Changing your style to fit the table

[Monty9]

Do any of you change the way you play depending on the table texture?

I have noticed that one on guys starts playing loose with big bets the others at the table try to match him and start playing off their ussual game.

I thought it was always the opposite. On a loose table play tighter and on a tight table play looser. I will raise my PFR amount if I don't get enough folds but thats about it.

I was playing this morning and the table was pretty normal with average 1/2 pot and pot sized betting. This new guy sits in and immediately starts buying pots. Next thing you know these 2 other guys start doing the same. I just sat back and waited. I trippled up in like 1/2 hour and I don't think I even raised one hand, they did all the betting for me.

[WildBobAA]

Yes, every table is different and you have to constantly adjust to the changing structure.

[alias2211]

Monty-

In short handed, understanding your individual opponents is more important than a general sense for the table, especially when it's only 3-4 players. The table is so much more in a state of fluxuation that as soon as you think you have a line on the table as a whole, someone will leave and you (possibly) have to start all over with your analysis. Accordingly, I think the whole 'loose table vs. tight table' continuum is better suited for full ring evaluation. It's not entirly unapplicable in 6MAX, but in shorthanded, you have to look for those small edges and be willing to ride them very hard. And most of these edges come from individuals, not from overall table texture. In other words, given the choice between playing at a table with 2 sharks and 1 donk or one with 5 'decent' players, I would much rather sit at the feeding pool and wait to pop the donk. As soon as you become big stack, everything changes, and YOU get to set the table texture almost entirely on your own.

[Fnord]

As soon as you become big stack, everything changes, and YOU get to set the table texture almost entirely on your own.

100bb should be deep enough for this to be not a very big deal.

Idealy I'd love to play these games with a fixed stack of 50bb.

[dalecooper]

I agree with that. When I sit at a table with 100 bb I don't feel like anyone has leverage over me, unless they're going all in pre-flop on a regular basis. I wouldn't even mind a huge stack raising 10xbb over and over... it won't take long for me to pop that guy.

[aislephive]

In a shorthanded game you must adjust your play based on the table. A lot of tables are hyper aggressive and I'll sit back and trap them when I hit my hand. If the table is tight then I'll play a positional LAG game and pick up a lot of small pots. That way you also have a decent shot of getting paid off as well when you actually do have a hand and they get sick of getting pushed around.