(5NL) 6Max. Played too weak?

[JackA]

Hand 1:
Poker Stars
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.01/$0.02
6 players
Converter (http://www.neildewhurst.com/hand-converter)

Stack sizes:
UTG: $9.97
Hero: $5.07
CO: $6.53
Button: $4.56
SB: $11.12
BB: $3.86

Pre-flop: (6 players) Hero is UTG+1 with K/images/graemlins/heart.gif Q/images/graemlins/club.gif
<font color="#cc0000">UTG raises to $0.04</font>, Hero folds

I folded KQo UTG+1 and am wondering now if it was worth a raise. Or in this case a re-raise to the UTG's min-raise. The player to the left is my old nemesis here and isn't afraid to raise and re-raise big. I didn't like my position sandwiched between these players. Too weak?

Hand 2:
Poker Stars
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.01/$0.02
6 players
Converter (http://www.neildewhurst.com/hand-converter)

Stack sizes:
Hero: $3.91
UTG+1: $7.39
CO: $2.70
Button: $10.90
SB: $2.90
BB: $3.02

Pre-flop: (6 players) Hero is UTG with 9/images/graemlins/heart.gif A/images/graemlins/heart.gif
Hero folds

Folding A9s too weak here? To my left is the same villain, and after looking at some of my hand histories I'm starting to think this guy is way looser than I had originally thought. He raises ~4xBB a LOT from any position, he raised this hand up to $0.08 after I folded.

[CrustyFace]

If he is as loose as you say he is then why not raise him and put him in a spot. If you are habitually folding to his reraises then he probably has you where he wants you.

I suggest you leave the table, make a not of him and try and get on his left hand side sometime in the future.

[Innocent Kitty]

[ QUOTE ]
If he is as loose as you say he is then why not raise him and put him in a spot. If you are habitually folding to his reraises then he probably has you where he wants you.

I suggest you leave the table, make a not of him and try and get on his left hand side sometime in the future.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree. One of the great things about internet poker is having many tables to select from.

[eigenvalue]

Hand 1: I would call that. Maybe a great chance to earn money from Nemesis. But You have to learn how to play against overly aggressive players sitting to Your left. I don't think changing tables helps that much, simply because it will happen any now and then that a very aggressive player will sit 1 or 2 seats to Your left. You have to improve Your play and learn to deal with them. Don't value bet that often against them. Instead go for the checkraise more or simply let them do all the betting and call them down if You hit a flop.

Hand 2: Mathematically, A9 is not strong enough to raise from UTG in a 6 handed game. A fold here is correct. I start to raise with that holding from UTG+1 or CO, depending on the table and my image.

[JackA]

Thank you everyone for you responses. Very helpful.

[ QUOTE ]

Hand 2: Mathematically, A9 is not strong enough to raise from UTG in a 6 handed game. A fold here is correct. I start to raise with that holding from UTG+1 or CO, depending on the table and my image.


[/ QUOTE ]
It didn't feel right playing from UTG, I feel like I shouldn't be playing much but premium hands from UTG. However I'm used to full-ring limit play and pure short handed cash is new to me.

I think one of the things that strikes me is how different NL Cash is from Tournies, and Limit Cash. I just came off a run of SnGs and before that limit cash.

What I really find surprising is the utter crap people play hard. Seems like ATC in some cases. Granted I saw this in limit and SnGs, but it always had a smaller impact, either + or -. Limit players couldn't donk off their whole stack in one hand, which has actually been +$ for me a couple times.

Additionally I'm trying to really take my time and put them on hand ranges. I try to call them out loud. Something I've never done before. I'm horribly wrong most of the time. Perhaps I've giving many of these players too much credit.

Enough rambling. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

--
Jack

[avfletch]

IMO both are folds. Putting opponents on a range (even when you are horribly wrong) is the best thing you can do. Just keep working at it until you get it right a lot. When that happens the low stakes are basically free money.

[codeblue]

I think A,9 suited is good enough to open raise from any position in NL 6 max. Am I nuts /images/graemlins/confused.gif

[avfletch]

[ QUOTE ]
I think A,9 suited is good enough to open raise from any position in NL 6 max. Am I nuts /images/graemlins/confused.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Its not a very nice hand to play out of position.

When you flop a hand it'll either be a big draw (hard to play OOP) or an A but you won't know if its good (so v hard to play OOP). Personally I think you'll save yourself a lot of headaches by folding stuff like this.

At these low stakes you should be opening up your range CO and BU but playing pretty damn tight OOP. They play way too many hands which is excellent if you are in position on them but having to lead into them is -EV way too often.