Poll- Consistent pre-flop play or mix it up?

Some people say disguise your hands by always playing them the same. Some people say disguise them by mixing them up. Some people like to play some hands one way and other hands another way. Although we all might vary our play some, in this poll I ask you to identify what your main approach is.

Full RG, Mid-position, you want to play (either limp or raise). What do you do?

What is your standard raise? Answer here:
https://www.cardschat.com/forum/cash-games-11/poll-what-standard-raise-136545/

Be honest. The question isn't what SHOULD you do, it's what DO you do? In my case, I voted that it varies by the cards I have. I hate to make a big raise with suited connectors and have everybody fold because the hand is most profitable when there are several people in the pot. And big pairs, I protect them. I realize that I'm giving a lot of info away when I play this way, so I think it's probably a weak approach. However it is what I do, and I justify it by saying that the online players at the low stakes I play usually don't notice anyway. Discussion please?

Where is the neither option? I usually stick to a standard raise of 4xbb's, but I mix up my raise size based on the table.

c9h13no3 said:

Where is the neither option? I usually stick to a standard raise of 4xbb's, but I mix up my raise size based on the table.

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sorry. i don't know if there's an option to edit the poll.

you say you raise 4xbb's. Is that the same as raising to 5xbb? If the big blind is $1, is it $4 or $5 to go after your bet?
Gary

c9h13no3 said:

Where is the neither option? I usually stick to a standard raise of 4xbb's, but I mix up my raise size based on the table.

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We all adjust to table conditions, but it sounds like you should be voting option 2, that you play most hands the same.

I think the poll should show that option 3 gets the most, perhaps option two. Any of the strategies can work, but for the most part, you need to mix up your play and keep your opponents guessing. If you fall into the same rhythms over and over again, then you'll become very predictable and experienced players will adjust to that and start to gain a significant advantage over you.

i mix up my play, but i don't mix it up randomly, rather dependent on the situation.

I selected playing almost all hands the same, which for me is raising or folding preflop, almost never limping. Just about the only time is if I'm completing the small blind.

However, If I'm at a really weak table, where players are parted from their stacks easily, then option #1 is where I am. I'll play lots of speculative hands, trying to flop good, and then bet aggressively and see what I have on the line.

glworden said:

you say you raise 4xbb's. Is that the same as raising to 5xbb?

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LOL

I think you should set that to your signature for at least a week!!! :icon_sant

I do mix itup randomly but most of the time I make standard raises for standard hands.

If you try and be too sneaky then people just dont know what your raises mean. Mine are usually done with legitimate hands and are 3 x BB or possibly a limp or two with a margional hand in LP.

However occasionally Ill raise a margional / air hand and limp a premimum hand.

Result people think my raise is with a good hand and my limp is margional.

My discuises are few but enough to cast some doubt when I bet out and the opponent has a margional hand. Do it too often and people wont be able to get the jist of your play.

A lot of people seem to think that coomplete unpredictability is a good thing. It isnt.

Most of the time you want hands to play out in a very routine fasion, because if your opponent cannot predict what you do 80% of the time, then you cannot predict what your opponents reaction to you means 100% of the time.

Unpredicatability should be done infrequently.

Its there so that when you suddenly re-raise big after limping.. your opponent credits you with being able to legitamately make a play like that. It scares him and he will fold all but the nuts.

Done too often he might not have raised you in the firstplace.. rather kept the pot small and seen if he could draw to a premium hand.

I think you have to take more factors into consideration. Mostly what type of players are at the table and how they are playing. Sometimes you will have very aggressive players and raising with small pairs and suit connectors would not be a good idea because you are likely to get raised out of the pot. Where at a tighter table you would raise with a high likelihood of stealing the blind. And with big pairs you would might play the other way around. So I really don't think there is one way to play.

i always raise same on ring game so the other players never know if i have a hand or not

Hate to be so cliche about it, but....it depends!

Probably the factor I find missing in your question is whether or not you know any of the others at your table. In those situations where I at least think I know something about the other players I will act differently than if I sit down fresh at a table of unknowns.

Then might come a series of tests to test my assumptions.

In the end it all will most likely look like I have no plan, but that might be my own delusion. What I am tending away from, most of the time, is any limping. I still limp but not so often any more, unless the situation dictates that it is profitable.

I always raise 3xBB + 1BB/limper in any unraised pot. My 3-bets, however, can be quite variable, depending on number of callers and position. I am also experimenting with increasing my initial bet in early position to limit multi-way pots, but I'm having very little success with it.