inexperienced players

[sweeten2213]

Hey everyone. This is my first post. I played Hold'Em about a year ago, and I am loving it. Everything from watching it to reading about (and of course playing). So far I've only played home games, usually small buy ins, and usually against fairly inexperienced players. I'm no pro, but I find that when I play hands that I should playand I bet them how I should bet them, other more inexperienced players aren't and are increasing their pot size while winning with 10 high or a pair of 3's. Meanwhile, I had a two pair, but the betting represents my hand is beat - and I mean crazy betting. Even bad players get good hands, though, and I can never predict what crazy betting is for a good hand and what crazy betting is for a hand they think is good. I read in a book today that one pro won't even play AQ siuted in an early position at a full table. I play with people who will literally call the big blind with anything just to "see the flop". I usually sit back and watch players get eliminated unless I have a strong hand, because bluffing at a pot is almost impossible (they will call alomost anything). By the time it gets down to me and one other person, that person has gotten lucky,taken advantage of the other bad players, and I am severely short stacked. I guess it just seems like when a table is full of a majority of inexperienced players, all conventional strategy goes out the window. I win my fair share, but lose too often because I'm short stacked in the end to a bad player. I could go on and on, but I think you know what I mean. Any suggestions?

The key to these small tournaments like you are describing is to vary your play as the tournament dictates. I generally play 6 man SNG's that pay 2 or 3 places. The table usually has a couple loose-aggressive types, a few strong players (in which I include myself), and a couple average players. Early on, the play of the loose players dominates the table. About half the time they get knocked out right away, with the money going to the average players, or they knock out the average players themselves. This leaves the two average, loose players with large stacks and two strong players with shorter stacks.

The good thing about this is they have a hard time holding onto that money. They like to call all-in bets with K-small unsuited if they think they can knock you out. They play to get lucky. The trick is to not get into preflop wars against these types. You want to outplay them, not outdraw them. Be prepaired to drop AQ when they move all-in over the top of your preflop raise, unless you are feeling pressure from the blinds.

My strategy is to play rather tightly until the field is down to about half the players left, then start to make my moves. You have to make your move before it's just two of you left. Try to get them heads up, then get aggressive if you make any sort of hand. Top pair is a monster in this situation. They will call you down with low pairs and draws. Avoid multiway pots unless you have big draws and correct odds. By the time I am heads up (if I make it that far) I am usually playing super aggressively.

The home games i play usually have 3 different types of players........The Loose/Passive or the call station. If you're in a hand with an LP put in big bets we u got it because they're almost always gonna call. If a scare card hits, 3rd card to a suit or 4 to a straight, you should check.... if they hit they'll bet and if they miss they will probably check. LP's rarely bluff but will occasionally so watch for tells and use your best judgement. If they raise or make a big bet watch out they've probably got a hand.

The second type is the Tight/Passive or a mouse. These players are easily spotted because they fold most of their hands. When they bet or raise they almost certainly have a hand. When you're in a hand with a TP bluff and semi-bluff more often. Bet your straight draws and flush draws. They will fold most of the time to a flop bet if they don't hit. If you bet the flop and they raise you should probably fold. If you bet the flop and they just call you're in okay shape they're either on a draw or have a small pair. If you don't hit on the turn consider check folding because they either have a pocket pair or hit something on the flop. If a TP is on a draw they will probably check the turn if it didn't help them. If you check the turn and the TP does too then they are on a draw or think their hand is second best. If the river is an obvious miss for any draws you should bet as most TP's are already second guessing their hand and you will probably push them out of the pot.

The third type is the Loose/Aggressive. This guy is in almost every hand and is raising all the time. I play a weekly game and the same guy will consistenly raise pre-flop with hands like J7 suited. His strategy is to try and push the passive players out of the pot and to keep everyone guessing what kind of hand he has becuse he'll play J7suited almost as agressively as AA. I'm guessing this is the type of guy who is usually chip leader near the end at your home games. He wins because some players are there just to play and will call a lot of pre-flop raises but fold to his flop bets if they miss. The same thing goes for the TP's. The TP's might call the LA player's pre-flop raise but will fold to the LA's big bets if they don't hit something good. He wins alot of pots just by being a bully. The best way to beat him is to pick your spots. If he raises pre-flop and everyone folds around to you and you have any pair higher than 6's you might wanna reraise. You're probably way ahead in the hand. If you hold a monster like AA maybe just call and hope he pairs jack or queen, then you can come over the top for a huge raise. You should definetly see more showdowns against an LP medium sized pairs are often good against these guys. Don't try to bluff these guys or call alot with drawing hands unless the pot odd dictate otherwise. Let the LP bully the other players but pay attention to which players are easily bullied so you can steal some pots too.
When the LP comes at you stand your ground, you'll lose a few hands against him but you'll win alot more.

Thanks for the replies. I actually find myself up against a combo of these types. Not so much strategically raising blinds to steal them, just more of a gentlemenly everyone call, everyone in kind of thing. The problem is, there is still no rhyme or reason to the betting and them pushing chips forward just seems to be fun. Also, they will call almost anything as not to back down. Like the third example in the last post, when someone bets or calls everything, you have no idea what they have. As an example, I'm usually the only one or one of the only ones to fold any hand pre-flop. Not a lot of raises, but everyone is in. If anyone raises, everyone os still in. Whoever is getting the most lucky ends up winning since everyone is in. I'm exagerting a little, but not much. Does this add any new perspective for anyone to help me out

[Locohombre]

...are the hardest to read. They usually don't have a clue how strong their hand really is, so they give off false reads...unintentionally.

[deekay140]

The good thing about inexperienced players is you can get payed well when You have the cards, you have to play straight up, but if you flop big hands you can get maxium payout if you bet it right. I had 2 amateurs give me 700 chips each, out of there 1000 chip start on the first hand of a tourney. I flopped top 2 pair and they both chased flush draws and folded on the river.

You play these types straight up and leave yourself outs, there easy to knock out and get paid off.

Skill will beat out luck everytime.