Maximizing profit in Stars .25/.50

[Farfenugen]

Hey,

I have recently started my online poker career and decided to start small at the .25/.50 limits. Should I use HEFAP strategies or SSHE strategies for this limit? I have read SSHE thoroughly but I am only half-way through HEFAP because my bankroll is too tiny to play the B&M limits that it book applies to.

I am especially perplexed in marginal pre-flop situations.

Should I raise with AQo in EP?

Should I raise with KQs in EP?

Should I raise with KQo & AJo in MP?

(sry if this should be in micro-limit)

Thx

EDIT: Yikes! Mod, can you please move this to micro.

[gharp]

Definitely go with the SSHE guidelines. And the answer to all three of your questions is "Yes".

[nuclear500]

Some of your questions answers depend on whether you're playing a short handed (6 person) table or a full ring.

Short handed you raise with all those holdings.

[AngelicPenguin]

SSH will suit you fine for your limit. You may have trouble applying the "protecting marginal hands" concepts in the sense that when you raise middle pair in a large pot, few will probably fold.

It doesn't matter though; if you understand SSH you will easily destroy .25/.50. The most important concept at that limit is to value bet. If it seems close, bet. If the flush just came in and your against two 60/5 players, bet. If you have QQ and a K on the flop vs 3 of the same players, bet to the river.

And yes, raise all those hands (even full ring 10 player.) Generally, those hands will not be marginal versus all the weak holdings your opponents will have.

[POKhER]

thats really broad, but value betting is vital VS Major fish.
I.e.Party Beginner tables = Value Betting = $$$$$ (with occasionaly suckout/check raise).

Read SSH, Re-read it, Then when you think you understand it all Re-Read it. Once you realise you havent learnt everything RE-READ it.

HEFAP is to advanced for .25/.50 Stars IMO.

HPFAP may be helpful in the occasional heads-up situations you get into. Inducing bluffs, check-raising, folding to a raise, etc. But your time is best invested in SSHE.

[DCWildcat]

Don't apply HPFAP to .25/.5, it'll give you dry cooter syndrome and murder your profit.

The most important thing you can do right now is to realize that your profit comes from postflop play. Any dumb monkey can nail PF. After the flop is where skill comes in.

[Highn]

Watch out though, he's not saying you should ignore any pre-flop standards, just that it's easy to learn compared to post flop. Don't completely ignore pre-flop play.

[numeri]

Yes, yes, and yes to the hands.

As others have stated, SSHE has the recommendations you want. I have 4 letters for the 0.25/0.50 game on Stars: s-o-f-t.

Check out this thread for a good starting hand chart.

Good luck.

[Student Caine]

Ultimately what you raise with where needs to be based upon your reads of the different players at the table as well as how many people have entered the pot.

However, "in general" given the three cases that you have listed I would be raising pre-flop in all of those cases.