5NL 6-max General Hands Question

I know it might not exactly be correct to post this here, but I didn't want a bunch of generic/pointless replies.

Last night I found myself at a 5NL 6-max table w/ almost all players with Vp$p averaging something rediculous like 50 and a mix between guys PFR 40% of hands down to 3%. They were almost all below 50% Fold to Flop bet and a ton of hands were good amount of hands were going to showdown (wouldn't be suprised if around 20% of those were >2 players).

JUICY! was the first thing i thought, but I couldn't capitalize (actually lost a little, although only got about 100 or so hands). My main problems were when I was in CO or BTN, I really had no fold equity raising 5xbb w/ usually 2 limpers already in. I'm assuming I should bumb this up.

Also I realize that 6-max requires a looser play and therefore more marginal situations. I found a lot of trouble with hands like Ax that I would get 2+ callers almost 90% of the time and when I didn't hit I was always floated on my c-bets by one of the players and facing more resistance than I usually do. Should I have taken these hands out of my range or would it have made me way too tight and unprofitable?

I'm trying to look for some guidance from people that have played at these types of extremely loose tables for 6-max and how to take advantage of them, how much tighter your starting hands should be (if this is even profitable), and how much larger you preflop raises usually get. What types of hands are we willing to get it in with that we normally wouldn't, preflop or flop?

Likminutz said:

I'm trying to look for some guidance from people that have played at these types of extremely loose tables for 6-max and how to take advantage of them, how much tighter your starting hands should be (if this is even profitable), and how much larger you preflop raises usually get. What types of hands are we willing to get it in with that we normally wouldn't, preflop or flop?

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To be honest you can really win these games by being pretty nitty. I'm not sure what hands your isolating with, but I would stay away from doing it with some of the suited connectors and A rag hands. Stick with the big broadways and medium-large pocket pairs for the most part if they're limp calling too much. Maybe something like a9s+ a10o+ 99+ KJo K10s+, you can probably add some hands to that based on your opponents or table conditions. If they limp call and fold too much postflop then you should add more hands. With these hands your generally going to be ahead of thier preflop limping ranges, since if they had one up on any of these hands they are probably going to raise these hands: (a10s+ AJo+ 1010+, KQo KJs)

As far as hands your willing to get it in with preflop or the flop, this is very player dependant. Take notes and see what kinds of hands these guys are playing big pots with.

In regards to preflop raise size, I'll typically make it 4x+1bb per limper. If you feel your ahead you want to make it as much as you think they are willing to call,without getting them to fold the worst hand.

Thanks for the advice.

Just trying to verify your thinking on leaving the lower SC's and A-rag hands out...

I assume that since most of these players will usually not fold to 1 or more streets of action then we are looking for top pairs, which will be good enough to extract value.

The SC's we will end up in a lot of positions where we need to semi-bluff, and against people that don't have much fold equity we are actually losing money.

My question on the A-rags is what position to start raising them at such a loose 6max table.

Say for instance A4o. When we raise from later positions to anything 5xbb or less we will get 1 or 2 callers roughly 70% of the time is it worth building up this pot when said players will fold to a flop sometimes as low as 30%. I just find that in these situations where I raise preflop with A4o or A7o from late position and miss, I end up playing large pots, almost turning my hands into bluffs and don't know where I stand on flops that would be considered dry, ie 10 8 3 rainbow. Is it better just to leave them out and just wait for better hands?

Finally, in such loose games would something like an aggressive Vp$p of 11-13% still be too low to make money @ 6max micro stakes?

There is no isolating in these games, and as Rich said, you should be playing super nitty.

Optimal stats would be something like 12/12/inf. Also, I'd increase my preflop raise to about 6xbb's, just to milk my preflop edge a little more & allow me to get all in on the flop a lot easier. Do not raise ace rag at bad tables. You should just be raising the top 10-15% of hands, and limping more with small pairs. There's no need to disguise your play, balance, or any of that stuff. Just make good hands, and value bet the ever living hell out of them. Your opponents will never adjust, and will always give you action.

I wouldn't mind opening suited aces and a8+ on the button at a table like this. Once you drop below A8 though there is going to be more dominating aces then the ones that you have dominated. Keep in mind your not looking to play big pots with the A8o type hands, or be double barrell bluffing these types of players, because your playing into thier strength of calling too much.


Finally, in such loose games would something like an aggressive Vp$p of 11-13% still be too low to make money @ 6max micro stakes?[/quote]

It depends what kind of table your playing at. If your table selection consists of finding the highest players to flop%, and largest pot sizes. Then playing this tight is probably the way to go.

Sounds good, thanks for the advice.

Let's see if I can work on changing gears the next time I end up on one of these tables.