How do you play vs. Big Stack Bully

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tosborn

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What is the best strategy to use against a big stack bully? Assuming that we do not know anything about the style of play and we are sitting at a full table.

I have noticed that when I am the big stack I play the bully role really well. The reasons are obvious and don't need to be mentioned. It doesn't take much to push people around when you have them covered.

Anyway, what is the best way to combat this? Are we always in push/fold mode when playing against these larger stacks or do we stick to our gameplan? Knowing that Bully has loosened up do we take more chances or put them on good hands?

This is one part of many in my game that could use some work. Cash games are not that much different, but, comparisons between MTT/SNG/Ring games would be appreciated.
 
The only thing to do play tight and when you get a hand to make a move with, reraise big. The odds are in your favor to win back some of your chips and then some. A risker move is to bluff to make him think you have a monster hand. Remember, reraise big! The big stack will call anything under 4X what his/her bet is. Anything 4X and up the big stack will have to think about it.
 
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I tend to make myself as unpredictable as possible against a big stacked bully. I tend to call his raises with more small suited connectors, trying to give myself more opportunities to hit a strong raising hand later. Then I show all of my folded hands so that he sees that I am calling him with garbage, that way he won't be threatened by by calls on later hands once I have hit a 2 pair or better. I never raise the bully when there is a straight or flush possibility on the board, because you never know when he is going to get lucky. And I try to let the bully do my betting for me. More often than not he will push an all in bluff against a set, and you will get to break him.
 
You said when you've got a bigstack, you play a bully really well, so when you're the bully, what plays get you most upset? it's probaly when players play back at a bluff. So if you get a decent hand play aggressive or slowplay him and win big
 
You'd probably would have to play tight because he could keep betting big in every betting situation even if he has absolutely nothing.
 
t1riel said:
The only thing to do play tight and when you get a hand to make a move with, reraise big. The odds are in your favor to win back some of your chips and then some. A risker move is to bluff to make him think you have a monster hand. Remember, reraise big! The big stack will call anything under 4X what his/her bet is. Anything 4X and up the big stack will have to think about it.
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There is nothing I can say smarter than what he said

perfect strategy
 
It depends on the particular bully. To give a simple example, if the player is incapable of laying down a hand after making a bullying bet, then you have to wait until you have a hand. However, if he's capable of folding and if you have enough chips to make him think about folding, then you can also try coming over the top without a premium hand.
 
tosborn said:
What is the best strategy to use against a big stack bully? Assuming that we do not know anything about the style of play and we are sitting at a full table.

I have noticed that when I am the big stack I play the bully role really well. The reasons are obvious and don't need to be mentioned. It doesn't take much to push people around when you have them covered.

Anyway, what is the best way to combat this? Are we always in push/fold mode when playing against these larger stacks or do we stick to our gameplan? Knowing that Bully has loosened up do we take more chances or put them on good hands?

This is one part of many in my game that could use some work. Cash games are not that much different, but, comparisons between MTT/SNG/Ring games would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

a big stack bully doesnt always have a AA KK AK etc.he just no s he cant be nokedd out so u got to get into his head make funof him any thing so he makes a foolish call tryin too get u then pik him off little by little or reraiase him constantly show him ur in control of the table but first u have to have some sort of table immage like play tight at first show ur not bluffin:flybye:
 
Whack em'

Having a big stack bully at the table can get to be a giant pain in the a#$,but it can also make for a great pay day(obviously situations differ).One of the plays I like to use (and most of the time this is a one trick pony) is when I have a premium hand and the bully is being a bully. is to raise them,but making the amount look like I'm just fed up with the constant raising and trying to get them to lay down.I've found that alot of times they will three bet it and then I drop the hammer,either going all in or just a big four bet depending on my chip stack size.
 
Surely this is an MTT question?

Assuming we have 100BB's we play our normal game adjusting to the other players stats and tendencies. If he is a LAG player and making us feel like we're being bullied, we could just leave. If he's a maniac, play strong hands, widen our value ranges and make TP.
 
I agree with lucky unless this is a player you have notes on that you can exploit then just leave and join another table

if it's in MTT scenario then generally playing supertight and trapping him with his own agression usually works

inti
 
LuckyChippy said:
Surely this is an MTT question?

Assuming we have 100BB's we play our normal game adjusting to the other players stats and tendencies. If he is a LAG player and making us feel like we're being bullied, we could just leave. If he's a maniac, play strong hands, widen our value ranges and make TP.
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^^^ This. I don't understand what the problem is. If you get it in with the best you double up and if ya don't ya re-buy, or move to another table.

This surely is a MTT question? If not, I am lost.
 
I though Tosborn had reappeared, but then it just turn out to be a thread from the dead.
 
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