit top pair weak kicker and won a small pot.

I flopped many draws that never panned out. I remember everyone calling to me when I was the button with QdTd. Board game KJ2 rainbow. Small blind bets minimum (blinds were 50-100) everyone calls. Junk, same thing on the turn…junk. This same scenario happened 5 or 6 times. (Not always with everyone in) I had KJ on a board of QT5…I had Ac6c on a 2 club board. Stuff like that. I didn’t raise with draws like that because even though it gives me more than 4-1 money when I am better than 4-1 to improve, I don’t want to spend extra money when I am a dog to win. Survival is more important than accumulation in a setting like this I figure. In a limit or cash game I would be raising for sure.

Final hand I had just over twice BB… Went all in with 88…got called by 3 others. A9, K4, 67. 9 hit to knock me out.

It was just a weird game because I only raised someone once. Complete opposite of my normal style, but all I did was call. But always on nut draws. I also called to see the flop with every pocket pair I got dealt. There were several times when the BB doubled the bet too, after 5 callers…. (I think this is a TERRIBLE play) There wasn’t another “Player” in the room I don’t think. The guy who organized it thinks he’s pretty good and ended up coming in 2nd. And I suppose he was one of the better players, but he was the culprit of the BB double bet on several occasions.


Any thoughts on how I ended up playing?

[Jeebus]

I've always felt that in games like this no matter what your skill level you are at best a 60% faviorite. (where in a normal TAG game you can be around 90% against the right players) So it takes alot more cards to win. When the cards are running bad you can lose pretty quick because you get odds to ever draw you want to take and get beat by some really weird (read dumb ass) hands. But when you manage to hit a few draws you get paid off so largely that you can dominate easily.
By that token, I would say you played well.
However I also find that when you play against these guys the massive bet is in order. Very few will put their whole tournament on line pre flop or on the flop unless they have a monster. Find some tells and then just monster overbet at them. I don't like this in cash games because one call and your broke, but in a tourney its worth it.