Calling Stations

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bellicoso

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You probably have seen the type of player that never folds... what's the best way to get around them? Well, I've experienced this a lot (today for example) and I've come to a simple conclusion: beat them with the best hand.

What do I mean by this obvious solution? Well, these players, while notorious for making calls all the way to the river, also tend to do things like over-value their pairs. So hit them with a bet only when you've got two pair or better. If you can't, you may want to consider checking them down.

While I don't tend to advocate going for the all-in shove, this can be effective against calling stations as well. But I recommend doing so post-flop -- the only exception being when you've got pocket kings or better and are heads up.

In any case, this is one facet of playing recently that I've found interesting, and I wanted to share my tactics with the rest of the CC community. Please feel free to post your solutions here as well. I'd love to hear from you! :)
 
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xy23

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Bet big when you have it. Make them pay the max amount for each street. Don't bluff ever.
 
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forest_leaves

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In the past I have made the mistake of labelling someone as a calling station when they simply were conservative (not to raise) and was on a good run, I think its important to keep in mind that they might just be running good sometimes and make sure you have good reads before betting big.
 
sharipov8090

sharipov8090

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many people ask this question how to play with them,the only right decision is distance.at a distance, such a player loses positions easily, because he plays with a bad hand, there we are waiting for him.Good luck.
 
Andrew Popov

Andrew Popov

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Playing against such players is very simple - never bluff. You cannot calculate that the telephone exchange will fold its cards to your raise, which means you must be ready to open the cards. If you are not bluffing and you have a good hand, it will be generously paid.
 
JBGoode

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I see it like this.... they are gonna call you down regaurdless of what you have.... so always bet for value.... never as a bluff, and if they get there with a draw.... then they were going to get there anyway.... you got it in for Value when you actually had the value....
 
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teutonic1

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I like your strategy bellicoso, and as other posters have said - never bluff.

However, I have lately been giving the "calling stations" some credit. They often do have second pair or decent draws. Yeah, they make wrong decision on draw hands based on pot odds by going to the river, but I like this.

I suppose what I'm saying is that not all calling stations are the same. There's different degrees of calling stations. Some can be quite effective in the short term, but if we are playing a better game then the average calling station we should profit from their passivity.
 
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molokheia

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Playing against such players is very simple - never bluff. You cannot calculate that the telephone exchange will fold its cards to your raise, which means you must be ready to open the cards. If you are not bluffing and you have a good hand, it will be generously paid.


Hi There
Fully agree
These kind of player you find in the early stages of freerolls and low stakes
They call with every thing they got and evetually they get something wortth
Never bluf and call with good hands
Rgds
 
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praevus

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Don't bluff
Raise every streets with big hands
 
Cody5991

Cody5991

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Keeping it simple I think it’s best to play them passive aggressive. Don’t bet excessively for obvious reasons but do bet your strong hands accordingly but at the same time don’t just fold everything either.
 
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bellicoso

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Playing against such players is very simple - never bluff. You cannot calculate that the telephone exchange will fold its cards to your raise, which means you must be ready to open the cards. If you are not bluffing and you have a good hand, it will be generously paid.


Very good point, I think. :) Bluffing against them just causes trouble for you.:eek:
 
Luvart

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Don't bluff ever these types, because you can have AK and them having 86s, but AK is a non-made hand. If you see resistance post, proceed with caution. Yes, sometimes they are on a good run, but in the long run you can't make money in poker by playing 86s, J8o, K5s vs AK.....
 
tauri103

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I lost yesterday a big blow against a player who did not want to throw these cards with K8.I had AK, the flop and the turn arrives only bricks.in analyzing his raises and these call. I was sure he had no touch. I continue to bet and the river the only card that can win him out. of course it's a 8. after much thought on this spot. I realized that throwing him back on the flop or caring for him all-in would have been the only good thing to do for this type of player because he just calls preflop. I have a certain advantage over him. I always learn from these mistakes. I hope that this strategy will pay off when I should replay this type of spot.
 
cranberry

cranberry

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Calling stations actively participate in distributions and show little aggression. If the calling station raises - you can be almost sure that he has a really strong hand. In short, the strategy should be: bet with strong hands, check - with weak hands, and no bluff.
 
rafa77777

rafa77777

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in general, the right thoughts, it makes no sense to bluff callers, but you went and bluffed, you have to bet big, well, go with a very strong hand, otherwise there is always a chance that he will catch his card at the end
 
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