What is a good strategy against live play, $1/$2 NL?

Anyone have a good strat that works for them? Advice is much appriciated!

I've just played my first live sessions of 1/2 NL the past few days, and it looks to me like they're playing around the level of .02/.05 cent players for intelligence, but are far more aggro. So far I've just been trying to limp in what I can for 2pair and straights to catch people stacking off light, and then just playing nitty solid poker, they don't seem to adjust much.

I don't play online poker, but play weekly poker game with 2 different groups of friends. One bunch of friends are very aggressive loose players, and plain ABC poker will get you in money. The other group of players are more advanced, so you have to play a little aggressive, hand reading is possible with this group, and a TAG will certainly make money.

You will have to adjust game based on players, but 1/2 Live will have disproportionate amount of loose/aggro players. Good luck.

One thing that I see with live a lot more than online at the same limits is that people will play more hands because they get bored. A hand in a live game takes quite a bit longer than a hand online, so with fewer hands per hour, if you are someone who it playing a tight aggr. strategy, you won't be playing too many hands in that hour. Someone who isn't accustomed to playing sit-n-wait has a problem with that because they came to the casino to gamble and make some money.

Good Old Fashion Tag ...

absoluthamm raises a valid point. I am probably the slowest person in the group and I get lots of comment to speed up during the game. I see people generally take very little time (0-30 seconds) before acting. IMO, that time is not sufficient to absorb the previous players reaction, adjust possible hands, determining the best action (call,raise,fold) calculate pot size, determining bet size etc. One have to have patience to go through live game and wait for right cards and right situations.

I admit that there are a lot of times, especially when playing live with unknowns, that I feel like I'm getting impatient because people are taking way too long(really drives me nuts when it is on a stupid/obvious play). When I am with friends, I really don't care because there is more socializing that can be done. And online, if I start getting bored I just open another table up.

First thing you need to do is get a solid table image. I'veGotOuts, i have always thought online players were way more agressive??

to have no strategy, you play off your opponants. what their tendencies are.. if your required to play aggressively do so, tight do so.. if you should value bet against certain opponants do so.. if you go into a table thinking "im going to play aggressive this game" it may not work out so well for you

The far more aggro was compaired to the .02/.05 where people are, or at least were when I was coming up through there, very very nitty and nut peddley and literal. Compaired to a 25NL I'd say they are less aggro, and also far less good players. Which is awesome, killing them still so far.

Just be aware that most of these players are there to have fun, so don't be a table captain, critique bad play, or be a douche. Play your cards and generally be a nice guy/gal. If you lose a big pot take it on the chin, say nice hand and move on. No need for sunglasses, hats, pokerstars shirts etc.

As for strategy, as some previous posters have said just play standard ABC poker, dont bluff anyone that is a station, and generally just play your big hands for value.

^ this.

ABC / TAG is almost always the way to go, keeping your customers in the game is the hardest part.

I'd add that you can play a lot more speculative hands generally, since most flops will be taken for $2. If you haven't played live before, I really can't explain to you the amount of limping that will occur. It's like nothing you've seen. So a lot of times you can limp 65s in early position, because most of the time you're going to go to the flop for that $2, and also get 5:1 or better immediate expressed odds with approximately 1,443,665,579:1 implied.

Hrm. Even at a full table I don't see myself getting 140 million times my limp. Maybe I don't understand implied odds preflop.

Some tables will let you limp. Know who at your table will call a big raise with what they'll limp with. This especially becomes helpful when you get a tell. If they limp for $2, you make it $9, and amateur looks at their hand again, makes a face, and calls you, either they're a damn fine actor and putting too much effort into disguising the strength of their hand, or they just called you with a bad hand.

When these people limp into the pot, know that you can raise them big and they'll call with less-than premium hands. This will pay off in the long run, especially since such a player is prone to have a short-stack in front of them and doesn't understand pot-odds and might fold their last 4 BBs so they don't have to call them into a pot of 24 BBs.

It's much easier to target players live, most of them are just out having a good time on the weekend, and while they might play in a weak homegame once a month, haven't ever considered online poker and are frankly expecting to lose the money.

This is especially true in touristy areas on weekends.

I guess.

Great Advice. I agree that you can raise big and these guys will call with pretty much ATC. Just don't get to greedy post flop if they start raising and reraising you because most likely they'll have something.

I always felt that there was a difference between casino live games and home live games. From my experience ABC poker result in profits for home games while limping with implied odds are great for casino games. You can raise 5-6 bb utg and get 4 callers behind you at casinos. This should be of no surprise. So if you have AA or KK utg make it 8-10bb to play.

And what Tenbob said is definitely on point. If you're playing at a table with donkeys and chasers, you should take all their numbers down and buy them a drink. Not put a target on yourself by being Mr Know It All and never get invited again.

It really depends on the casino and table - and day of the the week/time of day when you play live. Typically Friday and Saturday nights are the biggest fish/drunken donk fests at most casinos. Proceed with caution at those times - although usually profitable - don't go on tilt when you're AA get cracked by some drunk who calls your 6 bb pre-flop raise with J - 7 off and flops 2 pair - happens all the time.

Usually mid week day games are the most competitive - with the best regulars at the casino and usually half decent players - so if you go during those times, watch the table for a while and see who's good and who's not.

Very true. Live players call much bigger raises than they do online. Once again, I think it goes right back to them just wanting to play and not wait a couple minutes for the next hand to start. I wouldn't bet that big with AA/KK though, more like QQ/JJ/AK because I am wanting to invite people into the hand with AA/KK.