Never coldcall (theorish)
 

Posted in SSMTT, and are very intresting what you high stakes player thinks.

I am not mainly of a tournament player but I think I have a pretty good understanding of the concepts and poker in general. I have tried a little rule for myself the recent tournaments I have played that feels pretty good for many reasons.

That is to never under any circumstances coldcall a raise, not in position and not from the blinds, period.

What do you think about this rule, is it a good one or do you lose much by doing this? Of course its style depending but I think it might be a good rule for many players.

The main reason I try it is because many of the tournament I have played lately I had bust out by getting into awkward spots after calling a raise with a hand like 66 or QJs.

I can see that whatever your playing style is coldcalling the very first levels with small PPs is a good thing, maybe a rule like this can be limited for when stacks are becoming ~50bb or less.

Someone else that have tried something like this or have extremely little coldcalling in your tournament game and if you do whats the exceptions in general?

This applies to Texas NL MTTs.

Re: Never coldcall (theorish)
 

Meh. Often it is optimal to cold call a raise late in a tourney. For example, say a tight player opens in EP, and you hold QQ. If you reraise, he's probably going to play perfectly, meaning he'll fold every worst hand but never any better hands.

Re: Never coldcall (theorish)
 

It's obviously a terrible rule. I don't know why you should need an explanation, especially given that you are a long time cash game player, who obviously understands why you should sometimes just call and not raise.

Re: Never coldcall (theorish)
 

Early in a tournament, 200BB, UTG raises, you're on the button w/55.

Re: Never coldcall (theorish)
 

[ QUOTE ]
The main reason I try it is because many of the tournament I have played lately I had bust out by getting into awkward spots after calling a raise with a hand like 66 or QJs.


[/ QUOTE ]
This is more likely due to mediocre postflop play than making a preflop mistake.

Re: Never coldcall (theorish)
 

I think this advice would have been somewhat more pertinent two years ago.

Now that c-betting is less effective, three-bets get called lighter and blind-stealing more difficult, you have to run really hot to profit by only raising or folding pre-flop.

On the whole, the level of pre-flop play has improved a lot in the fish tank over the last year or so. But they still suck post-flop, so play post-flop more.

Re: Never coldcall (theorish)
 

I responded to this in SSMTT. Obviously, it is not getting as warm a reception here. Some people flat call (my understanding is cold calling means calling when you don't already have money in the pot) too much. In live tournaments, you will often see a raise a bunch of flat callers or a bunch of limpers. In either case, it is tempting to come over top of them. So I see nothing wrong with always coming into the pot with a raise as an excercize to get out of the habbit of flat calling too much.

Generally, you want to flat call from the CO or button with position or from the BB with pot odds. You also want to flat call more with pps or suited connectors.

Re: Never coldcall (theorish)
 

Maybe this is a good strategy if you think you are a losing player against the table or slightly +EV.

Re: Never coldcall (theorish)
 

[ QUOTE ]
Maybe this is a good strategy if you think you are a losing player against the table or slightly +EV.

[/ QUOTE ]
If you don't play well postflop, then better to always reraise or fold and simplify things.

Jesus says in the Full Tilt Guide that he won the WSOP ME never flat calling and never limping, including never limping behind. It fits his style, which is very strong with strategy and odds. In the final hand, he reraised TJ with A9o, called a push, and spiked a 9 on the river to beat AQ.

In the same book, Gavin Smith said he never reraises preflop. This fits Gavin's style, since he is always flat calling and trying to take the pot away.

In an MTT, sometimes stack size makes flat calling correct, if you would have a tough decision whether to call a 4-bet. In other situations, you want to reraise allin.

Also, position is important. I would be more likely to reraise from the SB or mid position. From early position, I might not reraise an early position raiser. From late position or the BB, it is a good situation to reraise, but also a good situation to flat call.

Re: Never coldcall (theorish)
 

i dont think this would be a bad rule under 20bb.

if you're at all deep, it sucks