Playing against LAGs - is it worth it?

[djshawk]

I feel like I've just been schooled by a bunch of LAGs! It was a 6-max table with 2 TAGs on my right and 3 LAGs on my left - 70/30, 50/20 and 50/10. I think I just turned into a stupid calling station and didn't really have any plan on how to beat them.

I've just moved up from 50nl and still have the attitude that anybody with a vpip over 50 must be terrible and I must want to play with them. Does this still hold true for LAGs? Especially when they have position.

This is the hand that annoyed me the most, villian is Mr 50/20. I'm pretty sure I should have raised the flop, I'm almost certain I should have crai the turn but I told myself that there is no point pushing because he'd just fold if he didn't have anything. I think I need to get into the mindset that this is ok here because of the size of the pot.

Prima Poker skin
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.50/$1
6 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
UTG: $119.69
UTG+1: $62.93
CO: $99.38
Button: $345.91
SB: $175.90
Hero: $99.00

Pre-flop: (6 players) Hero is BB with 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]
UTG folds, <font color="#cc0000">UTG+1 raises to $4</font>, CO calls, Button calls, SB folds, Hero calls.

Flop: 2[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] ($16.5, 4 players)
Hero checks, <font color="#cc0000">UTG+1 bets $4.12</font>, CO folds, Button calls, Hero calls.

Turn: 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] ($28.86, 3 players)
Hero checks, <font color="#cc0000">UTG+1 bets $7.21</font>, Button folds, Hero calls.

River: J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] ($43.28, 2 players)
Hero checks, <font color="#cc0000">UTG+1 bets $21.64</font>, Hero calls.

Results:
Final pot: $86.56


I'm beginning to think that playing at these tables really isn't worth it and I should stick to looking for the loose passives.

Anybody got any advice for dealing with these situations or is the best thing to do to find another table.

[I rebluff you]

Looks like you're quite inexperienced. Those 3 are not smart LAGs, more like total donks given the stats. In this hand don't ever let someone bet that small and get away with it. He's either drawing or trying to induce, so reraise and see what he does. Then if it got to river just give up.

When you see someone 40+ VP$IP you should tighten your play. Someone at 50-70 VP$IP will give his whole stack to you in one hand, you just gotta be patient and wait for a good hand. Lastly, find a table where the loose donks sit to your right not left.

[ikestoys]

why would you ever not reraise pf?

[KingOfSwords]

*grunch* In your example hand, lead the flop or checkraise him. Consider reraising preflop. Don't just call down with 88. I'm not crazy about you slowplaying/calling down with AA, let alone 88.

In general, it's better to fold when you don't know what to do than to call. Hell, shoving is probably better than calling down if you're lost.

*end grunch*

I think you're initial assessment is correct. Anyone over 50 vpip is most likely terrible. I'm sure there are a few good ones out there, but if that's all you have to go on, it's not a bad assumption.

Rebluff is right. Tighten up and wait for them to donk off their stacks. This table sounds like a gold mine. They WILL, however, get lucky and stack you sometimes no matter how well you play, so don't get discouraged.

[djshawk]

because I'm a weak-tight nit and I dont want to play a big pot oop when there will likely be 2+ overcards.

Is this really an auto 3 bet?

If I 3 bet here and cbet the flop I'll have put ~1/3 of my stack in and just about be committed with a pretty marginal hand.

Thinking about what rebluff said, I don't think I'm raising anywhere near enough post flop, it's generally either bet if I'm first in or fold/call. I think I'll keep that in my mind and that should hlep my natural aggression which will help me in spots like this.

You are right in that I'm inexperienced. I've played a fair amount of poker but am definitely weak tight and I know if I'm going to progress much further or even succeed at 100nl then I need to get my aggression working in spots like this.

Thanks.

[SnglMaltScotch]

Also your table selection sucks. LAGs on the right Tags on the left not the other way around.

On the hand, I 3bet pf and go from there.

Since you didn't, I raise the flop,

Since you didn't I raise the turn,

Since you didn't, I call the river.

Good Luck

SMS

[djshawk]

Ok so I've got one person saying this table is a goldmine and another saying my table selection sucks!

I do pay careful attention to who is at the table and will quickly move if it's a tagfest, and I obviously prefer to have tighties on my immediate left but would you (SMS) really rather not sit than have 3 LAGs to your left?

[SnglMaltScotch]

Yes, I would not sit at a table with 3 lags to my left and 2 tags to my right. Every decision is going to be miserable always being OOP against LAGs. There are enough tables at the 0.5/1 level to find a better situation.

Just my $0.02

Thanks,
SMS

[I rebluff you]

OP, this is quite basic but just remember that when loose raisers sit to your left, all your legitimate bets are wasted because they will reraise you and you never know when to play or fold.

When they sit to your right, the game becomes quite simple.. they raise and you just fold until you think you got a hand that have them beat. Then they will bet their whole stack into you in the hand if they're loose enough.

[KingOfSwords]

SnglMalt is correct. What he describes is an ideal table. I was just thinking I would take Mr. 70/30, Ms. 50/20 and Baby 50/10 in any position I can get them. If you can get them sitting where you want, so much the better. Honestly, I didn't consider position when I said "gold mine," I was just looking at those juicy stats.

I'm on Absolute...I'm sure there are more tables to choose from at Fult Tilt or PokerStars, or Party, if you're not living in the U.S. It's rare I get three opponents like you describe at one table. One, sure, but not three.

Wow, I used the wrong "you're" in my post. I must be tired.