I hate Straddles

Mr Sandbag

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I play 1/2 NL live, and I hate hands where the UTG player straddles. It builds a pot, but it also turns the table dynamics into some wacky jumble of semi-urgency. Raises out of nowhere with mediocre hands, the straddler almost always raises because he feels the need to protect his $5, 3-bets are called by limpers because they feel "committed" (lol).

What do you do differently (if anything) in a straddled hand?

I tend to tighten up my range and get really aggressive preflop if I do get a good hand. IMO, playing straddled hands often is a good way to introduce more swings into your bankroll. Not only that, but players are a bit harder to read in general because it seems like everyone gets slightly "tilted" by straddles. I saw someone in middle position randomly raise with 10-6s after a straddle, call a 3-bet by the straddler, and flop a flush to crush the straddler's pocket Kings. I feel like this hand never would have happened between these two players had there not been a straddle, and the reason he gave for calling the 3-bet was he "had too much money in the pot" ($15).
 
BenSprocket

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I love straddling. Often do it.
 
Mr Sandbag

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I love straddling. Often do it.

Why?

I can't seem to think of any benefit from straddling. You're creating a larger pot, with a more-often-than-not garbage hand, in poor postflop position.
 
BenSprocket

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The very fact you have started this thread indicates at least one good reason for doing it. It identifies people who are scared to play and lose money.
 
BluffMeAllIn

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IMO a 1/2 game with 5$ straddle tends to play more like a loose 5/10 game because if you have anyone willing to gamble the pot is usually going to get huge. At least this is the case where I used to play a lot live, I have seen it go 1/2/5/10/20/40/80/160 in an 8 person game. Now you want crazy, that is crazy haha how I miss my live games back home.
 
Mr Sandbag

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The very fact you have started this thread indicates at least one good reason for doing it. It identifies people who are scared to play and lose money.

I'm not scared to lose money at all and I'm not afraid to shove. But I'll be cautious when entering a hand where the table dynamics and player styles change. It makes hand reading more difficult, which is why I'm more aggressive preflop in straddled hands.
 
MTCashman

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It creates action, last time I played a live cash game with straddles most of the chips were being thrown in pre flop lol
 
WVHillbilly

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I play 1/2 NL live, and I hate hands where the UTG player straddles. It builds a pot, but it also turns the table dynamics into some wacky jumble of semi-urgency. Raises out of nowhere with mediocre hands, the straddler almost always raises because he feels the need to protect his $5, 3-bets are called by limpers because they feel "committed" (lol).

What do you do differently (if anything) in a straddled hand?

I tend to tighten up my range and get really aggressive preflop if I do get a good hand. IMO, playing straddled hands often is a good way to introduce more swings into your bankroll. Not only that, but players are a bit harder to read in general because it seems like everyone gets slightly "tilted" by straddles. I saw someone in middle position randomly raise with 10-6s after a straddle, call a 3-bet by the straddler, and flop a flush to crush the straddler's pocket Kings. I feel like this hand never would have happened between these two players had there not been a straddle, and the reason he gave for calling the 3-bet was he "had too much money in the pot" ($15).
Sounds like great reasons to love it when others straddle. I mean it sounds like people are playing horribly in straddle pots and when others play badly (and putting extra $$s in blindly AND defending that extra money widely is playing badly) we win.
 
Chipper_Tracy42

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I play 1/2 NL live, and I hate hands where the UTG player straddles. It builds a pot, but it also turns the table dynamics into some wacky jumble of semi-urgency. Raises out of nowhere with mediocre hands, the straddler almost always raises because he feels the need to protect his $5, 3-bets are called by limpers because they feel "committed" (lol).

What do you do differently (if anything) in a straddled hand?

I tend to tighten up my range and get really aggressive preflop if I do get a good hand. IMO, playing straddled hands often is a good way to introduce more swings into your bankroll. Not only that, but players are a bit harder to read in general because it seems like everyone gets slightly "tilted" by straddles. I saw someone in middle position randomly raise with 10-6s after a straddle, call a 3-bet by the straddler, and flop a flush to crush the straddler's pocket Kings. I feel like this hand never would have happened between these two players had there not been a straddle, and the reason he gave for calling the 3-bet was he "had too much money in the pot" ($15).

