How to generate action / loosen up a tight table

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smuryof

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Hey all, 1/2 live cash game question:

Not often, but sometimes, I end up at a tight table where nobody seems to give much action. I can join a limp-fest all day long and be smart about post-flop odds all day, and make a (painfully) slow grind that way, but I wonder if any of you have any sort of strategy to change the table tempo at all?

My first instinct is to go out of character for a bit and be the aggressor, buying blinds & bluffing post-flop until people start loosening up a bit, but then I think that simply makes me a target.

Or is it generally a smart move to gracefully exit the table after a circuit or two and just wait for a more lucrative opportunity? What if it's the only table running? (Yea I suppose I could go home but that's no fun...)

I'm asking because this happened to me tonight, and the only answer I could come up with to extract money from the table was two main things: Slow play good hands at the risk of people hitting better hands (such as hitting a flush with a paired board & the risk of a four-flush on someone's higher card, or slow playing a straight with two of a suit showing) and, secondly, straightforward check-raise bluffs on scary boards.

Near the end I did begin to aggress more, but it didn't seem to do much to faze the table at all. Maybe it's just not going to happen if the composition is too tight overall.

Thoughts?
 
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gnarus

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Are you playing for profit or fun? You can't really change the way other people play- only their perception of you.

If you're playing at a too tight table the correct adjustment would be to slightly loosen up, especially with position, to take advantage but also to back off the rare times someone is being aggressive.

It sounds like you are already doing that- you should be satisfied with a small steady profit.
 
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smuryof

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Both profit and fun.

Last night, I encountered another limp-fest & changed my hat to a little more LAG and it worked out pretty well. I did become a target, but in such a way as to leading people to detect a bluff when there isn't one. My biggest hand of the night, from early position, was an open-ended semi-bluff on the flop that hit a straight on the turn. A fairly good player in late position put me on a bluff or mid pair and thought his two pair was golden, doubling up my stack near the end of the night.

As for slow & steady, so far it has been going well. I'm averaging about $24/hr over 100 hours of play according to my log since October.
 
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droozy

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try to raise more often, do 3-bet more often, overbets pot and so on. Try to play creative poker. Tight players are more readable than maniacs or LAG players.
 
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Sidetracked

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Just start playing like a spaz, showing down some idiot bluffs and watch everyone start to tilt...
 
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smuryof

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I was reading elsewhere that button straddles can be used to stimulate action at a tight table. I kind of like that idea.

Since writing the original post, I've also tried opening up some C-bets on potential flush/straight draws, people love to put on their bluffing hats when the straight or flush hits, & they've been calling me down with mid-pair the whole time. The tough part is letting these hands go when they don't hit instead of bluffing the river on these, against tight players - the better players read correctly and call me down. Had a couple tough nights with that strategy, but I think it can work with some refinement.
 
Lerts

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Well to loosen up a table you yourself must portray a loose image i supoose. So no limping, often 3bets etc etc... Would just suggest to play your game, you will the action when the time is right
 
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Joepie

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Straddle, Restraddle often does the trick to loosen up the game.
 
Navin Sarabjeet

Navin Sarabjeet

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try to raise more often, do 3-bet more often, overbets pot and so on. Try to play creative poker. Tight players are more readable than maniacs or LAG players.

I agree with him and another thing is play your late position's always strong so that they can't have a read on you.

gl grinding it up;)
 
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skaterick

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Many of the old time pros encouraged friendly table talk with the tourists + beginners at the table . They were so affable that the targets would go bust and leave , but not before asking what time the game would start tomorrow ! Contrast that with the grim faced young guns of today , wearing hoodies + headphones while trying to give nothing away .
 
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pokerdwarf

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If the table is tight, play looser. If the table is loose, play your hands a bit tighter.
 
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PokerWahoo

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If you don't like the table conditions, the easiest way to improve the situation is to just switch tables. Far easier than changing the dynamic at your own table
 
playinggameswithu

playinggameswithu

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Small ball style that table with reads- constantly while in position.
 
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