In our previous article, we discussed Fit or fold (FoF) players, their characteristics and tendencies. This sequel will show how best to play against these players, so if you've read the previous installment, you will know that FoF players are statistically vulnerable, seeing as most flops miss most hands. This means that the money that they put in the pot are usually dead money, and up for grabs for any takers. How do you profit from this? There are a few key points in your game that you need to adjust when you play against these players.
First, your hand range. Fit or fold players have a high hand range, and play more than 60% of their hands from any position. This makes them easy to identify. Note the hands they show down, e.g. 67s, T8o, and simply only play hands that are superior preflop, like KQo. This gives you a significant advantage since you're almost always going into a pot with them with a mathematical edge. Do not fall for the trap of playing a wider hand range from any position as you would need the edge to make your plays profitable. The optimal scenario would be for them to hold something like 98s, and you holding A9o and both hitting the 9 on the flop. Since they are generally passive calling stations, you can easily profit by value betting on all streets.
Second, isolate the FoF player with aggression. You can do this with calculated raises and light 3-bets. Note the general amount that the FoF player would call preflop, and also the other players to the left. When you make your isolation raises, be careful of the non-FoF players who call. They generally have a strong hand, which make them a good target if you have premium hands like AA, KK, QQ or AK. When you have the FoF player isolated, you can make profitable bets against them whether or not you hit the flop, because these players are easy to read and you can easily calculate your odds and outs against them and bet appropriately.
Continuation bets are your key weapon against FoF players. Since you should hardly ever go into a pot without a raise (avoid the FoF tendencies) unless you're trapping, you should play very aggressively against the FoF player after isolating them. Always, always, make a c-bet when they check to you on the flop even if you missed. The c-bet will give you sufficient information on whether the player has hit or missed the flop, and allow you to hit your outs if you missed and are behind, or sweeten the pot if you're ahead. E.g. the FoF player holds 45s, you hold KQo, and the flop comes 256 rainbow. FoF checks and calls your c-bet, and the turn puts a Q on the board. This puts you massively ahead as the FoF player has only 9 outs to beat you on the river. You will win this scenario 80% of the time, so bet accordingly.
Position against the FoF player is very important. FoF players are generally passive, and will call you down with any two cards that have hit the flop sufficiently well. This means that you should always tighten up when you're acting before the FoF player, and loosen up (but still keep your range above that of the FoF player) when you're acting after. If the FoF player bets into you out of position, he would generally have hit the flop and is rarely on a draw. If the FoF player calls your bets in or out of position, they may have hit the flop either by pairing up or having a draw. Note these tendencies and calculate your odds and outs so each of your subsequent bets will be profitable in the long run.
Pot control is crucial when playing against FoF calling stations. Do not get greedy and push the pot up to the point where you're committed to call a raise should the FoF player make his hand. Keep the pot as small as possible until you're sure that you have the best hand, which should only be on the river. This would generally mean that you give a free card on the turn to see where you stand when you get to the river. Once you're certain of your hand, get as much value as you can by making the FoF player pay you off on the final street. Take note of bets that they would call down on the river and make similar value bets.
Last but certainly not least, learn to fold. It's all too easy to get caught up in your aggression and try to push the FoF player off the pot with brute force. This hardly ever works as they are simply calling stations by nature. Since its all too easy to read the FoF player, you should always know when you're behind and fold. All your bets should gain you information, and be mathematically profitable depending on your reads. There's always a luck factor in poker, and any player who's behind can still catch a miracle card and come out in front. Avoid paying the FoF player off any more than you have to.
The final installment of this series will be on how to avoid playing, and thinking like a FoF player. Hope you enjoyed this article. Comments, constructive or otherwise are always welcome.
Post a Comment