Ways to Defeat the Live Straddle

1) It is important not to reraise with less thanlosing poker... just generally bad poker.
premium hands.A good way to think about the straddle on your big
2) If people are calling 4 times the last best with 45sblind is that you have posted the small blind in a
they will lose in the long run to youhigher stakes game where the stacks are shallower.
Furthermore, there is nothing wrong with gettingIn theory, that the stacks are shallower in relation to
bluffed out of pots from time to time. The playerthe straddle may be the main adjustment you have
that never gets bluffed is a losing player. If you miss,to make. In practice, though, many players who
no big deal, just lay the hand down.straddle act as though they have thrown much more
You MUST be willing to put chips in when you believethan the straddle into the pot, so you can make
your hand is ahead of your opponents' ranges. This islarger value bets and should tend to bluff less.
how we make $ in poker. We put more chips inDon't set your expectations too high. While a straddle
ahead, and less when behind, than our opponents do.is a clear mistake with 5 or more players, an
If we believe, after fairly evaluating the informationexpensive way to relieve boredom UTG, that doesn't
on any street, that our hand is currently ahead ofmean you get much of the benefit when it is your
villain ranges we must GET CHIPS INTO THE POT!.big blind. The main beneficiaries are the players in late
If we believe we are ahead and fail to build the potposition who get to play for higher stakes in a
for fear of suckouts we are playing weak poker,profitable position.