Playing UTG

With 5 players or less, is this pretty much a raise or fold situation? With what hands would you just call?


Thanks,


Matt

IMO it depends on the blind structure. In a 2 chip-4chip game, I prefer raising most of the time. But in a 2chip-3chip game with loose blind defenders, I think that open limping with some mediocre hands becomes the preferable play. I like taking something like A9s and limping because they never put you on the ace when you limp in at a shorthanded table. This gives you great flexibility in representing hands postflop, and will garnish you extra bets when that ace comes since "he would have raised preflop with an ace"


Just some ideas....

Players that limp UTG do so for one of two reasons.


1) They are a poor player

2) They are playing deceptively and limping a strong hand


Only calling your "mediocore" hands UTG is a huge mistake, and if you plan on doing this anyways, I would suggest at least limping with very strong hands as well.

Taelon,


Would use raise with these mediocre hands, or throw them away?


Matt

Obviously I limp with some stronger hands as well. Though I don't consider A9s to be mediocre. In a shorthanded game, I view it as an extremely strong holding.


Like I said, depending on the blind structure and opponents, I can play very different styles of game. In the specific instance of 3-2 chip blinds, with two extremely loose defenders, it is perfectly viable to limp in.