So how can I loosen up?

[SinkRox]

Any advice on how I can loosen up?

I play 10man .1/.2NL ($20 sitdown)

I guess i need to work on loosening up somewhat, as my VPIP is just 9.9. Also my PFR% is just 3.5 so id like advice on raising hands/positions to add to my game

Also what hands can I add to my raising hands (i know this all depends but some suggestions would be cool...)

Heres what i currently do (in a general sense):

EP
Limp + Fold to Raise: KQ, AQ
Limp + Call Raise: JJ-22
Raise: AK, AA - QQ

MP
Limp + Fold to Raise: KQ
Limp + Call Raise: TT-22
Raise: AK, AQ, KQ, AA - JJ

LP
Limp + Fold to Raise: AJ
Limp + Call raise: TT-22
Raise: AK, AQ, KQ, AA - JJ

The only hands I raise from the blinds are aa-qq

I havent added s or o/s as this doesnt tie into my preflop play.

My ideas are to start limping suited connectors in LP and add Aj and AT (both s and o/s) to my playable hands, playing them like KQ preflop (seeing as these hands actually dominate KQ i guess its a bit silly that i currently rate them lower)

Advice and ideas appretiated

[r8ed]

I don't see how your VP$IP is so low playing those hands. You must have bad luck because many people play the same range of hands and have a VP$IP at least 5% higher. The only thing I can think is you must fold the small blind unless you have one of those hands. Don't change that because for most of us that's a leak. I wouldn't change unless you want to limp more hands on the button. Hands like suited connectors and QJ and KJ and JT. But just be more careful with these hands. They should be easy to lay down post flop.

[STIdrivr]

I dont like playing A T o/s unless on button or CO, very easy to lose a lot of money if you flop an ace they will most likely have a higher kicker if they have the ace

[Fnord]

I fold KQo from EP in NL games. I still feel dirty open limping and am still finding my way there.

Mostly, my extra hands come from skilled BN/CO play where I look at who's in the pot, their range and compare it to my hand. I'll raise really light if I can get away with it. I LOVE playing marginal holdings with position against piss poor players and buying out everything with a FOR SALE sign.

Also, I've learned to love raising out of the BB/SB with air after weak limpers.

[SinkRox]

I play the blinds pretty much the same as UTG. This printscreen may help get any idea into my play... It looks like I'm loosing alot of money in the blinds! Can this be right or is it just cos I'm posting the blinds!

[Fnord]

Your blind losses don't look out of line. I would tread more carefully adding hands there because being out of position in NLHE sucks and it's easy to get yourself into a lot of trouble.

Overall, Hold'em is a game where more often than not no one has much of anything. I look to splash around a bit, pick up some loose change, put myself in a more positions to exploit the piss poor post-flop decisions of my opponents and in the process generate a somewhat false action image that gets more aware players to pay me off.

[SinkRox]

I fold KQo from EP in NL games. I still feel dirty open limping and am still finding my way there.

lol I feel dirty folding KQo UTG!!! Its so pwetty and aslong as i fold to a PFR the chances of being up against a better kicker if i hit feel slim to me. ...though theres is the obvious berdun of playing o.o.pos

[Demiparadigm]

http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...ic.php?t=20631

[SinkRox]

http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=20631

excellent! seems like a LAG style to me? suprised to hear it was so effective at 25NL - though 6max must of played a big part of it workingso well. I will deffinatly start trying to incorporate this play into my game, will help mix things up nicely and improve post flop skills. Maybe ill tyr and play LAG randomly 10% of the time when things seem suitable rather than playing 100% super TAG! .......dam now i just need a watch with the good old second hand for a randomiser! cheers for the link ive bookmarked it

I hate to admit it put Ive started using reads and reads less and less and letting the super tag play take care of its self - to the point where im happy to play with NO reads what so ever!

I started watching telly, chatting on msn and surfing while 5 tabling.. then 9 tabling whilst watching telly a bit and dont bother with reads unless they come out and jump at me in the face! This is awful i know, for my poker skills development... i dont wanna be grinding it at the uber loose 100nl tables i wanna see myself lagging it up with skill; exploiting the weakie. Studying players/gaining reads and adding some LAGyness to my game is essential and something I must try and focus on and get to work with! ..... now I just need my Psychology of Poker book to read over again!

One question Demi: How many tables do you play? As reads are obviously very important to your stlye... and I know it must go without saying but do you really focus on the players and learn their styles/habits for reads? Also what does HJ mean in ur seat positions?

[Demiparadigm]

I play 3 or 4 tables usually.
HJ (Hi-jack) is a term coined by Tommy Angelo. It is the seat right before the cutoff.

[bigred]

I will play QKo occasionally from LP with 2 limpers or less and I feel I can take the pot down on the flop or preflop. It's not a strong hand and will get you into trouble from early and mid position more than it will do good.

[Cocco_Bill]

I am at ~50% VP$P from the small blind and am loosing -6BB/100 compared to your -10BB/100 @ 11,9 VP$P from the SB.

Only completing AA-22, AK-AJ + KQ cannot be optimal, 50% VP$P is probably too loose though and a leak of mine.

QJs and TJs are hands which take down very big pots at times because they make nut straights on 3 broadway boards so someone else is likely to have a strong hand. These hands plus QTs, KTs and KJs have all shown profit to me, I play them outside the blinds only when at least two players have limped in front of me and I will raise them in the last 2 positions if everyone has folded before me.

[Greedo017]

i am 37% from the sb and losing 4bb/100

[TalentedTom]

Don't loosen up untill you get comfortable with post flop play... thats basicly it. There are so many people out there scared to raise with AQ cause they are afraid of someone with AK. I lose a ton of HUGE pots with AQ to AK, but I have never laied AQ to AJ or AT, or A-rag.

You only seem to play premium hands and still quite passiveley. Try playing them more aggresivley, begin opening with AQ, KQ there is no point of playing more hands if you are so afraid to lose money with the best of hands.

A great phrase which may help - "If you want to live, you must be willing to die"

[TalentedTom]

Don't loosen up untill you get comfortable with post flop play... thats basicly it. There are so many people out there scared to raise with AQ cause they are afraid of someone with AK. I lose a ton of HUGE pots with AQ to AK, but I have never laied AQ to AJ or AT, or A-rag.

You only seem to play premium hands and still quite passiveley. Try playing them more aggresivley, begin opening with AQ, KQ there is no point of playing more hands if you are so afraid to lose money with the best of hands.

A great phrase which may help inspire you - "If you want to live, you must be willing to die"

[Rondavu]

Raise suited connectors and one gappers first in mid position sometimes, and always from late position with little to no limpers. I think someone eluded to that already, but I insist.

[STIdrivr]

try to stick to suited connectors 6-7 or higher from mid position, and i dont really like playing 2-3 suited though

[johnny_fish]

Raise suited connectors and one gappers first in mid position sometimes, and always from late position with little to no limpers. I think someone eluded to that already, but I insist.

I don't see why.

And why SC's and gappers but not lower PP?

[STIdrivr]

you dont need to raise with suited connectors all the time