Max. EV Preflop strategy at loose/aggressive table

[Hielko]

I'm playing a bit more live these days, and often the games are way better then the online games. A lot of loose players and when there are a few aggressive players in the game the result is that pots can get huge preflop (like 6/7 way preflop capped). The weird thing is that the postflop action is usually not very heavy, usaually someone bets while almost all the other players are calling at least the flop and the turn.

My question is: what is the best preflop strategy in a game like this? I know that some 2+2 books recommend playing only something like QQ+, AKs in a game like this, and while that would be a +EV strategy, I don't think it is the best strategy. When so much 'dead' money is entering the pot I think it should be possible to play more hands, altough usually there is one 'big' hand out there.

What about playing JJ in a preflop capped pot? TT? 77? JTs? 22? 76s? I know that you usually wouldn't play these hands against a 3-bet and certainly not against a cap, but is it really -ev to play these hands?

For example: if you play TT for set value only you will flop a set or better 7.5:1. You are paying 2BB preflop and when the pot is 7-way capped preflop it the size at the river will usually be between 25 and 35BB so it looks like it's ok to play TT preflop for set value. The problem is that a set isn't the nuts and you will probably win something like 75/80% of all hands when you flop a set. But even when you account for this it still looks +ev. So what about 77 (it will obviously win less pots), or what about 22?

And how are suited connectors doing in a capped pot? I know that a preflop cap is bad for the postflop implied odds, but that is compensated by the decent preflop potodds and when you flop a great draw you will usually earn sklansky bucks on both the flop and turn.

So: what hands could be played preflop in a game like this and under what conditions?

[ottsville]

I love these types of games and will open up my standards a good bit in them. How much I open up depends on how agressive/loose the players are and how well they play post flop. Usually these games have plenty of players that play poorly/loose and your overlay is good enough to open up a good bit. To me, the key is how much $$ is going to go in after the flop, how much will I have to pay for my draws and how much can I win with my hands that do hit - that is what determines how much I loosen up.

[chson]

I think regardless of how many bets go in preflop, any drawing hand is fine when it's 5+ way. According to PokerStove, vs 4 others that play only the top 10% of hands, AKs has an equity edge of 3% while 54s has one of .5%. So with 54s, nevermind the implied odds, you have a tiny edge right now!

[Hielko]

Import detail: there is 5% rake, so if you have a edge of 0,5% accourding to pokerstove you are actually losing a lot of money. It is also questionable that you do indeed have an equity edge preflop with a weak hand like 54s. The reason your hand is doing well in Pstove is problably because you gave all your opponents the same small range of hands so they now have a lot of outs shared. If you will include players with a wider range (including 76s+, Kxs, Axs, etc the value of 54s is going to drop a lot I think).