Mixing it up

vinylspiros

vinylspiros

PIRANHA-------->< (((º>
Silver Level
Joined
Oct 9, 2012
Total posts
4,393
Awards
1
Chips
1
I hear alot of talk about mixing it up. I kind of get what it means but what exactly does it mean? Whats the best way to mix it up?

Is it to reraise with bad hands in order to be unpredictable? some examples would be good.
 
Poker Orifice

Poker Orifice

Fully Tilted
Platinum Level
Joined
Jan 19, 2008
Total posts
25,598
Awards
6
CA
Chips
968
You know like don't always throw the straight-right after the left jab.
Sometimes lead with a left hook.
Maybe switch over to southpaw.
 
snklzona

snklzona

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Dec 26, 2012
Total posts
300
Chips
0
I guess that's called putting it in terms his avatar could understand...lol
 
ChronicFish

ChronicFish

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Mar 21, 2009
Total posts
222
Chips
0
mixing it up, playing hands that you wouldnt usualy play is what it means to me.
 
vinylspiros

vinylspiros

PIRANHA-------->< (((º>
Silver Level
Joined
Oct 9, 2012
Total posts
4,393
Awards
1
Chips
1
mixing it up, playing hands that you wouldnt usualy play is what it means to me.
yea thats what i understand as well.but like is it playing a draw passively versus aggressively in order to not be able to be easily read by opponents.

i mean , its kinda retarded unless your opponent has played so many hands with you that he can read u like an open book.
 
ChronicFish

ChronicFish

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Mar 21, 2009
Total posts
222
Chips
0
I like to read the opponent based on each bet he makes. and try to put myself in his shoes..bluffing does not happen unless they are bigstack, or rookies just fishing lookin for a river catch lol!
 
D

dead homie

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Apr 8, 2013
Total posts
255
Chips
0
i play very tight. when i go to the casino they all know im tight never call my rasies and know i only bet big on good hands. I really needed to start changing things up, i had to start bluffing and showing to loosin my image.
 
steveiam

steveiam

CardsChat Elite
Silver Level
Joined
Jan 9, 2013
Total posts
3,625
Chips
0
I suppose its more relevant in cash games because you are playing with the same players longer.
 
IntenseHeat

IntenseHeat

Legend
Bronze Level
Joined
Nov 21, 2012
Total posts
1,058
Chips
0
Changing it up could refer to hand selection. I know I like to widen my range up some, once I've established a tight, aggressive image. But I think it means more than that. To me it means changing up you post flop play as well. Alternating between leading out when you hit the flop and check raising or even check calling against an aggressive player who will bet it for you. This will allow you to see turns and rivers for free when your opponent can't be sure that you're not slow playing a monster.
 
vinylspiros

vinylspiros

PIRANHA-------->< (((º>
Silver Level
Joined
Oct 9, 2012
Total posts
4,393
Awards
1
Chips
1
Changing it up could refer to hand selection. I know I like to widen my range up some, once I've established a tight, aggressive image. But I think it means more than that. To me it means changing up you post flop play as well. Alternating between leading out when you hit the flop and check raising or even check calling against an aggressive player who will bet it for you. This will allow you to see turns and rivers for free when your opponent can't be sure that you're not slow playing a monster.
this is pretty much the idea.
 
B

BomTombadil

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
May 1, 2013
Total posts
100
Chips
0
Mixing it up is a way over-valued concept for most players. If you play high stakes against very good players it is very important, but at low stakes "mixing it up" usually just means playing a hand poorly.
If you play with the same players often or for a long period of time then you'll want to make sure you aren't too predictable. Find different lines to take, but make sure they're all good ways to play the hand. Mix up your raising vs calling with draws, if you bet with AA and get 3 bet sometimes make the 4 bet sometimes call, if you play really tight and people give your raises tons of respect start throwing in the occasional 3 bet with a suited connecter, etc... What you want to avoid is doing stupid plays with crap cards to "mix it up." Every hand you play should be played in a way that is plus ev on it's own.
 
dooydoo

dooydoo

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Feb 13, 2012
Total posts
265
Chips
0
my advice is dont worry about it. Just work on making optimal decisions.
 
hobonc

hobonc

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
May 28, 2010
Total posts
854
Chips
0
Mixing it up or altering your playing style to confuse others can be done by:
*suddenly limping when you have only been raising pots or vise versa
*playing a wider range of hands or vise versa
*reraising a raise
*protecting a blind from a late raiser who has done so frequently
*over betting the pot in lieu of a pot size bet when you usually do so
*basically changing playing patterns

There is also the similar concept of changing gears which would be loosening up in certain tournement situations like when the table becomes short, you have a really big stack size for your table, and getting close to the bubble, to name a few.
 
M

Mursilis1

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
Apr 30, 2013
Total posts
78
Chips
0
chronic flash said " he likes to read an opponent by how they bet" so one way of switching it up might be raising UG with a hand like 76s. Not all the time though. But if done occasionally an opponent may call you and put you on AQ or AA or something and when the board comes low you can make some money.
Dont get carried away play solid and dont be a robot either cause some players can read exceptionally well.
 
BluffyouBAD

BluffyouBAD

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
May 1, 2013
Total posts
142
Chips
0
Just playing random hands to add to your deception to avoid players from pinpointing your range and avoiding you. That would cause you to win very little.

This is what sklanksy is talking about when he talks about playing occasional average hands like 56 or 79 suited and raising and playing them as a monster hand.
 
B

BomTombadil

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
May 1, 2013
Total posts
100
Chips
0
Everyone keeps saying to never limp. While this is not terrible advice, I think limping can be fine at times. For example, I play regularly in a pretty soft, live game. I find it to be very profitable to limp with small to med pocket pairs to set mine. If I were playing against very good players I would do this much less often, but in this particular game it's a very effective move.
As far as the subject of mixing it up goes, I think in most cases it's a way over-valued concept. In higher stakes vs good opponents it's important, but it's too often an excuse to do stupid things. You should try to play every hand in a way that makes sense on it's own. Also, there's usually more than one good line that can be taken with a hand. You can mix it up and be less predictable without doing minus ev plays.
 
BluffyouBAD

BluffyouBAD

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
May 1, 2013
Total posts
142
Chips
0
Everyone keeps saying to never limp. While this is not terrible advice, I think limping can be fine at times. For example, I play regularly in a pretty soft, live game. I find it to be very profitable to limp with small to med pocket pairs to set mine. If I were playing against very good players I would do this much less often, but in this particular game it's a very effective move.
As far as the subject of mixing it up goes, I think in most cases it's a way over-valued concept. In higher stakes vs good opponents it's important, but it's too often an excuse to do stupid things. You should try to play every hand in a way that makes sense on it's own. Also, there's usually more than one good line that can be taken with a hand. You can mix it up and be less predictable without doing minus ev plays.


Totally agree. If I can limp with mid or low pockets out of position for cheap I will gladly do it as much as possible so I have spent much less when I do flop trips and can make more of a profit.

In some tougher games I have even limped with big hands occasionally to throw my opponents off. This has to be done very little though cause it can easily go bad on you if you do it to often.
 
F

Flsnookman

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Mar 27, 2013
Total posts
209
Chips
0
To me mixing it up means playing tag when the table is playing lag and vice versa. I am a tourney player so I try and play tight early and loose later on but if I am in my daily tourney where the other players know me I will try and change that up as well. Good luck.
 
Top