just shoot me now

[milesdyson]

I really just think everyone suggesting opening up is overestimating how much money you make with the worst hands once you get past the flop. I also think the bunching factor should be neglected. A measly three players folding hands that will include K5o, Q6o, J7o and sometimes even big-little offsuit aces will really not make much of a difference. I think using this as a reason only became an option because there were no other legitimate reasons in the thread.

So, again. Get past Q6s... think of the absolute worst stealing hand you have at a 6-handed table. Does that hand want more action preflop from the blinds? It is totally possible that you could be happier having a hand like Q6s but also not as happy with a hand like 87o.

[Justin A]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The argument of 3-handed OTB and 6-handed folded to the button is still wide open. His #1 point is a very tiny factor based on bunching, and I don't think anyone is debating #2 any more. Q6s is a good hand. The question is, should you be raising more 3-handed OTB than you do when it's folded to you OTB in a 6-handed game, and why?

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree. Bunching doesn't make a large difference and I don't think anyone is arguing that we should fold Q6s 3h otb.

Surf

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah if it wasn't clear I definitely was not arguing that this should be a fold.

[MAxx]

Ok, I am looking past Q6s.

I want less action with my worst stealing hand.

[StellarWind]

[ QUOTE ]
The question is, should you be raising more 3-handed OTB than you do when it's folded to you OTB in a 6-handed game, and why?

[/ QUOTE ]
The key issue here is game selection. You shouldn't be sitting at a table without a reason and a plan.

At a 6-handed table the plan may be to viciously attack and exploit bad players sitting in the hijack and/or cutoff. The BB may be a solid player whom you respect completely or at least a little. So you give him some space and when it is folded to the button you only play cards that clearly deserve to be played.

At a 3-handed table the blinds must be bad players and the plan has to involve exploiting them. In particular the BB is on your immediate right and if you respect him then I don't know what you are doing except in egregious cases where the SB is simply awful.

So against a 3-handed table you are usually going to be pushing the envelope on the button. The primary exception is when the BB is bad because he is a maniac and the plan is to make money by letting him shovel all his chips into your bluff catchers. Knowing before you even open that you are going to be on the receiving end of three or four barrels naturally forces you to focus on hands with showdown value, especially if Villain doesn't payoff well when you make a good hand and start putting in raises.

Therefore you could say that 3-handed Button play should be looser and that is probably true in general. But the reality of 3-handed play is that "in general" rarely comes up. It's all about the blinds because there is no other reason to play and no one else to focus on. You know your opponents and you are watching them carefully and they are watching you too. Specific considerations dominate your decisions and the default play is irrelevant.

[kiddo]

[ QUOTE ]
so after a few orbits you raise more? or less? what criteria affects this?

[/ QUOTE ]

There are a ton of signs that will tell u - sure as a nosebleed - that this isnt a really good player. But only a few of them will tell u how to change your overall play. The important thing of the sign is that it tells u that if he does this misstake he probably does a whole lot of other misstakes.

Normally a misstake from the other player in the first few orbits just makes u stay at the table, playing a bit more hands hoping he will do other misstakes.

U will normally need a number of misstakes all pointing in same direction to really make any substantial change in ur own game.