My shorthanded 50NL strategy

[Fjaman]

I have been playing 6-max NL and PL holdem for a while and developed a strategy i would like some input on to streamline my game and make it more profitable…

First my table selection bases on how many players there are on average on each flop I try to find a table where there are around or more than 60% of players/flop.

I play carefully the first couple of hands and try and get a feel for the players at the table but after 10-20 hands I open up my game full. I raise AA, KK, QQ AKs, AKo, AQs, AQo, AJs, AJo KQs, KQo, ATs from any postion upp to a standard 3 or 4 times the BB depending on the table.
QJo, QJs, J10s, J10o I play pretty carefully, raise from late position with few or no limpers or just call with a lot of limpers. I might call min. raises but otherwise I usually fold these hands unless there´s a monster pot preflop.

JJ, TT, i usually raise the standard amount aswell but i like to use variation on my play on these hands since you often flop overcards, sometimes I just call and hope for a set or undercards and take it from there.

99-22 I play to call and flop a set and try to slow play them to the river for maximum value.

SC and suited gappers I usually play from middle to late position, calling if there are 2 or more in already or raising if it is folded to me.

On the flop I always raise 50-65% of the pot whether I hit or not and if I get on caller that somehow don’t seem that strong (suspected flush or str8 draw) I raise 40-50% of the pot again on the turn, and if he doesn’t go away there I am usually beat.

Suggestions and comments on my strategy is very welcome!

"Luck is more often then not a sign of lack of aggression"

[Bmxicle]

Don't slowplay your sets to the river, ever, you need to build a pot w/ sets so that by the time you get to the river they are allin w/ their top pair. Also, you may want to consider making your continuation bets a little larger like 50%-90% of the pot or something, but don't fix it if its not broke.

Other than that it seems pretty standard.

[Fjaman]

the problem with the sets are if you hit a small set and bet about half the pot everybody folds and you just made 1dollar on your set... I usually check when i get it and hope for a raiser which i then smooth call and hit him with a reraise on the turn, i do not slow play if its a coordinated flop or alot of cards in the same suit

[Bmxicle]

Slow playing until the turn in some spots is alright, but you have to be raising or betting on the turn.

[Miffed22001]

have you read the links page sticky at the top of the forum.
It has a link to 'more than set farming' or something similar. This is a more advanced idea of tactics but they do work at 50nl as the players may at least be able to put you on cards. Just an idea.
As for your sets, you just have to bet as you would with top pair and hope some one caught something imo. They dont always get paid, but often when they do its a big pay day

[SmackinYaUp]

Your strategy looks pretty standard. The rest of it is up to you learning when to fold and when to value bet w/o the nuts. I also suggest adding 72o to your raising arsenal. This is a highly under-rated hand.

[underminedsk]

I have stopped slowplaying my sets as of late, for this reason:

I figure that if your set is going to get paid off, it's going to happen whether or not you slowplay, so its better of to come out strong and build the pot for a callable push on the turn or river. I'ts pretty unlikely that allowing your opponent to see more cards will make him feel better about his hand. TPTK or bottom two pair looks alot better on the flop than it does on the river. The chance that someone else will trip up or spike his second pair on the turn is very low, and you also let draws sneak in for free. Even on very uncordinated flops like 48Q rainbow, draws still exist and will probably get great implied odds from your set if they hit. I'd much prefer to win fewer pots by not giving my opponents odds, but making the few that I do win much larger.

[SmackinYaUp]

sounds good undermined. im tempted to slowplay on Q84 rainbow flops but only until the turn. the rest of the time, you might as well bet it early and let people chase their flushes because when it misses them on the river its gonna be too late for you to get any money.