Pot size manipulation

Interested in thoughts on this:

When I play low limit hold 'em, I make an awful lot of my decisions based on pot-size manipulation. Specifically, I very often don't raise monster starting hands pre-flop under any circumstances, because I don't want to build a pot that will make the chasers correct to call along post-flop. Whereas, I am actually *more* likely to raise with drawing hands of the 10/Jsuited variety, for precisely the opposite reason - to create drawing odds for myself.


This seems to work for me, any thoughts?

I think we need to understand where some of these players are "making their mistake". Agreed that if the pot is large enough, they are frequently getting the right odds to chase with any piece of the board whereas they would not had the pot been smaller. So, yes, they are often not making any mistakes post-flop when pots get large.


But when you force your opponents to pay premium prices to play their junk, that is where they are making their mistake. By failing to raise, you are actually making it correct for them to come in on all manner of foul holding. But when you raise, you magnify their preflop mistake instead of minimizing it.


It really comes down to where you have them make thier mistake, preflop or postflop. The problem with planning to capitalize on their poor play post flop is that 1) You are frequently giving up a lot of preflop equity, and 2) You have no idea what the flop will bring or how the hand will play out such that they may not be making a mistake anyway once the flop comes based on their hand and the betting action.


Preflop, I know that when I have pocket aces and raise, guys who are paying two bets to take a flop with hands like 9-2 suited or 5-4 offsuit are making a big mistake. But when I let them get in cheap, who knows what boardcards will appear, how the hand will be played, or whether or not they will be making a mistake postflop?

When I play low limit hold 'em, I make an awful lot of my decisions based on pot-size manipulation.


Very few of my decsions are based on pot-size minipulation.

I totally take your point Jim. I will raise with premium holdings if the field is small (rare in these games!) or if I am up front and thus have a chance of getting rid of at least a player or three. But if its come to me with seven callers already, I am not going to raise just to get called in every spot and generate a monster pot against a large field.

"I am not going to raise just to get called in every spot and generate a monster pot against a large field."


Does this mean that one should forsake raising altogether after many players have limped in preflop?

Well, in my case it means I am more likely to raise *under those circumstances* with a big drawing hand than with a big pocket pair.


I'm aware that my style may not be considered optimal (and that may be an understatement) but I believe it works well against the typical lineup of check-and-call merchants. Heck, I *know* it works well against them!

Heck, I *know* it works well against them!


Basing your strategic decisions on your own short-term results (and that could mean years of play) is a mistake.