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Old 10-11-2007, 06:52 PM
ProfessorBen ProfessorBen is offline
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Default Re: PB Dissertation Ch2: Some Quick Fixes

Only have time to read the #1, but... between what I've read in the OP and Frond's response:
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#1 It can be futile to try and steal at 4/8 cause like you said the blinds are calling most of the time where as in a mid-higher limit and or SH mid or higher limit game they aren't as much.

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This is completely inaccurate. You should be less likely to steal period in low limit because of the relative size of the rake so you need to tighten up all aspects of your range a notch or two. After that, If the villains are MORE likely to defend preflop(as they are in low limits), you should be MORE inclined to steal with hands that have showdown value such as weak aces and low PPs, and LESS likely to steal with drawing hands. This is not the case if you believe both the SB and BB are likely to defend lightly making the pot multi way, but in all anticipated HU situations that generalization holds.

This is because while most of your money does come from stealing the blinds right then and there with marginal hands such as these, you also raise because showdown value + position = the nuts. This is especially true when villains are likely to play passively postflop allowing you to take a standard bet flop, bet or check turn(depending on texture/opponent) and check river UI line.

I agree that you generally want hands where both cards play, but I think you're confused on why. Stox writes very clearly about this in his why Q7o>K2o chapter. We're not only concerned with trying to make 2 different pairs of decent strength or better, but we're also concerned about domination. While weak aces are certainly subjected to the pain of all other bigger aces, Stox's example of K2o is crushed by all kings and all aces, essentially double the range, without the strength of even an A high.

It's worth noting that in the examples the OP used, the connector cards have much more value than the weak ace so comparing A3o to T9s is apples to orange. A3o is much closer to 65s than T9s in hand strength. In this situation, I would be more likely to raise A3o than 65s, though T9s is simply too strong(equity, implied, and metagame wise) in almost any game's BTN/CO.

To treat folding A3o OTB as if it were a standard play is ridiculous. It's the safer, lower-variance play, esp. if you don't know how to play well postflop. I would recommend it to my friends who I'm starting to teach a TAG style of poker, but I also make them aware that they're passing up on many +EV ventures.

Edit: Also, Stox never says to open anything weaker than K9o anywhere. I disagree, but am also not opening K7o/K8o OTB in anything smaller than 5/10 live.
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