Pre Flop raising theory question
 

I've been looking at the PF play chart that is included in the sticky of this forum. I am currently playing Party 1/2.

The TIGHT section says to raise EP w/AJs.

Now here I see two conflicting ideas: We have the suited factor, which plays well in multi-handed pots, but when we raise UTG, we will not get many callers, and the call or re-raise will probably be made by a dominating hand. So we don't get to use the suited multihand benefit, but instead try ti play the hand for its high card value, which against 9 random hands, is not that strong.

Intuitively, I almost want to say that we should be raising with AJ OFFSUIT, to thin the field, and calling with AJs to encourage callers. But the chart recommends completely the opposite.

Re: Pre Flop raising theory question
 

raise both, AJs plays well HU, plays well 6handed

AJo plays well HU, plays good 6handed just is trickier

Re: Pre Flop raising theory question
 

I'll always raise AJs. Whether I raise AJo depends on the situation, but I'll generally raise it.

Raising AJs is good because you don't care what happens afterward. If you get a bunch of coldcallers, that's great. You've got an excellent multi-way hand. If you don't get a bunch of coldcallers, that's great. You've got an excellent hand with lots of short-handed value. AJs is a strong enough hand that limping it to encourage a multiway pot will NOT increase the hand value enough to beat raising.

The reason for raising AJo is to try to encourage villains to fold so you can get a short-handed pot. You can go back and forth on this depending on the table you're at. If your preflop raise will not be effective in limiting the field (you're going to get 3-4 coldcallers), then you can just limp. This has some postflop benefits:

- The smaller pot means villains' preferred play of calling has a better chance of being incorrect)
- Villains are more likely to have called with Ax hands, which you dominate
- You don't feel compelled to spew chips because you raised preflop