Open limping

[w_alloy]

I've found myself open limping mostly from CO and MP increasingly when both blinds are very loose and poor postflop (especially if they dont get pot odds) and everyone behind me is very passive. I do this with hands like 89s, Q7s, and Q9o. Should I stop? How loose/passive do you need players behind you to be, and do they all need to be as such? Should I start open limping some middle ace hands also to disguise (this is 5/10 so the answer to the last question is no, but would you in higher limits or if the rest of the table was 2+2)?

Also, when are other times you open limp? Ever 9Ts or TJs UTG in a loose passive game? Blind wars dont count.

Am I out of my mind?

[wackjob]

Raise them all if it is folded to you in the CO.

[w_alloy]

I was kinda looking for more detail...

Edit: If they are really loose, your fe is 0. Its also hard to tell when they hit. Also, their chasing mistakes will be magnified when you hit since the pot is smaller. Free cards are easier to take, too, since there is less of a pot to protect.

Lots of other reasons but I'm really getting annoyed by your 1 line responses...

[wackjob]

Limping sucks. Q7 is a crap hand.. as a blind steal it is fine, however. A8 is a solid opening hand from CO, so no reason to limp with it & let blinds see free flops. 109s is a great steal hand, not a big hand, but has so many ways to improve and is well disguised postflop.

But going back to poker basics of aggressive play.. if a hand is worth calling, it is usually worth raising. Why limp in when you can raise with the chance of taking down the blinds w/o a flop. Why limp in when you many times have the best hand?

[w_alloy]

[ QUOTE ]
Why limp in when you can raise with the chance of taking down the blinds w/o a flop. Why limp in when you many times have the best hand?

[/ QUOTE ]

I edited before you posted, thought i could get it in before you read my reply. The simple answer to these last questions is above. Your equity with 98s against their random hands is about 50% HU and 38-37% 3 handed. You cant say the stealing is a bonus because they wont fold. You lose a lot less when you dont hit and gain almost as much when you do hit. This is only agaist certain opponents.

Another criteria i've developed for whether to open limp against an opponent is if the respect postion. If they like to donk bet aand dont really care who has the lead I am more likely to limp.

[Moozh]

I've found that even loose players are capable of folding to a pre-flop raiser when an ace falls (and they don't have one). For this reason alone I think it's profitable to open-raise marginal hands against loose blinds. Your better than average hand, position, and post flop skillzzz should make up for the rest.

[Silverback]

HPFAP says limp with hands like 98s when you expect blinds not to fold and maybe even button likely to call (not raise)

Ideally you want button, sb and bb to play, and none of them to raise, if you find a game like that then I dont see whats wrong with it, its not as if the situation is going to arise that often.

I havent played it myself, but its something I might consider at the right table.

[Poldi]

At 1/2 there is merit to openlimping hands like A6o on the button, but at 5/10 I think it really is "raise or fold". You get to steal a lot more blinds than on the lower levels (or take it down on the flop).

[therockofgibraltar]

So you should not steal with crap in 1\2 and lower [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

I am playing in these limits and facing a problem. I am stealing a lot, at least trying to steal, but some of these guys are so loose that they do not fold because they know I am stealing. Still ok to try it with mediocre hands [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[Silverback]

I improved my winrate at $1/$2 when I stopped stealing so much. Nearer 30 ASB, rather than higher.
I always did Ax, but other borderline hands I cut out unless blinds real tight.