Poker Forum

Hello all,

I've played a couple games of NL Texas Hold 'Em with some of my friends (6 total) and after a bad beat last night I'm frustrated and wondering if I should change my strategy. I would characterize the table as pretty beginner level: people call too many bets, it is rare that there is a pre-flop raise. I would say it's generally hard to bluff because people call a lot even with bottom pair, and people tend to underbet a lot too (20% or less of the pot with top pair top kicker with no flush or straight) which can make it hard to put them on a hand. People call bets rather than reraise all the time, but will call reraises if you do it to them. I decided I should try and get in to see the flop cheap with almost anything, from most positions because I am unlikely to be raised, wait for a good hand and let them call me all the way down, maybe slowplay it if I flop an absolute monster and try and let them catch a little something to bet with. Well, I got one good hand all night while someone else was always getting two pair or trips. I got whittled down all night trying to catch something and finally went all-in fairly shortstacked from BB with only limpers with A10o 4-handed, got one caller with 910s and lost when he caught a 9 on the river. Anyway, what are some ways to do better at this table? Thanks for any advice...

If you are a beginner, better use a Calculator. I currently like Pokerpro2006 Calculator - it gives recommendations, does tracking and general analysis. Neat product. Take a look at it Poker Pro Labs

For me, when I play with inexperienced players, I tend to limp, limp, limp. Preflop raises will get no one outta the pot. Blufing is pointless. My advice would be to play PL Omaha. That way everyone is usually guaranteed to call almost every bet, and, if you know the rules, you should be able to take most hands(i.e. most newcomers to Omaha don't realize that you HAVE to use 2 from your hole cards and you HAVE to use 3 from the board). If you have any skill it should be relatively easy to not get sucked out. Just my opinion.

_____________________________________________________________________
Last night I stayed up late playing poker with Tarot cards. I got a full house and four people died.

Last night I stayed up late playing poker with Tarot cards. I got a full house and four people died.

LOL..

Serious issue for me too Theodore, I play local club twice a week, between 70-120 people, and yep it's a nightmare to deal with them. I tried the strategies you mentioned, and yep, you get whittled away and it becomes no more than bingo.

Success (10 FT's in 30 tours, 4 wins) is acheived for me by resisting all those limps, almost never raising (pointless), saving those pennies for the 3 or 4 hands to keep you in chips.

The first session is always a limpfest, and your prone to getting sucked out, so let the cards do the work, not you.

I found that betting for value during the middle stages, (when suddenly a raise looks expensive to the bingo player), you can win some huge pots. Saving those early limps means you can afford to be involved in 3 or 4 of these big pots, and hopefuly collect on one or two of them.

If you can't get through this way, it just weren't your day. Good Luck

hey i lost with a flopped fullboat and on the river some guy gets quad queens