C-bets revisited

There's been a bit of talk about $50NL and how rocky it is. I'm playing at onGame, and it's anything but. The tables sometimes have a low VP$IP, and sometimes (but not often) a bet will take the blinds. But once in the hand opponents aren't willing to fold, and there's a lot of aggression.

I used to c-bet most of the time, and was generally a fairly aggressive player, but after moving up I've found that c-betting is pretty much washing chips down the drain, and aggression is only useful if you're willing to put all your chips in. It works sometimes - about a quarter of the time I think - but little enough that's it's very -EV. First barrel I'm getting called with as little as air, undercards, and no draws. Second barrels are called by as little as bottom pair on A high board. I've tried firing more second barrels against certain opponents, but my reads aren't good enough to make it worthwhile.

I'm also being raised or check-raised on the flop a lot, and I make most of my money from calling river bluffs when I have TPTK and I checked the turn, in or out of position. It's crazy. I've called all ins with less than TPTK twice recently (with reads). Once I won with QK on a Q high board against an AI river bluff. Today I lost a stack with TT on a K high board. Opp was all in on the turn. I called with the best hand. He rivered a flush.

So to counter these tables I'm trying the following:

- C-betting less. I'm still doing it, just less than half the time.
- Trying to play a lot less hands OOP.
- increasing my standard bet to 5bb + 1bb/limper. One regular has gone to 8bb standard raise, with stats of 14/13/4, and he's doing very well.
- Raising drawing hands only when I think I can steal.
- I'm still raising low pairs, but not all the time. More just to mix it up.
- Playing a little more weak/passive with hands like TPGK.

Does anyone have any comments on this strategy, or helpful hints for me?

Of course the tables aren't always that crazy. If they're just the normal weak tight I revert to my normal play.

Originally Posted by flyingPenguin

I used to c-bet most of the time, and was generally a fairly aggressive player, but after moving up I've found that c-betting is pretty much washing chips down the drain...

It's funny. I thought this exact thing about Ongame's 25NL tables. I assumed everyone was a cstation until proven otherwise, and did not cbet them with air (unless I had outs). I also did like you said and tried my best to play most raised pots in position. I stopped raising all pairs from EP/MP because let's face it...at this level they aren't paying attention anyways. In theory it's better to raise all pairs I think but in reality it's not going to matter since you're not playing with these people long enough for them to get that kind of read on you.