Small pocket pairs - open-limp in loose games?

[Oink]

In 6max or equivalently in a FR game from MP2 its horrible to open limp IMO. (With few exceptions like T9s UTG (6max) in a seriously loose game)

The main reason is that when you get this close to the blinds a raise will get you the blinds uncontested fairly often.

According to my PT I win the blinds outright with 20-22% probability when I open raise UTG or MP (MP2 or MP3). With an additional 20% probability I see a flop and take the pot down with a c-bet before SD. (0.25/0.5 through 10/20 6max)

Overall I win the pot without showing my hand more than 40% of the pots I open. The profits from this by far exceeds the negative effects of putting in an extra bet preflop only to play a pot OOP with a few coldcallers. (Since this will not happen very often)

When its folded to you in MP2 the game is essentially shorthanded. Taking down pots early and uncontested is hugely profitable in shorthanded play which is why you should almost always come in for a raise when opening the pot or entering after 1 limper.

Go get those blinds man!