What type of style do you have when you play against bad players or donkeys?

They say you can bluff good players, but can't bluff bad players, so what do you do when you are at a table with some bad players that are just lucking out?

Show them the Best hand, and check raise them to death, Value Bet all of your hands. Hands like second pair, decent kicker that you would often check with now become betting and raising hands.

Pick your battles, lose the minimum when they have a hand, win the maximum when you have a hand.

A bit of an oversimplification but that will get you started in the right direction.

Jason

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I'm Not Lucky, I Have Good Karma !

Thanks for the tips. Sometimes you'll have the best hand and they are pushing all in because they hit top pair and lucking out. I know you can't really defend against that and suckouts are part of poker. I guess I should understand that I got their money in the pot when I was holding the best hand and more often than not I will win.

It's tougher to beat the donkeys in NL games, hence why I like to think I'm way better in the Limit Holdem arena. Bad beats are at all stakes and at all games, but it's always nice when you can limit your losses, save bets, and get away from decent hands when you know your up against a bad player's monster hands.

I don't play near as high as Jason, but I know I've experienced my fair share of donks in Arizona when I play $10/$20 and $15/$30 LHE. You can easily spot them, and you just do your best to check raise in solid spots, and try not to miss bets at all when you know you have a good hand (even when marginal).

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One thing that has helped me play lower limit MTTs (multi table tournaments) online is to tighten up the hands I raise with considerably. My biggest frustration with the lower limits is that players will not fold to a raise preflop even when holding K8, Q9, A4, etc. Thus I rarely raise with AQ or AJ behind limpers or from MP (Middle Position) or even AK in EP (Early Position)because it just won't get anyone out of the pot. I will instead call and hope to hit the flop hard and get value after the flop, or fold if the flop doesn't help. I'm raising and reraising of course with QQ, KK, or AA, but tend to make these raises big.

I'm also careful about reraising the donkeys all in with two suited cards on the board. When holding KK with a Kh 9d 2h board, I will hold off on trying to get all the money in until a nonheart turn. It seems like the flush chasers will gladly let their stack ride with any two hearts here, so I like to narrow their chances to one card before shoving it all in. This of course only early in the tournament, when the donkey ratio is high.

I think the key is to shoot for "set or better" hands to get the money in. TPTK (Top Pair, Top Kicker) can break you when the donkeys play K3 sooooted and hit two pair.

Interested to hear other's thoughts.

Nice post Sj,

Glad to see another quality member on the site.

I think you definitely have the right idea, I see too many people get the money all in to early in the hand, it's good to save some chips to bet the flop or turn with like you mentioned.

There are players that just won't ever fold AK or AQ preflop, but if the flop misses them, the will let there hands go.

We could start a whole other topic on just this aspect of betting ;) its important, and you definitely understand the concept.

Jason

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I'm Not Lucky, I Have Good Karma !

Just wait for big hands and raise the amount they call.

If they call *5 *6 etc raise that amount, limp in with suited connecters if they dont hit it wont cost you much and when they hit keep betting as they will go all in with top pairs etc

Thanks for the great replies everyone! It's great when you can get different poker player's opinions. I'm still learning and picking up tips every day.

I find a lot of players in the lower limit tournaments take a lot more chances than those that play in the higher limits.

<---- I have looked like this a few times after they have hit runner runner to take me out.

well i say beat them completely, don't let them win even a penny from you (if possible). or you can always leave~ which most of them will just laugh at you later, calling you cowards.

Spidey whats your screename on pokerstars i want to play with you sometime lol

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Kickboyswoop