Some questions on starting hands/styles from HOH1

[brewpub]

I'm just starting to play SnGs, used to be a ring player. I've chosen to follow Harrington's advice on being a conservative player until I learn to read the table and players better, then I'll loosen up since I'll be better post flop.

p.38 Harrington advises the conservative player to raise in LP with sevens, high suited connectors, and Ace-x. I get the first two, but seriously, raising with Axo, even in LP, seems a bit loose. Do these Ace-low hands have more value than I thought previously? I mean sure of course in the late rounds they're good hands to push with, but he's saying in 7th or 8th pos., you raise with them.

p.40 Harrington says an aggressive player should raise with all pairs, any two face cards, Ax, and suited connectors regardless of position preflop. I understand that an aggressive style is to confuse players and all, but eventually won't people start noticing that you're raising in MP with A4o and start looking you up? Is that when you start changing gears or what? I'd love to learn an aggressive style since it seems to be the most fun and some of the best players use it very well (Negreanau, Ivey, etc).

It just seems that with such an aggressive style regardless of positional considerations you'll get yourself in trouble often enough that the small pots you pick up won't compensate for it.

Or is this where you're supposed to read the table and the people and fold when you think you're beat if someone plays back at you?

Is it even possible to consistently profit from such an aggressive style in online SnGs with all the loose players who will look you up?

Thanks for any and all answers.

[Wyvver]

I understand that an aggressive style is to confuse players and all, but eventually won't people start noticing that you're raising in MP with A4o and start looking you up?

Well you are doing the same thing (raising) with strong hands. It's not really about confusing your opponent, but to disguise your hand.
When you raise alot of hands, people would like to look you up, but they can never be sure what you are holding so they could easily run into a better hand when trying to look you up.

It just seems that with such an aggressive style regardless of positional considerations you'll get yourself in trouble often enough that the small pots you pick up won't compensate for it.

I think thats why a very aggressive style is only for the really good players, as you will get in many difficult situations. So if you cant deal with them or tend to make wrong decisions there, an aggressive style might not be the right thing yet.

Edit: also one thing that I see alot is people playing overly aggressive preflop, but very weak postflop, folding to any kind of aggression if they didnt hit something big. I think if someone really wants to play a very aggressive style they should follow through after the flop (not always but in good situations).

If someone is only aggressive preflop and very weak after the flop unless he hits something big, it always seems very weak to me.
When you raised preflop, you are in a good position to follow through and show strength again after the flop.
Often you have good chances to pick up the pot, and if someone hit something big and reraises you or goes all-in, at least you know you are beat (unless you have a read).

[brewpub]

Thanks, that's what I suspected. So do you suggest that an inexperienced SNG player like myself stick to a relatively TAG game for a while until I learn to read players, tables, and situations better?

That's what I'm thinking, because I still want to learn to play a LAG game, just wondering if any of you guys agree.

[Wyvver]

Actually Im in kind of the same situation. I'm really interested in an aggressive style but I feel like I have to get better and more confident at my postflop game first. So yeah I think it is probably better to start off tight aggressive as you need lots of experience to be succesfull with a very aggressive style.

[pecas]

I think becoming LAG is a natural process that comes with experience. It's ok to read HOH, but imo you should start tight.
As long as you learn, you'll start to be looser when you are 4 handed, then you'll start to be looser when you're 5 handed, and so on.
Then you'll become too loose, and you'll probably go on tilt. After a bad streak of 8/10 out of the money, you'll be tighter, and the process will start again. Finally you should find your style.
This is what's happening to me (beginner, too).

[drmcboy]

play tag until you can't stand it anymore. Not sure what buy in you're at. < 20 TAG is the only way to play. It takes an idiot to bluff a man you know is going to call you (Brunson).

@ your A4 comment - recognize how much trouble the TAG player is going to have when he calls you with AT and the board comes A43. Both styles work just fine, and both are appropriate in certain spots, once you escape the micros.