I'm just getting my bearings with online poker, I'm focusing on NL2 6-max on 888 poker. To begin with I was going with what I read in a book written years ago for open raise sizing. (3BB + (1BB x Number Of Limpers)). I thought that was good enough, then I read of raising 2.5BB from the button and 3BB from everywhere else. Next I found someone advising 3BB from UTG and 2.5 from everywhere else. Now I'm just confused, send help.
Thanks, Jack

well. People started to use smaller open raise sizing because people started to 3bet more, play wider ranges, games are harder, postflop is more tricky etc. On micro stakes as you play a bit tighter than on higher limits, you have a strong range and you want to play the bigger spots with your big hands. Personally I use 3x from every position except BU where I use 2.5x. It wouldn't be even bad if you would open 4x from EP or MP as on micro you shouldn't open too wide there (because many calling stations on microstakes).

cash I like to open 2.5x in early position and then 3x from the button. But you need to see how elastic they are to open sizing. If they will call 3 or 4x opens a lot, then you can widen ur open range and open a tad larger w value because they will call no matter the sizing and will not put together the different open sizing. when you go up in stakes this wont work and you will need to open a standard size of 2.5 ep and 3x button.

Originally Posted by TheNutz4You

cash I like to open 2.5x in early position and then 3x from the button.

hmm. Why do you open bigger on BU than on any other positions? you play there the wider range so the most common adaptation is to use smaller bet size.

Thanks, that cleared things up for me. I forgot to mention, the site I'm playing 6-max NL2 on is 888. This game has a max buy in of 50BB instead of 100BB, should I be making preflop adjustments for this other than playing less drawing hands? Like should I bet less preflop because it's easier to be all in by the river?

if blinds are 0.01/0.02 i usually like raising it up to 8 cents with a Ace X Type of hand and with a small pocket pair ill usually raise it to like 4 to 5 cents and a big pair ill raise it like 6 cents

I guess it really depends on position. Early position I raise 2bb and see if I get reraised...late I go 3bb...some time shigher if have mid pair and just want to win preflop

I think I'll get a bit out of line actually, alot of the games I play have really passive players, and since the buy in is only 50BB there's little point in raising big with suited connectors so I'll try min raising in fishy games even from early position with suited connectors because I probably wont get 3Bet enough to take the profit out of it, and the limpers probably wouldn't differentiate between a 4c open and a 5 or 6 c open. Thanks everyone

Originally Posted by ANiceBoi

I'm just getting my bearings with online poker, I'm focusing on NL2 6-max on 888 poker. To begin with I was going with what I read in a book written years ago for open raise sizing. (3BB + (1BB x Number Of Limpers)). I thought that was good enough, then I read of raising 2.5BB from the button and 3BB from everywhere else. Next I found someone advising 3BB from UTG and 2.5 from everywhere else. Now I'm just confused, send help.
Thanks, Jack

Early position: 3.5BB
Average position (/ cutoff): 3BB
(Katoff /) Button: 2.5BB
Small blind: 3.5BB

The sizes of rates and raises are daily bread for any poker player. Preflop usually does not need to take into account too many factors, since the balancing aspect is always important, and you rarely will be able to stand one on one against, perhaps, a weaker player (usually other players will pre-flop too).

I guess the most important is to make a sizebet in accord with you pretend.
Do you want to see by few chips?
Do you want to hide the value of your hand?
Do you want a 3bet from other player?
Do you want to be called for one or two villains?
Depends on you want to.

In MTTs I usually keep a betsize pattern according to my stack.

+40bb = Open raise 3x (+1bb for each limper)
39-25bb = Open raise 2.5x (+1bb for each limper)
-24bb = Open miniraise (+1bb for each limper)

it all depends on the position

Originally Posted by zwbb

Early position: 3.5BB
Average position (/ cutoff): 3BB
(Katoff /) Button: 2.5BB
Small blind: 3.5BB

The sizes of rates and raises are daily bread for any poker player. Preflop usually does not need to take into account too many factors, since the balancing aspect is always important, and you rarely will be able to stand one on one against, perhaps, a weaker player (usually other players will pre-flop too).

Thats bigger than I was expecting but I like the variance, I think I'll just experiment in a few games and see what works out best for me, thanks