Preflop fundamentals

[DEVY]

Hi guys

I've just made the move across from 6-max to full ring and am not sure on some fundamentals in early/mid position.

Currenly im being a nit in early position raising AK+,QQ+ only. In mid position, im raising slightly wider with AQ+,JJ+. Im happy with not playing 22-66 in EP, but what about 77-JJ, i dont really want to open limp, but feel that the set value almost justifies it playing against the full tilt nits. The same sort of thing applies to mid position.

Post flop i consider myself to be solid but still to stack off with overpair far too much.

[Steelerman]

Hey Devy, what's up. What level are you playing?

From what I've seen, a common 2+2 UTG raising range is 99+, AQ+, AJs & KQs. Any pockets I don't raise it up with, I'll still limp. If you play those small pairs right, you'll stack overpairs all the time. You even mentioned in your post that you stack off with overpairs too much.

Just study how you're playing both small pairs and big pairs and start being the stacker...not the stackee.

[Joni]

You have to adjust how the table is playing. If there are a lot of calling stations behind you, then you don't want to open with a very wide range. If the table is playing very tight you can expand your range and start raising more stuff like pocket pairs, AJs, KQs and sometimes some random suited connector stuff if you feel comfortable with them.

[Specialwon]

Yeah those pairs are gold dust, making sets is the name of the game. Personally I raise TT upwards, limp the rest. If the table's reasonably loose I'll limp any pair any position, and if the stack size warrants it I'll call most raises with any pair intending to fold if I don't make a set. It's wildly profitable, especially against aggressive guys who like to cane their top pairs.

Elsewhere I play ultra tight, rarely play AJ outside of late position, I'm willing to fold AQo if I feel it's not working out.

[Klompy]

Hmmm, early position I'm usually mucking k,qs and a,js but I'm usually raising all pp unless the table is really l/p in which I'll limp 6,6 and less. If the table is pretty aggressive I don't even really mind just mucking some lower pp's.

mp I'm adding a,js+ a,j in later mp kqs and k,qo in later mp. I'm also open raising any pp and either limping or raising behind a limper depending on stack size and how he plays.

late position nobody can really give you any idea because behind certain players it can be profitable to raise just about any 2. I'd say as default I openraise any broadway, any suited ace, and any sc. Behind 1 limper I usually raise about the same but instead of broadway I'd change it to suited broadway. There's other hands I raise sometimes too, but It's usually when I know that the limper is a set miner, or very predictable.


I'd love to hear if this is a halfways decent pf game from some of you better players.

[DEVY]

Im playing .5/1 with all the full tilt nits seemingly.
I do like the idea of moving my opern raising ranges to
Early Position: AK+, TT+
Mid Position AQ+, 77+
Late Position AJ+, All PP, SC down to 65, KQs

I think the open limping of the other pocket pairs depends on the table as was stated above. To some of the good players how do you find open limps, from my 6-max days i find it suicidal.

[checkmate36]

Renton's article is a must read IMO if your just forming your preflop strategy.

[Steelerman]

[ QUOTE ]
Renton's article is a must read IMO if your just forming your preflop strategy.

[/ QUOTE ]

$$$$ It's what I used when developing my gameplan. You could play this strategy verbatim and beat NL25 as long as you are halfway decent postflop. You'll find as you go along you start understanding why you're playing certain hands and can start to add/subtract hands and really tailor it to your strengths and weaknesses.

Renton also wrote a couple great articles on postflop play and hand reading.

[checkmate36]

His other articles must be money in the bank as well. Im going to see if I can't find those as well.

[CaptVimes]

Link to Renton's Articles