some preflop scenarios

[gamblore99]

These might be obvious, but I could really use some help. How do you play these.

1. EP raises, 3 cold callers, you have 34s in hijack.

2. Folded to you in hijack with
a) q9o
b) A8s
c)k8s
d)j8s
e)j9s


3) Folded to Co who raises
-your in the BB with
a)k9o
b)q9o
c)A6o
d)A2o
e)98o
f)j8s

[private joker]

You might want to try adding some more info, because the answers to these are "it depends," and what it depends on is the table condition, the reads on the blinds (in #2) and the CO (in #3), your image, the location/stakes, and other factors.

[andyfox]

Some things to consider:

In 1), how passive or aggressive are the players behind you yet to act, and how pasivle or aggressive are the players post-flop? I'm more inclined to play if I think I can get to the the turn cheaply.

In 2), the only hand I routinely open iwth is A-8s; tgheothers depend, again, on both the passivity and quality of play of those players still live.

In 3) this is totally dependent on the nature of the cutoff. There are some players against whom I will always play all of these hands, sometimes for a 3-bet, and others against whom I would always fold all of them. Are they likely to check behind unimproved on the flop and then fold to your turn bet? How tricky are they post-flop? Are they opening virtually every time it's passed around to them in late position, or only once in a blue moon?

[tradingman123]

1) i fold all the time. 2) i raise all those. 3) i raise all but 9/8 off.

[Bad Lobster]

[ QUOTE ]


In 3) this is totally dependent on the nature of the cutoff. There are some players against whom I will always play all of these hands, sometimes for a 3-bet, and others against whom I would always fold all of them. Are they likely to check behind unimproved on the flop and then fold to your turn bet? How tricky are they post-flop? Are they opening virtually every time it's passed around to them in late position, or only once in a blue moon?

[/ QUOTE ]

If I read Fox right, it DOESN'T matter so much what hands villain would raise with before the flop, as what he's likely to do after the flop. After all, if you decide to play an 8 and a 9 you don't expect to win with the highest card. What you do hope is that if you hit the flop weakly you can continue on for not too much dough-re-mi.

[gamblore99]

Okay guys, thanks for the resposnses. Some more info.

20-40. Usually 4-5 to the flop, with a raise about 50% of the time. No reads on individual players. About half the players know me, and see me as tight aggressive, except when it comes to blind stealing, they think i will raise anything (kinda true)

1)For hand 1 the players are more on the loose passive side, but sensible. Same for post flop.

for 2 and 3 assume they are unknown.

[ssmallz]

[ QUOTE ]
These might be obvious, but I could really use some help. How do you play these.

1. EP raises, 3 cold callers, you have 34s in hijack. - fold

2. Folded to you in hijack with
a) q9o - Fold
b) A8s - Raise
c)k8s - Usually raise, depends on blinds though
d)j8s - Fold
e)j9s - Raise


3) Folded to Co who raises
-your in the BB with
a)k9o - Call
b)q9o - call
c)A6o - Call
d)A2o - fold
e)98o - call
f)j8s - call

[/ QUOTE ]

This is all assuming a pretty generic decently aggro pfr but as andy said before, reads are critical in these scenerios

[emerson]

[ QUOTE ]
These might be obvious, but I could really use some help. How do you play these.

1. EP raises, 3 cold callers, you have 34s in hijack.

2. Folded to you in hijack with
a) q9o
b) A8s
c)k8s
d)j8s
e)j9s


3) Folded to Co who raises
-your in the BB with
a)k9o
b)q9o
c)A6o
d)A2o
e)98o
f)j8s

[/ QUOTE ]

I'll give you my opinion, since all are just opinions on this. This is my starting standard before making adjustments for game conditions.

The first one, 4,3 suited, would be a call from one of the blinds only vs an early raiser with a few cold callers. Perhaps on the button if the pot might be like 6 way and you were pretty sure it would not be re-raised.

On those open raise questions. This is my system for non, paired, non-ace hands. On the button you need a kicker of 9 or better (forget the high card look at just the kicker). Increase this by one for each place you move to the right of the button. T for cutoff, J for hijack.

For suited hands you can lower the kicker value by two notches. Thus for suited hands, 7 kicker on the button, 8 on the cutoff, 9 in the hijack, etc.

For pocket pairs, 22 on the button and increase by one for each place you move to the right. This is what Stoxtrader gives for pocket pair open raising, and it is consistent with simulations and work I've seen from Abdul J.

For aces there is an aggressive and conservative approach. I suggest the conservative approach if you are asking these questions. For offsuit aces, A5 on the button and increase kicker by one for each place you move to the right. For suited aces you can lower the kicker value by two notches.

The more aggressive approach, for tough and short handed games, will allow more aggressive open raising in the button, cutoff, and hijack with aces, perhaps with kicker two notches below the conservative approach for the first three positions. When three or more off the button revert back to the less aggressive approach.