Good Tactic or not?

[GaNgStA kEeKs]

This play i do is only when its the small blinds - anyways, i have a habbit whenever i have a high card suited with any other card always make a call and play for the flush. Its done me a lot more good than harm - but would you say this is a bad tactic? Thinking on it i dont believe it is - but for a little blind its not worth much and can get me some big wins.

Also - how do you's play any pocket pair? I, again, if its a small blind will call just to see the flop. Had some good success with this again. What are your thoughts?

[Doc]

My thoughts are you want to learn about pot odds

It will answer all these questions and more.

In summary - you have the worst position, but can get in cheaply (i.e. good pot odds). You have to balance those two. Generally calling as you have described is fine, but only if there is no raise. Also you're going to have to be able to play well on the flop.

[GaNgStA kEeKs]

Pot odds - They just dont calculate in my head :pat

Generally if theres a raise i wont call it unless i have some very good cards - if there is no raise and i call it to see the flop. I either A) Fold it as there is nothing on for me - or if i see 2 of my suit i will give it a nice little juicy raise. I get quite aggressive at times - even though most of the time im a very tight player!

[GaNgStA kEeKs]

Actually what i wrote is partly false - just has J8 suited, i dont call the J - seems to be more the Ace or King i do this tactic with, just thought i would clear it up as im playing right now and that came up.

[Doc]

I'll go as far as this Kiko - if you continue to play for any length of time without having some concept of pot odds you'll lose money, possibly a lot.

Its part of the game, so get with it or find something else

Its like trying to drive without using the gearbox!

[GaNgStA kEeKs]

Mathmatics was always my weak spot - I guess im going to have to give it another bash

[A.M.P]

Kiko,

Must admit to doing the same as you and calling from late position with a flush draw. Again, I suppose it's percentages but I'm playing 30 cents NL games at the moment and I'd look on 10 bucks as being a decent return from a good hand.

However, these days I only look to call if there's also the possibility that you can make a straight out of them. So personally I thow away anything else (J 6, K 8, etc,etc). Ofcourse I won't answer a big raise with these cards.

In STT's when the blinds move to the 100 mark all but A-10 and inwards get thrown away.

An interesting question as I think exactly along the same lines as you but I'm new to poker and the convential wisdom seems to be stick to the "category" hands and get rid of anything else. Unfortunately the 10 buck pots I seem to win now and then makes up for the occasional 30 cents I throw away. Just thinking though - have you ever held a low suited connecter (5 7 say) and either lost to a higher flush or been raised out of the pot fearing one? Complicated game this poker malarky at times and more food for thought for me...

AMP

[GaNgStA kEeKs]

Apart from calling odd pockets and high card any suited i never play anything J10 or below. I really am a stingy little tight player and it seems to work well so far. Although i do need to be patient as hell.

My worst poker moment came yesterday though - River came on and i had a flush A high. Figured it was highly unlikely i was going to lose the hand, so i raise - guy re raises me, i go all in. It was something like 5, 8, 9, 2, 3 with the 5,8,9 being clubs or along those lines. So i see his hand - he shows me 6,7 and theres me thinking i wipe him out. Straight Flush!! Couldnt believe it - and to think this guy raised quite a hefty raise pre flop with that. Very strange, talk about when your lucks in.

[GETT1NLOTS]

High card + Rag suited will drain your cash very quickly. I leave it alone unless I'm in very late position AND with very few callers to the BB. And even then i will fold it more often than not.

Its done me a lot more good than harm

You've been lucky or have a selective memory. Trust me on this as the maths will not back up this recollection.

[Markpl]

Kiko i think you should dump king rag suited for a start, its just not good maths/play. Ace rag suited is playable but only if you have discipline, for example you limp into a pot with A7 hearts and the board comes Ac 10s 4d are you going to pay off raises here. I fear you are and that would be very poor play as you are certainly beat. Only play these hand if you are prepared to dump them when the flop only marginally helps you.

Personally i don't play them unless im playing limit poker where no one can bet you out of pot to hit a flush as pot odds are almost always in your favour.

[GaNgStA kEeKs]

Cheers guys - this is exactly the kind of help i am looking at in helping me up my game. Really am going to have to get stuck into this odds though . Will take your help in in future games! Many Thanks!

[aliensyndm]

Yeah totally agree, hands like K3 suited are a bit no no in early position, mid-position and when any raises happen. If you're in late position with no raisers and few callers then you can get away with it, still they are accidents waiting to happen those hands. Just wait till you make a king flush and get wiped out by an ace flush

Same applies to ace rags, bollox hands.
Suited ace rags are playable but you have to be very careful and be quite prepared to fold even when an ace flops. Again much better to have them in decent postion. Whatever you do you gotta make sure you don't pay off an ace with better kicker if an ace flops.

Another thing to watch out for is being the big blinds. Often you'll end up in a pot with cards you'd never have called with normally. Don't get too attached to them, remember there are other people out there that could have called with "premium" hands. Just happened to me there......about 5 people in the pot, flop comes 459 I have 2-9 off. Do I bet ? Do I fuck !!
Any calls are likely to be from a 9 with better kicker, someone with 45, or someone on a str8 draw might raise, it's just not worth getting involved.
Win a small pot, or lose a large one kinda thing again