Adapting when players think you're good

[ChuckyB]

I play B&M LHE 2 or 3 nights a week (usually 4/8). It's a loose, sometimes aggressive game, depending on who's in.

Last night one of the regulars (he's average-to-slightly-above-average for this game) told me "he's afraid of me" at the table and "he tries to avoid pots" I'm in. FWIW he's a super-loose-limper who plays better post-flop.

Then another regular (a super-loose-limper/caller) told me across the table that he's afraid of me too.

Knowing that it's still 4/8 B&M and there are always a bunch of callers for whatever you do, what do I change to take advantage of these guys?

edited to add...
I play pretty TAG. I fold pre-flop A LOT more than most players (as you'd expect at a typical 4/8). And these two players know me to be aggressive with strong hands and strong draws (most players play their draws passively). I'll ocassionally trap with monster hands and strong hands as well. And I'll draw with what some see as sub-standard holdings in big pots (though I know I'm getting the odds).

[Biggle10]

Are they afraid of you because you're a rock, tag, or lag?

[ChuckyB]

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Are they afraid of you because you're a rock, tag, or lag?

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Sorry, that's an important part I missed.

I play pretty TAG. I fold pre-flop A LOT more than most players (as you'd expect at a typical 4/8). And these two players know me to be aggressive with strong hands and strong draws (most players play their draws passively). I'll ocassionally trap with monster hands and strong hands as well. And I'll draw with what some see as sub-standard holdings in big pots (though I know I'm getting the odds).

[El_Hombre_Grande]

Use it to steal more pots.

[PantsOnFire]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Are they afraid of you because you're a rock, tag, or lag?

[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry, that's an important part I missed.

I play pretty TAG. I fold pre-flop A LOT more than most players (as you'd expect at a typical 4/8). And these two players know me to be aggressive with strong hands and strong draws (most players play their draws passively). I'll ocassionally trap with monster hands and strong hands as well. And I'll draw with what some see as sub-standard holdings in big pots (though I know I'm getting the odds).

[/ QUOTE ]
I had a good LOL at this post. It definitely shows a TAG personality.

Anyways, it's a good question and my initial thought is to bluff more. However, I don't have a lot of experience at bluffing in Limit, so I can't describe the good circumstances.

Maybe you could loosen up a little. If they are truly afraid being in pots with you, they might play passively giving you good drawing opportunities to turn marginal hands into winning ones.

The other plays I can think of are slowplaying and checkraising. Figure out how they react to these plays and exploit it.

Good question and I love your above response. LOL again.

[Frond]

OP, I thought you were decribing me in your post. I occasionally will run into the same thing when I play LLHE. A few people at the table who are really loose Preflop jump ship when I raise before they act o r I raise somewhere else in the hand. I hear the old "Uh oh, he's playing a hand,look out" thing here and there. Lately I have been trying to mix it up a bit more. I have told that just raising big hands PF is giving away too much info. I guess that I have been trying incorporate my TAG image more into hands that aren't just big hands and also semi bluffing a bit more, and repping big pairs on certain streets a bit more like with just overards. That said though, it is 4/8 and most of the players even at this level will still give us action will they not?

[RobNottsUk]

Schoonmakers book discusses the implications of being a TAG, and suggests finding ways to soften up your image. Perhaps rather than being super intense, cultivating an entertaining jokey image would help. Also he suggests, not going for every last bet, versus your 'best customers' in order to keep them in future; and wrote that the most profitable players weren't the most extreme TAG, but those who were slightly looser and less aggressive.

On the net, most don't seem to take care of the customers at all, slagging them off and generally being obnoxious to them when a pots lost, seems to be rife.

[johnnyrocket]

yea just steal more pots from them since they fear u, pretty simple concept

[ChuckyB]

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Anyways, it's a good question and my initial thought is to bluff more. However, I don't have a lot of experience at bluffing in Limit, so I can't describe the good circumstances.

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That was my first instinct.
Last time out I led an 865 flop from the BB (holding 7 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]2 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]) into 6 players. Three folded.
Turn came with another 8, I led, got two calls.
River came with a harmless 2 (I thought, not noticing it completed the flopped flush draw). I led (oops...didn't see that 3rd diamond), and got just one call from the K-hi flush. Everyone saw my 72. In the end, if that hadn't been a diamond, I'd have taken the pot.
In the end, maybe it gives them something to think about. But I did it intending to steal the pot since no one held an 8 or the straight.


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Maybe you could loosen up a little. If they are truly afraid being in pots with you, they might play passively giving you good drawing opportunities to turn marginal hands into winning ones.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is the part I'm a little worried about. I've seen them both be in pots (along with 2-12 other players), then look down at 98o. I kinda want to play it because everyone thinks I'm tight...but 98o is such a piece of crap in this game.
I'm dabbling in suited connectors from up front if I'm sure/pretty sure I'll get in for one bet. So far I'm not thrilled with the results.

[ChuckyB]

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That said though, it is 4/8 and most of the players even at this level will still give us action will they not?

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Oh yeah. There's always action.