Advice for friend - three handed NL play

Have a friend who wanted me to ask:

He plays three handed poker with guys a couple of times a week on lunch break. He wants to know some basic strategy for beating this game consistently. My theory on games like this is that it's largely a crap shoot but he has the ability to get amazing reads on these guys because they will play the exact same every time (because they are probably that dumb). I told him that:

Mix his play up constantly so that they cannot get a good read on HIM. Bet differently sometimes, raise differently sometimes, limp sometimes. Never do the same thing day to day.
Lower minimum hand requirements because basically they are going to see every flop every time unless you have a read that one of them has a decent hand and you have crap - most of the game will be won post flop.
Make them pay for drawing hands - I took him apart a couple of times because he would try to draw out everything and I would take all of his money when he didn't hit. The couple of times he did hit didn't make up for all of the times he lost trying to hit a flush/straight.
Don't be afraid to fold PF and let the other two battle it out - if one knocks the other out then you're heads up and better off than you were.

Anything else? I also told him that the goal would be to consistently play well, no matter what happens - because in a three handed game luck is a huge factor. Don't play based on pride and remember each hand is independent. He had trouble getting his head around that.

It's not how to beat a 3 handed game. It's how to beat these 2. Tell us about these two other guys. How do they play a draw. How do they play a set. How easy do they fold. What cards do they raise ETC. Any player worth a dime will gather a quick read and absolutely own any two players who aren't all that tricky.

I suggest your friend should start gathering information through showdowns and physical tells. Find betting patterns. If it's overwhelming tell him to concentrate on one aspect at a time. Tell him to figure out exactly how his opponenets play drawing hands for starters. I just pulled that out of my ass.

Raise any hands that equal 20 or 21 if he were playing black jack.

Don't be afraid to fold when ouside the blind with pure junk hands, you'll save a tremendous amount of money.

Fast and slow play premium pairs. Mix it up.

Don't play draws at all. Suited connectors and very low pairs are almost worthless 3-handed unless you are on very short stack and move in with the baby pairs.

Bet aggressive when you connect with any piece of the flop even bottom pair.

Always raise and re-raise for information.

Check top pair and don't bet until turn if no scare cards. TPTK and 2 pair can be played like the nuts in such a short-handed situation.

I play in a home game every week with the same two people.

Guy #1) Never goes all in without the nuts. He takes a long time before raising when he's strong. Does not semi bluff draws. Calls fast when drawing. Always follows never leads when drawing. Generally weak tight. Looks away from the cards when you look like you're going to raise if he is very strong. His bluffs look like value bets. He's too tight to bluff deep. Passive until the river with made hands if he flops it or turns it.

Guy #2) Classic hyper aggressive maniac. Takes everything too far. Easy to trap. Bluffs are big bets, and made hand bets are smaller for begging action. Classic chaser. Can't let go of gutshots. Always looks at the cards that help him. Fluttery eyes while eyeing board mean he's extremely strong. Confident betting is weak and bluffy. Has classic check when strong bet when weak disease.

Just an example of what I mean. There are a shitload more things I know about my two opponents.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Rondavu

If it's overwhelming tell him to concentrate on one aspect at a time.

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I would say concentrate on 1 man at a time. Just watch 1 of them the whole game and remember what do they with every hand and remember what cards they show down at the end of it. Look at the way they breath when they bet big then see if they turn over a monster or a load of crap at the end. Then remember it for the next time. When youve worked out how to read the first guy move on to the second one. I think it will be much quicker working out both of them by doing it one at a time than by trying to concentrate on what they are both doing at once.
I think if you are going to be playing the same 2 people who dont play alot of poker week in week out for a while then reading them probably becomes at least as important as your own preflop hand selection etc.