- I play tons of live, and in the casino where i play from, straddling is some sort of a norm. And the stradller will (almost/always) shove/bet big if nobody raises with any two cards.:argh: And it kinda easy to exploit these kind of players who do these a lot IMHO..:) I myself straddles from time to time especially if I'm winning (during the session). And one of the reason i think people want to straddle in live games is that players want action! Live games could be slow/boring most of the time. So players straddle to induce some action and spice things up. Just my 2 cents. :)
 
Jillychemung

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Ditto what WVH says. I love straddles as it bloats the pot and changes a lot of pot-stack ratios that most players can't deal with. My local game has a number of players that will routinely straddle and we even allow double & triple straddles ++. Have even played where 7-handed it straddled around such that the guy in the SB was 1st to act preflop :) for $25.
 
topper39

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I don't mind straddling too when I'm in some game of reasonable stakes. But would never straddle if the amount I'm putting in would somehow tie me up to the pot, because of its height.
 
Aces2w1n

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Sometimes when a table hits 3-4 rounds and all ppl are doing is winning the blinds... Straddle is very handy just to intimidate the Nitty

I keep doing it and Cbetting until I get challenged and the table awakes. ATC as well :)
 
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Ditto what WVH says. I love straddles as it bloats the pot and changes a lot of pot-stack ratios that most players can't deal with. My local game has a number of players that will routinely straddle and we even allow double & triple straddles ++. Have even played where 7-handed it straddled around such that the guy in the SB was 1st to act preflop :) for $25.

hahaha this is the same around here at my buddies game he runs.

one dude straddles every time he is UTG no matter what and i love to just raise him everytime he gets so mad especially because I always outplay him post flop and win decent pots.... he keeps me afloat till I cooler somebody and win a giant pot.

love straddles

we have straddled all the way around back to BB as well

we are often playing 5-7 handed on average and full table on good nights.
 
S3mper

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just wait till people start doing the Mississippi straddle
 
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You just need to adjust your ranges to exploit opponents. For example: If people are widening their value range, then you can widen you value raising range.

There are going to be some donk stuff happening like the 106 hitting a flush against KK, but that can also happen with any hand. Just keep playing smart and do not worry about the short term results.
 
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AcesUp747

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Straddles are awesome. They loosen up the game, fish get excited, people have more fun.

Isn't that the point of poker? To have fun?
 
Mr Sandbag

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I bet straddling is -EV in 1/2 NL live.

Play a random hand from the UTG position with a large pot. Gotta be -EV.
 
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Point of poker is to win money

The point of poker FOR YOU is winning money. For some people it's just entertainment, or brain training. Let's try not to over-generalize.

Thanks.

-HooDooKoo
 
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When I was in Vegas over the summer, the games at Planet Hollywood always had straddles on. In the standard $1/$2 game you could straddle $5 UTG and $10 on the button.

Made for some crazy action, but it also scared off a lot of the fishes, too.
 
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chauncey274

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I play mostly online and almost never see a straddle on there (one site I play at does allow for it though), but I've played at the local casino maybe a dozen times. About half the table seemed to like the straddle but it really didn't change the game at all. If there were no straddle the initial bet on the 1/2 dollar table would be anywhere from 8 to 15 all the way to 20 for one or two of the players. And if there's a straddle, the initial bet would be 10 to 15 or so. I never noticed anyone playing any differently except the straddle would be more inclined to call a bet. It never really raised the frequency of them 3 betting or anything like that. To me it made no sense but I get the feeling they weren't really playing it correctly, not that I would now how.
 
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chauncey274

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I bet straddling is -EV in 1/2 NL live.

Play a random hand from the UTG position with a large pot. Gotta be -EV.
That's what I think every time I see it done in my casino. Now if it gave you position on every street for the rest of the hand then I could completely understand it.

I will say though that it does get under people's skins. One borderline drunk actually got really testy with the straddle one time and said "stupid, why don't you just go over there and play 2/5?" It could be just a tool that some people feel makes other players nervous. To me that still isn't worth me playing out of position in a large pot unless it's an obvious fish or something.
 
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