Best strategy against

[gotigers1234]

Loose passive players?? Are we just wanting to play tight and then value bet made hands like sets and TPTK. I was just wondering what the optimal play style was against this type of player.

[BorisTheSpider]

Loosen up your value range a little actually. They will often continue in the hand with worse, so stuff like top-pair-second-kicker will often pay, as well as medium PP that are lower than the top pair on the board.

It does depend on the particular loose passive, and what he'll continue with.

If you play them in position, you get to decide how much value you want for your hand, so you can pot control by checking behind if you're not terribly confident you have the best hand, and don't want a big pot.

Bear in mind, they are passive - if they wake up and start betting, FOLD unless you have the nuts.

They also don't have a fold button, so you can't bluff them. Tighten up your bluff range to the point it is non-existant, although they are often afraid of flushes, so if you've not hit the flop and checked behind, and a flush card turns, if they check it to you then you can often fold them out with a small bet, but you do want to make it small - they love to slowplay and checkraise, and if they don't have a flush they'll fold just as much to a small bet as they will to a big one.

And for me, my biggest problem with these players is my own problem - do not go on tilt and play down to their level. What I mean by that is I tend to get wild and overdo the loosening up of my value range and end up playing all sorts of rags. I'm working on that right now. Hopefully this won't be, or isn't, a problem for you.

[MadMojoMonkey]

I'm pretty new here, and I can't say if it's optimal, but here's how I handle it:

I tend to PFR a bit more hands than usual, without really getting too creative, just expanding my PFR range, not my VPIP. This is because they call ATC pre-flop, so since I'm being selective at all, I'm probably ahead of them. I raise and 3-bet for value.

If they're passive/fit-or-fold, then I'll start C-betting almost every flop. Even if they fold only 1 in 3, this is a good move, as eventually I'll be free-rolling their bets with chips I stole from them. If they call, they're fit, they have TPTK or better. I can usually extract value off of my own sets or better. They'll put me on top pair every hand, so small 2 pr or middle PP's are obv check-folds (villain is usually scared of top pair, but not this time... why? He can beat it.). Luckily, I'll probably get the river card for cheap if not free. Even though they don't bet the turn or river, this is a BAD spot to bluff. If I see that they are calling the flop C-bet w/ a draw, then I'll try a turn bet maybe 50% of the time, when it's a brick, or more if it's working. I find that NOT C-betting every time with these villains is actually +equity, as it makes them think that I don't bet when I don't have anything, and I do bet when I have it.

If they're passive calling stations, then I'm forced to play fit-or-fold myself, but I have the knowledge of pot-odds and showdown equity. Even when they bet, it's usually a weak bet that allows me to draw for the right price. When I have a hand (even TPTK), well... Welcome to value town! I give them a guided tour. This is the kind of player that a 1/4 pot bet for weak value and draws is usually profitable for me. That is so small a bet that it just screams your hand. It only works if it falls on deaf ears.

[OngBonga]

^ this

First idnetify what kind of passive fish you have...
calls too many raises and folds to too many cbets... widen both your value and bluffing range.
calls too many raises and stations down anything with showdown value... widen your value range and narrow your bluffing range.

And yes, if a passive fish shows aggression, he has either adjusted or he has a big hand, usually the latter. Trim your continuing range accordingly.

[Icanhastreebet]

3barrel anytime they snap the flop and call the turn fairly quickly but not snap.

pro tip of the day

[MadMojoMonkey]

3barrel anytime they snap the flop and call the turn fairly quickly but not snap.

pro tip of the day

Hmmm... This one is new to me. Is this an adjustment to their adjustment?

[Icanhastreebet]

Hmmm... This one is new to me. Is this an adjustment to their adjustment?

lol ignoring it is probably the best thing to do.