Originally Posted by MTdemocrat

I quickly read the first post and noticed a few things that were said/asked.

The first comment I would make is to restrict your check/raise bluffs and other elaborate forms of bluffs. Winning at the micro level (and some would say) up to the medium level is about playing ABC straightforward poker. You really want to avoid getting fancy play syndrome, as it can be a major drain on your bankroll.

Aside from that you make some pretty astute observations for someone who has just started playing NL.

As for your question about EP raises. I would refer you to Harringtons Gap concept. It basically says that if their is a raise in EP, the close it is to UTG (the earliest opening pos. in the first round), the stronger your hand needs to be to call and ESPECIALLY raise.

As for books, I would reccomend both NL Hold Em Theory and Practice AND the Harrington on Hold Em books. I know that HoH is specfically written for tournaments, but most of it is directly applicable to cash games. The only section that really does not apply, comes later in volume two talking about M and Q.

As for NLHETP, it is the bare bones beginners book for No Limit. At first it seems daunting, but once you start to play most of it makes a ton of sense in game.

Finally, get Poker Tracker or Poker office, they are invaluable!

I THINK you also ask if people respect my EP raises. I get constant respect for my raises out of EP. I am tight as nun's cunt when I play EP. If I raise out of UTG or UTG + 1, the MININIUM I have is AA,KK,AKs (QQ,JJ,1010 if it is a loose passive game). Most times people will either fold or fold to a CB on the flop. This allows me however to throw in some sneaky plays (look at the hand analysis forum where I raised 99 in UTG and got paid off for it) that I run RARELY.

Straightforward and ABC is the way to go. Even Alex who probably is the biggest fount of knowledge/skill on ths board for the most part plays pretty ABC (until he drinks, then he loves to get tricky).

As for myself calling an EP raise. I tighten up pretty well. If the player has a good sized stack (I play NL10 at the moment) of more than 1/2 the buyin I play my mid and low PP and if I feel I can outplay the player, I will throw in some HIGH SC's (78s,89s,910s). Obviously you are playing high pocket pairs. The question comes w/ hands like 1010 and JJ. At my level I am rarely throwing them away, unless I have a pretty mean read on the player, I play these pretty similar to my low and mid pocket pairs. As for the rest of my hands, we are doing AK (suited and non) AQ (especially against a weak player I have seen raise w/ AK then lay it down when he misses the flop and does not CB). I am NOT playing two face cards suited or not.

Really tight? You bet.