pushing: up front or LP

[Zaebos]

When it comes to push or fold when do you find is the best time? It seems that, with the gap concept in mind, pushing up front could be to your advantage. However, pushing after having the field slightly cleared could also be beneficial. Opinions?

[anatta]

In general, I would rather have late position, just because its fewer opponents. Even if I am in EP, they should know anyways that I might be pushing cause I have to and don't need a real hand, so its just more guys who might have a hand and a stack worth taking me out. But you make a good point, that while the opponents are fewer, the range of hands they will call with is greater since its much more obvious what is going on with ie. a button raise.

[TheCat]

If, as the number of oppoents decreases so does the quality of the hand they would call with. Then there must be some optimum position where you would tend most to raise if folded to. Using Maths and Logic David Slansky could tell you where it is. So could I but I would have no confidence my answers were correct.
My guess is the SB but would like to be proved wrong.
Mind you some folk defend BB very strongly from SB raise. So maybe dealer, then again some people defend strongly against dealer raise.

[Nottom]

I like pushing from about 2 off the button, doesn't look as much like a steal rasie, but you don't have as many people who can call as if you pushed from EP.

[Zaebos]

I think the buy-in is probably also pretty important since the gap concept and just the general idea that a better hand is needed to call is not understood by average 10+1er. Making the later postitions seem a better choice if are pushing with a marginal hand that you don't want called. However in a higher limit where the better hand to call idea is understood I can see where pushing from up front may cause someone to fold a better hand. So answering my own question and so many other poker questions, it depends.