How many more hands do you play on the button?

I have a feeling that I'm losing money by throwing away playable hands on the button. This could be because I saw a bunch of favorable flops today after I trashed my cards. (Assume for all of these that the blinds are average, I am aware that things change when the blinds become tight or wildly agressive). For each of the following hands, answer the following: How many players would you like to see limp ahead of you before you limp? (Where I think I have a good answer, they are given; please evaluate those, too).


1) 67s - I think 4 or more should be enough to get the implied odds.

2) Ax - No more than one person ahead of me.

3) Kx - No more than two people ahead of me (why more? People in earlier positions are less likely to limp Kx then Ax, so if the K falls, I'm less likely dominated).

4) 9T - No more than 3?

5) 7Ts - ??

6) 23s - Never?

7) 79 - ??


Thanks (as always) in advance to anyone who responds.

hmmm...


well here goes...

all hands depend on table conditions

and my rule of thumb of if ya at least call a hand, it can withstand a raise behind ya. maybe not 2 but 1.


ill do a couple


1...67s if its a passive table, ill at least call with 4 limpers.


3... the only way im playin Kx is if its suited with a few limpers at least. Kx os just plain sucks. unless everybody folds to ya. then ya may use it as a steal hand.


another way of thinking of it is think of the types of flops that could happen. not just the nut hand. for instance, if ya played 23s and flopped 4 to a str8 or flush, how would ya play it. say the flop came 4h 5s Ks and theres a bet to ya. or 2 bets to ya. do ya wanna be involved? maybe. what if the turn is 6s or As?


or if the BB raises and you came in with T7s...flop comes 4 T Q.. or 4 6 T but on this one the BB bets the flop and maybe someone raises so now yer lookin at 2 bets with top pair, but crap kicker.


just some thoughts and ideas...


b

>1) 67s - I think 4 or more should be enough to

>get the implied odds.


I think two ahead of you is enough.


>2) Ax - No more than one person ahead of me.


I'll steal raise with A4, A5 or so when it's folded to me. Otherwise I won't play Ax.


>3) Kx - No more than two people ahead of me (why

>more? People in earlier positions are less

>likely to limp Kx then Ax, so if the K falls,

>I'm less likely dominated).


I'll steal raise with this too when it's folded to me.


>4) 9T - No more than 3?

I'll call multiway or steal raise if it's folded to me.


>5) 7Ts - ??

I'll call multiway.


>6) 23s - Never?

I'll call if everyone else does. Maybe 4-5 people ahead of me is enough.


>7) 79 - ??

I don't play this at all.


But in general, I don't think you give up a lot by being too tight preflop unless you're in the loosest of games.

1) I'll play 76s everytime on the button and every other suited connector down to 54s regardless of how many limpers are ahead of me. I even recently played 43s although that hand is a bit weaker since it can make one fewer straight.


If you're asking this question, then you're definitely underrating 76s. This is a hand you can play in middle position as well. You don't need the button.


By the way, I won the hand with 43s- with a flush.


2) I hate playing an unsuited Ace without at least a Ten kicker. I don't have a problem throwing these hands away. If you're going to play it with one or two limpers ahead of you, make sure you raise to get the blinds out.


3) Playing a weak King is even worse than playing a weak Ace. KTo is the worse I'll play.


4) If you're going to play T9o (or lower unsuited connectors) then you want as many limpers ahead of you as possible. Lately, I've only been playing JTo and better in late position but I'm starting to rethink this position. Lower unsuited connectors are certainly playable but only as straight draws (or lucky two pair/trip flops)


5) I'd definitely play T7s on the button with limpers ahead of me. I'm much more willing to play marginal suited cards, even two-gappers, on the button than hands like Ax and low unsuited connectors.


6) I won't play 32s because it just can't make many straights. I'll play 54s everytime.


7) Unsuited one-gappers below QTo are purely taboo for me and I NEVER play them even on the button.

1. If there are 5+ limpers to me on the button, any two suited work just fine. If there are only 2 limpers, then I need at least 67s.


2. Axo on the button is something I love to play against about 2 limpers. Once there are 4 limpers, then I muck worse than A8, but with 1 weak limper I am raising Axo to get it heads up, and with 2 or 3 limpers, I am calling. With that many players I very possibly have the only ace, and with the button, I am going to win lots of pots without having to make a hand anyways.


3. Kxo below KT is strictly a stealing hand for me. One limper and I might take a shot at isolating with K9, depending on who the limper is and where he limped in from.


4. Offsuit connectors need alot of players. I want 2 limpers for 9To and up. 3 for 89 and up, 4+ and I'll go down to 67.


5. See #1. Suited 2 gappers are getting played with 3+ in front of me down to 5-8. 4 or 5 limpers and I strongly consider any 2 suited.


6. See above


7. With 2 limpers I will limp with 8T. 3 and I will limp with 79. 4 and I limp with 68 and 5 I will go down to 64.


The important thing to remember is how absurdly important position is. You want to be seeing many flops to take advantage of not only your position, but to give your opponents more chances to make mistakes against you. You are going to win many pots simply by betting.