Home game strategy where nobody knows how to play (2 Viewers)

[lagavulin]

I'm curious what the best strategy would be to best exploit the players a monthly .25/.50 home game (usually 7-9 handed, 200bb max buy-in) where really I'm the only one who has any idea how to play. No one knows anything about pot odds or raise sizes or hand ranges or thinks about position. There are lots of pots where everyone limps (except me of course) but also any sort of raise preflop is usually called. 3 bets etc are extremely rare, check raises are unheard of, and it is next to impossible to bluff anyone out of a hand that they have any piece of as they will call many things down to showdown with any pair. At first my strategy was just to tighten up but even when I have a hand like AK I lose a lot of the time because despite betting hard preflop someone will call with something like Q4 suited and then bumble into a flush on the river or call down with their pair of 4s they hit on the turn. They will check/call every street. And because this is a home game there aren't enough hands played to overcome the variance even if I stick to hands that have high percentages of winning. Not to mention playing that tight is well, boring. On the other hand, due to the lack of raises preflop I can myself limp in with suited K hands or low connected hands but that hasn't really increased my win percentage.

It's also extremely hard to put most of the players on hands because they will limp with premiums. A lot of the hands end with at least 3 people in them (if not more) so it's also hard to isolate players. They will fold to very large bets/all ins so obviously that would be a way to exploit them but that kind of play would only work for so long and also would not make me very popular.

I'm guessing this isn't an uncommon scenario at a decent number of casual home games. I just need a strategy so I can crush everyone consitently! Everyone at the game can more than afford the stakes so stacking them isn't likely to make them not return to the game.

 

[lagavulin]

Anddd I just saw this thread made last month which is basically my same question..

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/how-do-you-play-against-bad-players.118169/

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

. I just need a strategy so I can crush everyone consitently!

Welcome! That other thread will be very helpful, come back with specific questions if you'd like.

I caution against the quoted viewpoint though, thats not poker and playing with new people sometimes has some variance when you're playing aggressively but thats where your edge comes from, folding when they wouldnt (lower flush, getting away from top pair, etc) and raising/value betting more to milk their second best hands.

Good luck. Not good to look for a silver bullet, this is where you become a poker player: you dont need a youtube video or a manual, you need to adapt to your environment.

If they're limping premiums and not raising, its very easy to put them on a range, you just don't like the range. Its huge! sometimes you're betting into Aces but the majority of the time they're playing trash and will miss the flop or make a second best hand. You'll lose when they have a monster, thats fine.

 

[lagavulin]

Oh, I wouldn't have said that if these were new people, it's mostly a lot of my coworkers or friends so that attitude is less dirtbag then it came off as. I should have mentioned that originally.

 

[ovo]

I'll see your bet................................. and raise you

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

Oh, I wouldn't have said that if these were new people, it's mostly a lot of my coworkers or friends so that attitude is less dirtbag then it came off as. I should have mentioned that originally.

Okay, not saying they haven't played before but they sound awful at poker just there to have a good time. Thats totally fine, but the advice stands. You said yourself you cant overcome variance if its only a short home game, think of it as one huge session, just make the right decisions and you'll end up very profitable in this type of game.

Get a reputation as the aggressive/raising one, you'll quickly increase the swings for better or worse.

 

[Taghkanic]

it is next to impossible to bluff anyone out of a hand that they have any piece of as they will call many things down to showdown with any pair.

^^^ This is where you make money.

When you can beat middle and bottom pair, take them to value town.

Also when they are likely drawing, charge them a huge amount to see more cards.

Don’t get tempted to play a fishier range, don’t pay them off with your own weak made hands, and don’t try to bluff them.

 

[ctestb]

I made a similar post a few weeks/ months ago - the best advice that I got is to play like a nit, but when you get a good hand, play it like it's a stronger hand than it really is.

 

[LowerBama1714]

Just have fun and educate them. You want them to have more fun than you…it’s not about winning with newbs. You are playing the long game. It’s your job to lead them down a deep dark hole of degeneracy…don’t scare them.

 

[Kentucky]

In The Course, Ed Miller wrote that you shouldn’t expect to win multiway pots very often - and you don’t have to.
If you put in 20% of the pot and you win 25% of the time you have a massive edge. If you are used to playing more heads up and expecting to win most pots you contest then not winning at that rate multiway can be tilting.

 

[Rhodeman77]

don’t bluff, like ever. Value bet MUCH BIGGER than you would think is possible to call. Print money.

And don’t berate the bad players when they do beat you!!!! Tell them nice hand (and try to mean it).

 

[Frogzilla]

Am I reading this right, you bet AK unimproved all three streets IP? Turned it into a bluff by the river? Against a sticky opponent?

My advice is to not do that.

Post some other hand histories, maybe there are some other leaks postflop lurking about?

 

[DrStrange]

Hero should exploit the field with limited mercy while doing everything possible to give the villains a good time.

Accept variance with grace. The week where the biggest donkey walks away the big winner is pure gold for you. Lose with humility, without any snarky comments. No matter how the villain raked in the money. You NEED the table to have sessions like this. They have to have some hope that next week will be their week to shine.

Do try to get caught "speeding" or bluffing once in a while. Showing is good. Even the dumbest, non-observant villain will eventually learn not to call if they pretty much always lose to Hero's relentless value bet. OK - it might take years for some people to learn.

 

[allforcharity]

Since you want to extract as much money as possible, I'd say go all in only rarely, show a good % of your hands that hit, and raise to cause fear and doubt. I hope your poker friends stay your friends and they don't mind constantly losing money to you.

