Just Getting Going in Live NL @ Majestic Star Near Chicago

[BullGator]

All--

I am just beginning to work on my live NL game at the Majestic Start 100Max game. I have read that it is play money, any other specifics would be helpful. Working on building a small roll there.

[TheStation]

As with any small NL100-200 game, playing pretty straightforward works, no one is really paying attention because they are having fun and really dont care

Dont berate the fish at this level either, when I used to play 1-2 i would see that all the time and all it does is hurt the game

[BullGator]

I played friday night and had one basic problem. Often when I got a good hand in anywhere close to position, there were usually 8 people limping into the pot. Next time I am planning on doing more raising, but the 3x-4x the blinds plus a blind pr player is going to put me at about $25 to go. I realize there is a lot to table feel, but when I get to raising that high, I feel like I really need to be in the premioum hand range.

[GutPunch]

I really hate the MJII 1/2 game because the max buyin is $100. After you make a raise with with 4 usual limpers, your c-bet basically commits you to the pot. It takes away a lot of the post flop play. However the horrible play overall makes up for it.

I remember one hand from when I played there, like 4 limpers to old loose guy, he makes it 15, I call w/ 99, as does 2 limpers. Flop A9Q, old guy bets, i move in, all fold back to old guy who calls me with 88(??)

[BullGator]

Yes, that was my basic experience as well. However, waiting for those sets is so damn boring, and paying time became the biggest bleed on my stack. When did you find the best time to play was? I played pretty much from 8pm to 5am Friday night. It seemed like everyone was pretty loose early, but then tightened up considerably at about 1am. Seems like the bad players come early and leave when they are out of money. Have you played during the days there? Where do you play now? Or did you build your roll to get out of that pit of donks?

[TheStation]

[ QUOTE ]
I played friday night and had one basic problem. Often when I got a good hand in anywhere close to position, there were usually 8 people limping into the pot. Next time I am planning on doing more raising, but the 3x-4x the blinds plus a blind pr player is going to put me at about $25 to go. I realize there is a lot to table feel, but when I get to raising that high, I feel like I really need to be in the premioum hand range.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree with your self-assessment that you need to do more raising next time, that is always very true in low limit NL games.

I agree that 4x BB plus 1 BB for every limper is a good standard raise, I have moved up to 2-5 (not chicago) and $40-45 raises from me in late position isnt out of the ordinary due to massive amount of limpers. Just realize that when you raise AA/KK/QQ/AK/etc... and you hit top pair or overpair that lower kicker hands and underpairs will pay you off so well and due to your big raise preflop they arent going to get away from it because "the pot is too big" so you rake in even more chips

[ChicagoTroy]

I'm getting situated in this same game. There are also days where the standard raise becomes $12-17 w/o limpers. People do not fold over pairs or top pairs, and you can play these very aggressively for value.

Bluffing is often a bad idea.

[BullGator]

I was noticing the same thing about the overpairs and top pairs. Plus I noticed an overpair with a [censored] kicker was often seen as the nuts. When you had top pair, how did you normally play it? When you say aggresive what do you mean? I.e. when you flopped 2 pair etc how much did you bet and keep them in?

[ChicagoTroy]

Bet lots of money and hope they call.