6 – Player MAX – NL
Dear Holinesses:
I have recently taken to the 6 player max 1/2 NL hold’em.
This game selection has been quite profitable for more – but I am cautious that I still lay on a learning curve as I struggle to better understand the intricacies of the 6 player format.
I am looking for tips from my well-respected fellow forumers on strategy to consider specific to the 6 player format.
Specifically, I am looking at positional play and starting hands.
So if responses could be formulated with respect to playing the Blinds, EP, MP and Button it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance for your assistance.
I have recently taken to the 6 player max 1/2 NL hold’em.
This game selection has been quite profitable for more – but I am cautious that I still lay on a learning curve as I struggle to better understand the intricacies of the 6 player format.
I am looking for tips from my well-respected fellow forumers on strategy to consider specific to the 6 player format.
Specifically, I am looking at positional play and starting hands.
So if responses could be formulated with respect to playing the Blinds, EP, MP and Button it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance for your assistance.
Comments
UTG - I will play hands like QT, any suited connector and depending on the table and connector period. I find that a lot of raises from this position seldom get re-raised (Example a raise to 8 or 10).
UTG 1 & 2 - Again a wide range of hands. Rarely limping (I prefer not to limp in any position but the SB and BB in short handed games. I find that a lot of people like to limp and raises get a lot of people out.)
Button - If it is folded to me I typically raise with almost anything. I depends if the blinds are players that will realise this and play back at me.
******I am no expert,*****************
SB - Only really fold to big big raises.
BB - I call almost always here. Again it really depends on who raises and what their image has been. I find that a re-raise in the BB can make a lot of players fold since they are usually the ones making moves on the BB. Some players are crafty enough to try the re-re-steal. That is a judgement call but historically (and it isn't always this way) if it is raised to me in the BB and I re-raise and get one - re-re-raiser I will flat call (unless it is an all-in and see the flop and bet out at it if I think it missed him. The flop will sometimes be called with the turn almost always folded.)
These are my ideas. I haven't done too badly shorthanded. Sometimes I just play premium hands and be really patient and trap the over aggressive players. It can be profitable but really boring as it can take a while sometimes.
Aggression, aggression, aggression.
You will need to loosen up your starting requirements a fair amount if you are used to full-ring games. The blinds come a lot faster you so you need to get involved more often or the blinds will eat you alive.
You will be facing weaker hands than you would at a full-ring so continue to be aggressive post flop. If you raised pre-flop you should default on C-betting 75% of the time. Adjust if you start getting played back at.
Play your draws fast.
Isolate the fish.
Moose:
NL Starting Hand Charts suck. Don't use them!
Flint bones:
If you are calling that much out of the blinds you are bleeding money(Arterially).
Watts pretty much sumed up the play, but he does play higher level. I would tend to lean towards calling 1 raise with any pair for the implied odds of flopping sets. However, remember that players can/will open with anything so sometimes you might not get paid off even if you do flop a set, but the implied odds of stacking someone with TPTK or overpair is huge.
Make sure you adjust your play to your oppnent. If you have guys that can't fold, tend to loosen up preflop by calling their raises. If they are more calling stations, tighten up. Re-raising or 3-betting is not uncommon, but know who you are doing it against.
PokerStars Game #8120905423: Hold'em No Limit ($0.25/$0.50) - 2007/01/25 - 20:21:46 (ET)
Table 'Egeria IV' 6-max Seat #5 is the button
Seat 1: MatchLeader ($28.05 in chips)
Seat 2: boilermkr10 ($42.70 in chips)
Seat 3: MetroTNORTH ($61.05 in chips)
Seat 4: pants1000 ($20.10 in chips)
Seat 5: Skyhawke ($46.20 in chips)
Seat 6: Champ66699 ($99.85 in chips)
Champ66699: posts small blind $0.25
MatchLeader: posts big blind $0.50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to MetroTNORTH [Qd Qc]
boilermkr10: raises $1 to $1.50
MetroTNORTH: raises $1.50 to $3
pants1000: folds
pants1000 leaves the table
Skyhawke: folds
Champ66699: raises $7 to $10
MatchLeader: folds
boilermkr10: folds
MetroTNORTH: calls $7
*** FLOP *** [9s 8h 9c]
Champ66699: bets $20
MetroTNORTH: raises $31.05 to $51.05 and is all-in
Champ66699: calls $31.05
*** TURN *** [9s 8h 9c] [Ts]
tuggermcg joins the table at seat #4
*** RIVER *** [9s 8h 9c Ts] [As]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Champ66699: shows [4c 8s] (two pair, Nines and Eights)
MetroTNORTH: shows [Qd Qc] (two pair, Queens and Nines)
MetroTNORTH collected $121.10 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $124.10 | Rake $3
Board [9s 8h 9c Ts As]
Seat 1: MatchLeader (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 2: boilermkr10 folded before Flop
Seat 3: MetroTNORTH showed [Qd Qc] and won ($121.10) with two pair, Queens and Nines
Seat 4: pants1000 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: Skyhawke (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: Champ66699 (small blind) showed [4c 8s] and lost with two pair, Nines and Eights
To say the least, I was pleasantly surprised when he showed 84.
