Preflop Quiz

[scotty34]

Here is a quiz inspired by my recent stats check post and one of Nick Royale's suggestions. I am trying to improve my preflop play in what are currently marginal situations for me. I went over a session of about 500 hands, and picked 10 preflop situations where I am either uncomfortable, or habitually fold what might be a profitable call. I was going to do it in poll form, but I figured that doesn't give enough information. It would also help if you post your usual limit, VPIP and PFR and any comments/reasoning on any of the hands. (Grunch this)

Assume a 10-handed game for all of these. Players are nothing out of the ordinary unless a specific read is given.

Hand 1:

You are on the button with A7o. There are two loose limpers in early-mid position. The rest fold to you.

Hand 2:

You are in the BB with A7o. A loose UTG limps in, folded to the CO who raises, Button coldcalls, SB folds.

Hand 3:

You are in MP2 with Q9s. UTG+1 raises, UTG+2 coldcalls, MP1 folds. The players to act behind you and the blinds are all moderately loose (in the 30 VPIP range) and not particularly good.

Hand 4:

You are in the SB with QTs. A solid player in MP2 raises, CO and Button coldcall.

Hand 5:

You are in the SB with A5o. Two somewhat loose players limp in from UTG+1 and MP1.

Hand 6:

You are in the CO with JTo. It is folded to you.

Hand 7:

You are on the Button with JTo. There are two reasonably playing limpers in MP.

Hand 8:

You are in the CO with 87s. It is folded to you.

Hand 9:

You are in the CO with 87s. There are three loose limpers in EP, MP3 raises. The blinds and Button are semi-loose.

Hand 10:

You are in the CO with Q9o. It is folded to you.



Editing to add one more situation.

Hand 11:

You are in MP3 with 66. There is one limper in EP, folded to you.

[SteveL91]

I usually play 1/2 but I'm mixing in a bit of 2/4. I can't give exact VPIP and PFR numbers because my sample is tainted. Since I've moved back up to 1/2 and beyond, my game has really shifted. Over 7,000 hands at UB 1/2, I'm running around 19 VPIP and ~12 PFR.

Hand 1: Depends on post-flop characteristics a nd the blinds. If they're fit or fold with tight blinds, I'll raise. One limper and I'm likely always raising if I'm playing.

Hand 2: Fold.

Hand 3: I don't mind a call, but I'd prefer to be a little later to act. If the players behind me aren't that aggressive, I'm calling.

Hand 4: Call.

Hand 5: Meh. I'll call with two, but more than that and I fold off-suit garbage As.

Hand 6: Raise.

Hand 7: Limp. In the CO, I might raise to buy the button, but I'm definitely playing this.

Hand 8: Raise or fold. If I've been caught stealing a lot, I'll fold; otherwise, raise.

Hand 9: Call.

Hand 10: See Hand 8.

[shadow29]

1-5: Fold
6: Raise
7: Fold
8: Raise
9: Fold
10: Raise
11: Depends on limper, but I am not folding.

[xenthebrain]

#1: fold
#2: fold
#3: fold
#4: call
#5: fold
#6: fold (not sure on that one)
#7: call
#8: fold
#9: call
#10: fold
#11: call

tough questions

[scotty34]

FWIW, I would fold all of these most of the time. A lot of these look like situations where I would be able to loosen up a little bit more often. I think I play quite well from UTG-MP1, but as pointed out from MP2-Button I should loosen up to take advantage of profitable situations resulting from position.

[iNsChris]

Fold everyone except...
6 call, 7 call, 8 call, 11 call.

I'm tight and picky [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Isura]

Hand 1:

You are on the button with A7o. There are two loose limpers in early-mid position. The rest fold to you.
- Fold. A9o is about as low as I go here.

Hand 2:

You are in the BB with A7o. A loose UTG limps in, folded to the CO who raises, Button coldcalls, SB folds.
- Easy fold. This is worse than hand 1 since we have poor position, and the pot is raised, indicating we're up against stronger average hands (from CO and button atleast).

Hand 3:

You are in MP2 with Q9s. UTG+1 raises, UTG+2 coldcalls, MP1 folds. The players to act behind you and the blinds are all moderately loose in the 30 VPIP range) and not particularly good.
- Fold. Although I'm not sure if calling is better.
Hand 4:

You are in the SB with QTs. A solid player in MP2 raises, CO and Button coldcall.
- Call. Good enough pot and implied odds to see a flop with the 2 coldcallers.

Hand 5:

You are in the SB with A5o. Two somewhat loose players limp in from UTG+1 and MP1.
- Fold. I'd call with A8o+.

Hand 6:

You are in the CO with JTo. It is folded to you.
- Raise. I'd raise J9o here.

Hand 7:

You are on the Button with JTo. There are two reasonably playing limpers in MP.
- Probably fold. I'd limp if the players were loose passive and bad.

Hand 8:

You are in the CO with 87s. It is folded to you.
- Fold. Suited connectors are not great steal hands. I'd raise this from the button in most cases though.

Hand 9:

You are in the CO with 87s. There are three loose limpers in EP, MP3 raises. The blinds and Button are semi-loose.
- I'd probably peel if I was confident the pot wouldn't be 3-bet or capped.

Hand 10:

You are in the CO with Q9o. It is folded to you.
- Raise.

Editing to add one more situation.

Hand 11:

You are in MP3 with 66. There is one limper in EP, folded to you. [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img] en
- Raise. I'd like to buy the button and play this hand short-handed if possible. Unless CO and BT play nearly every hand, we can't expect multiway action.

Edit: I play mostly 6-max, but my advice I use when I play a full ring game too.

[HollywoodDB]

I read your response and was curious why you fold #4 and #9. I would be tempted to call #4 and would certainly call #9.

This may be a big leak for me.

[thesharpie]

I play 1/2 with 18/11.4 over a relatively small sample.

Hands 1-5 I fold. Hand 4 with QTs in the SB is a tempting call but I think the suitedness can't make up for the domination factor.

Hand 6 I raise depending on button/blinds.

Hand 7 - limp.

Hand 8 - fold. I'll raise if the button and blinds are extremely tight and I have a tight image.

Hand 9 I cold call.

Hand 10 - same as the hand 8 situation.

Hand 11 - raise if everyone behind me is tight. Limp if I think there will be one more limper behind me.

How'd I do?

[Isura]

[ QUOTE ]
I read your response and was curious why you fold #4 and #9. I would be tempted to call #4 and would certainly call #9.

This may be a big leak for me.

[/ QUOTE ]

#4 is an easier call than #9 IMO. Calling either hand is not a big leak.