[JJNJustin]

Raising pre-flop in loose games is nebulous. On the big blind, with many limpers, I would consider raising any middle pocket pair, or any suited ace, especially with straight potential, or any good suited connector with high card value.

The problem with raising pre-flop in loose games, especially with suited connectors like Q9s, is that they wont make good enough hands often enough to justify raising. More often than not, you will find yourself tied to your hand all the way to the river, and then regretting the fact that you raised pre-flop.

I will more often turn down the option to raise in a loose game, especially out of position in the big blind, with all but the best hands. Even with these, I often turn down the option the raise so that I can conceal my hand and work in a big raise later on in the hand if need be.

The best hands to raise with on the big blind are middle pocket pairs and suited aces. That way, if you flop a set or a flush draw, you can lead right out at the flop, and players will be more apt to raise you in order to "test" you and see if you actually have anything. More often they will not consider the fact that you actually could have hit the flop big. This will give you an opportunity to re-raise and then lead again on the turn. More often than not they will call you down or give you excess action with hands that cant win against yours, and you will collect many bets. Many times they will make a rigid read that "you must have a big pair" since you raised preflop and are still pushing after the flop, and may give you excessive action with two pair or a smaller flush, when in fact you hold a set or the nut flush.

So yes, there are times when I opt to raise in loose games, but normally with hands that wont win unless they improve, and when they improve they improve big, and the pre-flop raise will serve to tie other players in to their hands and well disguise my hand if I hit. As I said, these include medium pocket pairs, high suited connectors, especially suited aces.

There are times when you can raise hands of higher implied odds in loose games, but dont carry the principle too far, and start raising on stuff like 56s or J8s. Yes, occasionally you will make an extremely well disguised hand and get excessive action and feel like a genius, but more often than not, with these hands, you will will be encouraged to semi-bluff, having raised pre-flop, and will often totally miss making anything, and end up feeling like an idiot.

-J