strategy for a strange game...

[limon]

this might be stupid but...what would be your strategy to win a NL holdem game where you got blank cards (cant win a showdown) but no one knew this but you. lets say also that you get to decide the structure, big stacks, cap buy, short, full ring, etc. also the player types run the gammot, what would be your pet play for each type of player (lag, tag, tp, station etc.)

i ask this because i bet a friend i could win in a specific home game w/o ever showing down a hand. the bet is i get 100x the biggest pot i win if im up after 5 hours. if im down after 5 hours he gets 25x the amount im down.

[DannyOcean_]

Youch. Here's what I would think would be some very basic, off-the-cuff changes. Pretty much always avoid big confrontations with a calling station, unless you can really push him and FORCE the fold with the bet size. You'll be better the more players you have, i.e. full ring is better than 6-max is better than heads up. Play tags with overbets on the flop, and you'll have to fold to any aggression. LAGs might provide you some profit, because you can often get them betting and and make large reraises on the flop or turn when they might be overly aggressive with marginal cards a LAG would play but a TAG wouldnt. Use position like a beast on the better players. Make the stab at raised pots only when the board looks safe.

[SplawnDarts]

I believe this game can only be beaten with a good read or very weak opposition. It's a general principle of poker that you don't put money in the pot unless you have a way to take that pot sufficiently frequently that a high-bluff strategy will not work against you (or you're in the blind and have no choice).

Since your strategy will by definition be all-bluff, and furthermore you've added no "they forget your wierd play" clause to the game, I believe decent opposition cannot be beaten - their money is just too well protected and they'll quickly realize how easily you can be pushed of your (non)hand. Against weak opposition, I would try to attack dead money obviously - go after loose preflop raises, continuation bets with unpaired high cards, that sort of thing. But you're going to need one hell of a read to make it work right.

[jlocdog]

limon,

Does this mean that if you bet on the river and get called you have to muck instantly, even if you happen to back into the best hand? Do you look at your hands or just pretend? Do you know the players and do they know you.

I think I would give the image of playing VERY TAG. Your bets/raises need to garner respect. I would not play consecutive pots ever. Infact I probably make a mental note to play a certain amount of hands per hour (not orbit as it may form some pattern). I definetly fold alot of small raised pots to give the impression that I am set mining or nut peddling or what have you.

[guy4565]

Your strategy should be the same as your normal game if you are a winning player. Play the same number of hands you would normally play, play your position as you normally would with the same number of blind steals, if called continuation bet a percentage of the time, if a draw shows and you get called and the draw card doesn't materialize fire again, you'll have to fold if reraised. Absolutely reraise LAG now and then, they like to steal but don't want to lose any more than you do, steal from the tight and resteal from the loose, avoid the idiot who calls everything, your best play will be against good players who know when to fold (or like to think they do). I actually tried this in a cash game, I played 30 hands without looking at my cards, the other players didn't know of course, I came out quite a bit ahead, even had one or two comments "I hit that flop, but you've been running so hot I can't call you" of course that could have been the standard poker lies we all tell. Good luck, love to hear how it turns out. I think it makes for an exciting challenge, pick who you are going to pick on but don't make them so upset they call with anything, leave them enough respect so they don't mind giving you some of their money. By the way, I don't agree that only a weak game can be beat, I think a strong game is more likely to be, as most decent players (not exceptional players) moves tend to be more predictable than the fool who thinks his any two suited cards are the favorite. Just avoid playing too many hands, or you will lose for sure.

[limon]

yeah i have to instamuck. i cant showdown anything. im thinking im gonna only play against the tight/scared players and only play in position and attempt to raise them to isolate. my hope is to win enough little pots w/ continuation bets and blind steals to build a little stack and then try to run a biggish bluff on a river scarecard to win the max on the bet. if near the end of the 5 hours im down i will need to attempt a biggish bluff to win the bet. the game is w/ my wifes friends and is only $25 buy in .10/.20 NL. thats why me and this other guy got the sidebet to keep it interesting. it will be funny if i cr a guy all in on the river when a flush completes because the hand will be worth $25 bucks to the dude but $2500 to me.

[bbartlog]

Your strategy should be the same as your normal game if you are a winning player.

Doesn't sound right. A normal winning strategy might include inducing bluffs and/or trying to get people to call when you had the nuts. Or do your stats for a winning session normally show 'number of pots won without showdown' as 100% of your winnings?
Granted, you'd have to play something close to a normal strategy, otherwise people would notice your weak play and adjust. I think my main thing would be to play very tight people are more likely to give you credit for a hand, and it won't be as quickly evident that you're avoiding showdowns...

[jlocdog]

[ QUOTE ]
it will be funny if i cr a guy all in on the river when a flush completes because the hand will be worth $25 bucks to the dude but $2500 to me.

[/ QUOTE ]

Awsome limon....simply awsome.

One last thing to add. Knowing that it is a $25 buyin game, you need to create the impression that the game is not about the money but about making the right decisions. I say this because it is very easy for people to turn into calling stations when stakes are minimal. Normally that is fine, but in your case that is exactly what can't happen. So I would make a conscious effort in starting up some chat to instill some 'competitiveness' within the game. Maybe announce that the winners can assume bragging rights or some crap.

Good luck and would like to hear some updates please.

[AKQJ10]

[ QUOTE ]
So I would make a conscious effort in starting up some chat to instill some 'competitiveness' within the game. Maybe announce that the winners can assume bragging rights or some crap.

[/ QUOTE ]

Unfortunately showing them the nuts and trash-talking after they call a big bet, which would probably serve as an incentive to play better, isn't viable under the terms of the side bet.

[creedofhubris]

The most obvious thing to me is that you can never have an all-in bet called.

So you'll need to avoid short stacks, and any capped/short buy format will be serious trouble for you.

I think your best bet is to play "tight" for a long time, fold everything, to the point where people are talking about how you're folding everything. Fold your small blinds. Your lack of showdown won't be noticed if everyone thinks you're a total nit.

Then get into a big pot vs another big stack on a dangerous board and get allin, looking supremely confident.