Transitioning from mostly online mtts to more live cash games lately, and finding I kind of suck at these multi-way pots. Couple quick hands from a 2-5 game at the Aria in Vegas.

First up, if you are transitioning to live cash you might want to start on the 1-3 tables and probably somewhere like MGM or Planet Hollywood or the old Down Town casinos. Many more ‘tourist / recreational’ players who are happy to chat about hands, show cards, have a drink ect ect and are basically easy money (and quit good fun as well). The 2-5 tables have a much higher % of regular grinders and gamblers with the cash to back it up.

Hand 1: I have Ah6h in EP with around 100bb and raise to $20. We get a call from CO, But, and the BB. The BB is an older asian lady who seems to be bit loose and just not real fundamentally sound postflop. Anyways she leads for ~1/3 the pot on a flop  of J65dd. Pretty torn here, I could see calling, I could see folding, and I could see turning this into a bluff raise as well. I would expect to be a small underdog vs her leading range (probably some weak Jx-77, some 6x, some draws) also two opponents behind me which really sucks for calling. Raising is somewhat shitty since my Ax outs are somewhat transparent and unlikely to get paid off if I improve. I ended up folding.

 A one 1/3 pot lead is often a draw hand charging the price they want to draw or it’s a weak made hand “finding out where they are at”. I don’t think raise is an option as you have 2 to act behind and I don’t see anyone folding a Jx to an initial raise. I might be inclined to peal one and see what action comes behind and on the turn. If the J was a heart then I’d definitely be sticking around. I can see a case for folding, but only really if you are expecting to be put in tough spots by the players behind or you have a specific read on the donk lead i.e. only does it with nutted hands or strong top pairs.

Hand 2: Couple players limp from EP/MP, Co raises to $30 and I call on the button with 7s7c. I believe the blinds both called as well as the two limpers, so we had like $180 in the pot 6 way to the flop. Not super woried about the blinds they were both loose rec. players as were the limpers. Player in the co is also a rec but likes to raise decenly wide in late postion, I would think most broadways, 77+ some suited conn type stuff etc. 

relevent stack sizes; I had around 200bb and the two villains on the flop both had me covered or pretty close.

Flop is 234hdd. It checks to me and I bet $80 into $180. Not really sure about the sizing, Mostly just want to fold out all the overcard combinations, and minimize my losses the times I get ck/r. One of the MP limpers calls and the initial PFR in the CO also calls. Turn is the Kh (two hearts on board now). Really unsure here on the turn. I expect I likely have the best hand, I sorta want to bet to fold out some Ahi hands that the CO will likely have. Not real sure what the MP player has here, probably some 4x, 55-99, 5x, diamonds, A2-A4s etc. Now that I’m writing out I probably should just bet like $150 or so for protection, but I ck and lose to AJo on the Jc river.

There will be a lot of weak Ax type hands in the early position limpers ranges as well as soooooted cons and lesser broadway hands. The Flop bet is fine when checked to, but I think you have to bet like you mean it e.g. $100+ as your $80 bet just looks like a BTN stab when checked to. You are not getting the limp callers to fold any Ax hand or FD on this flop and the CO has been ‘priced’ in to float with overcards. That said there  shouldn’t be too many Kx hands in either of their ranges (especially if you bet bigger on flop). I would turn barrel a greater than 50% of time in a live game as people can get real sticky with marginal hands and draws. However, this is going to be very player read based / how the table has been playing / what my current image is at the table ect ect

Cash games are very different beasts to MTTs, and live cash is very different to online cash games. The mindset and way you play hands is very different. I notice in these hands some MTT type betting thinking, your game is not over if you go broke in a cash game (unless you want it to be) so don’t play conservatively too much, you need to play strong positive moves when you decide to play. There are a lot more mind games going on in live cash.