Atlantic City loose ring game strategy.

[youwereborn]

Hey all, I just got back from Atlantic City and found that they had some very loose and strange 1-2, 2-4 ring games there. They are beatable but you have to be carefull because everyone is completly psychotic. (I saw someone raise under the gun 9X the BB and get called by a player in middle position. The flop came Ac 5d 2s. Action: check, bet, raise,re-raise all-in, call. The player underthe gun had AA, and the player in MP had 34o).
The most striking differences in these games are as follows:
* A raise of less then 5x the big blind will not drive anyone who was going the limp in away.
* All pots are at least 4 way.
* It is very difficult to get people to fold hands like AK even if the flop misses them.
* flush draws are never abandoned.

I was wondering if anyone has any strategies that would help beat this game. I will explain my strategy and if someone would tell me I'm wrong and give me a better way to beat these I would be very thankfull.
I was basically being very tight. I would only raise with AA or KK or QQ...maby AKs from late position if there arent many people in the pot already. The reason for this is that my first hand in I raise 5x the BB w/ QQ and got about 6 callers, the flop came 548 rainbow and I lost a huge pot to 67o.
I would limp in from around back with a lot of callers with qjs, jt, any pp etc., but mostly I would wait for premium pairs.
I was buying in for only about $70 so I was pushing all-in alot preflop when I had a premium pair or AK because... 1. there was a lot of money relitive to my stack sise already. 2. I got calls every time. and 3. Players aclled with hands like AJs, TT, etc. I am targeting the big stacks who have already raised in these situations... If there are just limpers I will bring it in for about 7x the big blind. I know that sounds silly but anything less will be called by too many players, and since it is very hard to loose them after the flop I want to have some chance to win if I miss my A or K.
Ok I know that was very disorganized, but im beat cuz I just got back.
Anyway, any feedback would be awsome.

[deadmoney98]

I have a good bit of experience playing 1-2 in AC, as well as some 2-5, and I have observed the 5-10. I certainly agree with you that most people there play very loose, but they are also often passive and demonstrate no understanding of pot odds. (Flush draws are often unfoldable to your opponents).

I think all of this makes these games exceptionally beatable, though I am not sure I would try your strategy of buying in short. At 1-2, I try to play pretty tight and if anyone has limped in my opening raise is to 15. In my experience this gets most people to fold complete garbage. What you should take into account is that the stacks are often very deep compared to the blinds, so there are often incredible implied odds. I would advocate playing any pocket pair in any position because you wilt paid off when you make a set. Also, if this is not obvious don't press when you miss with AK in a multiway pot. You can win a lot in these games without bluffing, ever.

Think about this. If you fold every hand at 1-2, each orbit costs you $3, and when you win a pot on average say you take down $30 (although I think it is probably 50 or more). After winning one pot you can fold the next hundred hands and be even, allowing you to wait for a very premium holding. (You should be dealt AA or KK once every 110 hands on average.)

If you can play well with respect pot odds, I think middle pairs and suited connectors can be played VERY profitably in these games. Also,don't be afraid to value bet the river with what you might consider a modest final holding (TPTK or two pair), these hands will pay off at an astonishingly high rate as people seem unable to fold clearly second best hands.

Hope that helps. For the record I do not at all play this rockish online, but when surrounded by maniacs it seems profitable to play the opposite way of the table. They are Loose/Passive so play Tight/Aggressive.

[youwereborn]

Thanks for the tips! I think your right w/ players that loose implied odds are huge. I think Ill play more pp's and suited connectors. Also since you do need to riase 7x bb and since your looking for implied odds it is defenently right to buy in for max... I dont know why I was buying in short. Thanks again