[donny5k]

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I disagree. This is a huge multiway pot, where cutting down opponents is wishful thinking. You raise, but the primary reason is the pure profit from set value. If you can nab the button or catch a favorable non-set flop, that's nice too, but sets are most important, and most profitable, against a loose-passive field.

And you realize that limping AA/KK/QQ here gives up at least 7 small bets preflop, right?

You should raise preflop for value. Any pocket pair figures to win more than its fair share in an 8-10 handed pot, so it can raise profitably. Larger pairs win more often unimproved. The primary value of low-mid PPs now derives from sets and full houses, which is why 22 can raise here also. AA/KK win so often UI that sets are less important, but this has nothing to do with not raising. These hands are even more valuable to raise.

[/ QUOTE ]
You realize if you "raise for set value" you're going to get around 7 to 1 pot odds on a ~7.5 to 1 shot? This thinking makes no sense. If you said you are raising so that people will be tied to the pot when you do flop a set, that's fine. But in this case people will be tied to the pot anyway because they are loose.

That said, 99 isn't purely a set value hand so I think this is a raise. However, 22 is NOT a raise.