Raise any pair from LP with limpers?

[Redhotman]

If you are playing from LP and there are 3-4 limpers, are there any reasons why you shouldn't raise with any pair?
You are getting the same odds to raise that you are getting to call, and when you hit your set your opponents will chase buttom pairs. You also have a good chance of getting a free card on the flop if you are against tight players.

[Nottom]

Because you have little chance of winning if you don't improve would be the best reason and the chances of that are pretty slim. Make it more like 7 limpers and you can start to do crazy things like raising with any pair.

[Aces McGee]

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If you are playing from LP and there are 3-4 limpers, are there any reasons why you shouldn't raise with any pair?


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Yes.

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You are getting the same odds to raise that you are getting to call

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Actually, you aren't. If you raise, you may knock out the blinds (and I've seen LL players limp and then fold for one more bet). And while their money is already in the pot, you won't be able to pick up any more bets from them when you...

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hit your set

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Also, you can make the extra bets postflop if you make a set. But you can't get back the extra bets you put in preflop if you miss, which happens nearly 90% of the time.

Aces McGee

[Aaron Lovi]

You're not necessarily getting the same odds. You should think of part of the odds you are getting for that call preflop as coming from future betting rounds. Even if you are tying people into playing with you when you hit after raising preflop, you may still be cutting your drawing odds--it's unclear.

[Homer]

If you are playing from LP and there are 3-4 limpers, are there any reasons why you shouldn't raise with any pair?

Yes. Small pairs thrive on implied odds.

You are getting the same odds to raise that you are getting to call, and when you hit your set your opponents will chase buttom pairs.

First of all, there is a distinction between pot odds and implied odds. You are getting the same pot odds but you are killing you're implied odds when you raise 3-4 limpers with a small pair. You have a hand that won't win unimproved and needs to flop a set to win. You are 7.5:1 against spiking a set, and by raising you are essentially forcing yourself to call an additional bet getting 4:1, which is -EV. You're going to need to collect more bets postflop to compensate for the additional bet you put in postflop, and with only 3-4 limpers the amount you are giving up by raising will be less than the amount you earn from them chasing longer postflop. After >=6 limpers, you can start to develop an argument for raising, because the preflop raise won't be terribly -EV, and you might be able to make up more than this amount postflop due to increased chasing. Plus, you might get to see the turn card for free.

-- Homer

[GuyOnTilt]

If you are playing from LP and there are 3-4 limpers, are there any reasons why you shouldn't raise with any pair? You are getting the same odds to raise that you are getting to call, and when you hit your set your opponents will chase buttom pairs. You also have a good chance of getting a free card on the flop if you are against tight players.

You're actually not quite getting the same odds on you raise that you are on your limp. If 5 players come along with you when you limp, you're getting 5:1 on your call. If you raise and 5 come along, you're getting 10:2. They may appear to be the same, the latter will decrease your implied odds very significantly, and high implied odds are what small pocket pairs thrive on. The only time I do this is with 5+ limpers to me on the Button, where the players on my right are very willing to chase postflop.

[Mike Gallo]

If you are playing from LP and there are 3-4 limpers, are there any reasons why you shouldn't raise with any pair?

Have you ever seen anyone limp reraise?

Sometimes you can raise from the button with any pair against weak loose opponents. Other times you should feel happy that you can see a cheap flop and if you hit your set you will get paid off.

You also have a good chance of getting a free card on the flop if you are against tight players.

If they played tight they would not limp first in.

My advice, stick to ABC poker. Plays like this will add to your losing sessions, if you start to chase your set or try to blow someone off a hand.

You will eventually know when you can steal on the flop with a preflop raise, and you will also know when you should just limp.