Ways to Defeat the Live Straddle

[KenProspero]

Remember -- we always talk about Big Blind being 'out of position'. That's only true after the flop. In this case, the straddler is putting money in the pot with an expectation of an average hand. 3-4 callers -- sounds like a juicy game to me. And you get to act last in this first round of betting.

Pick your spots and crush them.

[CrazyEyez]

[ QUOTE ]
It's a problem because I don't want to keep losing my blinds????


[/ QUOTE ]

How much money do you win when you're the big blind and there's no straddler? Very very little. You aren't missing out on anything because of the straddler. You have a person willingly putting money in the pot without looking at his cards. On top of that, you have other people lowering their calling standards because of it. Embrace these conditions. Wait for strong hands, then raise big.

[LiveInPeace]

There's nothing wrong with tossing aside a few big blinds. You don't want to go trying to out-bully the bully. The result is a bloody mess. Keep your distance most of the time and when you find the right situation use his own weight against him.

[HobbyHorse]

I'm not saying I didn't profit from the situation because I did...but not because of waiting for a premium hand. I called the straddle a couple of times with less than stellar hands (J-10s and a low pocket pair) and collected the pot when I hit the flop hard.

The reason I posted the question was because I am a bit worried about the strategy of waiting for a premium hand to reraise the straddler. Say, for example, I have AKo in the BB in a 2-5 live full ring game. Straddler raises behind me to $15, 4 people call, SB folds. Now, the pot is $65 to me, I make a pot sized bet of $65. Pot is $130.

My nightmare is that a laggy LAG deep stack at the table calls my raise with something like 45s, hoping either to 1) catch something on the flop since he can naturally (and correctly) assume that I am playing a big pocket pair or AK, AQ, AJ; or 2) bluff me when the flop completely misses me, ie flop of low, unconnected cards.

Now, as G was discussing in the earlier email, - I feel like my only option is to go all-in when the flop hits...and I feel like reraising the straddler with premium hands makes me so damn vulnerable because 1) I have to reraise the straddler a significant amount in order to deny the straddler and any callers proper pot odds and 2) the reraise blatantly reveals the quality of my hand...

Perhaps I am too worried about this issue and am overanalyzing it...sorry. I like to short stack this table - I usually buy-in for around $200 in this game - so I am sensitive about losing my blinds. And yes, I know that I shouldn't shortstack in a game like this but I'm not all that comfortable with my poker ability so I feel better buying in for less... [img]/images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img]

[LiveInPeace]

Particularly if you're shortstacked:

1) It is important not to reraise with less than premium hands.

2) If people are calling 4 times the last best with 45s they will lose in the long run to you

Furthermore, there is nothing wrong with getting bluffed out of pots from time to time. The player that never gets bluffed is a losing player. If you miss, no big deal, just lay the hand down.

Generally speaking it sounds to me that you are playing at stakes that you find uncomfortably high, and this is crimping your ability to play well. I would suggest playing a game where you could cheerfully lose five buy-ins without it even concerning you.

[runout_mick]

I apologize for the tone of my earlier post. I reread it and it comes off as being much douchier than intended. It was meant as legitimate advice, not as an insult.

[ QUOTE ]

My nightmare is that a laggy LAG deep stack at the table calls my raise with something like 45s, hoping either to 1) catch something on the flop since he can naturally (and correctly) assume that I am playing a big pocket pair or AK, AQ, AJ; or 2) bluff me when the flop completely misses me, ie flop of low, unconnected cards.

[/ QUOTE ]

You MUST be willing to put chips in when you believe your hand is ahead of your opponents' ranges. This is how we make $ in poker. We put more chips in ahead, and less when behind, than our opponents do. If we believe, after fairly evaluating the information on any street, that our hand is currently ahead of villain ranges we must GET CHIPS INTO THE POT!.

If we believe we are ahead and fail to build the pot for fear of suckouts we are playing weak poker, losing poker... just generally bad poker.

I hope you can take this criticism and objectively review how you approach the game from a fundamental standpoint.

Hope this helps.

[pzhon]

A good way to think about the straddle on your big blind is that you have posted the small blind in a higher stakes game where the stacks are shallower. In theory, that the stacks are shallower in relation to the straddle may be the main adjustment you have to make. In practice, though, many players who straddle act as though they have thrown much more than the straddle into the pot, so you can make larger value bets and should tend to bluff less.

Don't set your expectations too high. While a straddle is a clear mistake with 5 or more players, an expensive way to relieve boredom UTG, that doesn't mean you get much of the benefit when it is your big blind. The main beneficiaries are the players in late position who get to play for higher stakes in a profitable position.

[iversonian]

[ QUOTE ]
Play like a kitten and let him take all your blinds.

If someone ALWAYS straddles can I please sit next to him.

[/ QUOTE ]

Stradding is a bad play, but it benefits others at the table, not just you. I think if the guy on your left is straddling every time, it's actually to your disadvantage. Either that or it's close. Be the guy 3 to his right, if you can.

