1-2 blinds in a 4-8 game..

[kem]

Sorry if this has been covered long ago..

I just got back from a weekend in Vegas where I played a lot of 4-8 at Mandalay Bay. In addition to being a 1/2 kill game, the blinds were only 1-2. This was the first time I've seen that kind of blind structure, so it got me thinking about how this changes the game. The most obvious thing to me was the fact that if you have $2 committed already (through limping or being the BB), and someone then raised (raised up to $6), it was much easier to fold as you were facing a $4 increase relative to a smaller pot. In general though, how should this affect your play (or your VP$IP%) ?

Overall, the tables were very passive and seemed to be avg looseness/tightness. There were always a couple loose players at the table, but also a number of tighties (myself included). Games were usually 9-handed (stud tables), but would drop to 7 or even 6-handed for short periods of time. Given the passiveness of the table, and the blind structure, it seemed to be profitable to limp with any pocket pair or Axs/Kxs pretty much regardless of position. Early raises would sometimes steal the blinds, and people would limp-fold almost as often as limp-calling a late position raise.

I spotted a couple solid players who seemed to be regulars. Contrasting their play to a 2+2'er in a normal blind game, they seemed to be much looser pre-flop, but played solidly post-flop. They were also open to folding pre-flop if they had limped and the pot was raised behind them.

Anyone have a lot of experience with this structure? How should one change their game to adjust?

[Bjorn]

Just of the top of my head this seems similiar to playing a stud game with a low bring-in.

I belive that the correct strategy is to play quite loose if it looks like you can get in for only the smaller (half small bet) limp-in bet and then throw many of those hands away on the flop if you don't hit good.

/Bjorn

[Vee Quiva]

You've got the right idea.

Open up your starting standards by playing more drawing hands. I would also suggest being more aggressive with your premium starting hands. Since this game encourages a lot of people to limp in with crap, you need to charge them a heavy price to see the flop.

Obviously most of the money is won on this game in post flop play. The bets are bigger and a lot of players get stuck with dominated hands because they thought "I'll see this flop for only $2".