How to play this kind of table?

Hello all,

I've played a couple games of NL Texas Hold 'Em with some of my friends (6 total) and after a bad beat last night I'm frustrated and wondering if I should change my strategy. I would characterize the table as pretty beginner level: people call too many bets, it is rare that there is a pre-flop raise. I would say it's generally hard to bluff because people call a lot even with bottom pair, and people tend to underbet a lot too (20% or less of the pot with top pair top kicker with no flush or straight) which can make it hard to put them on a hand. People call bets rather than reraise all the time, but will call reraises if you do it to them. I decided I should try and get in to see the flop cheap with almost anything, from most positions because I am unlikely to be raised, wait for a good hand and let them call me all the way down, maybe slowplay it if I flop an absolute monster and try and let them catch a little something to bet with. Well, I got one good hand all night while someone else was always getting two pair or trips. I got whittled down all night trying to catch something and finally went all-in fairly shortstacked from BB with only limpers with A10o 4-handed, got one caller with 910s and lost when he caught a 9 on the river. Anyway, what are some ways to do better at this table? Thanks for any advice...

{Moved from High Stakes Limit Hold'em}

My advice would be to play ABC poker if they are donks. No bluffs , play tight, no tricky plays, and bet hard with your good hands.

what sprayed said, and a couple things to add:

You are correct to limp a lot of hands if there is almost no raising preflop. But don't bother with absolute junk. Even 75o is conceivably (probably not, but conceivably) worth it. Junk like 83, suited or no, is not. Suitedness is not so valuable in NL because you often get priced out on a draw, and the possibility is obvious when you hit, so you don't get payed as much. If the game is loose and passive enough, seeing as much as 60+% of flops can be ok.

Learn what size bets your opponents will call. When you have a good hand like TPTK or better, you want to push the edge of what your opponents will call with a worse hand. Is it pot, 2x pot, 3x pot? A certain $ amount? Find out and rake in the cash. TPTK is usually the best hand. If they call the same with a pair under top pair as they do with a set, bet, bet, bet. In the long run, you make far more money because you will usually be ahead. Almost all your attention should be towards learning what they will call with, how much they will call, and if there is any difference in how they play certain hands.

{temp edit by courtiebee}

Sounds a lot like my home game. Here's my general strategy which works well for me: Raise liberally pre flop. Play an aggressive pre flop game and bet out on the flop only when you have a hand or if you have position and it is checked to you or if it's heads up. You don't want to build a pot when you don't have a hand because the calling stations will call you with any piece of the flop or any PP. Don't be afraid to check it if you missed OOP because everyone else will check if they missed...nobody bets into the pot to steal it--they are just playing their cards. On occasion, mix it up and show down crap (i.e. missed gutshot) just to confirm their suspicion that you are "always bluffing". In the end, I have found that this is the most profitable way to play against my Poker-challenged friends. GL to ya...

LOL - did a search on Google for "If you are a beginner, better use a Calculator. I currently like Pokerpro2006 Calculator - it gives recommendations, does tracking and general analysis. Neat product. Take a look at it Poker Pro Labs"

Here our friends are at it again:
http://www.pokerpages.com/interactiv...8c429c6bda4a9b

Poker is a longterm game, benefitting you through an accumulation of opponent mistakes. You played correct for 100 hands and caught no cards. That stuff happens. If you keep playing that way, you will end up with all the money. They're making mistakes every hand, and you're being careful not to make them. It's inevitable that you'll get payed.