What is profitable UTG in Pot Limit Holdem?

[Doubling12]

I don't have pokertracker, was curious if people had hard data on this (or even a sense would be good). I am thinking not a whole lot other than pp's and AK.

[Michael Davis]

It totally depends on the players. There are probably three times as many profitable hands against a bunch of loose, passive poor players than against tight, aggressive solids.

-Michael

[dogmeat]

In a game of good players, I find only PP 99 and above, AK suited and un, AQ suited and un (played carefully) and KQs.

Not saying you can't play more, I'm saying for my tracking, this is what works.

Dogmeat [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

[Irieguy]

Since it depends so much on the particular game, I think it's better to think about it the other way around:

If you can't play AJs from UTG for a profit, the game is probably too tight.

There didn't used to be many PLH games in which you could play AJ UTG for a profit... now there are. For limit hold'em, I think if AJ isn't winning you money from up front, there are a million other games you should be in.

Also, you have to be a much better player to play a small pair from up front profitably than you do to win with AJ in PLH. Post-flop decisions are much more difficult with an underpair when the bets are big and the pot is heads-up.

So, if a game is the type where AJs can be played for a profit from UTG, I'll still usually be mucking 22-99.

Irieguy

[Shaun]

[ QUOTE ]

So, if a game is the type where AJs can be played for a profit from UTG, I'll still usually be mucking 22-99.

Irieguy

[/ QUOTE ]

I have never played in a game where I would muck 99 up front, but I have never played in a game bigger than 5-5 blinds. Are players regularly doing this in bigger games?

I would think that, especially in pot limit, limping up front with a variety of hands like suited connectors and pocket pairs is wise unless there are very agressive pre-flop raisers and the pot is almost always heads up. Is this the case in the games you are talking about? If so, are these games profitable?

[Doubling12]

Thank you - Dogmeat and Irieguy.

Lately I have been experimenting with only limping UTG, but expanding the range of hands I will play. If the action comes back raised to me, I can reraise with big hands. Otherwise, my position is not as bad with the middling hands because I am not expected to lead out on the flop. Against an aggressive opponent, I have the button for the flop, because I will check blind and he will bet 90% of the time. Does this sound reasonable, or am wasting too much money on bad hands and not getting value on good ones?