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Newbie to 6-max, some random questions
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mdwav
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03-06-2006, 08:32 AM
Post subject: Newbie to 6-max, some random questions
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#1 (permalink)
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Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Ont, Canada
Posts: 59
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I am currently learning 6-max at party 2/4. This is my first venture into short-handed limit, so forgive me if my post is rather long. My first few questions have to do with blind defense/stealing.
- 1) You are in the blinds with a hand that is likely best pre-flop; but plays badly post-flop (eg Ax, Kx, small pairs, etc). How often do you defend your blind with this type of hand? If you defend, how would you play it? Since good flops for this kind of hand are rare, I want to 3-bet to take initative and add some folding equity. But then I usually end up in a big(ish) pot with say an A5 on a K972 board asking myself how I got into this mess. If your opponent will refuse to fold til the river/showdown no matter what you do, how does this affect your decision? Are we still playing 'no set no bet' with the small pairs? Finally, I am more inclined to defend against the SB than the button b/c of position. Against a button raise I'd rather just fold and steal someone else's blinds. Agree/disagree?
2) Related to #1: The cold calling SB/(super) cold calling BB. If you have such a player in the blinds with you, how does this affect your calling/re-raising standards? If 3-betting won't push the BB out, would you be folding hands such as K9/A8/66? Cold calling? 3-betting anyways? Would you now fold a weak ace/king in the BB b/c the chances of winning UI are now lower?
3) I think I'm not blind stealing enough. Would you open raise a similar hand range from #1 from the CO/HJ/OTB? Would you raise hands such as JTs? This is assuming opponents will often defend, but play poor-mediocre post-flop.
4) Completing from the SB (somewhat related to #1). This is somewhat of an new situation for me (as a full ring player, if it was folded around to the blinds more than 3-4 times my solution would be to leave the table). I have 2 main problems: One problem with limping in (for me anyways) is that it seems to invite an auto-raise about 80% of the time. The second is what to raise with. It seems that 90% of the time the BB assumes your stealing and will defend with any 2. Since I'll be OOP for the rest of the hand, would passing say a Kxo/Axo (or something similar) be a leak? In what situation (player type + your actual hand) would you just complete with?
Now, aside from blind defense, I would like to ask about: - 5) the semi-strong hand facing a raise. Eg you hold a KQo/AT/88 type hand and are faced with a raise. For arguments sake, let's say villain's opening range is very similar in all positions, and looks like A8o+, 44+, K9+. At a glance, hands like ATo and 77 (maybe even KJ) seem to be in ok/good shape against about half those hands, and in bad/pretty bad shape agains the other half. I tend to fold the unpaired big cards and may 3-bet the pairs (usually depending on whether I think I can get HU or not). What do you guys suggest?
6) Trying to bluff someone off an ace high vs checking behind with king high (or in a similar sense betting big ace UI against a suspected baby pair). Of course, reads matter, but in your experience, how often will the better hand fold (against an unknown)? In my opinion, some situations will tend to lead towards them calling/folding (eg in my experience, most players will call with Ax if the board is doubled paired or has trips; in the latter case they would never fold a pair cuz 'woo-hoo I have a boat').
7) Semi-bluff raising/raising for freebies. Is this concept unappliable to 2/4? I've tried various approaches: wait til the turn to pop a draw, popping the turn on a a paired flop (without trips obviously, otherwise I wouldn't be bluffing), auto-raise the flop to check behind on the turn, etc. It seems the most common results from raising the turn are either a call/check/call, or a call/bet. Auto-raising the flop (as pfr) seems to work more often; but I've also seen a lot of stop and go's and 3-bets too.
8) Related to #7, but on a somewhat more specific scenario. You raise with unpaired big cards, and the flop leaves you with just 1 over. You are HU (or 3-handed) and an opponent to your immediate right leads into you. I recall several players that seem to like auto-raising this flop (and checking behind on the turn). I believe the example they were commenting on was an AQ on a Kxx flop. How often (in your experience) do you get a fold/free card? For that matter do we really want to raise the flop drawing at possibly just 1 over ? Is hitting 2nd pair a good thing? Finally, does your strategy change if you hold KJ on a Qxx flop (or something similar)?
9) Another (somewhat) specific situation. You pfr and head HU, on the flop you have TP/overpair, and are lead into/cr'd. Do you raise/jam? Raise/call/raise? Call/raise? Call/call/raise? I tend to favour the first three options. My thoughts:
Raising the flop
Pros: They might 3-bet allowing a cap (most players are more likely to spew on the flop); gives your free card raises more credit.
Cons: If opponent is bluffing, they might fold; you table your hand (somewhat)
Raising the turn
Pros: Get 1/2 bb more (assuming villain calls), mix up game
Cons: Villain might check turn (give up on bluff), by raising the turn
you make it easier for villain to fold; you give a free card
Raising the river
Pros: 1/2 bb more (again), since raising the river is usually a sign of strength you're unlikely to get 3-bet (oddly enough most players that bet the river will not fold to a raise); you've given a bluffer 3 chances to bluff
Cons: You gave a lotta free cards; you might get a scare card that either prevents you from raising or villain from betting; your line starts to reek of slowplay (esp on an Axx flop)
Board texture and/or actual hand
I am more inclined to wait til the expensive streets if the board is not drawy and contains a K/A. This way, fewer scare cards can come off that would either scare my opponent out of betting (or myself out of raising). Eg on a raggy flop I am more likely to just raise the flop, b/c a lot of overs can potentially scare villain into checking, while on a Kxx/Axx flop I might just call
10) Final Question: In my experience 2/4 6-max plays like the old 2/4 full ring (loose-passive), but with a few more maniacs and a few more players overplaying hands. Is 3/6 and 5/10 like this? I originally started to play 6-max b/c I wanted to move up, but if 2/4 6-max is different than it probably won't do me much good.
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