Spread Limit?

[GMontag]

So my local B&M card room has started spreading $2-$25 spread limit. This card room was previously 3/6 & 4/8 limit only and the games were filled with people who called down anything. I'm assuming that tendency will carry over at least somewhat to the spread limit game.

I've got a fair amount of experience with no limit, but pretty much no experience with spread limit. What parts of my game do I need to change for spread limit?

My preliminary thoughts about it came to two conclusions. First, since I can't adaquately protect my hands post flops with appropriately sized c-bets, I need to tighten up my pfr range. Also, because of the large implied odds post flop, I need to be trying to limp more with small pairs and suited connectors.

Is my reasoning correct? Are there any other changes I need to make to my game? Are there any links to good spread limit strategy articles?

[Grunch]

My understanding (which could be wrong) is that correct strategy for spread limit is closer to that for limit than for no-limit. I'd suggest you ask the limit crew.

[GMontag]

[ QUOTE ]
My understanding (which could be wrong) is that correct strategy for spread limit is closer to that for limit than for no-limit. I'd suggest you ask the limit crew.

[/ QUOTE ]

I could see how that would be true for a 2-6 spread limit or a 1-4-4-8 spread limit game, but for a 2-25, the spread seems large enough that it would be more towards the nl end of the spectrum rather than the limit end.

[Rev. Good Will]

what are the blinds? 1/2?

[GMontag]

[ QUOTE ]
what are the blinds? 1/2?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah.

[SumZero]

That's a weird game. With something like 4-100 or 5-200 spread with max buyins equal to the spread the game is like no limit (bay area poker). With something like 2-6 the game is like an excellent fish hunting limit game where you can charge people $8 to see the flop (which IME is when most fish play the loosest) while preventing them from charging you more when they hit their inside straights and runner-runner flushes.

But $25 max bet with 1-2 blinds is a weird in between sort of thing. You can get paid off more for drawing hands than limit, but less than for no limit. My guess is if you played it like $12-$25 limit but occasionally giving yourself cheap limped flops from LP and blinds you'd do pretty well.

[Koss]

Postflop this game looks pretty limit-like but preflop seems like a weird hybrid. With lots of big preflop raising going on play tight like in limit, but if it's a tamer game with a lot of limping then go ahead an take flops with lots of speculative hands. It seems like you'd have to fold small pairs if you limped them UTG then someone popped it to $15 which happens all the time in 1/2NL games. Also coldcalling big raises with speculative hands, even in position, could be a mistake. Postflop looks like a game of $25 bets, but I suppose you can use the spread to manipulate players into giving you some cheap cards.

[kslghost]

Once the pot reaches 50 dollars or so, this is a limit game. Before that, It's closest to a pot limit game.

Your strategy should be betting 25 with any hand that you want to bet when the pot is reasonably sized for such bets. Otherwise, you should be playing normal NL strategy until then.

Also note: your implied odds are HURT by this structure significantly.

[GMontag]

[ QUOTE ]
That's a weird game. With something like 4-100 or 5-200 spread with max buyins equal to the spread the game is like no limit (bay area poker). With something like 2-6 the game is like an excellent fish hunting limit game where you can charge people $8 to see the flop (which IME is when most fish play the loosest) while preventing them from charging you more when they hit their inside straights and runner-runner flushes.

But $25 max bet with 1-2 blinds is a weird in between sort of thing. You can get paid off more for drawing hands than limit, but less than for no limit. My guess is if you played it like $12-$25 limit but occasionally giving yourself cheap limped flops from LP and blinds you'd do pretty well.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, blame stupid Washington law. $25 is the legal maximum bet allowed in non-Indian casinos. So they can spread any game from 1/2 to 15/25 or spread limit, but they can't spread pot or no limit. It sucks.

[ QUOTE ]
Also note: your implied odds are HURT by this structure significantly.

[/ QUOTE ]

How so? I would have thought that since the pot is going to be relatively big compared to the max bet, more people will be likely to call, therefore increasing the implied odds.

Thanks everyone for the advice.