NL SH> Small pairs in early position

[El helado Patata]

I recently put up a hand where I limp utg at NL SH 1/2 with 55 and then the button raised so i limp/call preflop. I flopped a set and the raiser hit his overset and I loose a 300 bb pot.

Well anyways, after posting this thread people commented that I played the hand poorly when I didnt raise preflop. Their argument for raising preflop with this hand is primarily

1) I become too predictable by limping.
2) I do not take command of the pot.

I personally feel that it is totally acceptable to play like I did, especially if I tend to limp rather then raise with a huge range of hands in early position.

I also think that raising to disguise your hand could be a good way IF it will affect your opponents to a greater extent. Therefore I think it is better to limp at 1/2 up to 3/6 and perhaps then start to mix it up with disguising your hand since people tend to pay you off anyway if they have overpair etc.

What are your feelings about this?

[dirtytricks]

I think limping can definately be part of your game without loosing value and sometimes its even superior. But you need to mix up your game a lot. Raising every hand is a lot easier, specially if you multitable and have little reads.

Most players here are multitabling TAGs so you will not get much support I guess.

But I can say i find limping totally acceptable. Just dont tell anyone I just said that:-)

[Josem]

it would seem self-evident to me that when you have a big hand, or when you have a decent chance of hitting a big hand, that you want to build a big pot.

it would seem self-evident to me that when you want to build a big pot, you should bet and raise.

it would therefore seem self-evident that raising with pocket pairs is a generally good thing to do.

[sillyarms]

If the table was passive i could see limping in ep with this hand.

If the table was not passive and I thought it likely i would be 3bet if i raised i would fold 10 handed utg.

If i was unlikely to get 3bet and the table was tightish i would prolly raise.

[reup]

if you're open limping a wide range of hands up front in general i think you miss out on value by not building as big of pots ... as if you'd open raise those hands.

limping up front, yeah, it can work, usually when i raise after a limper the flop comes he checks to me i'm thinking i'm most likely betting and picking up the pot so when he c/r's or something i'm a little more suspiscious in general, and may give some more action.

i guess i don't really think about that too much because i raise everytime i have a good hand, unless i think i can extract more some other way, which is what you're saying as well ... what's the best way to do it ... mmm i still say build bigger pots pf with good hands, think that's where the value is.

[holyfield5]

id rather fold than limp personally

[El helado Patata]

[ QUOTE ]
it would seem self-evident to me that when you have a big hand, or when you have a decent chance of hitting a big hand, that you want to build a big pot.

it would seem self-evident to me that when you want to build a big pot, you should bet and raise.

It would be self-evident to me that small pocket pairs in early position isnt big hands. So you should raise it up when you have a chance of a big hand per definition? That includes insidestraightdraws and other less likely-draws?

it would therefore seem self-evident that raising with pocket pairs is a generally good thing to do.

[/ QUOTE ]

[El helado Patata]

Wopps. Messed up the post and doesnt seem to be a edit-button right now :S?

Anyways:

I would be self-evident to me that small pairs OOP is NOT a big hand and the likelyhood of it becoming one is aprox the likelyhood of hitting a insidestraightdraw. Do you maximize the pot every ISD you get?

[iFEARrewket!]

personally i play 1 to 4 tables and i do limp small pp's and suited connectors up to qj once every 10-15times.. just to mix up.
i dont make an habit of it though. Works good

[Dire]

Limping small pairs shorthanded in early position is bad because of one simple reason - most of the time nobody will have a big hand or make a big hand on the flop. The person who shows the most aggression is the person who wins the money in these situations.

Speaking more practically, when you limp small pairs (and other marginal hands) up front you're begging any half decent player in late position to raise you with just about any two cards. At that point it's going to be incredibly difficult to play your hand profitably. He will c-bet the vast majority of flops, and you're going to have to just check/fold the vast majority of the time. Those times you do hit a set you won't usually get sufficiently paid off, and those times you play your unimproved pair for the best hand - it's going to be extremely difficult OOP and without the initiative.

Raise it up preflop and it's all the opposite. You will be the one usually taking it down when everybody misses and if somebody decides to play their hand for the best, you will have the initiative and be able to make situations where they're the ones most likely to make a mistake.