UTG playing is always so hard

I Live Poker

I Live Poker

Legend
Platinum Level
Joined
Oct 7, 2018
Total posts
3,014
Awards
5
Chips
101
look I'm almost giving up playing any UTG hand, for example: if I have UTG AA I do 3.5 X - I get a call from every table, if I do 3.5X + everyone gives up ... any tips?
 
eetenor

eetenor

Legend
Platinum Level
Joined
Mar 5, 2019
Total posts
2,163
Awards
2
Chips
169
look I'm almost giving up playing any UTG hand, for example: if I have UTG AA I do 3.5 X - I get a call from every table, if I do 3.5X + everyone gives up ... any tips?


Thank U 4 posting

Thinking about your strategies based on hundreds of times you had AA not 10 times will help with tilting over how your villains react situationally

If you are comparing how different players on different tables are reacting to UTG raises this is beyond our control therefore we again focus on our over all strategy based on data collection and analysis

When you are on a table you want to make data notes on how your villains are playing UTG raises before you make one if you can. If not we can only make a standard raise then when everyone calls we want to pay close attention to cards at showdown to see how hand dependent the actions were. If the calls were hand dependent we would not adjust our bet sizing.

Example
U AA UTG raise 3x
V Utg 2 calls with KQs typical call
V MP1 calls with 66 typical call
V MP2 calls with 87s typical call based on 3.5-1 pot odds
V HJ. Calls JT. 4.5-1 pot odds
B Btn calls 65s or off 5.5-1 odds
Sb calls any two 8-1
Bb calls any two 11-1

The above is card dependent not player dependent. The initial early position correct calling ranges offers odds for later players to call wider each time

We would not adjust our UTG sizing due to the above

Hope this helps
:):)
 
D

DavidSWE

Rising Star
Bronze Level
Joined
May 11, 2020
Total posts
13
Chips
0
If you always get called by more than two players then deffinitely raise higher, it is better you win the blinds or maybe once in a while get 1 caller with bigger pot then to play AA oop vs many players.

If you expect someone to raise if you limp you can also limp3b it some of the time. Depends on what you think the other players will do and what you think they think that you have and what you will do.
 
I Live Poker

I Live Poker

Legend
Platinum Level
Joined
Oct 7, 2018
Total posts
3,014
Awards
5
Chips
101
Thank U 4 posting

Thinking about your strategies based on hundreds of times you had AA not 10 times will help with tilting over how your villains react situationally

If you are comparing how different players on different tables are reacting to UTG raises this is beyond our control therefore we again focus on our over all strategy based on data collection and analysis

When you are on a table you want to make data notes on how your villains are playing UTG raises before you make one if you can. If not we can only make a standard raise then when everyone calls we want to pay close attention to cards at showdown to see how hand dependent the actions were. If the calls were hand dependent we would not adjust our bet sizing.

Example
U AA UTG raise 3x
V Utg 2 calls with KQs typical call
V MP1 calls with 66 typical call
V MP2 calls with 87s typical call based on 3.5-1 pot odds
V HJ. Calls JT. 4.5-1 pot odds
B Btn calls 65s or off 5.5-1 odds
Sb calls any two 8-1
Bb calls any two 11-1

The above is card dependent not player dependent. The initial early position correct calling ranges offers odds for later players to call wider each time

We would not adjust our UTG sizing due to the above

Hope this helps
:):)



it helped a lot! very good your perceived range of call in UTG, just one more thing the range is KQs + 66+ .... is that it?

but anyway it’s difficult to play when you receive more than 3 calls, it’s a very wide range
 
I Live Poker

I Live Poker

Legend
Platinum Level
Joined
Oct 7, 2018
Total posts
3,014
Awards
5
Chips
101
If you always get called by more than two players then deffinitely raise higher, it is better you win the blinds or maybe once in a while get 1 caller with bigger pot then to play AA oop vs many players.

If you expect someone to raise if you limp you can also limp3b it some of the time. Depends on what you think the other players will do and what you think they think that you have and what you will do.

yes it is actually more profitable to steal the blinds and at any time take a fair call, with a much easier range to define to play post flop
 
I Live Poker

I Live Poker

Legend
Platinum Level
Joined
Oct 7, 2018
Total posts
3,014
Awards
5
Chips
101
If you always get called by more than two players then deffinitely raise higher, it is better you win the blinds or maybe once in a while get 1 caller with bigger pot then to play AA oop vs many players.

If you expect someone to raise if you limp you can also limp3b it some of the time. Depends on what you think the other players will do and what you think they think that you have and what you will do.

yes it is actually more profitable to steal the blinds and at any time take a fair call, with a much easier range to define to play post flop
 
R

ROYALROAD

Visionary
Platinum Level
Joined
Jan 1, 2019
Total posts
729
Awards
2
Chips
45
But everything depends on situation of the place.

There is also a AA all in from UTG.
 
T

Transitley

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
May 12, 2020
Total posts
66
Chips
7
I encountered this a lot in my home games and so started increasing my raise to 5x. People realised that I was very strong when I did this but still I got callers - its quite funny that others can't help themselves, but now I'm normally heads up. As said before, I'm happy stealing the blinds if not.

Also like the previous reply of the pre-flop jam if stacks are appropriate, can make you look desperate and trying to protect your weaker hand - only works against weak undisciplined players.
 
lattedank

lattedank

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Apr 17, 2020
Total posts
155
Chips
0
That's why you should be playing good hands when you're utg. For me the worst thing is if I have cards like KQs, JQs and I'm UTG. I'll raise with hands like these but I'm folding after someone reraises me. Sometimes I limp with AA from the utg and I win a lot of times that way because someone goes all in right away or I simply win after the showdown. (people tend to go aggro on the flop because they think that I have a weak hand while holding AA)
 
Amanda A

Amanda A

Legend
Bronze Level
Joined
Feb 23, 2016
Total posts
1,357
Awards
2
Chips
23
Yes, it definitely depends on what table you are at. Sometimes an utg raise gets a lot of respect, especially when the blinds are higher.
 
johnnylawford

johnnylawford

Visionary
Bronze Level
Joined
May 11, 2019
Total posts
622
Awards
2
Chips
101
Is the problem with getting calls with your big hands that you don't like playing them OOP post-flop? If that's the case you should check out the 30-day training course in the poker strategy section, it covers the basics of post-flop play scenarios. The important thing is to evaluate what people will call with on each street and be willing to fold on coordinated boards.
 
D

Delfino

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Jun 15, 2020
Total posts
149
Chips
0
You actually shouldn't be worried that so many people call because they are building the pot while you hold the best cards. Just don't give up too many chips with it when somebody hits hard. Value your hand depending on how many people call.
 
F

freeisfun

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Mar 15, 2020
Total posts
207
Chips
0
Your right early positions are very hard too play but you need to develop a strategy. You saying every1 call when you 3x but they fold 3.5x . So open more hands then just AA utg for 3.5x.
 
Top