Adjusting for 5max games.

[Miffed22001]

I have the same problem in nl as lhe, 5max tables are a nightmare for me.
I still show a positive win rate at 5max, but im concerned im not adjusting for the horrible (even more than 6max games) players i find in these games who are basically an extra blind.
Assuming i have a fair seat with the taggs behind and the fish acting before, what are the most effective ways to adjust to both a 5max table in general (assuming were a decent 25/15 player) and near enough an extra blind infront of us as dead money with practically any two?

[Xanadu]

Just noticed this thread. I've been playing almost exclusively 5max all year now. The best possible thing you can do is find a player on your right who plays 70% plus. Hopefully this is a player with the funds to keep reloading as their stack disappears. Then preflop, whenever that person is first to enter the pot (should happen pretty often), Raise with roughly any hand you would open raise CO or limp after 2 limpers on the button, basically raising about 30-40% of your hands depending on circumstances. Most of those hands that are raise/fold depending if you are opening or if someone has limped are now raise/raise. Isolate and destroy. Time and again, I make all my profit for a night off finding 1 or more of these player through the night. It's sick how quick the chips slide to the left.

5max, many of the bad fish will get tricky. They will switch up their style, mostly post-flop. Focus on this at the table and stay a step ahead switching your style post flop. Some hands have to be played a certain way to be played right. 5max if you want to make a ton, you need to learn how to switch up your play on your strong hands and your poor-marginal hands to maximize both. Take special advantage of your perceived table image.

I think another big part of successful 5max is value betting extremely marginal hands at the right time. It is also very enjoyable and satisfying. This is very read dependent. You just have to get a feel for your opponents to make a killing. Third and fourth pair are river value bets with some regularity.

Most people will call you down with any pair on almost any board. Learn who will call with any pair, who will call with middle pair, etc. The more or less exact calling standards of your opponents is far more important information than any poker tracker stats you may have on them. Same for the more stylistic reads. You need to know when you can bet A-high because your opponent will fold 4th or 5th pair heads up after you fire all 4 streets, and when you check/fold it because your opponent will only call when you are beat and will never bet without a pair.

Lastly, not really, but for the post, I think knowing how to play 2, 3, and 4 handed very well is critical ... it's going to happen a lot more often than in 6max. Each time a person is taken off the table, the bigger the change in the game, and the more adjustments have to be made. Making these adjustments just right and not overadjusting helps the winrate hugely. Your opponents will be mostly clueless, and either not adjust or become maniacs 3handed. (Again you gotta get the read quick, as you may only be 3-handed for 10 hands). It seems to me that bad players make more mistakes the fewer people are at the table. Maybe it's just because it gives them more opportunities to screw up.