Card dead against a calling station.

[Skleice]

Hey,

Just played with a calling station at the table for about 2 hours. He was the worst one I've ever seen. He called every pre flop and post flop bet of any size all the way down to the river with total rags. It wasn't even a case of the typical overplaying of an ace or suited hand...everything! Typically I would love having this guy at my table. I wouldn't get involved a whole lot and value bet the hell out of my big hands...get paid off. However, this session never fell my way. My AK, AQ, 99 etc. never connected with anything and my little friend kept on hitting his rags. I never hit a single flop...and I sure couldn't bully him out of any pots. What to do other than keep waiting for some cards? Is this a case to start limping to try to hit some flops?

[Buccaneer]

First two hours is not enough to beat anyone. To really put a beating on this guy you are going to have to play about 8 weeks straight with him. Looks like he plays like most experienced and begining players. Like you I like having morons like this at my table too. It gives me an excuse for why I did not bring home the bacon. Many times I have sat down in a game with thinking players and busting my a55 just to keep the money moving and a moron sits down.

I try not to lick my lips too much but now when I am in the BB with KK and he raises UTG big. I know then and there I will only loose my BB if I am smart and fold and loose big if I decide to play. Of course three people in front of me decide to call or worse raise the moron to build the pot. That is exactly how he stays in business. Well I usually bet with my high pair because I am in the lead. We know he could have AA but also 57 so we have to bet. The flop is always non threatening, T73 unless you have x-ray vision and can see his cards. Well you have two outs to improve and he has to have a crap hand, right? We are safe and gain confidence. You bet everyone calls. The turn is 9 and you celebrate again. I mean no one is tossing KK in a hand with a station now are they? Not if you read Sklansky.

You know how this ends, your KK never improve and against 4 people, one a raging calling station and three others that have to prove they can play with the station there are so many outs and hands out there that can beat you that your KK becomes about as powerful as 33. You celebrate the win by the calling station killer that made his straight on the river beating the trips the station had knowing that you "helped" beat him. What can you do, you played a strong hand, you didn't throw away your money on a hopeless draw, and it is not gambling right, the kids with hoods and sunglasses can tell you it is skill. Sklansky will tell you that too. Just be glad that calling station now has confederates in the game now (they may not be aware that that is the role they are playing) all pots will be raised and folding is not an option. You can now go home and loose the rest of your $$ online.

No this is not a case to start limping, it is a case to go home and spend your precious time here on earth with your loved ones.

I would like to see a 2+2 stud beat a table full of calling stations. No one ever accepts the challenge though. Can you see why?

[Dave I]

LOL

[Skleice]

wow...that was quite a rant.

[Shandrax]

Well, I had such a guy next to me a few days ago. Instead of calling everything, he just donkbet into me on every street with everything. If I raised him, he just called and donkbet into me again. I can assure you that this is an even more annoying version of a retard, because he doesn't allow you to draw cheaply.

[PJS]

[ QUOTE ]
Well, I had such a guy next to me a few days ago. Instead of calling everything, he just donkbet into me on every street with everything. If I raised him, he just called and donkbet into me again. I can assure you that this is an even more annoying version of a retard, because he doesn't allow you to draw cheaply.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, I'm finding more players doing this. I think their official name should be "Donktards".

[mvdgaag]

These are great to play against. Just be patient, maybe play somewhat more hands, but bet a lot bigger. The mistake they make is to call too often, thus making more improfitable calls. You can take advantage by betting less frequently for any reason but value. Don't bluff at all until they stop calling. When you valuebet it can be a far bigger bet. Don't get frustrated because you win less often, because if you do, you win a lot more. In the end they are making the mistakes and you are not, so you gain.

About the always raise. A bit harder, because you can't put them on a hand as easy as the always call. Just let them do the betting, set more traps and slowplay more. Their mistake is to bet improfitable, this works sometimes because people get frustrated and call with worse hands or because they are waiting for the nuts to punish them. This last means they gain in folding equity, so their bets that would normally be improfitable turn profitable. Don't give them this folding equity; call more when you have a descent chance to have or make the best hand.

GL

[PorkchopDJG]

Being card dead facing calling stations and maniacs can be a very tough situation. You basically have to wait for big hands and then either bet big or let them bet it for you all the way to the river.
The problem is some days the big hands will never come, your big draws will keep missing, and your sets will get snapped off when the calling station calls to the river and beats you with a straight or full house.
You have to understand and accept that sometimes you play every hand absolutely correctly and still lose. Once you can do that, as well as realistically identify and correct faults in your own game you are on your way to becoming a great player.