Playing against the calling stations

[jmbluffnstuff]

If you've played low stakes poker for any length of time, you have run across several of this player type, the Calling Station. Loose passive.
Calling stations like to limp in every pot, and will call raises with just about any two cards.
They rarely raise preflop unless they are at the very top of their ranges.
They usually are in 75% of the time to see the flop or more.

Putting them on a specific range is hard to do, they play to "hit the flop" and chase draws.

After playing against these players for years, I've developed a strategy against them that works very well long term.

1) Don't try to bluff them. These players are calling down with middle and even bottom pair on the flop. Save your bluffs for the NIT's and the players that fold to 3 bets at a high frequency.

2) Isolate them. When you are at the top of your range preflop, forget coming in standard for 3 or 4 bb's. Each station has their own "comfort zone", usually 12-15bbs they will play any two. Some go as high as 20bbs. Get your QQ up against only their 3-9 suited.
Just beware when the flop comes 359 and they bet hard into you. Stations don't like betting unless they are very strong pre/post.

3) Value bet ...value bet..value bet.. When you have the QQ against the A-5, J-9, 10-3, on that same flop, value bet it. Don't be afraid to bet 2/3rds or 3/4 pot, every street. They are not folding that pair. But they will still suck out 20% of the time. When they do, do not berate them, instead tell them nice hand and go on to the next one.
You want them to win some of these, that's what keeps them calling you dominated.

4) Go for thin value. When you have a hand that's decent enough for showdown, but not quite good enough to bet, stick another bet in on the river, they call at astronomically high rates with bottom or 4th pair.

This strategy has worked very well for me.
If you don't like playing against them, as soon as you start doing these four things, you will be searching for them.

What do you do against Calling Stations? Any other strategy?

 

[pentazepam]

Summary: Value bet thinner and bigger and don't bluff.

Seems correct.

 

[fundiver199]

I will add though, that if someone have a lot of busted draws in their range, it makes sense to bluff them on the river. You just need to do with hands, that have no showdown value, and there is no need to use big sizing. So if you have A high, you should definitely check back, but if you have 5 high, because you busted out on a draw yourself, then there is definitely value in betting something like half pot on the river to make then fold their J high and what not. Its also a bit of an exaggeration, that loose-passive players NEVER fold a pair. Sometimes they actually do and even show it to you.

 

[ADRI7HO]

The best strategy against calling stations is to limp, and if the flop hits us, it's safe to double up, or to raise even the maximum with the monster hand and the calling station can be sure to pay.
The only problem is if the flop doesn't hit for a long time and the monster hand doesn't come, because that can be really frustrating.

 

[finaltable1]

Just play tight and slow preflop and wait until you hit some nut hand on the flop, its better to not bluff against such players.

 

[jmbluffnstuff]

The best strategy against calling stations is to limp, and if the flop hits us, it's safe to double up, or to raise even the maximum with the monster hand and the calling station can be sure to pay.
The only problem is if the flop doesn't hit for a long time and the monster hand doesn't come, because that can be really frustrating.

Seems like that is playing their game, I prefer to isolate with strong starters, get myself in a situation with positive equity heads up.
The only time I'm limping a strong starter is when an aggro-maniac is at the table going all in every hand, then I can limp call their shove.

 

[jmbluffnstuff]

I will add though, that if someone have a lot of busted draws in their range, it makes sense to bluff them on the river. You just need to do with hands, that have no showdown value, and there is no need to use big sizing. So if you have A high, you should definitely check back, but if you have 5 high, because you busted out on a draw yourself, then there is definitely value in betting something like half pot on the river to make then fold their J high and what not. Its also a bit of an exaggeration, that loose-passive players NEVER fold a pair. Sometimes they actually do and even show it to you.

Yes, occasionally they will fold top pair, but not often. There is much more equity in value betting them than trying to bluff a busted draw.

I'm playing against them to exploit their weakness, calling too much. That's all you need to do.

