Friday, November 23, 2007

Adding the mighty limp/fold into my arsenal of weapons

My game has evolved since I first started playing. Some things have been for the better and some for the worse. One of the holes in my game used to be calling with junk (or speculative hands if you want to be charitable). Don't know why but there were all of these lowest 10% hands that I would play. Sometimes it was to defend blinds, other times it was because there were so many others already in the pot. Not only would I play these hands but I'd call raises with them also. I'm sure that the chart of the EV on those hands would go through the floor but of course I would get *just* enough carrots to keep me coming back for more even though the one pot that I would win comes nowhere close to covering the losses on the dozens of pots that I call/fold. Sure if the 92 hits in a big way then you'll probably win the pot but any flop where 92 is hitting big is not as likely bring as many second best hands as flops with Broadway cards. Some other players can get away with playing junk but since I don't bluff it is basically impossible for me to win with second best hands which you are going to have a ton more of when you come in with crap holdings.

I have cut down a bunch on my any two cards play but I'll still play baby suited cards, 69, J3 and other goofy hands. Can't explain it but for whatever reason, I still like splashing around with a hand like 64 or 72os; however, the difference is that I no longer pay way too much for them. With the limp/fold at my disposal I can still scratch that itch to play crappy hands but get away from them when it costs me too much. One BB to play 3d5d? Sure! But if someone raises I can now lay it down and wait for a better spot.

That leak in my game has now been throttled down to a manageable trickle and I'm fine with that. A junker hand can now only cost me an extra BB every once in a while thanks to the limp/fold maneuver.

8 comments:

jsola said...

I'll believe it when I see it :)

Nah seriously, this is good to hear. I think this has been the biggest leak in your game for the last 6 months.

Two suggestions I would make if you really want to keep playing junk hands, though:

1. Fold them in early position at a full ring game, and open-raise them from late position if you're going to play them at all. This also means never open-limping with a decent hand from late position.

2. Failing that, if you limp/fold with 64o you have to start limp/re-raising with AA/KK/QQ as well, or people are going to blow you off all of these shitty speculative hands.

Sushi Cowboy said...

Good tips. Thanks Steph!

Marshall said...

Limp fold = strong.

Sushi Cowboy said...

Limp fold > limp call fold.

Marshall said...

Well, as long as we are doing math..

just fucking fold > limp fold > limp call fold > limp call call raise fold

Ryan said...

I would incorporate Joe's point into that formula:

just fucking fold > represent a real hand and raise > limp fold > limp call fold > limp call call raise fold

Marshall said...

Yes I was going to put "open ship" as the first of the chain, but that is just too strong really.

royalbacon said...

open ship = back the fuck off