When to call preflop. (6max 5nl)

J

J_moly88

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
Feb 26, 2009
Total posts
55
Chips
0
Looking back at the 20k hands I played last month, my VPIP was 18.7 with PFR being 18.2. the reason being that I don't understand when calling can be profitable preflop.

I need to be calling more I think, but would you be able to give me examples of a few spots where you think calling would be the best play?

The only times I can really think that I call at the moment is maybe calling a 4 bet with QQ, or a speculative hand in late position with lots of limpers.

Just want a few more spots where calling can be optimal so I can try it out this month.
 
micromachine

micromachine

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Aug 15, 2011
Total posts
5,770
Chips
0
- AQ

- setmining with PP's < JJ

- suited connectors when you have good implied odds

What do you do with these hands? You can't 3bet them but it can definitely be profitable to play them especially smaller PP's
 
micromachine

micromachine

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Aug 15, 2011
Total posts
5,770
Chips
0
The only times I can really think that I call at the moment is maybe calling a 4 bet with QQ, or a speculative hand in late position with lots of limpers.

I'm not talking about calling 4bets btw! Just calling a single raise...
 
J

J_moly88

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
Feb 26, 2009
Total posts
55
Chips
0
- AQ

- setmining with PP's < JJ

- suited connectors when you have good implied odds

What do you do with these hands? You can't 3bet them but it can definitely be profitable to play them especially smaller PP's

Would you say these are all from late position?

With AQ, I have been 3 betting from late position and 3 betting in the blinds against the button/CO. Will generally give it up against a 3 bet if it's made from early position. It's not a hand I like to see the flop with if I'm not the aggressor, as I miss more than I hit.

With PP's, would you say set mine from all positions, or just late? I generally raise all PP's, but will fold <88 against an earlier raise or 3 bet.
If you hit the set 1/7.5 times, if I'm calling a 3xBB raise, I would need to win at least 23BB when I hit to make it profitable, is that right?
 
micromachine

micromachine

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Aug 15, 2011
Total posts
5,770
Chips
0
Would you say these are all from late position?

With AQ, I have been 3 betting from late position and 3 betting in the blinds against the button/CO. Will generally give it up against a 3 bet if it's made from early position. It's not a hand I like to see the flop with if I'm not the aggressor, as I miss more than I hit.

With PP's, would you say set mine from all positions, or just late? I generally raise all PP's, but will fold <88 against an earlier raise or 3 bet.
If you hit the set 1/7.5 times, if I'm calling a 3xBB raise, I would need to win at least 23BB when I hit to make it profitable, is that right?

AQ - I open raise from any position, and will call a single raise (can be single raise only or single rasie + callers). In general I don't 3bet it or call a 3bet with it.

PPs < TT - I open raise from any position, and will call a single raise (can be single raise only or single rasie + callers) to setmine. Against a 100BB stack opponent you will always have the implied odds to call a single raise, you can stack people often enough when you hit to make it profitable. I don't think 3betting them is great for the same reason that calling a 3bet with them isnt great - you don't have the implied odds in a 3bet pot. I think others will agree with me here, calling a single raise is much better than folding or 3betting.

SCs - I wont open raise with them normally (unless trying to steal blinds from CO or BTN) but I will call a single raise especially if there was a caller as well because your implied odds go up. I wouldn't 3bet or call a 3bet with SCs though.
 
J

J_moly88

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
Feb 26, 2009
Total posts
55
Chips
0
Ok, cheers for your help, I'll give it a go.
 
B

baudib1

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Dec 2, 2008
Total posts
6,635
Chips
0
Hand values are not static. Poker is not played off a preflop chart.
 
micromachine

micromachine

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Aug 15, 2011
Total posts
5,770
Chips
0
Hand values are not static. Poker is not played off a preflop chart.

I totally agree and of course we must adjust to our opponents...I was just trying to give my general strategy with regards to preflop cold calling and why I do it.

I think OP can definitely benefit from cold calling preflop a bit more with the hands I mentioned
 
Cafeman

Cafeman

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Jan 12, 2011
Total posts
3,200
Chips
0
I think micromachine has given some good pointers to opening up your calling range. Also, as I'm sure Baud was suggesting, calling IP is the nicest place to do it from. You've got to start somewhere, and using a hand chart is where most of us started.
 
B

baudib1

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Dec 2, 2008
Total posts
6,635
Chips
0
against some villains you can profitably 3-/4-/5-bet get it in pre with AQ. Against others it's a snap- fold. Analyze villains' ranges and figure out how each hand plays against them.
 
dooydoo

dooydoo

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Feb 13, 2012
Total posts
265
Chips
0
Heres some other pointers.

Call when you have a post flop read on a villain. Does he cb a lot and x the turn a lot? If thats the case you can call ip and float with a wide range and just bet when xed to.

Does the villain have a very low cb? Call and bet when xed to ip or lead out oop.

Does your hand dominate their range? If the btn opens and you have QJs you can call and look to xr a lot of flops and call with a pair vs his wide stealing range.

Will the villain pay you off if you hit something? If so then you can call wider hoping to hit and getting paid off.

Does villain have a high fold to flop cb raise? Then call and look to raise a lot of flops.

What kinds of flops should i raise or xr bluff?

AhJh on Thxx
KQ on Axx
67 on 592
anything on 994
KJ on Q93

Of course dont go crazy and spew. Typically overs + back door draws are great to bluff raise then barreling anything that gives you equity or a good scare card.

Mostly i base calling on post flop reads and tendancies rather than hand value.

Since your gap is so small you might be 3betting too much with hands that you should be calling with or folding where you might be better off calling. Also do you have pairs in your .5 gap calling range?

In general before you call, make sure you have a reason to. That is the number one rule. Then make sure you have a post flop plan before you call preflop. Know what you are doing before it happens.
 
B

baudib1

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Dec 2, 2008
Total posts
6,635
Chips
0
QJ on T-high flops; 22 turn cards give you top pair or straight draw. QJs vs. a button range was mentioned and it's one of the ideal spots to flat instead of 3-bet, because 3-betting QJs to get 4-bet shoved on by AK or 99 really sucks.
 
Deco

Deco

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
May 7, 2009
Total posts
2,544
Chips
0
I used to play just this with the exceptions that 22-JJ would be in my range. It's certainly far less of an error than calling too much which is what most micros players do.

22-JJ goes without saying, if they're 100BB deep and the raise isn't huge it's rare it won't be profitable.
AQ/AJ/KQ/ATs/KJs from the button vs most CO steals is a good start.

Eventually progress to calling Btn steals from the blinds with the above hands, add ATo/KJo to your button vs co steal range and start calling with AQ/AJ vs HJ and or even MP opens if villain has a high PFR.

This is tight range but I can assure you it is all that you should need at the micros. Balance isn't necessary. If played right 67s Axs and the likes can make a small profit vs a player you have alot of reads on or has a tiny c-bet stats but it just isn't necessary. For most micro players calling with these hands all the time is going to be a big leak, and for the few that it isn't; why waste time to make a small profit with 56s when we could tighten up open another table and play some premium hands instead.
 
brank

brank

Back in!
Silver Level
Joined
Dec 15, 2009
Total posts
1,354
Chips
0
With AQ, I have been 3 betting from late position and 3 betting in the blinds against the button/CO.

Are you thinking about why your 3 betting or is this a default play? I actually call a lot with AQ from either the blinds or in LP unless I think people will call my 3 bet with worse. Remember that just because you dont hit with AQ doesnt mean it isnt the best hand some of the time or that you dont have decent equity.

Also, the things baudid said are good(as usual) to remember.
 
Top