opening size in a 8 max straddle game

[pvs80]

I play a lot on WPT Global these days.
It is a zoom variant, they call it Flash poker.
It is an 8 max game with a straddle.


What is the best opening size in a straddle game?

So they have 2ct-5ct-10ct.
Most players sit with 100BB or a bit less (I think about half) but some with 200BB and it is possible to buy in for 400BB also, which of course some do as well.

Also what is the optimal buy in size?

I often buy in with 100 BB, but if you count in straddle as BB that is just 50 x the straddle.
I find at times it is very shallow, a couple of miss and folds and 20-25% of your buyin is gone (I do keep reloading).
However with 200 BB and 400 BB you often get action from the small stacks a lot and some bigger stacks leverage their stack and keep reraising all the time, which can be frustrating (opening A10S KQ AJ AQ and medium PP etc) also (and costly).

 

[TeUnit]

With the effective stack sizes being smaller with the straddle I would think you would want to open smaller like 2.25x and open tighter because the villans have greater incentive to 3b with the extra money in the pot.

You also may want to vary the raise size by position. You may want to open smaller in early position, and larger from spots like the small blind where it should take a larger raise to get the straddle to fold.

The answer really depends on the individual villans.

 

[fundiver199]

There is a bit more money in the pot compared to a 10c/5c game, which could warrent a slightly larger open sizing. But its not a big difference, so I would probably still just use my standard 25c open sizing. I would buy in for $10, which as you say, is really only 100BB, since the straddle is the actual BB, regardless what they call it. If you are good at deep stacked poker and feel, you have an edge, then buy in for the full amount of $20. I would not buy in for the minimum of $5, just like I dont do it other cash games either. And of course you need to have a bankroll for 10NL not 5NL. Maybe even a bit more, if you buy in for $20.

 

[primrose]

Yeah you should generally just always buy in for the maximum if you think you're better than the other players. Although I also want to throw out the general warning that zoom is hard and a questionable choice if you want to beat a format by as much as possible.

 

[uesleisuptitz]

I’d go about 3x–3.5x the straddle for opens, smaller just gets too many callers. For buy-in, 200BB feels best – 100BB is too shallow, 400BB gets messy. 200BB gives enough room without being crazy deep.

 

[pvs80]

Yeah you should generally just always buy in for the maximum if you think you're better than the other players. Although I also want to throw out the general warning that zoom is hard and a questionable choice if you want to beat a format by as much as possible.

There are good players that play well for sure in the pool, but this format also attracts a lot of fishy / gambling / tilting players it seems.
I feel that the games on WPT Global are softer, at least than on for instance Stars, or maybe it is just because Brad Owen keeps repeating it lol, no but seriously
There are a lot Chinese and other Asians, especially on the Chinese currency variants, that seem to like to gamble it up.