A Few Things I Noticed Playing NL$25

[4_2_it]

The last couple of weeks I have been playing a lot of NL$25 on my laptop and have a few observations. I usually play NL$100 and I will say that the two games do play differently.

If anyone has specific questions, I'll do my best to answer them. Anyway, here's what I got (all situations assume you have no reads):

1) Pre-flop 3-bet is JJ+ or AK+ almost always. I only remember one or two exceptions to this.
2) When a draw hits and a two-street caller leads for a 1/2 pot or less, he hit it.
3) A min-bet lead is almost always a draw. If the pot is 3-way or HU, raise it up with any two cards. If he calls then he has a monster (low % of the time) and you can shut down.
4) I never got bluff raised on the river (This rarely happens at NL$100)
5) Turn check raises mean uber, uber strength. I can't remember seeing anyone do this with a draw, though I suspect it has to happen occasionally.
6) Most players do not understand how to properly size their bets/raises. Take advantage of slim draws when villain offers you juicy odds (8-1 on a gut shot is probably worth it because these guys pay off when you hit) . When you hit they will think you suck and give you even more action.
7) In a limped pot, proceed cautiously with TP and non-top two, 2-pair hands.
8) C-betting without at least a strong draw into multi-way pots is -EV. C-betting is highly +EV in HU pots.
9) Play your monsters quickly. Holding JT on a TT5 board? Just bet, there is always someone at the table who will call down with any piece of the board.
10) When villain check calls two streets and checks a blank river, he is folding a very high % of the time to any bet. If you have any piece of the board check behind because a worse hand is not calling and if you have air, bet half pot to get that A-high draw to fold.

Word of warning: This is from a maybe 5k sample of hands, so buyer beware

[xwillience]

nice observations.

jsut out of curiosity, would you say a more passive- straight forward approach is appropriate here in place of a balls-out sLAG approach?

also, what inspired the lower limit play?

[4_2_it]

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nice observations.

jsut out of curiosity, would you say a more passive- straight forward approach is appropriate here in place of a balls-out sLAG approach?

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Certainly UTG and MP. I think you can still be sLAGgy on the button. TBH, post flop play is where you stack people. I tried to see a lot of cheap flops in position.

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also, what inspired the lower limit play?

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Low balance in one of my seldom used accounts on a non-PT site. Just wanted to see if I could build it up to NL$100 size in a reasonable amount of time. I'll probably go back to it after I clear my FT bonus.

[xwillience]

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Certainly UTG and MP. I think you can still be sLAGgy on the button. TBH, post flop play is where you stack people. I tried to see a lot of cheap flops in position.


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ie, limping with limpers or going for the steal from CO n BTN? or raising with limpers?

[creamfillin]

This is gold. Should come in handy when I move up from 10NL.

[Sir Winalot]

I agree on every point except 7. I don't think any caution is needed, just bang it on and they will call down with anything.

That and points 8&9 are the most important here imo, and I think understanding these points make winners at this level.

Also, I slightly disagree with point 10. There is another main variant of villains, who will call you with A-high there, and tbh I'm not a big fan of bluffing in that spot.

[4_2_it]

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Certainly UTG and MP. I think you can still be sLAGgy on the button. TBH, post flop play is where you stack people. I tried to see a lot of cheap flops in position.


[/ QUOTE ]

ie, limping with limpers or going for the steal from CO n BTN? or raising with limpers?

[/ QUOTE ]

I didn't open limp from the CO, but I did not broaden my CO open raising range much beyond PP and 78s+. If there were limpers I would limp behind with any non-premium pp, SCs and suited 1-gappers to 75 and suited 2 gappers to T8. I wanted hands that could flop big in position where I could take control if I hit the flop.

Now if the button or one of the blinds raised, I folded all the speculative stuff and stuck to ABC poker.

Most players are so positionally unaware that they allow you to make the correct post flop decisions (when you have position) most of the time.

One of the adjustments I had to make was realizing that more players will bet/call down with any pp or piece of board than will try to bluff you off your hand so double barreling non-draw heavy boards with a 1-pair hand was not usually a good idea.

[4_2_it]

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I agree on every point except 7. I don't think any caution is needed, just bang it on and they will call down with anything.

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It's hard to called on 3 streets in limped multi-way post and still win with TPTK. I just said proceed cautiously, not look for a reason to fold.

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That and points 8&9 are the most important here imo, and I think understanding these points make winners at this level.

Also, I slightly disagree with point 10. There is another main variant of villains, who will call you with A-high there, and tbh I'm not a big fan of bluffing in that spot.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree, but I don't mind paying a half pot bet to identify a sheriff who calls with his missed A-high draw. You just adapt by betting the river with a decent piece of the board.

[LearningCurve]

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3) A min-bet lead is almost always a draw. If the pot is 3-way or HU, raise it up with any two cards. If he calls then he has a monster (low % of the time) and you can shut down.

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Does this refer to times when you are the pre-flop raiser, or is it broader than that?

Thank you for the tips. It's always nice to benefit from someone else's experience! [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[4_2_it]

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3) A min-bet lead is almost always a draw. If the pot is 3-way or HU, raise it up with any two cards. If he calls then he has a monster (low % of the time) and you can shut down.

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Does this refer to times when you are the pre-flop raiser, or is it broader than that?


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I'd say the 'tell' is more accurate in a raised pot, but if there are 4 in the pot and someone leads small on a drawy board that is weakness. Of course, raising that weak bet with air and 3 players left to act isn't smart. Let someone else play the sheriff there. I am mostly talking about HU and 3-way and the non-PFR donks it.