How to play against a very loose aggro opponent out of position?

We Major · #1 04-20-2007, 12:36 PM

I seem to have a lot of problems with an opponent who is very loose and very aggressive..specifically 55/20/6 out of position.

Here are some characteristics of the villain:

1. Will almost always reraise the CBet
2. Will always call if you play back at him and then bet 3/4 - pot if you show any weakness
3. Cold calls all raises

My strategy against these types of opponents is to:

1. Increase my PF raise size to 6-7time bb
2. Tighten up and wait for made hands
3. When I hit a monster I CBet then pretend to be weak to try to get them to pot commit themselves

The problem is if you wait for 30 minutes to get a playable hand and then he catches a bigger hand on the flop and you donk off your chips.

Example, he had pushed me out of the last 8 pots that I had raised because I hadn't hit with AK, AQ or I had a low PP that couldn't stand heat w/ overs on the board.

I finally wake up w/ QQ, raise 6 times the BB, he calls. Flop is 9sTsJs and I bet, he reraises (which he has been doing the entire night), I push him all in thinking he's probably got a piece of the board and a draw. If not, I think I have straight outs and flush outs as I have the Qs. He turns over 5s6s and stacks me.

I immediately went on tilt and started spewing by pushing all in w/ AJ, at which point he had JJ and stacked me again.

How do you guys play these guys? You pretty much have to wait for a hand or push marginal situations and deal with huge variance. Then, if they're smart, they'll tighten up their game and then stack you when you think your overpair is good. Furthermore, if you do have a hand they'll sometimes hit abigger hand, and then sometimes draw out.

I think the correct play is to push and bet anything you perceive to be ahead of his range...but it's hard to tell what hit his hand and what didn't as he plays so many hands.

losingdonkey · #2 04-20-2007, 01:14 PM

only play good hands out of position - don't "play back" without good hands, but remember he has a large range so TPTK is probably all it takes. The QQ hand is just variance, don't let it get to you.

also don't increase your preflop raises to 6-7bb, thats just spew

briancash · #3 04-20-2007, 01:21 PM

Yeah, I run into these guys too at uNL. They literally call every raise from the blinds and check/min-raise every c-bet and continue their aggression on the turn.

I haven't figured out any great way around these opponents, especially if they're catching a piece of the flop. I'd just leave the table, especially if it's affecting you emotionally.

Mingdu · #4 04-20-2007, 01:25 PM

Leave the table? At this level of buyin they are just aching to give their money to you. I search long and hard for these guys

What LDonkey said ...

Isura · #5 04-20-2007, 01:32 PM

Valuebet like crazy.
Rebluff them.
Second barrel.
Check/raise with strong hands on the turn if they float a lot.

We Major · #6 04-20-2007, 01:33 PM

[ QUOTE ]
only play good hands out of position - don't "play back" without good hands, but remember he has a large range so TPTK is probably all it takes. The QQ hand is just variance, don't let it get to you.

also don't increase your preflop raises to 6-7bb, thats just spew

[/ QUOTE ]

Why is increasing your PFR spewing? Don't you want to try to get as much money in while you know you're ahead of their range?

Isura · #7 04-20-2007, 01:35 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
only play good hands out of position - don't "play back" without good hands, but remember he has a large range so TPTK is probably all it takes. The QQ hand is just variance, don't let it get to you.

also don't increase your preflop raises to 6-7bb, thats just spew

[/ QUOTE ]

Why is increasing your PFR spewing? Don't you want to try to get as much money in while you know you're ahead of their range?

[/ QUOTE ]

It's not spewing as long as you tighten up as well. But I still think its more profitable to play more hands against these guys (for a smaller PF investment) and punish them postflop.

losingdonkey · #8 04-20-2007, 01:36 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
only play good hands out of position - don't "play back" without good hands, but remember he has a large range so TPTK is probably all it takes. The QQ hand is just variance, don't let it get to you.

also don't increase your preflop raises to 6-7bb, thats just spew

[/ QUOTE ]

Why is increasing your PFR spewing? Don't you want to try to get as much money in while you know you're ahead of their range?

[/ QUOTE ]

I think because you only need to raise so much to give him incorrect odds to call, and in the long run will lessen profits since you lose more when you c-bet/fold.

Mingdu · #9 04-20-2007, 01:40 PM

And the higher pfr can't just be for premium hands ... must be the entire spectrum of hands you play

Keep it at ~3x

We Major · #10 04-20-2007, 01:40 PM

How do you guys recommend playing mid pocket pairs 66-99?

I tended to limp these as he would rarely reraise preflop hoping to hit a big hand or get out. I didn't really want to have to make a decision to call a big reraise OOP against an overcard or 2.

On one hand, this makes it so when I raise he knows I have a premium hand and makes it very easy for him to play against me (although it seems like he would bet regardless if I showed any weakness). On the other hand I don't want to raise a hand like this if I can't take it down w/ a CBet with reasonable frequency..