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Entry #49: Fixed Limit Full Table Games: Rock or Roll?
Very tight-aggressive play is the conventionally accepted way to approach a full FL table. The idea is that by playing your cards close to your chest, if you will, then eventually you will come out on top simply by exploiting the loose play of others. The wrong end of variance and generally terrible luck can be frustrating, but correct so-called ABC strategy is the universally recommended recipe for success...
"I get the impression nowadays that full FL tables have become considerably more loose compared with a couple of years ago"
Perhaps the fact that online poker is my job and thus results in me playing countless hands, day in, day out has clouded my judgement, but I get the impression nowadays that full FL tables have become considerably more loose compared with a couple of years ago. This could be due to the poker explosion, fuelled in no small part by those whose introduction to poker came by way of wacky television highlights of NL tournament play, a number of whom having subsequently turned to FL and added their special NL flavour. Of course it is equally possible that I might be imagining things but, nevertheless, with many full tables having multiple callers, I recommend hitherto hyper tight players might consider adjusting their game in certain (loose table) circumstances.
"Knowing where we stand - or being able to let the opposition 'know' where they stand - is paramount"
Sticking too rigidly to the usual game-plan not only runs the risk of alerting the better players at the table to your style (and predictability) but, even more importantly, can lead to running into trouble with strong hands that earn well on tighter tables. AJ unsuited is a good example of an ostensibly strong holding that tends to struggle in a full table FL game with a higher than average number of pre-flop callers. In fact a while ago I decided against playing this at all unless circumstances suggest otherwise, but now even raising with AQ unsuited is beginning to look less attractive, as is getting jiggy with JJ, for example. This 'Plan B' way of thinking isn't because these hands aren't strong, and I'd be keen to play them if I thought I could reduce the opposition to a manageable level, but with multiple opponents it is difficult to formulate a strategy post-flop unless hitting a big hand; knowing where we stand - or being able to let the opposition 'know' where they stand - is paramount, and these 'good' holdings offer way too little in terms of cover (we might catch the best hand but can never be sure). Moreover, hitting with strongish holdings is also too transparent to get others to pay big on the hand.
"The idea is to avoid playing good looking but potentially troublesome hands that anyway offer limited reward in favour of lesser holdings that come with a bigger prize when they hit"
Which brings me to the secret weapon part of this alternative strategy, namely switching the energy and money we would normally have devoted to the likes of KQ to better disguised holdings such as suited connectors and random pairs. It is true that 8h9h, for example, doesn't rank alongside AK or the top two pairs (which, of course, we should raise and bet with), but if we raise pre-flop with this holding and the flop hits, it is guaranteed to hit big, and in such a manner as to leave the callers without a clue as to who is in front. A flop of K88 here would keep those with typical pre-flop calling holdings such as KQ involved and in for the ride, Ah, 9c, 5h is a juicy drawing hand and a dream rainbow flop of 67T looks harmless enough to trap the trappers. Obviously if the flop completely misses here, or if, for instance, our two sixes fail to find a third, then we let the hand go if necessary. The idea is to avoid playing good looking but potentially troublesome hands that anyway offer limited reward in favour of lesser holdings that come with a bigger prize when they hit thanks to their well disguised, surprise value - effectively employing a NL strategy in a loose FL environment when the recommended FL isolation play isn't going to be successful.
Good luck at the tables!
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