2 important questions about pre flop raising

[Adam22]

ok i have 2 situations in which i'd like to know what you would do ( this is all in 5/10 full ring btw )

1) you're in the SB with ATo 2 people call from middle position. do you tend to raise, void of reads for value and to put the heat on your opponents to hit the flop? or do you limp/fold because you're out of position with a trouble hand..

2) how much do your pre flop raising standards loosen up on the button? for instance, 2 callers in middle position, void of reads, would you raise on the button with QTs to knock out the blinds ( hopefully ) and take charge of the hand?

i feel like i've really become aware of the important of position over the past month or two and these are the types
of hands which i run into a lot, which i feel could increase my profit if i handled them better.

thanks

[Adam22]

nothing?

[Catt]

1. I tend to raise. Almost always against total unknowns.

2. Yes, raise.

[jstewsmole]

1. IMO u dont have position after the flp but would think that ur ahead if noone has raised it so i think either way ur good but id probably raise it especially if the players are weak.

2. Id raise sometimes and limp otheres to mix it up. On one hand a late pos raise gives u respect postflop and might let u take control of the hand and on the other u have a hand that plays pretty well multiway so u may not want the blinds out.

[Fnord]

I really like to raise, but I avoid raising big unpaired cards outside of AK/AQ out of position. Pusing missed over-cards out of position sucks. Most players will try to steal small pots or call/draw reguardless of the pot size. So I have little trouble getting action when I hit.

[Adam22]

true, true.

[JDErickson]

[ QUOTE ]
I really like to raise, but I avoid raising big unpaired cards outside of AK/AQ out of position. Pusing missed over-cards out of position sucks. Most players will try to steal small pots or call/draw reguardless of the pot size. So I have little trouble getting action when I hit.

[/ QUOTE ]

My thoughts exactly

[Catt]

I think you guys are missing some value by not raising other than AK / AQ out of the blinds against 2 limpers. 4 limpers - OK complete/check; but with 2 you've got a strong hand that will flop a good pair about 35% of the time and TP somewhere around ~20 - 25% of the time (a guess). You need to be pretty comfortable playing missed overs (like AT) OOP - which means you don't always push it on the flop; but there's still a good chance that your hand, when it misses, is best on the flop.

[mtdoak]

IMHO Both are read dependent. Sans read in hand #1, its better to limp IMHO. Being OOP, even if your domiating weaker suited aces or a coinflip with a mid PP. In hand #2, this is a clear raise. You may or may not be ahead right now, but your hand plays well in a multiway pot, and you have position. Any A or K you can knock out now increases your chance of winning the pot, and if the flop comes rags you will have the option of taking the free card.

[blumpkin22]

Another reason to raise with a hand like QJs/QTs/JTs from late position after two limpers is that in addition to flopping top pair or a good draw, you will often win the pot with a bet on flops like Axx or Kxx because your opponents will frequently put you on hands that include an ace or king. This of course assumes your opponents are on the weak side.