Raising in EP with (suited) trouble hands

Hello again friends!

I believe I have a leak! Not a huge one but enough for me to notice the difficult situations I have been finding myself in of late.

Suited "trouble" hands. Namely KJs KTs QJs and QTs. I raise them all from EP, UTG at a FR table (in the standard situation against the average 5NL idiots) and I am concerned they could be costing me more money than they need.

I think one of the more experienced guys on here picked up on this the other day when I posted some hands in analysis. Mentioning that these hands can be tricky to play when you are stuck OOP after the flop. Lol I do actually feel myself willing guys NOT to call behind me when I raise.

I figured that these hands, especially KJs and QJs were near-premium holdings lilke 99 or TT and that they were much more valuable than their unsuited versions (KJo and QJo are for LP without too many limpers and the other two are for blind stealing or maybe OTB with a limper only)

I guess the suitedness of KJs doesnt really make the hand any easier to play after the flop apart from the 1 in 9 times I make the four-flush. Even then I guess I just have a 50% chance of winning the hand (35% + the fold equity of my c-bet)

What do you guys think of these hands?

Should I shift them down my scale of value and raise them more from MP as I would AQ and KQ or is this suitedness valuable enough when I hit big for me not to worry?

I think you answered your own question. The problem with a hand like KJ, whether it is suited or not is this: If you open raise whatever hand calls you likely has you beat, furthermore you are OOP so even if you flop a strong draw you may not get paid off. Furthermore you could make a flush or straight and lose to a nut flush or a Broadway straight. If you try limping and an agressive player raises you are forced to throw away a BB or call a raise OOP which is usually a recipe for disaster.

In EP in FR NLHE I usually play AA KK QQ JJ AK AQs and that's it. KJs could possibly be a MP hand in a fairly passive table but I usually play this hand and all the hands you described KTs, QJs and QTs from late position only.

I do play KQs in Middle position if I am opening the pot and under the right circumstances will 3 bet this hand from LP or the button.

For what it's worth the largest single hand I ever won in a live game 1/2 NLHE was when I held ATs (Spades) and played HU in position against a player with KJs (Spades). He limped in, I raised and he was the only caller. The flop came down with 2 spades and the Ace of Clubs. He checked and I bet which he called and I think he put me on AKo and had flopped TPTK. The turn was a spade giving me the nut flush. He raised and I re-raised him all-in. As he called he asked if I had ATs and I said yes. He put me on my hand just a little late.

Don't play these hands OOP and fold to a 3 Bet under normal circumstances.

Like I said the other day, I'd remove them from your EP range an see how you do.

Another thing I've noticed overall in your HA posts is that you're way too willing to fold to small bets.

Just something to think about.

Yes I do give people credit when they bet in to and raise me but in my defence, this is microstakes and I often use blocking and probe bets to see where I am in the hand. I feel this is often better than offering the chance of a free card or merely check-calling which I thick is one of the most pathetic things you can do at the table unless you really do have the nuts!

Also, I have removed all calling IP and 3-betting light (plus most 4-bets in responces to light 3-bets) for the time being. I feel that unless I REALLY fully know what I am doing here I will (and have in the past) destroy my win-rate.

Grinding 5NL now.... AGAIN with a ridiculous win rate and consistant ABC poker. Sure I could beat the next level up but at the moment I would rather be a great 5NL player than an ok-average, frustrated break-even 10 NL player.

Yes, I have dicovered the Peter Principle!

I will take onboard your advice. I will redistribute these babies in amongst my mid-late position hands and see if this helps improve situations after the flop.

Frank.

What do you reckon that are the most important aspects of abc poker then? Tightness and minding your position?

IMO its less important that you are tight or loose though tight play will give less variance and leave you losing less from tilt.

Fearless unrelenting aggression. Having the BR to never be playing scared money. With practice you can get to a point where you can play 90% of pre-flop situations. 80% postflop and most turn cards without even thinking.

Raise pre-flop. C-bet and be ready to fire the second barrel when the right turn card hits with confidence and no hesitation. You want to be the guy at the table that is always there betting, and IMO you should be betting the same amounts or folding over the first three streets regardless of where you are in the hand.

Of course every now and then you gotta make the decision on the river where you need to reconstruct the hand. I often activate my time bank for this.

Learn to bet-fold and stop check-calling. IF YOU THINK YOU MIGHT BE ABOUT TO CALL HIS BET THEN MAKE THE BET FIRST!

Be patient, have a routine for your poker. I get up every moring at 6am, have a coffee and wait for 20 minutes. I then play either 1,2 or 3 90 minute sessions 6 tabling 5nl for approx 600 hands/sitting. I leave the computer for 20 minutes between each session to eat or shower and NEVER play after noon.

Never never NEVER engage in any chat with others online. IT WILL DESTROY YOUR WIN-RATE.

Try to minimize distrations. No porn, webchat or surfing allowed.

Sign in. put in your hands and THEN check your e-mail, shop whack off etc.

Oh and put in ATLEAST the same hours analysing those problem hands, posting here and helping others at cardschat!

Frank.

Very good post. Lots of good stuff and the bold especially. The underlined will improve your win-rate no end on it's own. To some people following that last advice will be gold.

You have the right mindset Frank, and in poker that is everything. Learn the fundamentals, which isn't too hard though I admit I am far from doing so and you will crush this game.

Wow, that is some advice I never heard. But it all seems to make sense, I'll try to follow it as much as possible!

I always check out your hand analysis topics, it allways seems to help my game.

Do you have some books that helped you getting started? Or is it more the experience by doing, etc.?