Do loose and passive games make you dumb?(low content)

[gopnik]

I went to Vegas last week to sharpen up my game by playing some live low stakes games(and watch WSOP Main Event). After I came back and started reading this forum, all of the sudden I started feeling that I am off my game.
In Vegas, I ended up playing $4/$8 at Bally’s, 4 sessions of 3-4 hours each. The game was as loose and passive as it gets and I managed to make on average 4BB after each session. I really don’t think it was luck because I got outdrawn a GAZZILION number of times in huge pots. 7-8 people seeing a flop, 4-5-6 going to a showdown. Anybody with any kind of draw or a piece of the board is seeing the river with you. Raising only with trips or better, people were as transparent as a blue sky in a sunny day. In a game like that 98s is an easy limp UTG or easy 2-cold call with JTs in MP if you have at least one limper because you KNOW you are getting a company with a close to zero chance of pot being raised behind you.
Anyway, I come back and started reading posts about defending your blind and some turn check raises with medium pocket pairs with the top card on the board pairs…and I feel completely off. I need to tune back up. So, instead of getting my game sharper I did exactly the opposite.

Anybody has any thoughts on that?

[benkath1]

I think you are right about what kind of hands to limp with. I would be careful cold calling too much. I've yet to play live hold em yet, but that will change soon. I think one of the key concepts in becoming a winning player is how you adapt to different kind of games. If I played in a game like that and ended up ahead, I would be happy. Just don't lose grasp of basic poker theory.

[AmarilloJim1]

I did the same...went to Vegas last week. I played at Mirage, Nugget, MGM, and Flamingo. I thought these games were easy...Loose Passive Calling Stations. One adjustment I made was not auto-betting my raised missed flops even on rainbow flops. People will call with anything there. I found the limps with low pocket pairs and suited connectors were the most profitable if you hit. And, yes, cold calls are okay if you are getting a lot of callers.

What a blast huh?

[Cancer Merchant]

Blind stealing/defense is just one facet of the game. You should be happy to find these soft, easily beatable games. They test your grasp of the basics, and are excellent ways to practice not going on tilt. The advanced parts of the game are handy when you can't find this type of game. This is why 2+2 is so useful, so you can practice/comment on hands where you need advanced play and have that tactic in hand should it be needed.

In sum, keep killing the passive game, and read here to prepare for moving up or when rocks infest the 4/8.