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  1. #1
    piv
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    Stu Ungar piv's Avatar
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    Feb 2007
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    Default Starting hand help

    After a bit of discussion regarding starting hands at NL5 6-max. I try and select hands with high reverse implied odds, but I dont know if I'm being too tight with conventional types of hands. I'll try elaborate a little bit on each..

    Aces - A10 off suit and above, most suited aces depending on position. Sometimes A9o. Should I be playing more aces? Watching the general hands that are mucked by opponents at this level I feel I shouldnt' be playing any more weaker aces since they cold call with any ace and I'm likely to be outkicked. Reverse implied odd dictate A-rag = -ev, and I feel uneasy playing them.

    Broadway cards - basically JT and above, suited or unsuited. Basically after nut straight or draw to it, or TPGK. I've watched a few vids and some people are folding JT or QJ UTG, I dont feel its a problem opening with them?

    Big pairs - should I be calling open shoves against say 50/0 idiots with QQ? Many times i've seen morons shove A-rag but other times it's only bullets. I'm always getting in the middle pre flop with AA and KK, should AK be in the cash range too or not? It was 100% for sngs but doesnt feel right here.

    Little pairs - I play and raise them all for set value, anything I should be avoiding?

    Suited connectors + suited gappers - I love playing these, they're not huge winners for me at the moment according to PO but it feels like just variance since I'm confident playing big draws hard but just dont seem to get a lot of action, and when I do I'm going after stacks.

    My stats seemed to have settled at 23/17, are these solid enough?

    Lastly, would it be wrong to try and float some grinders c-bets in position on a very bland flop, or am I out of my mind to try at this level?

    All input is appreciated.

  2. #2
    Super Moderator davidab157's Avatar
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    Default

    Position is the key. Being the last to act is a huge advantage and as a result you can loosen up your starting hand requirements. If you're OOP it becomes much more difficult to get paid from your big hands and you can get yourself into alot of trouble playing marginal holdings.

    Aces - A10 off suit and above, most suited aces depending on position. Sometimes A9o. Should I be playing more aces? Watching the general hands that are mucked by opponents at this level I feel I shouldnt' be playing any more weaker aces since they cold call with any ace and I'm likely to be outkicked. Reverse implied odd dictate A-rag = -ev, and I feel uneasy playing them.
    Weak aces are really terrible hands. I am a bit of a nit (and got a bit of a pasting when I suggested one of the cardrunners pros was getting out of line raising A2s in the CO) but unless you are extremely confident in your post-flop play, just ditch them. If you flop an ace and you got action preflop you aren't in great shape and it's a win a small pot/lose a big pot situation. This is even worse if you are OOP. UTG/MP I'll come in for a raise with ATs+, then loosen it to A7s+ after that.

    Broadway cards - basically JT and above, suited or unsuited. Basically after nut straight or draw to it, or TPGK. I've watched a few vids and some people are folding JT or QJ UTG, I dont feel its a problem opening with them?
    Again you have to be really confident with your OOP play. Even top pros are dumping JT/QJ UTG alot of the time. UTG I'll pop up KQs+ and only by the CO will I bring in QJ/JT etc.

    Big pairs - should I be calling open shoves against say 50/0 idiots with QQ? Many times i've seen morons shove A-rag but other times it's only bullets. I'm always getting in the middle pre flop with AA and KK, should AK be in the cash range too or not? It was 100% for sngs but doesnt feel right here.
    Depends on the stack size with QQ. I wouldn't like to call a 50/0 open shove though, they more than likely have something. Against a 50/15 ish weak player and around 50bb though, QQ = the nuts preflop. AK is read dependent too, but against weak shortstacks I beat them to the pot.

    Little pairs - I play and raise them all for set value, anything I should be avoiding?
    Make sure you are getting your implied odds, by this I mean have a look at the villains stack size before you call. Assuming you are full stacked, if it's $5 to call and he has $25 behind, you can't go for set value, if he has $75, go nuts. Something like 10x the cost to call in his stack is a reasonable way to assess it.

    Suited connectors + suited gappers - I love playing these, they're not huge winners for me at the moment according to PO but it feels like just variance since I'm confident playing big draws hard but just dont seem to get a lot of action, and when I do I'm going after stacks.
    I love SC's, they are damn profitable for me just now. Make sure you play them in position though. They are great when an aggro villain raises UTG and you are on the button, when you hit...happy days.

    Those stats are fine for crushing NL5.

    Lastly, would it be wrong to try and float some grinders c-bets in position on a very bland flop, or am I out of my mind to try at this level?
    At NL5, don't bother as there probably aren't any TAG grinders around. I barely saw any at NL25. Yeah when you get to NL50+ you can float/raise a TAG player on a dry board, but most of the time you don't need to.
    For Free Money, Rakeback and some 6x Ongame bonuses, I recommend PokerSource.

    I recommend Cardrunners for superb poker coaching. It was honestly the single biggest improvement in my game signing up there! Sign-up fee might seem steep, but it pays itself back within weeks.

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