Running against the Grain

I play 15/30 in AC about twice a month and have grown bored playing "solid" poker. It seems like the regulars are playing solid, and even the fish (they aren't as dumb as you'd think at this level) are trying to play solid poker. I make money playing solidly and it's consistent. It however does get boring...

I've adopted a new strategy (a lot like rippytides, I think he got banned for something though; I dont check forums much): I play low cards more aggressively than large cards. My favorite hand is actually 74c, and it seems to work. I no longer rotate anything under AJ in my hands, (even as sb), nor do I play KJ etc.(unless sb or bb). I've basically stopped the illusion of having TP2ndK etc and it has improved my mental state of playing. When I play 82o or 69o I do not expect much, however when it hits I usually maximize my winnings because nobody sees it coming.

I know the math is not right, however math cannot override the X Human factor. Which I now can hold constant value onto my cards because I know exactly what they are worth. There is no more guessing of whether or not I have the best hand. Either I have it or I don't. Usually I don't, but when I do I end up stacking the opponent.

Any thoughts?

I may not be qualified to post here, but ill give my thoughts for shits anyways. I don't think it is never considered 'good' strategy to play the exact same or very similar style as your opponents. However, i think there is a big difference from loosening up on a very tight 'solid' table and playing hands like 82o. It may be more profitable to play SCs and other speculative hands. However, i think playing loose like this takes more post-flop ability than 'ABC' poker. You cant possibly make money raising crap and folding unless you hit 2 pair or better.

Playing too much crap hands is bad for a number of reasons, instead of having top pair 2nd kicker, you'll be hitting stuff like middle pair no kicker, bottom pairs, and when you hit two pair you'll usually have bottom two pair, and with trips you'll also be there with no kicker. Also, if the regulars you play with see you turn over trash hands all the time those 2 pair or better hands you hit won't be that disguised anymore. And there are lots of more reasons. Throw in SCs, connectors, gappers, etc now and then depending on position, image, stack sizes etc etc, mixing it up and having a wide range is good, but trash like 82o won't make you money.

quite honestly this belongs in the beginner's circle, but I'll let it slide for now due to the current lack of content in this forum.

never playing worse high cards than AJ = leak. Work on your post-flop play.

playing hands like 82o = leak. There's opening your game up and then there's being a fish.

And there still IS guessing as to whether or not you have the best hand. More accurately, you can make reasonable estimations as to what kind of range your opponent has and the somewhat easier decision on how to best play against that range. Unless you only play the nuts, you can't always have the best hand.

you are the happy recipient of good variance

wow, high stakes must be easy.

Yes you have discovered the secret to winning at high stakes. You must play the opposite of how you would think you are supposed to. Damn this post is really gonna kill my games.

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Running against the Grain

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Running against the Grain