When to raise btf?

I had KQo in the cutoff in my normal 4/8 (full table of 9 players - single BB) game. It's folded to me. I think for a second (I have big cards and they play well in a short-handed pot). I raise. Button calls as does the big blind. I lose. Was this a bad choice btf? Should I have mucked btf or just limped?


What about in a bigger game - say 15/30, which I'm now beginning to play.


Thanks,


-Michael

It's a good raise.


a) You might win it straight away. </BR>b) You may have the best hand with only 3 opponents (and you could easily get better hands to fold, such as A/xo).</BR>c) You can probably steal it if an Ace flops (although the buttons coldcall is scary).</BR>d) You can't only raise with AA-QQ or people will start folding when you do.


Sincerly, Andreas

n/t

There's 5 limpers to you, do you limp or raise?


What if there's 3 limpers and a raise and then it's to you? Do you call the raise or fold?


-Michael

I like your raise here, since it was folded to you and you can conceivably buy the button. I would have either called or more likely raised. You can also run this play with just about any two face cards or any other decent hand. This way, players won't put you on AA or KK every time you raise (they usually won't associate your raising with your position and the number of callers/folders involved.) You can also raise on the button with any playable hand if everyone has folded to you.


In a 10-20 or 15-30 game, I would give even more consideration to raising...but I would tighten up the starting hand requirements for doing so. You would have a better chance of stealing the blinds and/or buying the button. You have position on the blinds throughout the hand, and you can continue as long as you like what you're seeing.