4 replies to this topic

[CobaltBlue]

In a lot of the games I play, there's not much raising...just a lot of passive calling to see a flop. Often, I feel like the players that raise too much are spewing chips. That said, I'm still somewhat unclear about when to raise pre-flop.It seems that pre-flop raises often scream AA23, A23x, or something similar. In the case of a few idiots, I notice that they raise with any pocket pair. (They're fun to play with.) If someone raises pre-flop and the board shows several high low cards...I know that A3 is likely no good for the low. If they hadn't raised pre-flop, I might think it was good.That said...there's this struggle between wanting people to play and wanting to protect my hand and/or make them pay for holding crappier cards. I read somewhere that you shouldn't raise A2 in early position, but that you should in late position...because the people that called are going to call one more bet.So my question...when should I be raising? As it is, I believe I'm only raising 5-10% of the hands that I'm playing to the flop.

[CobaltBlue]

Seriously...could use some help.

[akishore]

assuming it's limit since you said "one more bet".raise strong scooping hands like A-A-2-3 and A-K-2-4 and A-K-K-2 for value.raise strong low hands to build up the pot in late position with a lot of limpers, hands like A-2-3-4 or A-2-4-5 or A-2-4-6. normally, you want to see a cheap flop, but with a lot of limpers, you have a nice equity edge.raise strong high hands to build up the pot in late position with a lot of limpers, hands like K-Q-J-10 or K-Q-10-9 or K-K-Q-Q. again, you normally want to see a very cheap flop, but with a lot of limpers, you have a nice equity edge. this is especially good when high cards flop (the only and primary aim of these hands) since there is now a LOT of dead money in the pot from all the weak low-only hands that were forced to put in two bets.the key is to remember that strong scooping hands should be raised for pure value, while strong hands in only one direction should only be raised to build up the pot when there are a lot of limpers and you're in late position. it's similar to the difference between raising A-A in hold 'em and raising J-10/A-10/7-7 suited on the button after five limpers.about early position... a lot of people advocate never raising in early position, since you want all the weaker hands in, but if you're playing in a really soft game where four players call two cold all day, feel free to raise your strong scooping hands in early position.by the way, don't make it a habit to raise any A-2-x-x, that's just bad poker. some say to raise any A-2-x-x suited, but i don't agree with that either. as a general rule of thumb, i try to make sure that all FOUR of my cards are good before i raise. i'll limp with A-2-3-8 suited, but i'll raise with A-2-3-6. the fourth card makes a big difference, IMHO.aseem

[CobaltBlue]

Yeah...I put 'limit' in the title.And, I appreciate that very much. I'll try to take the advice to heart and be more aggressive with those hands in the future.I think one problem that I'm currently facing in limit poker in general is that I hate raising pre-flop in late position and then getting check-raised on the flop. These days, I hate hate hate being check-raised. If I've hit my flop especially hard, I'm likely to smooth call. If I hit it well, I'm likely to reraise. If I don't hit it (and that happens a lot)...I have to decide whether to "surrender" by folding or calling. I think I really need to get over it.

[koolromeo]

i don't think raising with a hi only preflop is going to be a profitable practice. the odds that the flop is all hi cards are not good. playing hi only hands can get expensive, whether yout in position or not. the straights you make are very vulnerable to flushes and boats.if you get a-2-3 x, raise the pot! i played for 5 hours yesterday and didn't get this hand once. this hand will make you money consistently, unlike those hi only hands. i think you should worry more about raising on the flop and turn more than preflop. whenever you have two live nut draws, raise and reraise the pot. most people in low stakes games will call 2 or 3 cold, so jam the pot!i'd also recommend playing in a game with a full kill. kill pots can be huge, and when you are the kill, you get to see hands with garbage, usually without the fear of being raised because a raise would make the stakes 4x what they are in an unkilled pot preflop. i've won $400 pots with hands like a-9-4-7 because i was the killer and made the big full. just my 2 cents.