Re: TAGs in Micros
From my experience it is true that a lot of these tables are tightening up quite a bit. However these tables at the micro level are filled not with TAGs but with weak tight players. These are players who have some idea about pre-flop concepts and pot odds etc, however they do not protect their hands, they do not value bet enough, and they fold too often.
That last point is key. I really recommend Ed Miller's DVD set, or at least one of the DVDs in the set entitled "Adjusting your play". Here he gives a really good explanation along with examples about the adjustments you make in a weak tight game. I have not read HEPFAP or all of TOP just yet, so I'm not sure if this topic is covered in those books.
Basically, pre-flop you should loosen up your play in late positions and open-raise more often in middle and late positions against weak tight opponents. Raising with marginal hands in late position agsint weak tight opponents is correct for 3-reasons.
1) You limit the field by often folding the blinds. If you open raise you will often just end up stealing the blinds as well.
2) It allows you to take control of the hand and puts pressure on the weak tight player to hit the flop. A continuation bet (c-bet) on the flop will cause the typical weak tight oppenent to fold even if his hand is better than yours on the flop.
3) By raising you create a bigger pot (duh). The implication of this is that the bigger the pot is, the bigger mistake your weak-tight opponent makes when he folds after the flop. The bigger his mistakes, the more money you make.
Other adjustments you have to make agasint weak-tighties are
1) respect their bets and raises (somewhat) more.
2) be inclined to value bet less often.
3) be inclined to bluff more often.
Reads and statistics play a much more important role against these weak-tight players, as not all weak-tight players are created equal. Make notes, and if you haven't already invested in Poker Tracker and a head-up display for Poker Tracker, do so. It pays for itself.
Good luck and welcome to the forums.
Hec
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