raising < pot PF

[TheSeeker03]

at a full ring table with 10 players and 100BB stacks, is there a time you want to raise less than the Pot pre-flop?

I play lowest stakes and like to build pots in position. When I have something like A578 w/ suited Ace I would raise to 4BB after 4 or 5 limpers. My thinking was that I don't want anyone to fold by raising pot because only hands with equity similar to mine will stay, while hands with low equities will fold, making my equity vs. competition lower.

So I had 2 raising modes when in position:

1. THE POT. reserved for very strong hands. I am most likely to have the highest equity, so I want to make the biggest pot.

2. SWEETNER. What every limper is guaranteed to call based on my observation of the table. This mode is reserved for hands that have better than average limper's equity, but not great.

Aside from being less predictable, should I get rid of the SWEETNER option, and just raise the pot all the time I have a raising hand in position?

[Elrazor]

with no short stacks, i would just bet the pot - if you are potting with AAxx and 'sweetening' with rundowns its a pretty predicable pattern and will prevent you getting paid off/make you easier to pick off

[sqwisssssss]

[ QUOTE ]
with no short stacks, i would just bet the pot - if you are potting with AAxx and 'sweetening' with rundowns its a pretty predicable pattern and will prevent you getting paid off/make you easier to pick off

[/ QUOTE ]

i totally agree. personally, i always raise max. you have a good hand to raise max on the come. build that pot up so if you hit the flop strong, it can get your opponents more committed because of the enticing pot size.

raising different amounts can make you easier to read and thats never a good thing.

[wazz]

[ QUOTE ]

raising different amounts can make you easier to read and thats never a good thing.

[/ QUOTE ]

You're doing it wrong. Mix it up, sometimes raise halfpot with aces, sometimes fullpot with a rundown, sometimes limp with KKQJds, etc etc. The main reason to mix up your preflop raise sizes in NLHE is to keep your opponents guessing and to keep the pot sizes how you want them, i.e. not inflating the pot too much with kings or queens such that you can get implied odds to call a reraise.

[Perestroika]

Both schools of thought are fine really. The less able you are to deduce your opponents reactions to your actions, the more I am in favor of making rote same sized bets. The more confident you are with your ability to deceive your opponents with these plays, and concurrently reap the rewards for the misdirection, the more I like the switch ups.

[Elrazor]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

raising different amounts can make you easier to read and thats never a good thing.

[/ QUOTE ]

You're doing it wrong. Mix it up, sometimes raise halfpot with aces, sometimes fullpot with a rundown, sometimes limp with KKQJds, etc etc. The main reason to mix up your preflop raise sizes in NLHE is to keep your opponents guessing and to keep the pot sizes how you want them, i.e. not inflating the pot too much with kings or queens such that you can get implied odds to call a reraise.

[/ QUOTE ]

i think its good advice to vary your bet sizes when you have a varity of stack sizes for the reasons you state, but i think full ring with everyone on 100bb im limping ep with stuff like KKQJds so i cant get raised off hands, and if i have something like KK27ss with 6 callers otb while its tempting to bet say $3 if anyone now repots you have pretty much lost your implied odds anyway.

i think my advice is based more on when you are learning the game at 5/10c or whatever you have enough to consider during play, and i think bet sizing along with say, stealing blinds and playing blockers, is a more intermediate play you can introduce to your game as you move through to low/mid games against savvier opponents

[alavet]

[ QUOTE ]
sometimes limp with KKQJds

[/ QUOTE ]

i dont see good value in limping with such strong hands in Omaha. so many cards may be dealt, and in most cases opponents (or at least i am) may put you just on two or maximum three cards to predict your moves.

so if you limps and play it strong the probability of folding is not much depended whether your limped or raised.