Live limit --> live NL

[Warren Harding]

I like this forum. It's good to have an intersection between LHE/NL, FR/6m, beginner/expert, etc. Many other fora lack this. Plus, I happen to be trying to pick up NL.

I'm playing tomorrow at Ho Chunk (WI). I love playing live 3/6-6/12, but have never played B&M NL.

Can you all give me, and anyone else in the same circumstance, some advice?

The following threads are a starting point, but it's neither a complete nor coherent picture.

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showfl...=1#Post11481161
http://www.tworags.com/home/Landlord79
http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showfl...ue#Post11181126
Search for: +live -Re the FR forum, all dates

Some particular questions:
What should I do with AQo, AQs, AJs, KQo, KQs PF OOP?
How should I approach TPTK, TPGK and TPWK with fairly deep stacks.
Should I 3bet QQ?
Are unexpected big bets/raises monsters?

[kkcountry]

The game varies so much from room to room, but a couple things that seem to be universal.

1 - Pay attention to what the max buyin is in relation to the blinds. Many live NL games in my area are $100max with 1-2 blinds, which makes them play much much different than a deeper online game. Small/Medium pocket pairs aren't worth calling a raise to see a flop with if your effective stack is 50BBs.

2 - PF raises are going to be much larger in relation to the blinds live than they are online. Again, in a typical live 1/2 game, the you're going to see preflop raises of $10 to $20. Again, to combat this, you're really going to have to tighten up. Speculative such as small pocket pairs and connectors are pretty much useless if you're having to put a fifth of your stack in there to see a flop.

3 - People are horrible at calculating pot odds live. Once that money is in the middle, they forget how much is in there. Don't be afraid of scaring away people with pot sized bets, charge them to chase. On the same note, if you see players who are horribly underbetting the pot on later streets, check to them if you've got a hand worth seeing a showdown but can't call a raise.

4 - (re: should I 3bet QQ?) Don't be afraid to get it all in pre flop. Again, assuming a shorter live game, QQ is a monster vs most live ones looking to gambool. You'll recognize the ones that only get AA and KK aipf quick, deal with them accordingly.

5 - Don't let yourself succumb to the boredom! Live NL can be exceptionally tedious, especially when effective stacks are 50BBs or so, because you've got to tighten up so much. Don't feel like you have to play every hand because there is a time charge!

[pokergrader]

Also when you are in a hand with another player, make sure you know exactly how much they have behind, and ask them if you can't tell.

You also might want to find out if money plays or not. I have been in cardrooms that have differing rules, which obviously can make a big deal if somebody is sitting with $50 in chips and a hundred dollar bill.

Also seconding the boredom thing. Live NL is really boring so make sure to spend your off-time really studying your opponents and looking for tells. Because unlike limit where you are making a lot of smaller decisions, in NL cash you are going to be making more infrequent large decisions where reads can be more valuable.

[myammy]

most live games i've played at low stakes are super passive so if you regularly isolate limpers when you play online you are going to be getting called by everyone if you make a 4bb+1bb per limper raise. you can overlimp a lot of hands because people don't raise much and they love to call so you have great implied odds.

[ThaHero]

Limping in late position(or depending on the game, early position too) hands that you normally may raise or fold can be profitable too. Too bad you're not in Vegas- the free drinks definately make live poker more entertaining.