20-40 at the Bike

[Sparks]

I have A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] in the SB. Five players limp around to me and I raise, the BB and the limpers call.

Thoughts on my raise?

I ask because there was spirited discussion following the hand on whether I should have raised by what I felt were competent players.

Thanks.

Sparks

[mmcd]

indeed

[imported_stealthcow]

what reasons are there for not raising?

you're just putting money in as a favorite, as i am sure you have more than a 20% chance of winning (unless someones limping with AA KK or AK )

[elysium]

hi sparks

raising is fine. you likely have the best hand at this point, and you might narrow the field a little. if you are running badly, the raise has little less luster, and calling is at least as good as raising. usually though, absent a bad steak, raising is the better play.

[Sparks]

Hey elysium,

That was my thought too. A guy at the table said "why did you raise?" as in, for what purpose. I said it was for value. He said that I should have known that everyone was going to call, therefore it was a situation of me getting reverse implied odds, and the raise was flat out wrong. To that I said "oh," not really knowing if he was correct. Was he?

Sparks

[SoBeDude]

You found competent players at the Bike?

Thats shocking in itself.

I just returned from there. I played a ton of 20-40 while there. I found the players on average to be quite bad. Even the very very numerous Props there were quite poor. (watched one raise with QJo UTG, other calling my raises cold with ATo, and KJo). I was also suprised to see how bad the average 'pro' played there as well. So many people there told me that poker was their living, then I watched their very poor play. I was shocked.

Yes there were a few solid players, but they were few and far between.

oh and IMO, in the 20-40 at the Bike, after that many limpers raising with AK out of position is marginal at best and probably a mistake. But I'm not sure.

-Scott

[MikeGuz]

Beware of players giving lessons at the table. I'd ignore them completely.

A case can be made for a limp here for a couple of reasons mostly for future play. I don't think you will be narrowing the field except for the possible bb who might call with just about anything getting probable great odds for the look at the flop.

A flop 7 way with slick is not my idea of a lock.

Hope you won the hand.

[Chris Daddy Cool]

I can't believe so much of this stuff is being posted in the high stakes forum.

This concept has been talked to death in the micro and small stakes forums already. It wouldn't hurt to check out those forums every once in awhile to check out basic preflop play.