I´m confused - Calling or raising?

[essence86]

Hi!

I´m confused here. I hear many players here advocate a fairly high VPIP because of the good chances of getting paid off, when you hit a hand.

Let´s just discuss the CO and Button play. Middle pos. should be played tight.
But the CO and Button should be looser, much looser I hear.

Should I raise the majority of the hands I play from LP, or just limp?
Currently, I often limp when there has been a lof of callers, but still raise my premium hands of course.

Sometimes, I will raise 97s and such too.

By raising, what do I accomplish?


PS: EMC, I know this ain´t a posted hand, but I will post hands too =)

[ImprovinNewbie]

if there are a few limpers i like to limp along with almost anything. i try to see the flop really cheap since most of the time i wont hit or if i do it wont be nearly enough to continue. i wouldnt raise with more than 1 limper because if you get called you wont be able to run 97s through 4 people and you paid more than neccissary to see a flop that is meaningless.

[Panthro]

By raising you...
-build a pot
-represent a big hand -- so when you raise with total junk and *hit*, it's more difficult for your opponents to put you on that hand
-possibly thin the field -- so when you miss, you can cbet into fewer opponents and pick the pot up a majority of the time.
-punish limpers and protect your button

[Shaddux]

Are we talking about 6-max?

[essence86]

Yes we are!

[Shaddux]

Then I raise from CO and button...I almost never limp.

[munkey]

Check out Tien's thread (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=7828437&page=0&vc=&PHPSE SSID=#Post7828437) in the Essential Selection -uNL sticky -lots of other good stuff in there including why to RAISE that [censored] up.

[eigenvalue]

RAISE OR FOLD!

[Antinome]

Most of the time, when you raise a limped pot in LP, you should already have a general idea which players will be calling your raise, and what sort of hands they are likely to have. If you are surprised- The tight passive player calls UTG- then you have to reevaluate, quickly. But usually, you know. The blinds are folding. The UTG limper is calling with a PP but folding A9 or KJs. MP limper is coming along with ATC if UTG comes in.

So after imagining what will happen when you raise, you can choose to raise if you like the image you get- HU agaist a calling station with a TPTK hand? Yep, raise. Multiway with the same hand in a bloated pot, pass. HU against a fit-or fold player? Definite raise.

Position is cool. Cards are nice. Knowing how the hand is going to play out before you get involved.... That's priceless.