Limping big hands from EP...

[WillS]

I've noticed over the last few days that certain players in tightish games at $1/$2 FR are limping hands like QQ, AQ, AJs and even AA from early position.

It came to my attention a few days ago when I was BB and hit two pair queens and fives on the flop. Then on the river after a 3rd player folded on the turn, I lead out again and got raised. It turn out the guy who was UTG had QQ in his hand for a set of queens. Okay, so..

I was just wondering if in tight games this type of play can ever be correct? I mean, I would never of thought so but maybe I'm wrong?

I guess it can add deception to your hand but is the value in this enough to overcome the problem of letting other hands limp in cheap at the $1/$2 limits?

I'm sure I'll get hammered for making this n00bish post but I've just been wondering.

[OziBattler]

some people like to limp with AA so they can CR or just get action. I dont do this. If Im playing from EP Im usually raising. I want them to be guessing if I Have KQo or AA.

The limp premium argument sucks even more for QQ because an Axx, Kxx or AKx flop sucks for QQ. dont let AxSooted and Arags get in cheap on the flop.

dont get confused and think that poor preflop play is some new funky strategy that is hot hot hot...its usually not. Standard plays are standard for a reason.

[Xhad]

It takes an extremely tight table, OR an extremely laggy table with almost no 3betting, to justify this play. Most of the time it's simple FPS.

[WillS]

I wasn't thinking that this strategy is hot. Just wondering if it's ever right in the super tight games when everybody has rocked down and wont play anything but absolute premium hands.

I should probably leaving these rooms quicktime anyway but sometimes they're all that's available.

[Seven_of_Cups]

I used to limp pre-flop if my big hands were getting cracked. My thought process was 'I don't want to lose another big pot so I'll just limp.' I soon realized this was a big hole in my game. Many players feel this way so make sure you're not one of them.

[WillS]

Xhad, what is FPS short for?

[Xhad]

[ QUOTE ]
Xhad, what is FPS short for?

[/ QUOTE ]

Fancy Play Syndrome, coined by Mike Caro. Making a "clever" play for the sake of being clever that is probably wrong.

[OziBattler]

the only hand I would ever consider FPSing in EP is AA for reasons I already gave. But yeah, basically I leave a table before it gets to a stage where I limp AA.

also when you limp AQ or AJ and you get raised, what ya gunna do? is he isolating you with 1010 or AA? A decent player with position on you is going to do his best to make life very tough for you when you limp in. He will make you guess. things change when you raise...do you see why?
edit: Xhad is right...I didnt intend to give the full range of isolation. Yes, indeedy Xhadites will give you trouble [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

in EP your position sucks...I want the initiative and if I happen to get 3 bet then my hand may actually be easier to play.

[Xhad]

[ QUOTE ]
also when you limp AQ or AJ and you get raised, what ya gunna do? is he isolating you with 1010 or AA?

[/ QUOTE ]

That's not a problem; it's pretty easy to fold postflop with no pair against someone who needs a hand like that. The real problem is when the raiser is like me and would do this with 77 or A9s. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[WillS]

Okay, cool. It's hard to tell because sometimes my mind forgets not to be specific results dependent.

Now that I think back on it when I first started a few months ago and I wasn't sure on strategy, I did this a few times and the majority of the time it backfired spectacularly.