[uDevil]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The problem I have is that value betting more and bluffing and semibluffing less means I'll generally be betting less because my opening range includes hands that often have little value after the flop. In that case, I'll often be pushed out of the hand immediately because if my hand doesn't have enough value to bet, I can't call either.

Just because bluffs and semibluffs won't often succeed in these games doesn't mean players don't try. When they do, I'll usually be defenseless. That's why I'm led back to reconsider my opening range.

[/ QUOTE ]

Bear in mind that the the opening recommendations are given for "tough" games. If you're in a loose game where a raise from the HJ is still likely to lead to a four or five handed pot then you can't use the stox/zobags playing recommendations.

In a "tough" game, if you pop it from the HJ with pocket fives, there are three likely outcomes which are most likely; a) you'll steal the blinds, b) you'll play against the BB with position or c) you'll be three bet and isolated.

If you're not in that type of game, then the SSHE charts and playing recommendations figure to be more applicable.



[/ QUOTE ]

The book does a good job of describing how to adjust the starting hands for looser opponents based on equity against their range. I've done that. I just wonder if I've made a sufficient adjustment when I take into account that I have very little fold equity later in the hand. I'm thinking that I should exclude marginal raising hands that have no showdown value.

[ QUOTE ]
Also, you're in the types of games described in WTHEG the hands you're playing do have value, even against aggression (which will be the norm). You're showing down a lot of poor and marginal hands as the nature of the aggression in these games dictates that you must bet, raise and show down hands with values which would appear very weak in the context of a game with multiway pots. A player not doing this would be run over in the HU post flop play typical of the games the authors describe.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, I need to find the right value of showdown strength against my typical opponents. I think I am currently giving my opponents too much credit for "toughness", so I tend to push my marginal hands too much (because a tough opponent might fold) and call down too liberally (because a tough opponent doesn't need a better hand than mine to bet). Dumping some marginal starting hands would help solve this problem.