Rookie Q

OK, I've been seeing everywhere that playing smart = typically playing 1/4 to 1/10 of the hands. Does this mean not even covering the BB most of the time? In more of the games I've played than not I don't see much pre-flop action if any. Just everyone calling the BB before things start.

Is this chipping away at profits or is covering BB usually considered the cost of doing buisness?

Chiping away profits.

Yup, don't do it.

-'rilla

What does he mean by "covering the blinds"?

I was refering to calling the BB, staying in to see the flop, as long as there were no raises.

One night not to long ago, I was trying to play smart in a small home (NLHE) game. I was trying to put to use some of the pre-flop strategies I have been reading about. What hurt was the number of times I would have had seriously kick-a$$ hands had I stayed in to see the flop, several low trips and one straight flush. The straight flush I passed on realy hurt

You arn't always going to flop sets and straight flushes.. and sets with nothing kickers are also easy places to drop all your cash. Usually, you'll limp, miss and fold thus losing that BB plus the few times you flop trips or a straight flush, there is no guareteed action.

-'rilla

I think in games with very little preflop raising you can loosen up and play more draw hands than you normally would, but there is still no excuse for playing something like K5o.

the problem i usually have with just calling BB and seeing a flop with something like face-rag, is that i end up with the second best hand, and could have avoided trying to play that out if i had just listened to my usual strategy and folded. and what happens if you call the BB with face-rag or ace-rag, and you get raised? you gonna call just because you already covered to blind? it's been my experience that you should play what you SHOULD play and let the rest go IMHO. even if you would of ended up with trips or quads or flushes or whatever, you can't play those card because most of the time, it will amount to nothing.