Rookie question. I have been playing short-handed $0.10/$0.25 on FTP recently, and I've noticed a uniformity in preflop betting. $0.85 seems to be the standard bet, and it shifts to $1.10 if there is one limper. Seems like a "money on the table plus 2x big blind" formula, but it's so standard that I'm wondering whether I need to study up on this. I see/read about DN's 2.5x raises, and I've read other books/articles that recommend varying raise sizes. Does this 3.5x formula come from some particular school of thought? Is it unique to shorthanded vs. full ring? Fill me in.

You're seeing the same values so often on FT because players are clicking "Bet the pot,' which of course adjusts for limpers.

Standard is to bet 3x the bb + 1 bb for each limper because you don't want to give players the odds to call you. Suppose you're playing $1/$2 and four people limp. You pick up QQ in the BB. Well, online at most tables you should raise to at least $14. I'd actually bet like $20 here. This way you can thin the field and punish marginal hands that want to see a flop. If you just raise it to $6 EVERYONE'S calling you. And they should. If their hand was good enough to see a flop for $2, it's definitely good enough to see a flop with a sweetened pot.

For live poker, you might as well just go all-in there.

standard thing for me when i played 2/4nl 6 max...opening raise to $14 (3.5xbb) and I vary my increases if people limp...by my hand, and how they have been playing too..but generally you want to increase your raise some if there are others in the pot in front of you.

- Jordan

Thanks. I understood the increase with others in the pot. I guess what was puzzling me was the uniformity of the 3.5xbb raise, having seen different (2x-6x) multiples on other sites and other size tables.

As a general rule raising to 3.5bb and adding 1bb for each limper is the way to go. This is made very easy at Full Tilt by hitting the 'bet pot' button. Of course this is just a general rule and you should find an amount that makes you comfortable.

for 50nl and below and even probably 100nl its generally 4bb +1bb...as u get up to 200nl u can generally use the bet the pot as the games get a bit tighter

Thanks everyone for your answers. They helped a lot.