Hi,

I had a poker table last night where I just couldn't deal well, and was hoping somebody with more experience could give me some advice.

A cash game with me and my friends came down to 3 handed. Blinds were getting big, and I was smallest stacked with about 25 to 30 big blinds to bet. (The other two had about 60 to 80 big blinds).

The person to act after me was fairly loose pre-flop and very passive, but tight on what he would call on. He slow played a lot of sets (which he made quite frequently whenever I had top pair on the flop). The person to act before me was loose aggressive.

I found the main issue I had was that the person to act before me would basically bet aggressively on anything. I would know when I would have this person beat. The person who acts after me generally doesn't bet strong hands, and just calls until the river (on any draw or made hand, despite pot odds), and if his hand becomes strong, he'll re-raise on the river, otherwise he'd fold. The main difficulty came from the fact that since I couldn't get any idea on the strength of the hand of the person after me, on the river I had no idea if he was going to call or fold to the raise by the person before me.

Has anybody been in this particular situation before and have some advice on how to deal? The only thing I could think of would be to switch to a all-in-or-fold-pre flop strategy.

first of all, since its a home game, you can simple adjust the blinds you play with so you have deeper stacks. since you're playing with 25-30bbs you are basically commited on any flop you bet.

if the passive player calls with draws and folds on the river as long as you bet large enough to deny him odds you'll make money in the long run.

best way to combat aggression is with aggression. the guy always betting cant have good hands every time so when you pick up a premium hand punish him with a reraise.

you might want to read harrington on holdem 1 and 2, they're the best books about tournament poker and give you good suggestions on how to play when the blinds become large compared to your stack.

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He said blinds were getting big, so i guess they're playing cash with blinds raising?

Yep, cash game with blinds raising. Basically, I was waiting for premiums to push against the aggressor with, and when I did, he made a set on the flop, so that didn't work out. After that my stack basically just got blinded down.

The problem against the passive person who always called, is that when he called he would do so on a strong made hand or a draw, and if you don't know which, raising huge against him doesn't work. I suppose I need to learn how to read him, but he's as expressionless as a person gets.

It *is* quite a disturbing dynamic to be stuck between two opposite extremes of each style. Usually if I'm out numbered by aggressive players, I can give them enough rope to hang themselves on when I hit a great hand. When I'm with two passive callers, I would just check down and bet big when I'm certain I have the better hand. With one of each, I find it hard to adapt to one without being vulnerable to the other.

If you wait for premium hands, the blinds will kill you very quickly with only three players. You have to be prepared to
reraise Mr Loose-aggressive with only moderately good hands when you think you are better.

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