Open limping in MP1?

[Harv72b]

1/100 isn't bad. But it could be a lot better if you opened up your game a bit, stole more blinds, and weren't so predictable with your preflop hand selection. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[cheer]

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1/100 isn't bad. But it could be a lot better if you opened up your game a bit, stole more blinds, and weren't so predictable with your preflop hand selection. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

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what is your att. to steal blinds and your range.

[Harv72b]

It's somewhere around 42%, I think (can't check right now, I will later). My range depends on a lot of things, not the least of which are my own table image & how good the players behind me are.

[Allday Everyday]

I very rarely open-limp. The main situation I would do it would be if the guys left to act are all very loose and passive. If I was going to open-limp, I think these would be good hands to do it...I think open-limping with these hands from MP1 in a tight game would be evil.

Some of you guys suggest open-raising JTs (but not KTs and QTs) from MP1 as standard? What is the theory behind this play?

I can understand why you would raise it with 7 limpers to you, or to steal blinds. However, I'm strugglin' here.

In an average LL game, I would have thought raising JTs from early middle would be more a very occasional play against against observant opponents to 'mix up your play'...

Would someone mind explaining the virtues of this play to me?

Or is this a form of blind stealing for tight games? If so, why not raise with KTs and QTs too?

[argybargy2002]

I play 5-10 at the local casino where its a very (very) loose and passive game both preflop and postflop. In that game I think I would open limp all 4 of thos hands with the possible exception of QTs which I might fold.
I'm sure I'll get criticised for this but I figure that if I limp I'll get at least 2 or 3 others in and probably both blinds and I back my postflop ability to beat all the passive fish. I know that if I flop top pair its unlikely it'll cost very much to get to showdown, but if I flop two pair or better I'll likely be able to get them to call me down to the river with all sorts of rubbish.

In short, I think that in the particular game that I play, open limping from middle position is the best course of action.
I would be interested in hearing from people who play in a similar game to me for what they think

[Harv72b]

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Some of you guys suggest open-raising JTs (but not KTs and QTs) from MP1 as standard? What is the theory behind this play?

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It's not hardly standard, but I do raise with it from time to time (including from EP) and would generally rather see a HU flop in a raised pot with JTs than KTs or QTs.

The main reason why is that JTs is far less likely to be dominated by a coldcalling hand. It is also far more likely to be paid off big by a worse hand when you hit the board hard, because few opponents are going to put you on JT after raising from a non-steal position. Finally, JTs is just such a versatile hand...it plays fairly well HU (if you're not a total donk postflop), pretty well in a short-handed pot, and very well in a big multiway pot. So, really, I'm not particularly concerned with playing it out of position, whether I get 3-bet & heads up, get a bunch of coldcallers, or whatever.

I'm also personally particular towards JTs, because of some huge & memorable pots that it's won for me. But that's not hardly a good reason. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]