Advantages/disadvantages to calling a raise w/ any 2 and position?

[abcjnich]

This is a strategy used by Negreanu, Hansen, Farha, and some other pros. How exactly do they win with this strategy? Here is my theory, but I'm not sure how well this would actualy work.

1)raiser has two high cards. if he misses the flop, he checks to you and you take it away. If he hits the flop, you fold unless you also flopped a hand.
2)raiser has a high pocket pair. If the raiser has aces, you still have about a 1/30 chance of hitting two pair or better and winning a huge pot (assuming your hand holds up and raiser doesnt have a set). If raiser has lower than aces, the same applies, but you will be abel to take the pot away if an overcard flops.

Of course this strategy relies on being able to read opp's, but so does every other decent stratey. thoughts?

[Unknown Soldier]

Most flops miss most hands. They have very good post flop play, so they win the majority of these pots that they come in with, with hands like 85s. You can't really list all of the possible situations that come from calling the raise. It's very opponent dependent.

They're just the best hand readers and have the best post flop play. Don't try this at home!

[truplaya_177]

some players make continuation bets 100% of the time. this can be exploited

[Poker Q]

Take notes on the players from the start of the game, they do not have to be detailed, just the hole cards they went in on can help, it will give you an idea of the ability of the players which will help with raising situations later on. A good fact I like is a player will hit a hand on the flop 1 in 3.

[Jerrod Ankenman]

Advantage: You get to play with a wider distribution post-flop, which increases your postflop profit.
Disadvantage: You have to call the raise preflop, which decreases your preflop profit.

[Unknown Soldier]

[ QUOTE ]
Advantage: You get to play with a wider distribution post-flop, which increases your postflop profit.
Disadvantage: You have to call the raise preflop, which decreases your preflop profit.

[/ QUOTE ]

postflop/preflop profit... what are you talking about?

[PantsOnFire]

Here are my thoughts on this.

Take a closer look at the hands they do play. Are they really any two cards or are they hands like one gap connectors, any two suited, etc.

Also, all of these players and the pros they play against are capable of laying down a big hand. So they always have a stone cold bluff as a weapon and they can use it better than we can.

That's why they are usually worried about the amateur in the game. However, they usually get a read on this type of guy and get out of his way when he shows strength because that's usually what he has (see High Stake Poker as an example).

Another factor is that if you a playing a person who is capable of raising and/or calling raises with hands like 75off, then you are going to have a hell of a time dealing with them if they have expert postflop play. Mixing up their play is key to these pros, especially when against each other.

For example, if you were in a pot with Daniel Negranau and he open-raised from CO, what range would you put him on? You are in BB and call with Ks8s and he flop comes Kh7s6h. Yeah, well good luck on that one.

Finally, since these pros rely so much on their reading skills, position is a huge advantage that they use much better than the rest of us.

[GardenaMiracle]

[ QUOTE ]
some players make continuation bets 100% of the time. this can be exploited

[/ QUOTE ]

True. One of the advantages gained by a smooth call on the button is that your early opener has no idea what you have (as long as you don't raise good hands) since your distribution is vast. If he predictably bets the flop, you are in a good position to smooth call and steal on the turn, or raise, or get checked to, etc. His range is narrow, and he knows you know that. I know it's not quite that simple, and abandoning card selection is not for the squeamish. Still, IMO, it's an extremely powerful technique if used properly and your stack permits it. Hand selection mavens will argue here, and It's hard to blame them. Paradoxically, I find this to be less valuable when the opener is in late positon with similar distributions.