Jumping in the deep end (NL $1000)

[soah]

If you feel like you're pot committed after charging someone 4% of their stack to see the flop against you then your play is -EV.

[Matt Flynn]

if that decision is difficult you have more reason to bet less. the countervailing force is that a higher bet may well make him less likely to come over the top without the goods.

[AgileMike]

I didn't explain myself clearly. I don't think anyone is pot committed on the flop with a 4% raise. What I do think is that you get AK, AQ, AJ, KK, QQ etc committed by turn much easier when you throw in the correct raise preflop. It's too easier for the villian to get away from his hand when it's a small pot on the flop. And yes, $15 is a big deal, because it's $30 preflop, $60 on the flop, and $120 by the turn.

[soah]

You're still talking about committing yourself to the pot with only one pair and moderately deep stacks.

[John Ho]

I don't agree that a $50 raise is better. The problem with the big reraise is you may get yourself pot committed once you follow up with a bet on the flop. I don't think you should be afraid to play postflop with aces. And do you want the guy to fold AQ or something like that?

Now if he is making big reraises preflop with a wider range of hands that would be ok but it didn't sound like it since he was playing snug his first time in the bigger game.

[John Ho]

You make a good point about not really being pot committed either way. But that doesn't really explain why a $50 raise is that much better than $35.

I think the $50 forces a fold from people you don't want to fold.

[gomberg]

In general, when raising out of the blinds (or limp-reraising from ep), I make greater than pot sized raises if I have AA,KK, or sometimes AKs, 66, whatever - If people are going to call my raises out of the blinds, I want them to pay for it. Granted, with extra deep stacks (>200 BB), I don't know if it makes a big difference or not - but with 80-150BB, making big raises out of the blinds with my monsters has paid off very nicely as people are quick to put you on a hand you don't want action with (JJ, AKo, etc.).

[aggie]

$50 is not a "big reraise" with one limper already in the pot and a $10 big blind. It's a standard raise in that game

[pho75]

Once you reach puberty you'll find that your urge to act out will diminish. Hang on, it's just around the corner.

[elindauer]

[ QUOTE ]
For all of you that like the $35 raise out of position, please tell me why? I think you are just setting yourself up for the win a small pot/lose a big pot situation when you don't throw in a big raise preflop. I really don't think you need to play that tricky against most opponents.

Comments/flames please....

[/ QUOTE ]

Hi AgileMike,

No one has mentioned yet the most important reason for the size of the raise. With super deep stacks, deception is very important. I can't raise to $50 with aces and $35 with tens and complete with 97s. I'd be too easy to play against.

My general strategy is to do a lot of raising from all positions to keep the pressure on my opponents, trying to keep them guessing when I have aces, and when I have 64 for the flopped straight. I might make this raise 97s here. I pick up a lot of pots which, hopefully, pay for the times I run into a monster.

$50 raise, $35 raise... it's all good. In fact, I prefer the $50 raise if this was the last hand I was going to play. It's not the last hand though, so if I'm going to make it fifty to go, I have to change my overall strategy, probably raising less in this spot with those speculative hands, and in general pressuring my opponents less. Totally reasonable strategy, just not the one I choose.

Good luck.
Eric