Note: Never, ever, try this style of pre-flop play when playing with the short stack strategy. It will most likely fail horribly for us.
Many of us see poker as a very strategic game. Playing straight forward poker is indeed profitable, but can easily be exploitable at the higher limits.
What can we do to stop being exploited at the medium-high stakes tables? We play for deception.
I don't know about you guys but when there's money in a pot, I want it. If it's 4BB's, I want it. If it's 200BB's, I want it. We usually can't get it after just calling with our pocket pairs, and check folding when we don't hit a set though. So how do we get it?
We gain initiative.
Usually a lot of players would only be re-raising a range of 5%, this is things like AQs+,AQo+, TT+.
Of course this mixes up against LAG's, where we might re-raise KQs+ and other hands like that.
But generally this is what gives us less action. If players know we only raise hands for value they know they can fold to our 3bets often, thus giving us less action. A style introduced to combat this was the light 3 bet, A style made popular by BLdSWtTR, Cole south, and a lot of other players worldwide.
I tend to 3bet all pocket pairs, suited connecters like 67+, some suited and off suited aces, Q9s+, etc. And it works great. It adds a lot of deception to my play, and baffles my opponents. They just don't know when they can profitably make a move without a strong holding. And as they make more mistakes, you make more profits.
Take this for example.
Grabbed by Holdem Manager
NL Holdem $0.25(BB) Replayer
SB ($29.20)
BB ($13.92)
UTG ($19.42)
UTG+1 ($36.69)
Hero ($36.43)
BTN ($12.61)
Dealt to Hero Q♣ Q♦
UTG raises to $0.75, UTG+1 calls $0.75, Hero raises to $3.50, fold, fold, fold, UTG raises to $19.42 (AI), fold, Hero calls $15.92
FLOP ($39.94) 7♥ 9♥ 4♠
TURN ($39.94) 7♥ 9♥ 4♠ 2♣
RIVER ($39.94) 7♥ 9♥ 4♠ 2♣ A♥
UTG shows Q♠ K♣
(Pre 31%, Flop 14.3%, Turn 6.8%)
Hero shows Q♣ Q♦
(Pre 69%, Flop 85.7%, Turn 93.2%)
Hero wins $37.95
If I wasn't 3 betting light, this "standard" Tag would not have come over the top with such a hand.
Of course there's more to 3 betting than pushing a button.
Players who you can profitable light 3 bet are mainly only LAG's, TAG's, and Weak-tight's.
I refuse to light 3 bet fish. It's just spewing money, as fish hardly if ever fold.
Also remember that when 3 betting light you may get 4bet light. This is where I stop 3 betting light and start tightening up and using my image as a light 3 bettor to my advantage.
So remember, Position is everything. Don't light 3bet fish. And don't stop until you drop.
If you guys have any comments or anything just post them away.
See you at the tables!
-Sheepmoose.