 

[Colquhoun]

Hero should exploit the field with limited mercy while doing everything possible to give the villains a good time.

Accept variance with grace. The week where the biggest donkey walks away the big winner is pure gold for you. Lose with humility, without any snarky comments. No matter how the villain raked in the money. You NEED the table to have sessions like this. They have to have some hope that next week will be their week to shine.

Do try to get caught "speeding" or bluffing once in a while. Showing is good. Even the dumbest, non-observant villain will eventually learn not to call if they pretty much always lose to Hero's relentless value bet. OK - it might take years for some people to learn.

This!
OP, it sounds like it’s a game where you can have a whole lot of fun and also profitable. Just be careful…the last thing you want is any of them changing the way they play based on what you’re doing.

 

[upNdown]

If they don’t understand bet sizing and pot odds, then it will probably be profitable to be a calling station and draw like a maniac - for example, drawing to an inside straight is only stupid when they’re charging you appropriately; if they bet small you call!

 

[Natskule]

I'm curious what the best strategy would be to best exploit the players a monthly .25/.50 home game

I just need a strategy so I can crush everyone consitently! Everyone at the game can more than afford the stakes so stacking them isn't likely to make them not return to the game.

Had a few issues with those statements. Who wants to exploit a friends/family .25/.50 home game?

Beating average to bad players is pretty easy, just play solid poker, no tricks needed. Players that need a special strategy to beat average to bad players are probably average to bad as well. Limpers/callers are easy to beat over time, they may out draw you sometimes, but they always pay you off as well. Quit watching poker on tv, learn how to value bet and don't give your money away chasing. No secret strategy needed to be a winner over the long term.

But that is all missing the point, having a .25/.50 game with friends/family is about having a good time that is relatively cheap. Enjoy it and have a good time instead of focusing on how to exploit your friends/family.

 

[ThrowBack]

You mentioned playing tight being boring. But sometimes sound strategy is boring

You need to decide if you want to play well or play fun exciting

A lot of these games though you can steal and crush post flop from the button

 

[Kentucky]

You mentioned playing tight being boring. But sometimes sound strategy is boring

Poker is a boring game punctuated by moments of abject terror.
Just like life.
That’s why it’s so good to play.

 

[ekricket]

And don’t berate the bad players when they do beat you!!!! Tell them nice hand (and try to mean it).

Just say nicely, “ohhh I see why you called my royal flush with bottom pair even though there were four overs and four suited and sequenced cards on the board - you have to make that call because I bluff a lot, and you have to keep the bluffers in check! Nice Hand!!

Because that’s what’s important, keeping bluffers reined in.

 

[ekricket]

I recently played in. 2/5 game that was like this - 5 people would limp, then the flop bet would be $5 with three callers, the turn bet would be $10 with three callers, and the river bet would be $10 ($60 in the pot) and the last opponent would fold. Nobody ever got felted. It was a weird game, but profitable.
We switched to 1/2 starting one night and they went crazy. Pots were twice the size of 2/5 and bust outs were frequent. Same people. We went back to 2/5 the same session and it was as above. Just weird, but it made for enjoyable poker.

 

[upNdown]

I recently played in. 2/5 game that was like this - 5 people would limp, then the flop bet would be $5 with three callers, the turn bet would be $10 with three callers, and the river bet would be $10 ($60 in the pot) and the last opponent would fold. Nobody ever got felted. It was a weird game, but profitable.
We switched to 1/2 starting one night and they went crazy. Pots were twice the size of 2/5 and bust outs were frequent. Same people. We went back to 2/5 the same session and it was as above. Just weird, but it made for enjoyable poker.

Sounds like that group should be playing $1.75/$3.50.

 

[ekricket]

Sounds like that group should be playing $1.75/$3.50.

I opened my starting range a lot. A whole lot. Made some ridiculous hands that I should have never been allowed to. Got away from junk post flop easily.

 

[upNdown]

I opened my starting range a lot. A whole lot. Made some ridiculous hands that I should have never been allowed to. Got away from junk post flop easily.

Yeah that goes with what I said above - it’s not a bad thing to be a calling station if you’re getting the right price to call.

 

[JJDiamonds]

Sounds like the games I host. (I'm one of the bad players haha)

 

[ttowns86]

Just play strong fundamentals and value bet with good made hands.

 

[Taghkanic]

I can’t count the times per night in 1/3 and 2/5 games when someone overcalls preflop because, you know, they’re “priced in.”

So they contribute 20-25% of the pot with a hand that has at best 10-15% equity multiway.

And no, they’re not going to make up the shortfall by “outplaying” the table. They’re going to station (or get stationed). And have to put far more into the pot to get to showdown with their offsuit three-gapper which caught middle pair.

 

[H|Q]

don’t bluff, like ever. Value bet MUCH BIGGER than you would think is possible to call. Print money.

And don’t berate the bad players when they do beat you!!!! Tell them nice hand (and try to mean it).

Wait a minute. You told me “nice hand” after I hit gutter ball on you in Columbus!

 

[Fishman]

I'm watching all these high roller clips, Brunson games or Brunson hands -- people folding 2 face cards on pre-flop raises ...

meanwhile my crew will go all in on 46o v AA and beat me on the river.

 

[wcsmik]

shouldn’t exploit them but teach them how to play. If they don’t want to learn don’t assume to know what cards they have because they themselves have no idea and will call bets with nothing.