Random thoughts on PP $25 NL

A couple random conclusions I've come to reguarding the $25 NL game on Party Poker.

A $1 bet into a multi-pot is almost always better than a 50c bet.

Play your button more and your small blind less.

Pssst.. I got a deal for you. I'll let you play your raggy hand for only 25c, but you get the worst postion in later betting rounds and everyone expects you to play raggy cards. Sounds like a pass to me.

Playing somewhat raggy cards on a limp for 50c from the button is a better move, since the button is worth 25c + the risk of being raised out of your hand from the blinds. It gives you a chance to avoid getting out-kicked and allows you to collect more money when you do hit. Also, if you bet that raggy flop big other players may pay you off thinking you're stealing. Weaker players will see your tight play in other positons and will have a harder time putting you on a couple rags, where as they would expect rags from the small blind.

Very nice points. I do have one scenario where I bust out that $.50 min bet.

It goes like this - I have a strong hand, I know my opponent is chasing the flush/straight. He misses on the river, I know I've won and I know if I bet, he will fold.

Let's say the pot is $15. I will bet $.50. He knows he's lost, so he doesn't want to call anything, he also knows that it's only $.50 and the pot is at $15, and to fold to that bet is as ridiculous as calling that bet knowing he will lose. So what does the opponent do?

He re-raises and makes a pathetic attempt at buying the pot. lol.

That $.50 bet can induce a bluff, which is exactly what I want him to do. Other than that, I rarely use the minimum bet for all the reasons you mentioned.

*Last edited by Fnord on Fri, 13 Feb 2004, 12:51pm; edited 2 times in total*

Details, details....
A $1 bet into a multi-pot is almost always better than a 50c bet.

Once you got 'em heads up it's a whole different ball game.

I like that little trap, will have to keep it in mind. Although how can you be sure they're chasing and not just calling you down on a very marginal hand (second pair, pocket pair with an overcard out, Top pair no kicker, etc?) Or chasing a straight/flush with pair already made. In that case you're losing a potential value bet since they will just breath a sigh of relief and call that 50c.

It's a nice trap that I've used successfully twice now.

Knowing if that's the scenario your facing is another story, but sometimes there's enough info that the opponent is chasing the flush. For one, maybe we've seen him chase the straight and/or flush on several occasions (and then noted it!). This player likes just about any two suited cards. I used this move on that type of player that tends to chase those hands.

Now combine that player with a flop that looks something like 2 6 8, with two suited cards. And in early position, they are checking, but then calling you're 1/2 pot to full pot sized bets in mid/late position...

lol... that player right there is gonna take the bait.

[quote="

Now combine that player with a flop that looks something like 2 6 8, with two suited cards. And in early position, they are checking, but then calling you're 1/2 pot to full pot sized bets in mid/late position...

lol... that player right there is gonna take the bait.[/quote]

crap...that's me!! Embarassed

Play your button more and your small blind less.

I concentrated on this during several hands last night and I was suprised with the results. I didn't pick up any pots with it, but I think I helped to establish a bit of a wreckless table image by checking all the way to the river and then showing 83o to the small blinds AQ. Why she decided to check all the way down was beyond me, but I was happy to keep getting free cards to beat her Qs with a set of 3s.

About two hands later I woke up with KK and took down a pretty good pot and got several callers with marginal hands that tried to call my bluff. Excellent play that I will keep in my arsenal.

Long time lurker, first time poster....

After playing for several months at Paradise, I made the switch this week after several of the positive posts I've seen on this site. I've got a few comparisons...

First, I like the pace at Party better. They waste less time between hands than Paradise does. At Paradise there is a short pause before each player during showdown, as each player gets a few seconds to decide wether or not to show. Even with the "muck" option checked, each player can override. At party, you don't get this chance but the transition is really quick.

They also waste less time waiting for blinds to post and maybe a few other things. It seems like I've been able to play a lot more hands at party than I could at Paradise.

This has helped me to do a better job of choosing hands. I'm still guilty of getting bored and talking myself into playing Axo from mid position, etc. When the hands come quicker, its easier to stick with my plan. I've found that two tables keeps me pretty busy at party, where at Paradise there were plenty of times that I grew bored playing three.

A few things I don't like so much.

The raise slider is right above the Check button. Until I got used to that I would adjust my raise, and then Check. Happened with AA and I ended up with about five callers and lost. Oh well...

I also find that the numbers ("Call 2.5") are for some reason easy to confuse. Sounds foolish, but I've found myself calling 5, when I thought it said .5, has that happened to anyone else? I'm not sure what the difference between Party and Paradise, but I've now caught myself several times and it never happened to me at all on Paradise.

The players I've run into at Party, so far, are a lot different. At Paradise there do seem to be more tough players, people who mix up their game, etc. When a weak player sits in, its like a feeding frenzy sometimes! At Party the players seem a bit more predictable, and the players who are winning seem to play pretty solid poker.

Anyway, my thoughts on the two sites. I'll get used to the interface, and I'm never going back... Thanks for the site and all the great advice. Lots of good stuff to think about and a great model for us newbies.

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Random thoughts on PP $25 NL

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Random thoughts on PP $25 NL