Raising with 99 from BB

[BamaFan92]

Can someone explain the thought behind the idea of raising with pocket 9's from the BB, even with 6-8 callers. Any overcards on the flop and your probably behind. Don't you want to see the flop for free (or as cheaply as possible) in this case? I would not feel good about my hand unless a 9 falls on the flop. In low limit, you can expect any one with overcards is going to call your bet if the flop comes rags and the 9's are top pair. Thanks.

[davelin]

Your equity edge with 9s is higher than most limping hands. The position is daunting but still playable. 1 out of 8 times you hit your set and you're gold so from an implied odds standpoint, putting 2 bets in the pot with 5-6 others is profitable. Another % of the time the flop is rags and you have a bigger equity edge. Yes overcards will call but you still make money. If an overcard hits the board, you'll frequently see by post-flop play and you can duck out then.

[John White]

My strategy is to greet every raising hand as an opportunity to pound on the table. Rags? I bet out. A K 7? I bet out. My goal is to play in a way that makes my opponents unable to tell whether I raised with AA, 99, KQo, or JTs. Sometimes you'll bet out, get called down, and lose. That's ok. You've instilled fear in the hearts of men and women, bumped your PokerTracker aggression stats, and maintained that image. Now what happens on that A K 7 flop when you raised with AKs? You pound away again.

Or the opposite happens. I've raised with KQs, AK, QQ, etc, and showed it down so that when I raise with 99 and overs flop, I bet out and get respectful folds until the river where K5s sighs and throws away 2nd pair and a missed flush draw when I bet out.

[BamaFan92]

I just downloaded the free version of Poker Tracker yesterday. What are the aggression stats I need to be looking at?

[Aaron W.]

[ QUOTE ]
My strategy is to greet every raising hand as an opportunity to pound on the table. Rags? I bet out. A K 7? I bet out. My goal is to play in a way that makes my opponents unable to tell whether I raised with AA, 99, KQo, or JTs. Sometimes you'll bet out, get called down, and lose. That's ok. You've instilled fear in the hearts of men and women, bumped your PokerTracker aggression stats , and maintained that image. Now what happens on that A K 7 flop when you raised with AKs? You pound away again.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ugh. Bigger agression stats is not the same as better play. In fact, I've quietly shuddered at the bigger is better mentality that has been picking up a little momentum thanks to PokerTracker stats posts.

Yes, you do raise lots of limpers with 99 from the big blind. It is a pot equity thing. But it doesn't mean you go nuts whenever you raise preflop. The amount that you gain by maintaining your table image (whatever image you can manage with players who don't pay that much attention), you lose by putting in extra bets when you're behind and taking the worst of it.

Being in early position with lots of players and a big pot is a good chance to CHECK and look for a CHECK-RAISE (either on the flop or on the turn). Betting out blindly is not the worst you can do, but you can do better.

[John White]

Damn you, voice of reason!!!! /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[helpmeout]

99 is a good hand it will occassionally win unimproved.

You raise because of equity and to punish people for playing worse hands.

When you make a set on the flop against multiple players you will take down big pots, more than making up for the times the flop comes AK2 where you can fold.

[Klak]

ok thats a good explaination. You win bigger pots and people are more likly to stay in the pot becuase of its size. it all makes sense now.