Moved to a new job a few months ago and gonna start up a regular home game with some workmates. Probably a mix of cash games and tourneys with a $10ish buy-in. They're all beginners, they know the basic rules but that's it. I've played with a full table of beginners before and done fine but interested to know how you guys tend to play when confronted with this and whether my strategy is wrong. How do you react when they play practically anything pf? They're known to call to the river with any high card and no matter what the flop might bring they really could have anything. My strategy has always been tighten up a bit and bet my hands big to reduce the number of opponents to the flop. Do you stay in with a wider range of post flop hands, due to the large chance that they're in with trash or just wait for the lock hands?

Also, even though this is fairly unethical when you're playing friends, would you complement someone on a "good hand" when they call all in and hit that gutshot, just to help you bust them later on? Moral dilemma on that one for me!

I'm mainly after advice for the cash games as I seem to be pretty successful in low stakes tourneys already.

Originally Posted by davidab157

Also, even though this is fairly unethical when you're playing friends, would you complement someone on a "good hand" when they call all in and hit that gutshot, just to help you bust them later on? Moral dilemma on that one for me!

It's never wrong to encourage bad play.

play all double face cards tens. raise a little heavier when late. (keep em in.) but always raise (even if minimum) from all positions.

if you hit top pair against three or more just bet half pot on flop and turn.. (keep em in)

One on one do same with midpair (keep him in)

If they go over the top on the river fold (if they've bluffed you then they'll pay off later)

With beginners you want to suck them dry gently over all streets. Its tempting to go for the big bust - but unless you have the hand don't do it.

You want these guys to call. if you've built a pot at the river - most of the time its yours. Often the size of of it overexcites a newbie who hits...

Newbies get drunk on big bets - don't try to push them off.....

The last thing you want is for them to get frustrated and quit poker.

You need to be a shepherd, not a shark.

If any of them are willing to learn, then you can teach them (like a mentor), but in general, you want to be positive and encouraging to them.

But if they hit a gutshot, compliment them on their luck (not on their good play!)

I play against my uncles a lot. They are all hardened card players but they started playing hold em after me. They have no idea about position, they have no idea about bet sizes and a raise to them is a challenge.

They limp every pot for the first 5 levels. If you make it 3BB then evryone calls.

What I do is play tight. play a lot of limp pots early on and try flop a monstor. As soon as I am around 10BB I move to push fold. If I do raise pre flop I make it 5 or 6 BB to isolate. They just don't respect anything lower.

So I guess my point is. Don't bluff a lot. Wait for very good situations. Get a feel for your opponents and how you can play them and where you can push them. Every table is different and it is the mark of a good player to work out how to play each different table. Historically I have played great against players and shit against newbies. A few adjustments in my game and now I can play the newbies. Giving them a few pointers is not out of the question either. Everyone needs to learn one day.