[Ironman]

There are a couple places where I think it is essential to raise preflop, but you won't find them happening much at your typical Party 1/2 full ring game.

When the game becomes short handed (5 players or less) means that you will probably find one limper and the blinds playing. If you are in the blinds and find yourself with a medium good hand...I like to raise it up.

When I've got a really good low hand at this same table, I will frequently just limp to bring as many people along for the ride as possible.

The second situation is actually very similar and every once in awhile I find it at the UB 2/4 and 3/6 games. The game for some reason gets really tight.

Late position last night in the cutoff, I found myself with a high pocket pair and an average low starting hand and did not raise...just limped. The blinds came along for the ride.

I lost control of that hand by not being aggressive early. It was a mistake.

Raising would have put the blinds on the defensive (maybe even got the SB to fold) and the hand would have played out much differently.

I'm not saying I would have won the pot, I might have even lost more, but there are good positional reasons at passive tables to raise.

Dave