How do you play when they just call?

ssmallz · #1 07-07-2006, 04:36 AM

Decided to head down to the local B&M to play some NL. I play the NL 25 online occassionally and have a decent idea of what I'm doing. Anyways, I pick up AQs in ep and raise. Standard table raise was 5x BB so thats what I did. 4 callers behind me. I miss the flop and have to check fold. A few hands later I end up w/AQo otb, 4 limpers I raise 6x BB again, 3 callers, miss the flop and had to fold. AQs a few hands later and a simliar thing happened. Online doesn't seem quite as loose and raises will usually get it HU or 3 handed. How do I proceed when raises will just bloat the pot? Is limping in this situation better than raiseing hoping to push people around on the flop?

avfletch · #2 07-07-2006, 05:01 AM

If rasing X doesn't get it heads up then start raising X+1BB then X+2BB and see what works. Don't go mad from EP with this as you'll be committing a lot more of your stack than you're used to online but in position start to see what works.

flo · #3 07-07-2006, 05:27 AM

Raise more and/or try a cbet.

yad · #4 07-07-2006, 05:49 AM

sometimes when you are playing in these very loose-passive games with tons of calling stations there is nothing you can do but wait wait wait wait wait until you hit a flop. when you do, you will make lots of money.

ssmallz · #5 07-07-2006, 05:49 AM

see heres the thing, the way the stacks are set up, you can only buy in for 33xbb. So.....how much can you really raise pf? I don't want to raise 10 BB b/c thats committing so much of my stack to the pot so early

The White Rabbit · #6 07-07-2006, 06:03 AM

33BB? That's awful.

There's no problem with raising 10BB, if it gets callers from inferior holdings you're a long term winner. I don't see a problem with pushing after a couple of limpers either, picking up 5-6BB with these stacks isn't a bad result.

If you hate variance though, you can just limp in and stack one or two of 'em when you hit a flop.

ssmallz · #7 07-07-2006, 02:23 PM

Yeah, I wasn't digging the 33 BBs either but was afraid to play higher b/c of my lack of experience. I understand the underlying concept that raising 10bb and getting called by inferior holdings is good but....

1) I'm better than these people post flop. W/the stack so short, don't I want to maximize my advantage and trap them postflop?

2) When they make those calls, they aren't making a terrible call most of the time. If they call w/a hand that doesn't have an A or Q they're only a 2:3 dog. Also what do you do when the flop misses? I'd hate to bet pushing w/A high here just b/c I've forced myself to protect this pot. I've only got ~20 BBs left I raise 10