table image question

[bestcellar]

This is potentially a leak of mine that I've discovered in my metagame.

Scenario is that I've built a nice healthy stack of say 20bbs midtourney, say 8000-10000 checks when blinds are 200/400.

I start ramping up my aggression in late position with playable hands like KJ, KQ, AT, A9 when its folded to me. Also I'm obviously raising any pair in the hijack or CO.

Yet once someone plays back at me allin for 5k on my 1200 raise with KTs, I obviously cannot call. Two orbits later, I make a standard 1200 raise (still have about 8000 in checks) with 99 and I get repushed from a larger, very tight stack and muck it. The very next orbit I have AT and I make another 1200 raise and the same player pushes again. I muck.

Is this too tight? Players are obviously potentially taking advantage of my image as someone who will lay down to a reraise. The 99 was really close, but I had not seen the player who repopped me reraise once the entire tournament up until then.

How do I remedy this? Do I start tightening up my requirements for semi-stealing or do I have to call and show something down eventually?

[bestcellar]

this is nowhere near the bubble btw, we're talking rebuys and deep stacks. Sorry for not clarifying.

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Do I start tightening up my requirements for semi-stealing

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I'd say yes, especially if it's the same player re-stealing from you. Your goal here is to get him try to resteal when you have a hand. With 30BB or more, I'd say keep at it, but the 20BB range is just too delicate a zone to be liberally stealing against an aggro re-stealer.

Also, this is probably the best time to try a limp/steal on the flop blind steal, just to mix it up. Then go back to BAU. I find this works well to keep a battling opponent off balance.

[THEOSU]

I find it extremely helpful to pick up a couple of kings when this happens to me.

As for tangible help, I do have to tighten my range. Also, my range for calling a resteal when I raise from the CO or button widens massively when I've had to fold to such a move recently. The first time I may muck AJ, the next I may call with a hand as weak as KT.

[locutus2002]

If you are opening KTs, then villain's pushing range has to be pretty wide if he's paying attention.

If you are getting > 2:1 in the pot, I think you can call most of the hands that you can open, especially as you are miles away from the $35 bubble (in the $10r).

[Mi_T_Sharp]

Adjust. Look at what happens after you build a decent stack of t10000. You start making steals with semi-marginal hands like K10, and people fold. Why? First, you have a big stack, and second, they probably saw you build up that stack by playing TAG and winning almost every big pot you were involved in. So, initially, when you start raising more often, they don't see any reason to play back at you. After a while, they will realize that you changed your style of play. Then, they start playing back at you. Well, tighten up again. Change gears. Just when they think they've got you all figured out, you raise to t1200 with AA, they reraise, and you bust them.

Once you have a big stack like that, you should be more aggressive. However, I would mix in some tight play as well. You can certainly afford to wait a couple of orbits without playing a hand if you have t10000 at 100/200 blinds.

Remember in HOH1, where he talks about not feeling bad about your play if you seem to be folding for long stretches of time. All good players do this when playing well.

Edit: Wait, you didn't read HOH1 because it sucks or something (I remember that from another post).

[bestcellar]

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Edit: Wait, you didn't read HOH1 because it sucks or something (I remember that from another post).

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No, I didn't read HOH1 because I had heard from a couple of respectable players that is sucked. Clearly, that is not the majority opinion. I do plan on reading it soon FWIW.

[fro_dude]

Start to tighten back up a bit...the ideal situation would be to pick up a big hand in late position in the next couple orbits, but without that happening you may need to tighten up because people are starting to look you up. Your tight image will then, in tiem allow you to change gears once again.