The problem as I see it (and please correct me) is that loose players will cause a large variance that you (or me) might not be able to overcome long term.
As an example.
Live game. Blinds 3,2 and 2 on the BTN. I am BB with AA. I make it $30 to go to which is the standard for high pocket pairs on this table after several players have limped. . A very loose player in the SB and one other player MP called.
The pot has about $100.
The flop is Jack, small, small rainbow. SB checks and I bet $100. Mp folds, and SB calls. Pot now has $300.
The Turn is Queen and still rainbow. The SB checks and I push my $250 (he has $150) and the he calls.
He has QJo and his two pair won. Later he went broke and lost about $400. But, not to me. I was able to get $150 back from him.
The player on my left said that I slowplayed my aces in jest and I said I bet $100 on the flop which was the size of the pot. He said, yeah, SB made a bad call there. I could have gone all in. I am not sure he would have called. The pot had $100 and I had $350 - all in seemed a bit much.
Now, it is said that you win money when your opponents make mistakes. You want players calling you when you have AA and they have QJo.
In a given session you do not have enough hands that can overcome a few of these beats. Players make bad calls all the time and suck out often enough to cause a large swings. That is why we have large bankrolls to play with.
Long term you should be able to beat them but I think that there are too many of them.
I am a long way from finding the secret to success at poker, but I am still trying. I win more session than I lose.
I have AA and raise on a 6max table - the bb calls with 74o and flops two pair. He checked raised the flop, I floded and the sb called with TPAK.
Somedays you are the bug and somedays you are the windshield.
If anyone has the answer to beating loose playes please share it - thanks.
I have been known to call a $15 raise with QJs but not $30 and not $100 for top pair - I had flopped trips.