I can't see myself getting into a situation with 5 high against a calling station down to the river unless I am priced to call in the sb, (limped pot), or limped to my BB. This will be a rare situation.

I'm not trying to bluff them when I miss a draw, because they call so often with any pair, trying to get a river bluff through is negative equity long term against them.

 

[blueskies]

These guys are easy to play against. They let you control the size of the pot and rarely put pressure on you. Just do not spew and you will win.

The LAGs (being on your left) are much tougher because unless you just wanna roll the dice you gotta let them dictate the size of the pot. You gotta play passive and be the "calling station." Of course, in your case, you will only be calling with good equity and often when you are ahead.

 

[jmbluffnstuff]

Yes, occasionally they will fold a pair, but not often. There is much more equity in value betting them than trying to bluff a busted draw.

I'm playing against them to exploit their weakness, calling too much. That's all you need to do.

I can't see myself getting into a situation with 5 high against a calling station down to the river unless I am priced to call in the sb, (limped pot), or limped to my BB. So this will be a rare situation.

I'm not trying to bluff them when I miss a draw, because they call so often with any pair, trying to get a river bluff through is negative equity long term against them.

These guys are easy to play against. They let you control the size of the pot and rarely put pressure on you. Just do not spew and you will win.

The LAGs (being on your left) are much tougher because unless you just wanna roll the dice you gotta let them dictate the size of the pot. You gotta play passive and be the "calling station." Of course, in your case, you will only be calling with good equity and often when you are ahead.

Absolutely true, playing out of position against a LAG is one of the toughest things you can do.
If at all possible, move to a different table.
If that isn't an option, use patience and find spots to use their aggression against them. You just have to trap more, and widen your trap range.
A good LAG though will realize this quickly and when they lose a couple pots to your, check-calls all three streets, they will check behind to realize their equity, giving them better odds to make a hand that beats your top-top on the flop.
In lower stakes, you can maximize your equity when at the top of your range by just coming in standard, they will be 3 betting in position at a very high frequency.
Playing live vs. online is much better because they sometimes have tells that let you know they are bluffing, so you can come over the top and force them to fold.
Variance will be high against this type of player.
While I usually prefer TAG, if I have position on other TAGS or NITS, I will play LAG in position against them. It usually frustrates them into making more mistakes.

 

[eetenor]

If you've played low stakes poker for any length of time, you have run across several of this player type, the Calling Station. Loose passive.
Calling stations like to limp in every pot, and will call raises with just about any two cards.
They rarely raise preflop unless they are at the very top of their ranges.
They usually are in 75% of the time to see the flop or more.

Putting them on a specific range is hard to do, they play to "hit the flop" and chase draws.

After playing against these players for years, I've developed a strategy against them that works very well long term.

1) Don't try to bluff them. These players are calling down with middle and even bottom pair on the flop. Save your bluffs for the NIT's and the players that fold to 3 bets at a high frequency.

2) Isolate them. When you are at the top of your range preflop, forget coming in standard for 3 or 4 bb's. Each station has their own "comfort zone", usually 12-15bbs they will play any two. Some go as high as 20bbs. Get your QQ up against only their 3-9 suited.
Just beware when the flop comes 359 and they bet hard into you. Stations don't like betting unless they are very strong pre/post.

3) Value bet ...value bet..value bet.. When you have the QQ against the A-5, J-9, 10-3, on that same flop, value bet it. Don't be afraid to bet 2/3rds or 3/4 pot, every street. They are not folding that pair. But they will still suck out 20% of the time. When they do, do not berate them, instead tell them nice hand and go on to the next one.
You want them to win some of these, that's what keeps them calling you dominated.

4) Go for thin value. When you have a hand that's decent enough for showdown, but not quite good enough to bet, stick another bet in on the river, they call at astronomically high rates with bottom or 4th pair.

This strategy has worked very well for me.
If you don't like playing against them, as soon as you start doing these four things, you will be searching for them.

What do you do against Calling Stations? Any other strategy?

Mat Hunt has a great video for the gto wiz channel on youtube - How to punish passive players