when everyone's on crack how do you play?

[gamblore99]

10-20 at my local casino. Woman of about 40, a pro I think, always manages to get the table on tilt. Pots will usually have 7 seeing the flop for 3-4 bets each. She plays very loose aggressive herself. Its not uncommon to see players cold calling raises (sometimes multiple raises) with 56s, kxs, and other garbage. Everytime I sit down expecting this, I am still shocked about the crap these people will cold call multiple raises with. Usually the raises are from her,and 1-2 other players with the rest just being call stations. There play post flop is still passive.

My question is what is the best preflop strategy to approach a game like the one I've described?

[Blake Lovely]

Tight, very very tight up front, and you can loosen up some in later position.
Late position you can start playing hands like AJsuited against a raise if 4-5 others are in same for all pocket pairs, hands that can flop big.
Play your big hands fast

[William Jockusch]

I think at this kind of table, position doesn't matter much. The point is winning the pot. If it's usually capped, who cares where you are sitting?

I think you should play AK, AK, KQ, suited aces down to A5s or so, and suited kings, queens and jacks down to K8s, Q9s, JTs. Pairs it depends if they regularly cap it multiway after the flop as well. If they do, you can play pairs down to 66 or so, if not better keep it 99 and above.

The above only works if you play well at the table postflop. You need know when to call a lot of bets with top pair for instance. If you have trouble playing it postflop, you need to play much tigher.

[CDs_Nts]

Playing suited connectors 45s and up are profitable in this type of game if it's usually 5-8 handed most flops. Remember, it doesn't matter how many bets it is to go, you're still getting the same odds even though it's costing more. Myself, I'd love to see a flop for 3 bets cold on the button with 78s seven handed. If you're bankroll can't handle it, you should find a tighter game. Basic poker thoery tells you that in looser games, drawing hands go up in value. Wait to flop a monster with those hands and murder the pot with your chips, even if it costs you 2 or 3 bets to see those three little cards. That one pot in 8 you rake in will more than cover your preflop calls in the other 7. On the other hand, be less inclined with KJo, AT, and the like. Usually very costly and hard to get away from. That's my line anyway.

[Michael Davis]

"Remember, it doesn't matter how many bets it is to go, you're still getting the same odds even though it's costing more."

Your implied odds are shattered when the betting gets out of control.

-Michael

[Chizoad]

You basically don't even play poker. Just wait for monster hands, AA-JJ, AKs-AJs, AKo. HPFAP has a chapter on this.

I've learned the hard way that playing lesser hands can be rough on the old bankroll. It's not so much that they aren't profitable in the long run, but that they contribute so much to your variance. If you have a big enough bankroll then by all means ram and jam with the best of 'em.

The interesting thing about your question, though, is the passive postflop play. You mean to say the people in there capping it turn into calling stations after the cards are out? In that case, your implied odds suck, so getting it in there for multiple bets with a hand that will not get really paid off well isn't worth it.

[Tommy Angelo]

It's hardly possible to play too tight before the flop in a game like that IMO. If it's a raked game, and the dealers and players are fast, then the game might be worth your time. If the game lags and stalls, and charges by the half-hour or on the button, and all those preflop raises go in slowly, and you play rightly tight, then you'll see so few showdowns per hour and win so few pots that it'll hardly be worth it to play if you're there to make money. Main thing is, don't get sucked into seeing a bunch of flops. Next thing you know you'll be a pack man.

Tommy

[34TheTruth34]

[ QUOTE ]
Playing suited connectors 45s and up are profitable in this type of game if it's usually 5-8 handed most flops. Remember, it doesn't matter how many bets it is to go, you're still getting the same odds even though it's costing more. Myself, I'd love to see a flop for 3 bets cold on the button with 78s seven handed.

[/ QUOTE ]


you really need to reread some of your basic poker books and rethink this.

[SinCityGuy]

Medium and small suited connectors are worthless in a game like this. They need a lot of callers preflop, and not much raising before or after the flop. However, medium and small pocket pairs are gold. You will get plenty of action when you flop your set.

[NLfool]

best to avoid small and even mid pairs in games like this. Yes technically you'll have odds to call with 33, 55 etc. when 7 people call but it's a sure way to find yourself down 30 BB in a hurry. Going 2 BB preflop with 33 is very high variance in these games + you won't win every hand you have a set or boat with these hands either.