A post about the first two cards

[DavidC]

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I wanted to bump this b/c I think it answers some questions that are being posed. Hope it's not too shameless.

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If it is, will you have to ban yourself? [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Greg J]

I thought this was important enough to add to this thread.

In the process of fixing some leaks in my game, I came across a rather big one a while back. I have been meaning to post about it here, but took an extended hiatus from poker, including these boards.

I made this thread just to clarify a lot of ideas in my own playing, and get them down. In the process of that, and in analyzing others’ play, I found myself largely in agreement with the big names – Entity, shadow, Shillx, zuluking, droolie, btspider and others – which was heartening. Yet my preflop stats were 15/8. WTF?

Then I found it: the leak. It’s simple. It’s something many of you are probably doing right now and don’t realize it. Auto fold. Are you getting A8o in LP and hitting the “auto fold” box? Stop! When it’s folded to you in LP this is the kind of hand that is GREAT for open raising, as I argue on this thread.

I think yr mind plays a trick on you when you are multitabling and have a premium hand, or a tough decision, at one of yr tables. Then that J8s on the button comes up. You automuck it. When you have the QQ on yr other table, J8s looks like crap. And when you are trying to calculate whether you are getting the proper odds to on yr gutshot, you don’t wanna burn extra brain calories on J8s. The thing is, this is obviously a hand that is playable in some circumstances.

My solution is simple. Before you hit the automuck box on ANY hand, ask yrself this question: “is there any circumstance under which I would play this hand?” You would be surprised how often you will hold off folding. I mean 83o in MP, yeah that’s crap, obviously. But when you get that 96s in LP it’s okay to see how many limper there are to you. Or maybe you can isolate a really poor player who limped UTG when it’s folded to you and the blinds are uber tight with something like QTo.

I guess the moral is, before you hit the turbomuck, think. Or just stop using it altogether.

That is all. Peace out. Greg.

[istewart]

This is a great point.

[closer2313]

I just wanted to comment on what a great thread this is. I didn't realize how big of a mistake I was making by open limping and not open raising with some decent hands in lp.

Thanks alot!

[afk]

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Auto-fold business

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Good call man. I used to do the exact same thing, and I still accidentally do it from time to time as well.

[SavageMiser]

This is a fantastic piece of advice. I still have to slap myself whenever I auto-fold on the button or in the CO. Auto actions are evil.

[sirdeej2]

Thanks Greg. Now I can actually come out in the black when i try to clear my bonuses.

[therockofgibraltar]

great thread! thanks!! [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Greg J]

Every now and then we are entitled to shameless bumps. This topic seems to be esp salient on the brd right now -- lots of preflop questions and screwage upage and such.

I would like to give Shillx some dap for making this useful comment in a recent thread:

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Always raise your post when it is folded around to you. Any two cards are worth a raise. And don't say something like "there are too many people to fold out to make it profitable" since you should be posting in the CO everytime (barring a really good table). If you posted in UTG+2 or something then no you should not raise 5 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 4[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] , but you never should have posted in that spot in the 1st place.

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Write that down if it is not already burned into yr brain.

[@bsolute_luck]

simply a suggestion as this thread has been recently revived and thankfully newer players that missed it the first time will be able to read it (which i just found i toggled as a favorite [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]).

a suggestion (and possibly an obvious one) to players wondering "Greg says to stop open-limping and raising hands in late position, but i don't know which ones":

search the forums for the 6-max starting hands and blind defense charts to get the idea of the hand ranges and positions. adjust as you feel comfortable to your opponents and your postflop play abilities.

DO NOT feel like you HAVE to do exactly what the chart indicates, but as you feel you want to. Maybe sometime you're running hot and up gobs of money and decide to give it shot. But know in these late positions: it is raise or fold time with the marginal hands and this is not debateable. It is not "i'm not comfortable raising, so i'll limp" -ERRR, wrong.

Those charts will give you at least a good, solid stepping stone in figuring out what to do at these tighter tables and more aggressive blind stealers.