Axs raise first in middle position

[Alex424]

Differing thoughts on this with different books confusing the hell out of me?

Is this a standard raising hand preflop if you are the first in from middle position in an average game 30% to flop??

While we are at it what about A 10 offsuit?

[JustZak]

It really depends on the specific texture of the game. I often won't raise AXs first in, in MP if there are a couple of loose players behind me or in the blinds. Having to play a bad ace oop against 1 or more loose players can be very tricky. I raise AT more often than AXs, and usually will raise first in from MP in most games with it.

[Gazzbut]

ATs I will generally always open raise in middle position.

<A5s will depend on the likelihood of stealing the blinds. If there is a good chance of stealing the blinds I will raise.

[HoneyBadger]

From about A7s and up this is a raise. Also for A9o and up. Hands like A8o and A6s might be if the table/blinds are very tight.

[jackdaniels]

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From about A7s and up this is a raise. Also for A9o and up. Hands like A8o and A6s might be if the table/blinds are very tight.

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I agree with the general statement above. I am curious though if you would recommend limping first in with the other Axs or just folding them. FWIW, I will very rarely limp first in with ANY hand, preffering to either raise or fold. Should I be limping more first in? (note that I will also not limp big hands first in, regardless of position).

[Bluffoon]

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From about A7s and up this is a raise. Also for A9o and up. Hands like A8o and A6s might be if the table/blinds are very tight.

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I agree with the general statement above. I am curious though if you would recommend limping first in with the other Axs or just folding them. FWIW, I will very rarely limp first in with ANY hand, preffering to either raise or fold. Should I be limping more first in? (note that I will also not limp big hands first in, regardless of position).

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If you are likely to be raised and isolated you are probably better off folding. If the players to act are liekly to limp behind you than you can open limp more liberally.

The games I play in it is usually not a good idea to open limp with mediocre hands that don't play well heads up against a raise.

If I try a limp or two in a tougher game and get isolated I will sometimes limp a big suited connector or two to see if I can catch somebody raising me light. Once you have shown you will limp with premium hands you may be able to limp some mediocre hands without getting run over too bad.

I still think though that it is usually just best to wait until you have the position advantage in these games.

[HoneyBadger]

In my games a middle position open-limper is almost always raised. So in that case I just fold.

[BostonMetro]

If MP refers to UTG+1 all the way to the Hijack, then there are different ranges for each seat. I would raise ATs from UTG+2 and not A6s. I would raise A8s from UTG+3 but not A6s ... and finally I will raise in all suited aces down to A5s in the Hijack (I wait to raise the babies until CO and Button). I'll raise ATo from UTG+3 onward. And finally, it's really all table dependent and dependent on the types of players downstream of you. If the big blind to your button has been three-ing a lot, you have to change your range or adapt postflop (for me, preferable the former).

[HoneyBadger]

middle is middle [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] UTG, UTG+1, UTG+2, MP1, MP2, MP3, CO, BT, SB, BB

[BostonMetro]

In nine-handed games, I think UTG+2 is removed from the list and it's just MP1 MP2 MP3. So I think I'm right. Anyways, you know what I mean. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]