Adjusting to Perennial Cold-Callers

[mmcd]

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you wrote that solid winners are cold calling 2 bets. this is very unlikely. if they are often calling raises they are likely loosing players.


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This isn't necessarily true. Cold-calling is generally bad in certain textures of games, but in games where many people are taking flops for 2 bets, and generally play poorly post-flop, I think cold-calling is necessary in order to maximize one's ev in the game.

[magithighs]

I would tend to disagree about cold calling with small pairs. It was one of my most common mistakes in the old days when I was playing .5/1 on Paradise. I found cold calling with small pairs <5 was a money pit. Same situtation -- lots of bad players + lots of cold callers + lots of players playing badly post flop. It was still too much to overcome. Perhaps it was my lack of skill at the time. However, there were way too many players going for the "low" with low suited connecters and everyone with a pocket pair calling -- causing reverse implied odds as you're always making bottom set and paying off top set handsomely.

I too have noticed the same thing about my local game (20/40) with many seemingly winning players winning and cold calling. However, the more I observe them the more I see them losing.

What I have noticed is profitable is cold calling two-bets (max) with at least four players in the pot is suited connectors and one gappers down to 75 only on the button or cutoff. However, I'm still experimenting and don't know if this is trully profitable for me. I've always liked suited aces in Middle position, but won't call two bets cold with them -- but I will limp knowing that the pot will likley get raised. That still works for me.

Cheers
Magi

[bdaddy]

This game is so juicy it's silly. I think Amulet's advice is spot on for this game, except to adjust your preflop standards to a loose aggressive game. Isolating EP limpers just isnt going to happen most of the time.
Alan- why are you concerned about someone cold calling your AK raise with KQos or QJos in small pots? This is exactly what makes this game profitable. There are some LAG's who play fairly well after the flop, but not enough to take away from the sick profitabilty in this game.
I would just continue to play solid poker in this game and maybe look for some marginal situations to float bad players and outplay them after the flop and recoup some of the implied odds. Also, use of the OVERS buttons, which are often in play, can help to quickly make up some of the implied odds in these marginal situations, like your 22 example.

[Soviet Exile]

I play in this game occasionally too. I find the amount of cold calling to be quite shocking.

[bernie]

Wow. Nice game.

Don't isolate as much with lesser hands unless you're in LP since there are fewer people to get out.

The more players between you and the raiser, the wider your coldcalling range gets. For instance, it's very, very rare for me to coldcall as the first one to act left of a raiser. (not counting if he's on the button and I'm SB) That's a 3 bet spot for me. But put a few players in between us and I can find a few hands to come in with.(not offsuit hands, btw.) 3 bet your better hands: AJs, QQ...

I agree with the others, SSHE is great for this type of game. This is a game to use good multiway hands.

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Even the good players in this game, the props, the local pros, the otherwise-tight, solid winners who have been taking money home from the game for years, often cold-call preflop raises.

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If they're coldcalling after a few players have called, it's not as bad. Unless they're doing it with crap like QTo or something. If they're doing that, more power to 'em. If they're repeatedly the first ones to coldcall a raise, you shouldn't really mind them in the game.

b

[candyman718]

I'd like to know what type of hands are being open raised. I used to take your view on cold calling. Now I am playing mostly 6 handed 10/20 and 15/30 on PP and I had to loosen up my cold calling standards soon after I realized what was being raised..

[PhatPots]

with so many callers, I only limp with medium pairs. 77-99. I am now 3-betting AQo and AJs if the raiser is loose.

Other than that, not too much else you can do without more information. But this situation is profitable for you

[ILOVEPOKER929]

If there is poker in heaven, this is how I would imagine the games would be like.