Switching Ranges?

[Rockyfour]

Instead of flipping a coin you should just observe who is at the table and make adjustments based on that.

 

[Spannerdeth]

Thank you all for taking the time to respond, I have a lot to reply to!

 

[Spannerdeth]

Yes. But instead of playing a whole game with one type of ranges it definitely good to mix them during a game.

I usually only play for an hour or two online, but I much longer on the occasions I play live. That's great advice, I might try switching it up every hour maybe, every orbit seems like it'd be too much to keep track!

 

[Spannerdeth]

I’m not sure if I got your questioning but I will provide you some sample:
My 3-betting range from MP (for 6-MAX tables):
99-QQ: I will 3-bet these pocket pairs more often than calling, although I will be calling down in a low frequency.
Now KK, AA and AKs I will never be calling from MP. Hands that I would be doing the same of 99-QQ from MP are KQs, ATs-AQs and A2s-A5s.
Once in a lifetime I will be calling from MP small pocket pairs 22-88, for their equities will not realize so good as the others.
There is also AKo and AQo, that I will try to balance calling in a low frequency and 3-betting in a high frequency.
Of course all of this look very schematic but it’s a model of how I get things done from this specific position and scenario: what will make me change if I do 3-bet or call preflop are the opening raisor from UTG and the players ahead in the CO and BTN.
Does your subject involves something of that nature?

Thanks for the reply. I have a similar approach with my default 'merged' 3 bet range so I'm with you with all of that. My question was more about wether it's worth learning a 'polarised' range so I can switch between them and keeping myself from being predicatable. Merged is my default however, as I find it easier to extend my range ever so slightly for exploitative play.

 

[Spannerdeth]

Hi, as Ranges relates to a set of hands that either you or an opponent might hold in a particular situation you must consider all your opponents’ possible holdings. Inexperienced players think their opponents can’t have a particular hand when they should be looking at all their opponents’ possible hands as the basis for their decisions. Given a Poker Range is a compilation of hands that a player could have at a particular point in a hand and as the hand progresses, you can narrow down a poker range based on the Betting action, Betting pattern, Betting Size, Player type and the overall whole situation. For example, pre flop note the actions of your opponents in order to refine an opponent’s starting hand: Pay attention to your opponent’ pre-flop action what is his/her position, playing style, (limp/raise/3bet etc.), what the frequency of that action, delete any hands that shouldn’t be in the mix and consider if any factors would skew their play. IOW play the player and the whole situation and make sound deductions given the information you have so far in the hand and any patterns that you have noticed. Having said all of this, yes it is good to be unpredictable however, against decent opponents you will probably be put into difficult decisions post flop if you try to play too wide a range for the early positions especially when they see your exposed hands ie too wide a range from EP and or too many bluffs. This will result in being called down and put into too many negative EV plays and then you will have to tighten up your range against the good opponents who will see you adjusting your range and trying to mix it up. So IMO you asked about a linear range or a polarized range as like most things in poker "It Depends" on the whole situation I like to map out the table for the first few rounds, try to identify the weak and strong opponents ie who is over folding from the blinds or who is calling out of position with too wide a range be more exploitative and use the hand range as a basis and adjust my range based on that type of information. IE if the whole table is limping alot I have a wider range from early positions especially with hands that have good post flop playability and could get someones stack if I hit the flop hard or get a good draw and it won't cost me more than 10-15% of my stack to continue. I use a linear range on the good regs the TAGs the thinking players that can fold, read ranges and know what you are representing given the texture of the board if it is better for you and a more polarized range on the Calling stations those that won't fold and can't be bluffed just make a solid hand and value bet them. So good luck hope this helps.

Thanks for taking the time to respond! What I've ultimately taken from this advice is that I perhaps shouldn't randomize which range I'm using for a given time, but use ranges with specific intentions depending on the table dynamics. Thanks!

 

[Spannerdeth]

What level do you play at. Micro players are usually fish don't understand or care about ranges. Good players do, but they are usually regs playing for higher stakes.

Mostly micros online, but on the occasion when I visit a city and go to a card room I study beforehand and try my best to play my A-game.

 

[Spannerdeth]

This...at micro stakes nobody cares what you have or what you do.

If they like their 65o ...then they're ignoring your 3-bet and going all in.

Bloody hell, where can I find those tables!?

I see some crap players online at the micros, but they never seem to 3bet anything but big pocket pairs, and cold call pretty much everything else!

 

[Spannerdeth]

Whether you take a linear or polarized 3 and 4 betting strategy has more to do with the formation (Positions) that people are raising from. I'm not sure where you're coming up with the idea that you "Decide" to take a polarized or linear strategy or that you should flip a coin to determine which you use.

For example in a position like SBvBU you should have very many flat calls (Or none at all until you get to lower rake stakes) thus you should be 3-Betting with a linear strategy. In a set up like BBvSB however you'll be incorporating many more bluffs into your 3bet range so you will be ending up with a polarized 3-betting range.

If you get to a point where you understand how ranges interact with each other and what hands villain is likely misplaying you can the go on to developing a little more of a free styling strategy where you can bet more linear vs a player who overcalls 3-Bets for example as that would mean you have more value hands when called, and less bluffs as we don't want to get called when we're 3Bet bluffing and we already know we're getting called too much.

Thanks for the extra insight to some already great responses. This thread has made me abandon the idea of randomizing ranges and instead use them with intention depending on the position and player.

I'll try and incorporate it in my game in April and study how different ranges interact with eachother. This month I'm focusing on tightening up my play on paired boards - one thing at a time!

 

[dartablasta]

Yes randomize in a Game its Ok, but no every mtt, its depends of the table that you are facing up