I think I'm going with this basic formula for a while.
1. Flat my whole range pre-flop before the antes kick in - caveat being if it's a multiway pot and I want to get some people out of the hand
If you 3-bet AK when stacks are still fairly deep you're probably not getting any action by hands like AT, AJ, and AQ but if you flat in position you can own their souls when an Ace flops.
2. 3-bet way more often once antes kick in
I feel like you probably need at least 30 bb's to do so and hands you should be 3 betting are your monsters, the top of your folding range, and random trash hands mixed in to balance our your range.
The top of your folding range is an important one. I like to 3-bet with blocker cards like an Ace or King because it makes it less likely that the original raiser contains one in his hand. You'd never want to flat with A6s but you could 3-bet and fold out lots of loose raises like JT, small pairs, KJ, A8, A9, etc.
3. Play more of a counterpunching game
This goes hand in hand with number two on the list. No one has a fold button anymore. You can't c-bet a raggy board and fold out two overs, Ace high, etc. I'd much rather limp a middle pair and play a small pot than try to raise and c-bet to get a fold out of anyone these days.
I want a lot of my game to be three betting from late position and only open raising strong hands. I think my results could take a drastic uptick if I have normal variance.
I've been listening to guys like Carter King, Brian Devonshire, and Jimmy Fricke and this seems to be their strategy. 2.2-2.4x raises preflop to size their bets such that you can commit on the Turn when you want to and 3-betting players who raise too loose and back down to aggression.
Well, here's to hoping it works.
3 comments:
Hi.
I like num 1. I've been playing AK this way in cash game for profit as well. Your thoughts?
Thanks,
Tom.
Thanks for the comment.
AK can be played a bunch of ways, honestly. If I'm in the SB or BB I'll 3-bet about 90% of the time and flat call 10% of the time since you'll often miss the flop.
In position I'd say I'm more 50/50 between calling and raising - I'll tend to call more on the button but If UTG raises I have to raise to isolate. I can't let a bunch of people into the hand.
Hope that helps!
I misphrased something - If there is an EP raiser like UTG and I am only one or two seats to his right I will 3-bet almost 100% of the time unless there is a very aggressive player behind us who makes a lot of steal attempts pre-flop.
But if an MP player is the first to raise and it folds to me on the Button or in the Hijack seat I'll flat call around half the time for deception.
Cash games is about maximizing your hand value at all times since you can reload, though - I flat the aggro players whom I can trap and I raise the rest of the field for the most part.
So much is situational with stack sizes and opponents.
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