Preflop issues at 1/2

[parappa]

Hi all--

I've been playing 1/2 full (mostly because it clears bonuses faster). I'm finding it quite an adjustment from .5/1, and I'm having trouble preflop.

At .5/1 I more or less robotically followed the tight guidelines from SSHE, adjusting for context of course, but that, in general, is how I've played.


At 1/2, the game seems much more aggressive both pre- and post-flop, and I seem to be playing fewer hands in late position.

Certain hands, 66-22, K9s, QJs, QJ, JT, which are playable in late position at .5/1 are giving me a problem here. Quite often the pot is unopened when it gets to me in late position. Not wanting to open-limp, not having the odds I need to play the hands profitably, and not knowing how to proceed with a raise with them, I'm folding them. My VPIP has gone down a couple of points. I'm not sure if I should just be raising with all of these hands first in in late position, or if my folds are correct (I feel like they're not).

[bigmac366]

any hand you want to play should be brought in for a raise if it is folded to you in MP2 or later. especially if the blinds are tight. tread very carefully if your 3-bet. on a side note, i've noticed almost all of my profit at 1/2 comes from maniacs. are you having similar results?

[KaiShin]

[ QUOTE ]
Certain hands, 66-22, K9s, QJs, QJ, JT, which are playable in late position at .5/1 are giving me a problem here... (snip) I'm not sure if I should just be raising with all of these hands first in in late position, or if my folds are correct (I feel like they're not).

[/ QUOTE ]
Yes, you should be openraising with these hands.

No, your folds are not correct.

Having said that, maybe you should spend more time at .5/1 strengthening your postflop play. There shouldn't be a significant difference between your preflop hand selection at .5/1 and 1/2, so most likely it is a result of your lack of comfort at the 1/2 level. If you're just moving up to clear bonuses faster, maybe you don't yet have the bankroll to feel completely at ease playing 1/2.

[parappa]

[ QUOTE ]
any hand you want to play should be brought in for a raise if it is folded to you in MP2 or later. especially if the blinds are tight. tread very carefully if your 3-bet. on a side note, i've noticed almost all of my profit at 1/2 comes from maniacs. are you having similar results?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes. I'm getting shown a much wider range of hands by players that have bet and raised aggressively at showdown than I was at .5/1. I can't remember at .5/1 ever being shown something like J7 by someone who capped preflop.

[tiltaholic]

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and not knowing how to proceed with a raise with them,

[/ QUOTE ]

well, you click the button that says "raise".

in all seriousness, one of the best things that happened to my game was when i got over my reluctance to only raise the obviously strong hands. just try it. it feels good.

in lp when it's folded to me, i easily raise K9s and QJs.
The others are borderline for me...I'd raise QJo from CO or button, fold JT, tend to raise 66 from CO or button (maybe limp 66) but not 55-22 which I'd likely fold or limp incorrectly and am unsure about.

[parappa]

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Yes, you should be openraising with these hands.

No, your folds are not correct.

[/ QUOTE ]
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Having said that, maybe you should spend more time at .5/1 strengthening your postflop play.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, I think this as well. After 2,000 hands at 1/2, I now feel very comfortable at .5/1. I think I'm too timid at 1/2 right now.

[ QUOTE ]
There shouldn't be a significant difference between your preflop hand selection at .5/1 and 1/2, so most likely it is a result of your lack of comfort at the 1/2 level.

[/ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
If you're just moving up to clear bonuses faster, maybe you don't yet have the bankroll to feel completely at ease playing 1/2.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, there's how much is in your bankroll and there's comfort...I have enough in my bankroll to play 5/10, but not even the beginnings of the skill. However, just because I have (bignumber)xbb for a level doesn't make me happy losing if the game is too hard. I'm not at ease at 1/2 simply because the pots are twice as big and the play seems tougher to me. Do you think that longer at .5/1 will make me comfortable with the 1/2? I have about 15k hands at .5/1, but the aggression here is something totally different. Or that it's just something I'm going to have to get used to at this level? I'm all for moving down if I were losing, but over the first 2k hands I'm doing okay but my game's bent out of shape a bit.

[KaiShin]

Well if your bankroll can handle it, then I think you've got to ride out the initial growing pains at 1/2. My bankroll did a nice -40BB nosedive when I first made the switch, but from your description you can handle that easily. So I'd recommend staying at 1/2 and taking things slowly, adding hands you are comfortable with and not just opening the floodgates all at once. Its tough not being results-oriented when you move up a level, but you'll get through it.

[bleechers]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
any hand you want to play should be brought in for a raise if it is folded to you in MP2 or later. especially if the blinds are tight. tread very carefully if your 3-bet. on a side note, i've noticed almost all of my profit at 1/2 comes from maniacs. are you having similar results?

[/ QUOTE ]

J7 Rasie? Wow. Been playing 30 hours at 1-2 have not seen that yet. I take your at Party?

.5/1 and 1/2 should not play that differnt. If anything I would think 1/2 would be more tight.... (Then again seemd that 3/6 is one of the losest games out there toady.). Have you been watching the Flop % of the tables you been at?

Again this could be bad play on my part but even on unraised button I don't think I would make raise or even a call with j7O maybe J7S ....

I could see raising with other low Suited connectors. I would not do a lot but have lot's of limper's (or even early raise with lot callers) raising with 87S not only gets pot equality it surprise a lot other players. Not only can get lot great draws. With what seems to be lot over cards already out you increase your odds of flopping 2 pair. So 87S with flop of 87Q might give some one impression of top pair top kicker well you play your 2 pair. Yes you can be dominated by q-8 or A-8 if over cards fall after the flop but the chances over card great diminished.

Plus now they think you might raise the pot with anything. As I said nothing I would so on regular bais but somthing you might want to think about.

Yes. I'm getting shown a much wider range of hands by players that have bet and raised aggressively at showdown than I was at .5/1. I can't remember at .5/1 ever being shown something like J7 by someone who capped preflop.

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[parappa]

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in all seriousness, one of the best things that happened to my game was when i got over my reluctance to only raise the obviously strong hands. just try it. it feels good.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, I'm like this at .5/1. Actually, it's one of my favorite parts of the game at .5/1, putting in that late-position value raise with 99 or AT, or raising 3 or 4 hands in a row preflop. Come to think of it, I'm not doing much of that at all at 1/2. I miss it. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

[ QUOTE ]
in lp when it's folded to me, i easily raise K9s and QJs. The others are borderline for me...I'd raise QJo from CO or button, fold JT, tend to raise 66 from CO or button (maybe limp 66) but not 55-22 which I'd likely fold or limp incorrectly and am unsure about.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks for these. What about SSH's early position open-limping hands like KTs/QTs? I'm folding this up front because it's less likely I'm going to see a multiway pot and many pots are raised preflop and headsup after the flop.

[tiltaholic]

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks for these. What about SSH's early position open-limping hands like KTs/QTs? I'm folding this up front because it's less likely I'm going to see a multiway pot and many pots are raised preflop and headsup after the flop.


[/ QUOTE ]

do you mean what do you do when you have these hands in late position? or early position?

in LP, I am openraising these hands.
in other positions, it depends who is behind me (yet to act).

also, seek out the 1/2 tables that DO have multiway action preflop for one bet. they exist. and if the table is tight....KT and QT are not awful hands to have headsup.