Hand Value

This has been running through my head for a couple of hours now and I just thought I would get some opinions on this subject matter.

I understand the hand values for players playing at a 9-man table. You know, the basics of playing tight UTG, and I suppose you could say progressively looser the better position you have.

What I want to know is when you are playing live/online with let's say 3-4 people, what becomes your "strategy" Suddenly, with there being less people against you, your odds go up to win the hand. So what I am getting at here is what may be an unacceptable call (K/10 off in early position), just became one of the probable better hands at your 3-4 person table.

What hands are now "callable?" Does any Ace warrant a raise, are you calling with K/10 off or do you pretty much play the same type of game? I am not really sure if the hands I call with are acceptable hands or if their value has gone up significantly with the decrease in players.

Thanks in advance

You should loosen up, but not to a huge degree. When the table gets 4 handed in 6-max I'll raise most any ace when I'm not in a blind. But I'm still not looking to play a big pot with them. Mostly just steal the blinds.

In general, as games get smaller get more aggressive. Pairs and big cards go up in value, small suited connectors go down. You'll win more pots short handed but they'll also be a lot smaller.

I'm not doing much calling unless I'm trapping a raiser. Hemmingway's Law applies here; raise or put down, don't call.

Short handed I'm looking to play: any pair, any two broadway, and any suited ace. If I'm first in then I'm raising. If some one limps then I'm raising. If someone raises then I'm going to re-raise or fold. I'm betting most flops regardless of what falls.

One exception would be another aggro player at the table. If a hyper-aggro type raises then I might just call with AA. Let him build the pot...

Try and run the game over with aggression (short handed). If you can't because everyone else is playing right back at you then go find another game...

With only 4 players I do not adhere to Hemmingway's Law , Why not just call? Why not see the flop and then decide - If I have lets say J 9 I want to see the flop but I do not want to lose too much money - So this really depends on the hand and the players - If you have aggressive players - Wait for the right hand - Otherwise limp in even at lower hands to at least see the flop - You might get VERY lucky.

This is the learning poker section

I feel one of the hardest lessons you have to learn is that calling and hoping for luck is the most expensive way of playing poker. There are exceptions but for every hand that calling is the correct play there must be 10 where raising or folding is better

I dont think a short handed game changes this fundamentally

so a strict "raise/fold" strategy is what works best?

I guess i tend to (some of the time at least) have that mentality where I feel like calling and seeing what the flop brings is good, but I rarely win hands with it and should abandon this idea I have I can win just as many hands limping

Thanks for the posts guys

For a beginner, yes (which I assume you are since you're in the 'learning poker' section?). Raise/fold strategy is hardly ideal, but it keeps people out of trouble.

Calling raises is something that can get you in really bad spots, but there are definitely times for flatting instead of reraising.

Examples to 3bet:

-CO raises, we 3bet AJo on the button.
-BTN raises, we 3bet with 66 in the SB
-SB raises, we 3bet with KQo in the BB

Examples to flat call:

-UTG raises, we flat 44 on the button
-UTG raises, everyone in between calls, we call with 9Ts on the button

Plays like flatting KQo with position are fine too, but you have to know how to play it postflop (ie not stacking TP) which is a whole other story.