6 max troubles, advice/suggestions please, some stats included

[RustyCJ]

I think some of my problem comes from not playing enough hands, over playing overcards, especially from EP. I've been trying to use the starting hand chart in this thread

My VP$IP is about 18.5% and PFR is 12.4% after 5k hands.

I've read many 6 max posts and have a long lists of favorites and compiled 6 max posts by other people. I know raising is correct and a generally better way to play.

Something I struggle with though is that many of the players I see at .5/1 6max games have VP$IP > 50%. They limp with almost anything. I generally don't play hands like J8s, 98s, 86s, T8o, T9o, J9o, I just don't play those hands at all.

I guess what I'm asking is, when is limping correct? When I raise my better hands many of the players at these limits call to the river.

I can raise AQo from the CO after 1 limper, get 1 caller and the flop comes T62 rainbow, I will typically bet the flop here and both will call.

I am working on reads, it is something I really need to improve on. I'm using PA Hud to assist with that and it has helped tremendously. I'm also working on taking more notes, sometimes I just note the hand they limped or raised with and from what position, other times I'll note if they will bet an OESD into PFRaiser.

Something else I notice is on the position tab, my "Raise % 1st in" is lowest on the button.

I'm a big time newbie to poker, had about 50k hands played last year of .5/1 full ring and 1/2 5max. I have about 10k hands in .25/50 full ring since October of this year of this year. With my time off I decided to start low and work my way up.

[Obliky]

[ QUOTE ]
I've been trying to use the starting hand chart

[/ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]
My VP$IP is about 18.5% and PFR is 12.4% after 5k hands.

[/ QUOTE ]

These 2 statements dont go together! I follow the starting hand chart almost exclusively and im about 23/14.

That means one of two things must be happening:

1, You are on a run of bad cards (more than likely seeing as you have such a small sample size).

2, You arent following the starting hand chart.

Seriously..just follow the chart until you know when to deviate correctly.

Ive printed the chart out and have it next to my pc...every time im not sure what to do i take a look.

[Cancuk]

[ QUOTE ]
Something I struggle with though is that many of the players I see at .5/1 6max games have VP$IP > 50%. They limp with almost anything. I generally don't play hands like J8s, 98s, 86s, T8o, T9o, J9o, I just don't play those hands at all.

I guess what I'm asking is, when is limping correct? When I raise my better hands many of the players at these limits call to the river.


[/ QUOTE ]

I would suggest to read some of Fekali's articles on playing with rediculously loose/bad players and how to deal with their passive style. Here's the Link

cheers

[mtdoak]

What you need to realize about 6 max is that, High card strength goes further than you realize. Isolation is the name of the game. You can raise with K9o in LP, even with a limper, because they are playing K8 or worse. You should limp when you can't thin the field and raising your hand just isn't valuable. For example, KJo in the BB with 3 limpers. Its a strong hand in shorthanded play, but raising here is retarded, simply because your hand fares better in multiway pots. Hand charts are useful in shorthanded play, but I think, even more than a full game, your hand values vary greatly depending on the table where your at. A player raises UTG, you have A9o on the button, should you CC or iso raise or fold? What about KQo? These are questions you need to consider, and the right answer is that, it depends on: #1. The UTG raiser. Is he loose or tight preflop? Will he raise hands like K7s from here, or only AJ and up? What about the blinds? Will 3 betting isolate him or is one (or both) the players calling no matter what?

[RustyCJ]

[ QUOTE ]
I've printed the chart out and have it next to my pc...every time im not sure what to do i take a look.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've done the exact same thing, I also have the BB defense chart printed out as well, although I don't find it as necessary with these players.

I also keep an "outs" chart for the flop and the turn, next to me as well.

I'm most likely to deviate from the chart with Axo in CO, because I'm going to get callers and then I'm unsure how to proceed from there.