When do you just call a preflop raise in the micros?

Vfranks

Vfranks

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Against what type of players, and with what position and range of hands should we be flatting preflop, if ever?
I know the saying if it's good enough for a call, it's good enough for a raise, but is this always true in today's games?

Hopefully this isn't too broad of a question, but I would like to get some advice on this, or maybe even pointed to some articles or something that discusses this more in depth.
 
zwbb

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In Hold'em, there are many reasons to raise or 3-bet pre-flop. Poker players should clearly know why they are taking certain actions and what they want to achieve.

Reasons are not written in order of importance:

Bid amount

Number of Players

How many chips do you have, relative to the blinds

Behavior of your opponents

Your position
 
Vfranks

Vfranks

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In Hold'em, there are many reasons to raise or 3-bet pre-flop. Poker players should clearly know why they are taking certain actions and what they want to achieve.

Reasons are not written in order of importance:

Bid amount

Number of Players

How many chips do you have, relative to the blinds

Behavior of your opponents

Your position

This thread is not about when to raise or 3bet, I asked when do you just call a preflop raise. Great advice, though, just not the stuff I was looking for.
 
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IamVALHALLA

IamVALHALLA

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when do you just call a preflop raise.

I'll call a pre-flop raise if I have a hand I would normally open-raise with, as long as I'm not on the SB where I only play truly premium hands (because then it will be a 10BB 3-bet).


My open-raising is always 3BB, no matter what I have, so if the "first in" open-raises to 3BB then I'll flat call if I want to see a flop.
 
Vfranks

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I'll call a pre-flop raise if I have a hand I would normally open-raise with, as long as I'm not on the SB where I only play truly premium hands (because then it will be a 10BB 3-bet).


My open-raising is always 3BB, no matter what I have, so if the "first in" open-raises to 3BB then I'll flat call if I want to see a flop.

Awesome, thanks!

I guess I should say when I am calling a preflop raise, to help get the discussion going a bit. Or so you guys can tell me how much of a donk I am :cool:.

I am mostly asking about 6max cash tables, but full ring input is welcome as well.

I have been calling to set mine, so any pocket pair 22-JJ, and sometimes re-raising TT-QQ depending on villain and position.
I also will sometimes do like Valhalla, but my range is much tighter than my open raising range.
I definitely agree about much tighter from the blinds, and almost never just call from the blinds.
I do like to throw some suited connectors in to my calling range, as well, when in position(usually OTB).
 
8bod8

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You're absolutely right about the starting hands/position
As the prupose of the raise is:
- increase the pot
- reduce the number of players
It also depends the opponents, in micro stakes/early MTT with many calling stations, raising is less efficient.
 
Luvart

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Good question and a bit underrated IMO.

I've also been playing microstakes poker lately.

The vast majority of the poker theory out there is riddled with "3betting OOP", "how to profitably steal the blinds", "starting hand ranges", "how to play from the blinds", "cbetting post", "how to play multiway/draws", "setmining", etc. etc. etc. but mastering the art of calling single raises pre is super important.

I don't call 2bets pre with the 100% of my opening ranges. What I have realized so far is that the GAP Concept is one of the most fundamental skills you have to develop.
 
Vfranks

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- increase the pot
- reduce the number of players

How on Earth are you calling a preflop raise to "reduce the number of players"? :confused::confused::confused:

Good question and a bit underrated IMO.

I've also been playing microstakes poker lately.

The vast majority of the poker theory out there is riddled with "3betting OOP", "how to profitably steal the blinds", "starting hand ranges", "how to play from the blinds", "cbetting post", "how to play multiway/draws", "setmining", etc. etc. etc. but mastering the art of calling single raises pre is super important.

I don't call 2bets pre with the 100% of my opening ranges. What I have realized so far is that the GAP Concept is one of the most fundamental skills you have to develop.


Ah, very nice. I forgot about the term "GAP concept", as I took a little break from online poker, and am now trying to get back into it more. One of my biggest leaks when I first started was calling people too loosely, and being dominated because of it. I probably play too tight when it comes to calling preflop raises now, because of it, and fold when a call might be warranted.
 
DSUMMER10

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We have two options: the increase in the intention to bluff or by value. However, a number of factors must be considered prior to such action, so that you do not commit to each community letter revealed on the table. The fundamental points that must be taken into account are: profile of the villains, where it is verified if it is tight, tight agressive or agressive; as well as betting patterns,

 
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bloodviper1s

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You call when your hand is to weak to 3-bet and too strong to fold. Simple. Now what hands are to strong to fold and to weak to raise? It depends on position and player type, and to an extent bet size. Example:

UTG fish/reg opens. I'm calling ATs on the button. UTG nit opens, I'm folding ATs
Similar story for MP.

Now if Villian is in the CO I'm 3betting ATs relentlessly against most opponents to fold out the blinds and take the sweet sweet initiative. And now a hand like J9s falls into my flatting range.

I would take a look at Matthew Janda's application of NLH
 
Vfranks

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You call when your hand is to weak to 3-bet and too strong to fold. Simple. Now what hands are to strong to fold and to weak to raise? It depends on position and player type, and to an extent bet size. Example:

UTG fish/reg opens. I'm calling ATs on the button. UTG nit opens, I'm folding ATs
Similar story for MP.

Now if Villian is in the CO I'm 3betting ATs relentlessly against most opponents to fold out the blinds and take the sweet sweet initiative. And now a hand like J9s falls into my flatting range.

I would take a look at Matthew Janda's application of NLH

Awesome, thanks for the reply and recommendation, I'll definitely check him out.
 
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texantuner

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If you have a hand that's not reraise worthy. Any premium hand that is not a pocket pair or AK. Any other premium hand I would just call a raise with. However, I also take into account how many other players have called before the raise and how big the raise is. Lets say that you're in late position with KQ suited or nonsuited. The blinds are 15/30 and 3 people have called before someone min. raised to 60. In this scenario I'm actually going to reraise this person because I'm not gonna put them on a premium hand like me. But if they raise the standard 3.5x the big blind to 105 I'm going to flat call.
 
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