My poker playing has really changed.. For better or worse...

My poker playing has really changed sense i started playing in SnG's... I bluff a LOT more (before like one in 100 hands, now it's like 1 in 3 hands) Now keep in mind that by “bluff” I’m not saying calling with nothing, I’m saying that when it’s checked to me and I have QJ, I’ll raise enough to get get the blinds late game, and when there is a flop of QT6 suited, I might bed eough to look like i have a flush to push out runnter with my TP.

About how often do good players bluff?

Something else that I’ve been doing is playing loose (Preflop only!) at the start and end of a SnG. At the start of a SnG the blinds are so low that even stuff like A5 seem to hit often enough to pay off when you just pay 10 chips to see it. At the end, there are so many fewer players that even A5 is a great hand with 4 players left.

Should I be playing a bit loose in the early and late parts of a SnG?

Another change to my game is that I rarely limp in once the blinds are worth something. If I’m not happy enough with my hand to raise, I’ll fold. I feel I’m taking enough blinds to cover the losses to raising a hand that should have be just called in a normal game. Taking the blinds is key to winning IMO. When I’m not the BB, I try to limit myself to only Fold or Raise… When I am the BB, I try to limit myself to only Call or Fold..

How do ya’ll play preflop when the blinds are high?



Thanks for any help, and please correct me where I’m wrong. =)

I'm not exactly winning a lot yet... =)

David

Playing loose early has some merit, but you'll also find yourself coming up with the 2nd best hands at times. You call loose with 8T and a T flops, what do you do? You have top pair with a bad kicker? So what happens is you play more passively than you would with better cards. The times you'll flop a great hand with loose cards - and I'm talking really loose here - are rare and you'll rarely get action. It's all based on position as well. Late position you can play looser.

I think most good players will trap more early with good cards, that way they get a big payoff with quality hands and small blinds.

When it comes to bluffing. It's all feel. If you feel weakness from your opponent and he hasn't slowplayed, then bluffing a standard play. Good bluffs come from good observational skills.

My answer on how to play when the blinds are high is similar to when they are low. Raise your hands you would limp in on - if the table is playing tight, and trap with real quality cards.

I'll often play an SnG this way - trap and never bluff early, play quality in the middle, trap late and put pressure on the blinds with anything decent. Again, though you need to watch your opponents and make notes if they have any plays that stand out.