[vixticator]

You aren't the big blind against straddle. More like middle blind. Imagine if he put out a $500 straddle in a 1/2 game... would you complain? No. Same thing just taken to extreme.

[GeeBeeQED]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm not saying I didn't profit from the situation because I did...but not because of waiting for a premium hand. I called the straddle a couple of times with less than stellar hands (J-10s and a low pocket pair) and collected the pot when I hit the flop hard.

[/ QUOTE ]

Let me be clear about my read. Top pair is not hard. What are you gonig to do when you hit top pair with your jack, bet the pot and the villian moves all in on you. You going to play a big pot with top pair and a 10 kicker? I doubt it. If you do, you'll soon learn not to.

[ QUOTE ]
The reason I posted the question was because I am a bit worried about the strategy of waiting for a premium hand to reraise the straddler. Say, for example, I have AKo in the BB in a 2-5 live full ring game. Straddler raises behind me to $15, 4 people call, SB folds. Now, the pot is $65 to me, I make a pot sized bet of $65. Pot is $130.

[/ QUOTE ]

What your really saying is you didn't understand what I said. Your wanting to limp in (or slow play your big hand) then reraise after the strattler raises. I tell you what's going to happen, you raise to $65, the pot is $130 roughly and it's $50 to go to each player. Probably most of them are going to call. Your giving the first caller pot odds of about 2.5:1 on his money and one of the players after him is the dope that strattled and he's probably going to call with a weak hand. Too juicy, you play right into the hands of the better players and you're going to play your premium hand against 2 or 3 other players. TOO MANY. These premium hands are strong pre flop, middling post flop.

Now, if you made it $30 to go (15bb) in middle poss the pot is something like $35-$39. Your giving the callers crappy odds, it's a clear fold for all but the very strongest hands.

[ QUOTE ]
My nightmare is that a laggy LAG deep stack at the table calls my raise with something like 45s, hoping either to 1) catch something on the flop since he can naturally (and correctly) assume that I am playing a big pocket pair or AK, AQ, AJ; or 2) bluff me when the flop completely misses me, ie flop of low, unconnected cards.

[/ QUOTE ]

This could happen and you play against a caller differently than the strattler, I'm much more suspicious of the strattler than a strattle caller. You have to make your reads and play the hand out in this case. Does the LAG know you? Does he bet because you always fold to a bet or because he always bets the flop? Is he a good LAG or dope?

[ QUOTE ]
Now, as G was discussing in the earlier email, - I feel like my only option is to go all-in when the flop hits...

[/ QUOTE ]

Only if your playing short stacked like 50bb buy in, you make it $30 to go, the strattler calls, you hit or the flop does not overcard you, yes you move in. But I presummed you were not making that buy-in mistake. Buy in for 100bb so you can play after the flop.

[ QUOTE ]
and I feel like reraising the straddler with premium hands makes me so damn vulnerable because 1) I have to reraise the straddler a significant amount in order to deny the straddler and any callers proper pot odds and 2) the reraise blatantly reveals the quality of my hand...

[/ QUOTE ]

Your chips are for getting information. The information you get might be more important to you than the information you give. My strategy is quite a wide variety of hands really. It leaves plenty unsaid. Also, what is the harm in teaching your opponents your not to be messed with in this situation. It's part of building a good tough image to be able to change it up. Sticking a 15xbb raise in 2 or 3 times a night sure does let the other players know you can change it up and your willing to play a big pot. Take control, don't be one of the games hangers-on.

[ QUOTE ]
Perhaps I am too worried about this issue and am overanalyzing it...sorry. I like to short stack this table - I usually buy-in for around $200 in this game - so I am sensitive about losing my blinds.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is not short stacked. $200 in a 1-2 game is 100xbb. It would only be arguably short if most of the players are buying in for $400 and I doubt that is going on. 100xbb is a fine buy in, anything less becomes progresively short. One of your new player reads is how many chips they buy in for. If they buy in short they probably are not good and thier strategys are limited and easly defeated most of the time. They are the donaters in many games. A good player on short chips nueters himself and I love it.

[ QUOTE ]
And yes, I know that I shouldn't shortstack in a game like this but I'm not all that comfortable with my poker ability so I feel better buying in for less... [img]/images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

The best way to deal with your discomfort is pick out 2 or 3 of the best players in the game and just decide your not playing against them post flop with anything unless it's a very big hand. Just stay out of thier way. I often will pick one or two player to purposely avoid. I play 4-8 hour sessoins, if I keep butting heads with a player that I know can out think me he's eventually going to bust me. I'd rather save my chips for easier confrontations and against the weaker or less thoughtful players in the game. Never buy in for less than 100bb or the max, it's not the right answer.

You can do it, look yourself in the mirror and say "I know I can play a big pot, I know I can take control with confidence". If you face the dogs of war with fear in your eyes they'll know it. It's part of what makes them good. They'll see it in your betting motions, how you breath, look at your cards, how your hands move. They'll look right though you and push you out. Do it and believe you can do it, know you can do it. Pinch yourself and bet.

Dave