Am I too passive?

[r8ed]

An issue I'm concerned with is passiveness in general. By playing good hands in position, I notice I'm not really raising much preflop. I keep getting the better hands (not AA,KK,QQ) UTG and therefore limp. I'm getting limpable hands late. This is how it's been going lately.

When I hit a draw, I want to get to the turn cheaply so I am not aggressive. If I hit the turn, I usually have the nuts since my starting hands are good. So, I don't bet huge when there is no danger.

On the river, if I feel I can check-raise a player, I usually try to. One, so I can get more money. Two, so later I can get a cheap showdown when I don't have the nuts and they aren't sure they have the best hand.

If I hit trips on the flop or turn and no danger, I'm not throwing out large bets. The only time I throw out large bets are when I currently have the best hand and I'm making drawers fold or pay.

When I get a raising hand and bet preflop, I'm missing flops and people are betting enough to get me out of the hand on certain boards.

Any suggestions?

[DoGGz]

yes, bet AA KK QQ from any position at 25nl

nothing wrong with hitting trips, pushing and praying for a call

[biondino]

You sound pretty playable against - a rock who doesn't bluff and plays strong hands hard. This is going to be a problem if a) you are at a loose table and end up folding decent hands to raises from Laggs, and b) if you are at a tight table where no-one will pay you off but you're unwilling to steal/bully.

Essentially, there's nothing wrong with this game at low limits, as long as you play aggressively every time you have the best of it. But if you push the edges of your game so that you're stealing pots, occasionally bluffing and essentially confusing your opponents, you will end up a better and more profitable player.

Maybe that's the next step - no need to rush when you're not ready. And if you do do it, always know when to fold - it's the biggest temptation in the world to bluff, get called, think "well I'll just bluff again on the turn, but bigger", get called again, and lose half your stack because you can't bully a guy off a hand when he made a full house on the flop.

You sound pretty playable against - a rock who doesn't bluff and plays strong hands hard. This is going to be a problem if a) you are at a loose table and end up folding decent hands to raises from Laggs, and b) if you are at a tight table where no-one will pay you off but you're unwilling to steal/bully.

Essentially, there's nothing wrong with this game at low limits, as long as you play aggressively every time you have the best of it. But if you push the edges of your game so that you're stealing pots, occasionally bluffing and essentially confusing your opponents, you will end up a better and more profitable player.

Maybe that's the next step - no need to rush when you're not ready. And if you do do it, always know when to fold - it's the biggest temptation in the world to bluff, get called, think "well I'll just bluff again on the turn, but bigger", get called again, and lose half your stack because you can't bully a guy off a hand when he made a full house on the flop.

Agreed, but for low limit games replace full house with third button.

[r8ed]

I looked back over more hands yesterday after posting this. Out of 20 - 30 times I folded to a pot sized flop raise when I didn't have anything or had second highest pair, I would have won 1 total hand that went to showdown. The amount I would have won on that hand did not come even close to the amount I would have lost calling those bets or even just some of those bets. So, I feel a little better.

I also looked back and saw that when I had position, I was raising most checked boards unless I was on a draw. A few times I raised when I was first to bet. That's the extent of me being aggressive.

One time I attempted the raise flop, raise bigger on the turn and did lose half my stack. I folded to his all-in on the turn. I was 75% sure it was a steal based on the board and the player but it wasn't worth it.

Do you think it's worth raising every hand I intend to play to .75 or $1 preflop regardless of the hand? I'm playing pocket pairs, AK, AQ from any position. From button or cutoff, I'm playing those plus KQ, AJ, AT (sometimes), Axs, JTs, J9s, T9s, 98s, 87s, 76s, 65s.