I made the re-raise a little quickly without taking much time to think.
BUT, when he re-raised me to $10 - I felt my options were a little limited.
I couldnt just raise back $10 - that would tell me nothing - he would have to call.
If I made a pot sized bet - I would have too many chips.
My plan was to call the $7 and hope to hit a set. I felt the 899 flop was safe but when he raised to $20 I had to call hoping he had AK - or that he was playing me preflop.
I decided to push and kick myself when he showed AA.
Thanks for the input though - I will definitely take this into consideration.
I didn't see anything here as far as a read on this guy so I would take villain as unknown:
I like your re-raise here. His range for this raise at 6 max could be 88 or better, any broadway, Any suited A, A-10o and up. You have a good hand so lets isolate this guy in position and get some money in the pot. Good play!
Most players at SSNL have a VERY tight re-raising range. For this guy to re-re-raise I would seriously narrow his range on AA or KK possibly AK but less likely.
The flop here is underneath your pair but is semi co-ordinated. His overbet looks like he is afraid of you drawing here but what did he think you called a re-re-raise with J-10?
He bet $20 into a $14.75 pot so I would take this as him holding up a huge sign and saying "If you play this pot with me we are playing for it ALL." He is pot committed here.
So Lets look at an all-in situation:
If he is getting it all-in he has $35.70 left after the flop. So his $35.70+$14.75 in the pot = $50.45.
You need to pay $35.70 to win $50.45 you are getting 1.4-1 on your money.
Against his range I will assign a probability of 1/3 to each holding (I actually think AK holding is less likely but what the hay?)
AA - 33% you are a 9-1 dog you lose $35.70 9 times and win $50.45 once
KK - 33% you are a 9-1 dog you lose $35.70 9 times and win $50.45 once
AK - 34% you are a 3-1 fav you lose $35.70 1 time and win $50.45 3
Multiply this out and it looks like this:
AA (35.70X9)+($50.45X1)/10 = -$27.09
KK (35.70X9)+($50.45X1)/10 = -$27.09
AK (35.70X1)+($50.45X3)/4 = $14.76
Add them up and you get:
-$39.42 Everytime you make this play
You are very -EV here.
Now maybe you have a read on this guy and can make a case for his range to be much wider. But it has to be alot wider before you make any money on this play.
P.S. I am still kind of learning in these EV calculations so if anyone sees any mistakes shout it out.
Now this guy is an Idiot making this play with these cards!
If any one wants to share 6 max strategy any time feel free to PM me.
As I said in the OP - I knew this was a bad call. I fully expected to lose but I still called.
That can be the problem with playing .25/50 (waiting for my $3 rebuy on Stars to begin)- I wouldnt have made this call at 1/2.
What I am looking for now is some insight on calling raises. I have opened up the range of hands I will raise especially when I am in Position.
I want to hear how people adjust to calling raises (preflop). Since you know players are lowering their raising standards, in general, are you more likely to call with weaker cards than in a full table or do you maintain the same concept?
I have maintained a pretty solid calling strategy - mainly because the players seem more willing to call down with TP no kicker in these games.
If I come in I want to be able to value bet - since many seem to have the inability to lay down top pair on uncordinated boards.
Any help would be great.
You should call in situations that you feel are +EV. There are many factors that I base this on:
- You will see players in LLNL 6 max that will raise with a very wide range but only c-bet when the flop hits them. Their bets post flop are transparent (I bet=I have a hand...I check therefore the flop missed me). If they check to you after the flop you can take it away often with a 2/3 pot bet. You can do this with any 2 cards. Some players may adjust to this and start floating you.
- Some players will C-bet a huge percentage of the time (present company included) but will not fire a second bullet on the turn unless they hit if you float them post flop. Let them build a pot and take it away on the turn. You can do this with any two cards.
- You see many nits who do not adjust for 6 max and will only raise premium hands at these tables. Most of these guys do not know how to play post flop so they only play premiums and often will go to the mat with them. I will sometimes call raises with them if I have a sneaky hand that I can flop a huge hand with. A hand like A10o is no good here but 7-9s might be worth a call. If I miss on the flop I just get away from the hand.
What I am saying is that if you look for the weaknesses in a players game you can exploit them very easily. Pay attention to your opponents tendencies. Your calling range should be based on the range of the raiser NOT on your cards.
Caddy