Chip leader/Table bully right next to you

Alucard

Alucard

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What are the actions/precautions you take when the table bully is right next to your left.

You are always OOP except when in the button and he most of the time calls your bets & raises.

What do you do?
 
thatguy6793

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I'd just play super tight and very aggressive until you get reseated or you beat him on a great hand. Patience is key here until you can outsmart him.
 
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Gnikace

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That will depend on my stack vs his stack, and on the blinds and antes level, and on what other players do before me. If I have a big stack and blind and antes are high, I'll play aggressively. If I have a small stack like 5 BB's, I'll probably go all in with anything like AJ or higher, pocket pairs 77 or higher, and 78 suited or higher.. depending on what other players before me do.
 
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Samuel Kollapso

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You would choose your hands very well, and knowing that he is an aggressive player, would limp and when he increases in the pre flop would give all in.
 
515bastos

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Raise to try steal some BBs haha
 
MikeCarasone

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Patience is key. Trap them when you have a good holding and win a big pot. Sometimes I limp fold deliberately to play into them, make them think I'm gonna fold to there raises. Playing possum has returned some nice rewards. Sometimes you just have to fight fire with fire. Raise them right back if you don't want to be ran over all day. Show them that your not gonna tolerate there nonsense. But I'd rather wait until the best opportunity comes.
 
terryk

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Don`t make the mistake of taking it personal.It`s a strategy,nothing more.When you have a player who is easy to read is optimal for you,trap him and make him pay,,,,:D
 
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ph_il

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If villain to your left is just calling, they're not a bully. They're a call station.

In this situation, just tighten up your opening range. I'd even say limp some weaker raising hands that can potentially hit strong flops. Hands like 89s or 77 for example, where you can check/fold if you miss but get paid off if you hit strong.
 
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cheeeer

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Try to make high raise. Some are scared of high raise.
 
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beatlebug

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I just play super tight until he or I am moved. Eventually, if I get a good hand I will limp until the river and then shove for a good return.
 
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1noname1

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I wait for a good hand and I will provoke it with a small raise, after which I go all-in.
 
Andrei Korolev

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The main thing is patience in this,the main thing is to push with a strong hand...
 
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koskesh

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The problem with bullies vs tight players is that they are very hard to read. Patience is the best offence but you also need luck because playing tight until you get say KK to put him all in when he flip his cards to show AA will push you over the edge emotionally.
 
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discintildeath

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Definitely play tight and wait to hit him big!
 
TeUnit

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This is kinda like the deeper the water the easier it is to swim.....what I mean by this is you dont have much to do here, just understand your tourney equity and his range and adapt accordingly. There is probably not room for fancy plays, but if ICM says you should jam your 88 over his raise then to quote shia labeouf "just do it".
 
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Thenightrain

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If you have the chips be prepared to test the bully and see how he reacts to being 4 bet of their say 3 bet raise. Sometimes big stacks will be aggressive knowing the rest of the table won't want to get into a pot with them and will back down quickly once challenged. As everyone has said about though be patient and do it with a premium hand!
 
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koskesh

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Being patient and waiting is good advice and all but there is no guarantee that a "premium hand" will win against an aggressor. Luck is a huge factor. I have lost count how many times (on pokerstars) I have lost on the river when I had 95%+ chance of winning on the turn.
 
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pietpikel

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What are the actions/precautions you take when the table bully is right next to your left.

You are always OOP except when in the button and he most of the time calls your bets & raises.

What do you do?
In this situation you have to tighten up your range. You are under pressure because if you limp into a hand, you could be playing for your tournament life, if he puts you all in. Realize that if you limp in, and get raised, you are probably going to fold. After a few times it will begin to needle you. So, don't limp in. If you are going to see a flop, then raise.

A big stack on your left (or anywhere), wants to keep his/her big stack. So if you are going to see a flop, make it hurt if they are to call your raise, otherwise fold. If you fall behind the average, you get into trouble against the bigger stacks, so rather take a risk earlier, with an effective stack size.
 
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titiduru

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What are the actions/precautions you take when the table bully is right next to your left.

You are always OOP except when in the button and he most of the time calls your bets & raises.

What do you do?

I would call only with premium hands, and hope that he raises so I can jam all in.
 
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PKRNRS

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There's not much you can do except wait for a big hand. These bullies can be tough to play against. They play any two and even when you get the best flop, they still seem to make a hand.
 
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masha535

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against him it is best to play only with a strong hand , and better top pair , just that he will play a big range of hands than you
 
SydTheCat

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I tried that on a FT recently with the massive chip leader. I finally got AA and reraised him with all my chips. He called of course and sucked out. Ending my day.
 
Royal_074

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I begin to play more aggressively-my strategy is tight when I sure in success of my cards
 
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ph_il

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I tried that on a FT recently with the massive chip leader. I finally got AA and reraised him with all my chips. He called of course and sucked out. Ending my day.
Don't worry about the results and focus more on the decisions.

Getting your money in with AA will always be a +EV decision, regardless of sometimes suffering undesirable results.
 
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SpeedBump621

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If the bully big stack is to your left you dont have many choices. Figure out how he's playing. If he's being spewy take advantage of it by initially letting him do your raising for you.

If he see's you as weak just go ahead and let him build the pot a bit until u throw in a monster check raise/shove on the river!
 
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