Which hands to play and when?

[ezmogee]

To give a somewhat helpful reply...

I am unwilling to fold QQ+ at any point during any game. Perhaps if 5 people are allin in front of me, i MIGHT fold QQ, but even in that case im getting odds to suck out. Basically there are way too many idiots in these games to ever fold QQ.

I will fold JJ and TT to a good sized reraise where I still have over 10BB and havent committed more than 40% of my stack.

I like reraising limpers hard with AK and AQ from any position including SB. In level 1 at 10/15 if there are 3 limpers to me in SB with AQs, I'll prob make it 90 to go. You will often take down the pot right here, youre going to flop an ace or queen 1/3 of the time (and at that point I'm unwilling to fold to any reraise), and youll take down the pot with a 1/2 pot bet 50%+ of the time making reraisng with AQ a huge +EV move (I see so many people on this board posting limps with it).

I won't play A9 or worse in levels 1,2, and (depending on my stack) 3 because they just waste chips and are hard to play post flop. My exception is KQs. I lvoe to limp with that hand from any pos.

I'm also willing to call some raises with AJs and ATs early when I have position. Flopping an ace is hard to get away from, but you're generally good vs most hands.

Obv, these rules change completely when you get shorter. If I've only got 7.5BB or worse I'm pretty much pushing any ace with 6 people or less.

If you want me to go into shorthanded/shortstacked strategy, I'm more than willing to.

The basic strategies overall are to milk your big hands for as much as possible. With the exception of AA/KK UTG, I'm never going to even consider limping with any of my big hands. Make them pay. These people will pay you off with any top pair, so get as much in there as possible. Sure you'll get sucked out on here and there, but how can you fold JJ on a ten high flop when you only start with 800 or 1000 chips? I also like taking a lot of concentrated risks depending on my chip stack. If I've worked up from 800 to 1100 chips I'm often willing to call a 75 chip raise with 66 if I think I can stack someone if they miss or if I hit....etc.

This is a dumbed down guide, but it should provide some basic principles.

Later.

[stanzee]

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You are my favorite type of opponent.

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You should prefer me. I fold every hand.

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I fear the tight/aggressive opponent much more than a maniac.

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Much easier to read a TAG then a LAG.

EDIT: and a lag will often be able push a tag off his better hands, and a really good LAG will be able to get away from his hands when he knows the TAG has him beat (all be it, costing him a few more chips)

[MegaBet]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
You are my favorite type of opponent.

[/ QUOTE ]

You should prefer me. I fold every hand.

[/ QUOTE ]

I fear the tight/aggressive opponent much more than a maniac.

[/ QUOTE ]

Much easier to read a TAG then a LAG.

EDIT: and a lag will often be able push a tag off his better hands, and a really good LAG will be able to get away from his hands when he knows the TAG has him beat (all be it, costing him a few more chips)

[/ QUOTE ]

I am a TAG and proud! [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

EDIT: at least until the later rounds.

[theben]

too board a Q. get a book with a nice chart

For some reason I'm reminded of an expression we used to have at the Toronto chess club.

stanzee you are the wad. Take that however you will.

Tight, loose, whatever. It's the aggressive part that counts.

[stanzee]

[ QUOTE ]
For some reason I'm reminded of an expression we used to have at the Toronto chess club.

stanzee you are the wad. Take that however you will.

[/ QUOTE ]

Most people who play poker ultimately want to make loads of cash and get as high up the "ladder" as possible. 95% of "good" SNG players play tight weak/agressive. If you want to make that step up though, you'll have to learn to play loose agressive. A lot of fish may well play loose agressive, but it's a misconception that just because they lose lose lots of money playing this style that this is the wrong style to play. Sure, playing tight will get you so far, but to the top it wont.

Sounds like you loveinvain need to open your mind up before making stupid comments with no backup or reasoning. So to coin your own phrase "you my sir, are the wad"

[MegaBet]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
For some reason I'm reminded of an expression we used to have at the Toronto chess club.

stanzee you are the wad. Take that however you will.

[/ QUOTE ]

Most people who play poker ultimately want to make loads of cash and get as high up the "ladder" as possible. 95% of "good" SNG players play tight weak/agressive. If you want to make that step up though, you'll have to learn to play loose agressive. A lot of fish may well play loose agressive, but it's a misconception that just because they lose lose lots of money playing this style that this is the wrong style to play. Sure, playing tight will get you so far, but to the top it wont.

Sounds like you loveinvain need to open your mind up before making stupid comments with no backup or reasoning. So to coin your own phrase "you my sir, are the wad"

[/ QUOTE ]

You are one of the many people who watch too much poker on TV. Until you've played in a top tourney, you won't realise that the top pros might not play a hand for 30-40 minutes at a time! Hardly the highlight reel of great moves you see on editted TV shows. Trust me, that is not reality.

[stanzee]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
For some reason I'm reminded of an expression we used to have at the Toronto chess club.

stanzee you are the wad. Take that however you will.

[/ QUOTE ]

Most people who play poker ultimately want to make loads of cash and get as high up the "ladder" as possible. 95% of "good" SNG players play tight weak/agressive. If you want to make that step up though, you'll have to learn to play loose agressive. A lot of fish may well play loose agressive, but it's a misconception that just because they lose lose lots of money playing this style that this is the wrong style to play. Sure, playing tight will get you so far, but to the top it wont.

Sounds like you loveinvain need to open your mind up before making stupid comments with no backup or reasoning. So to coin your own phrase "you my sir, are the wad"

[/ QUOTE ]

You are one of the many people who watch too much poker on TV. Until you've played in a top tourney, you won't realise that the top pros might not play a hand for 30-40 minutes at a time! Hardly the highlight reel of great moves you see on editted TV shows. Trust me, that is not reality.

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually i rarely watch poker on tv. If you walked into a high NL cash game against the top players and played like a rock you'll get eaten alive. I'm not saying that you should be getting in the action every hand, but folding hands like AT in an unraised pot on the button is a mistake without a shadow of a doubt (which is what a lot of good (note i said good, not great) players do in SNGs. My understanding of the reasons why this hand and others is folded, is to stop you from getting into trouble on the flop. Well, if this is the case a lot of you have some serious learning to do.