Pooh-Bah Post: Loose Aggressive Play - Page 7

Will in New Have · #61 10-28-2006, 01:21 PM

This is an excellent article. It is especially useful to steal blinds when the blinds are rather big compared to the stacks at the table.

When people have 200BB in front of them it becomes both less important and harder to steal the blinds. Even a raise to 10BB won't do the job and often you will get multiple callers. Everyone is waiting to flop something good because pre-flop play gets submerged.

However, the games with 50BB stacks, which are very common, are a great place to steal pre-flop or with a continuation bet on the flop. When the game "matures" and several people, including our hero, are sitting around with 150+BB in winnings, the implied-odds call becomes a major source of income and stealing early on in a hand becomes secondary.

gimmetheloot · #62 10-28-2006, 01:40 PM

I feel like some dude on an infomercial talking about how he followed some guys make millions quick book testifying...

I agree with everything Baluga said...I dont know what my exact stats are, ill find them later, im sure Fly, or some others of you could post them, but I run pretty Laggy, and its awsome. Ill admit, sometimes I get in there, and make 3 bet bluffs that get called, and get a terrible image, no respect at all, people 3 betting me with 3rd pair and calling shoves with 2nd pair, the money comes back so fast with interest its not funny. However, variance is very high...

When I moved to 200NL, I went +4.5k(22.5 BI) and then down 1400(7 BI) in very, very fast periods of time. Im just getting out of my 7 BI downswing, im $50 short, and was there earlire, until i donked off 85$ at 2/4 limit.

Now gotta get some moniez and take another shot at 400NL.

Motorcycle Mike · #63 10-28-2006, 05:28 PM

NH Baluga,

Here's a question for you. You mentioned that you are raising about 25% in 6 max. May I ask what your VPIP is?

I'm wondering this to see if you have some TAG stats (if you have a VPIP of about 28%, you are raising all the time) vs. if you have a VPIP of about 36%, where you are making some calls in position, too.

Thanks,

BalugaWhale · #64 10-28-2006, 06:43 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Here's a question for you. You mentioned that you are raising about 25% in 6 max. May I ask what your VPIP is?

[/ QUOTE ]
At the time I wrote this article, I was running about 30/25.

Currenly I run about 24/20, although I can play probably anywhere between 20/15 and 33/28 decently. I rarely call in position, usually only with a speculative hand vs. an UTG raiser.

Motorcycle Mike · #65 10-28-2006, 06:49 PM

Thanks.

Do you also notice that your overall aggression factor has gone down the more LAG you play, or increased the more TAG you play?

BalugaWhale · #66 10-28-2006, 06:54 PM

my aggression has always remained really really high... in fact, its only gotten higher

my flop aggression may have lowered though, while my turn and river aggression definitely increased.

i started mixing in c/r a lot more into my game, as well as pf reraises.

currently I am playing a lot more TAG than LAG, although i played a table today with 3 absolute rocks, so i started playing a 35/30 game and won a ton of small pots and blinds.

mudbuddha · #67 10-28-2006, 07:13 PM

[ QUOTE ]
LAG play is overrated on this forum. The reason that people want to learn LAG is because they aren't very profitable playing TAG. They aren't very profitable as TAG because they can't read hands well enough yet. Playing lag isn't going to really help that. Good players can crush these games without being a maniac or anything like that, just by playing good and understanding position/value betting.

Edit: This isn't a jab at Baluga's post. It comtains some very good ideas (especially about changing gears) that every winning player must incorporate into their game.

[/ QUOTE ]

QFT

the reason that people need to LAG at higher limits is bc everyone knows how to play GOOD tag.. (EVERYONE FORGETS TO SPECIFIC GOOD OR BAD LAG/TAG) but at low limits no one knows how to play TAG much less LAG so LAG is much less profitable than most think.

understanding the table dynamic is way more important.. being LAG at the right times and being TAG at the right times

BalugaWhale · #68 10-29-2006, 02:56 AM

[ QUOTE ]

understanding the table dynamic is way more important.. being LAG at the right times and being TAG at the right times

[/ QUOTE ]
Damn straight. I stopped playing 30/25 all the time because it was not optimal. Sometimes, 30/25 or even looser is optimal, and its important to know how to play that way. I still believe strongly that TAG is the best way to play, hands down. Tightness is invincible in the long run, but switching gears>straight TAG play.

jimmyhat1000 · #69 10-29-2006, 03:22 AM

This post is insane, it is awesome. I have been trying a very LAG style the last few days (im 27/22/3) and if you want to see some hands get paid off because of your LAG image if you have one check these out. Obv knowing when to shove/fold/call, in general being awesome post flop, is a big part of it and something i am going to try and learn/master, but this post is almost exactly right in everything it says. how to play LAG, how to play AGAINST a lag, everything else. Anyway, point i am trying to make is when ppl try and stack you they do it like the following hands, like honestly, these guys must think ppl who play LAG are all retards.

Full Tilt Poker
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.50/$1
5 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
UTG: $145
CO: $106.05
Button: $135.90
SB: $69.70
Hero: $121.40

Pre-flop: (5 players) Hero is BB with T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]
UTG folds, CO calls, Button folds, SB calls, Hero raises to $4, CO calls, SB calls.

Flop: T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 8[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] ($12, 3 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $12, CO raises to $30, SB folds, Hero raises all-in $117.4, CO calls all-in $72.05.
Uncalled bets: $15.35 returned to Hero.

Turn: 2[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] ($216.1, 0 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: $216.1)

River: 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] ($216.1, 0 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: $216.1)

Results:
Final pot: $216.1
CO showed Kc Th
Hero showed Tc Ac

Full Tilt Poker
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.50/$1
5 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
Hero: $182.40
CO: $158.65
Button: $50.10
SB: $109.55
BB: $95

Pre-flop: (5 players) Hero is UTG with A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] T[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]
Hero raises to $3.5, CO raises to $12, 3 folds, Hero raises to $41, CO calls.

Flop: 4[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 6[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] ($83.5, 2 players)
Hero is all-in $144.9, CO calls all-in $121.15.
Uncalled bets: $23.75 returned to Hero.

Turn: A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] ($325.8, 0 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: $325.8)

River: K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] ($325.8, 0 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: $325.8)

Results:
Final pot: $325.8
Hero showed Ac Ts
CO showed 8d 8h

mudbuddha · #70 10-29-2006, 04:31 AM

in finance, we are regularly reminded of the importance of risk factor etc. this RISK factor is often required to understand the return on a certain project or investment. this is the same for poker. The higher the risk, your damn investment better be higher. Playing marginal spots will definately..

higher the risk higher the return is required to factor in risk.

the reason that TAG is a better way to play goes beyond just percieved effectiveness @ the felt.

TAG = LESS VARIANCE
LESS VARIANCE results in perhaps smaller returns than some very good LAG but will still have good results.

high/drunk post/rant