TAGs in Micros

[Thales]

At the moment i play often at Party to clear a bonus. I had to made the experience that many tables are extremely tight so i had VP$IP between 20-25 (the tables !!!). I am reading SSH and struggle to adjust to such tables. SSH presumed loose and passive tables and many moves are only possible when you play against a passiv and/or loose players.

But here my VP$IP is between 10-15 (using SHS by SSH)because i see so many pre flop raises and i had not too much luck with my starting hands (most often i have got 72o).

Is there anywhere a source for help ?

[kiemo]

My first guess for a source for help is.......

THIS FORUM!

[Fishlips_Jones]

Players are getting better. I generally find a loose table at party about once per eight tables I sit at. These loose table generally have at most 2 players who VP$IP greater than 30%.

I'm still learning how to beat these games myself. In my session last night, the table VP$IP was 20%. I ended up losing 42 big bets after 242 hands. Reviewing my session this morning, I found a few leaks. Had these leaks not been there, I would have lost substantially less. Being cold decked at a tight table is just ugly.

What I will now do at these table is:
1) Tighten up more. My VP$IP for the first 3/4 of the session was 22%.

2) Steal more from the Button and Cutoff. I made zero attempts that session.

3) Semi bluff even more than I do against the right players.

4) Trust my reads more. eg. when I open raise from MP with AJ suited and the SB reraises, I'm most likely behind. I will see a flop, but I am putting him on an ace with a bigger kicker or AA-TT.

If those changes don't produce wins, I will review the sessions to look for more leaks.

[Fishlips_Jones]

Got any advice more specific?

[hizo]

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

[Thales]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm still learning how to beat these games myself. In my session last night, the table VP$IP was 20%. I ended up losing 42 big bets after 242 hands. Reviewing my session this morning, I found a few leaks. Had these leaks not been there, I would have lost substantially less. Being cold decked at a tight table is just ugly.


[/ QUOTE ]

The same here. Against loose and passive tables i have not really a problem. I can handle maniacs and live with bad beats, too. (despite the fact i can only process parts of what i have learnt and read - so i must have leaks, but this only matter of time and practice.)

@ Hec

I have PO and will follow your advice. Thanks.

[hizo]

Yeah man it's a matter of time and practice AND posting hands on this forum. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[kumarshah]

I have tight players at PS .1/.2, infact my PO classifies some of them as TAGs.