Re: Benifits of the straddle
I average about 6bb/hr live. Putting 2bb into the pot on every orbit (in addition to my blinds) where I will usually fold to any raise, and play OOP in any unraised pot seems like a great way to put a serious dent in my win rate. I just don't think any "loosening up" of the table from my straddle will compensate for the 6bb+/hr extra money that I put in blind from bad position.
However, I kind of like it when others straddle. I lets the pot play bigger when I have good hands. Sometimes, if the straddler likes to over-raise his straddle a lot, I can even deep limp with AA and kill the straddler when he over-raises with 77-AA/AJ+.
Also, metagame is overrated at most live games. The solid regulars won't be fooled. The gambling LAGs and social calling stations won't notice.
Better metagame considerations might be calling with a wider range than expected on the button so you can show down 84s on a 744 flop when you stack some guy with AA in EP who didn't raise enough preflop relative to your effective stacks. Or raising UTG with 78s (planning to fold to a reraise). Or whatever... Straddling blind isn't as good as other means of mixing up your game for "metagame" purposes vs people with whom you play regularly.
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