preflop raises?

[amulet]

i just finished reading "mastering no limit hold 'em" which advocated making pretty large raises preflop with big pairs. the problem is the size raises they advocate will not be called. i was wondering what people feel about the size of a preflop raise in the low blinds vs standard buyin games. i often use 4 to 6 times the blind. larger and i often get no action. however, this makes it correct for mid and small pairs to call (implied odds) and often suited connectors. i wouls like peoples thought on the how big to raise preflop, still get action, and is there any way to make it incorrect for many hands not to call.

i look forward to harington's no limit cash game book.

[Popinjay]

Raise more hands preflop. Get better at postflop play.

[MikeL05]

The implied odds that someone is getting with a preflop call against you depends entirely on you.

If you're the type of person who will not lay down AA to a non-flush board, you're giving someone implied odds with a 4-6 BB raise preflop. If you're the type of person who can lay down AA to a potential set, with reasonable accuracy, then you're not going to be giving them implied odds by raising 4-6 BB preflop.

For a round number, I say about 1 in 10 times, the lower pocket pair will hit a set and the higher one will not. So, if you're raising 4-6 BB preflop, you're only giving implied odds if you'll drop 40-60 BB to a set after the flop. I like to think this is something I won't do, so I'm comfortable raising 3-5 BB preflop as my "standard" raise. I think I can give up an overpair before I lose a third to a half of my stack to a set or two pair or something similar.

[ML4L]

Hey amulet et al.,

[ QUOTE ]
"mastering no limit hold 'em"

[/ QUOTE ]

Could someone tell me who wrote this and a little bit about it? I've never heard of it...

Thanks in advance.

ML4L

[aggie]

You're standard opening raise should be dependent on how many limpers and not your cards. Obviously you can raise a little bit more with a few limpers. How much exactly to make it is dependent on the game you are in and the players you’re against. If players are consistently calling large raises with crap then raise big and make them pay. If the game is real tight and you want more action standard raise is 3-4 times BB plus extra BB for every limper. Another factor is position. If you’re in a steal spot you can raise more and people won’t give you credit for a hand. Remember, people only have odds with small pairs / suited connectors if you pay them off when they get there. Play perfectly post flop and it will make it much less correct for them to come after you with those hands.

[Noo Yawk]

[ QUOTE ]
i wouls like peoples thought on the how big to raise preflop, still get action, and is there any way to make it incorrect for many hands not to call.


[/ QUOTE ]

An exact answer to your question only works if you are playing the same players every day, and their mindset and knowledge of the game never changes.

In realty you need to just pay attention to all the dynamics. Players, moods, stack sizes, etc.
Pay particular attention to how your opponents play post flop. In no-limit, this is way more important than worrying about pre-flop equity.

[Spekkio]

I think the idea there is that a lot of people cannot lay down AA or KK after the flop, no matter what. Compound that with the fact that it's VERY difficult to tell if someone has a set, and here's your situation.

The reason then, to raise so much higher, is that you want only hands like JJ, QQ, or KK to call you, and you want it heads up. In those cases, you are an 85% favorite to win the hand. You can then push on the flop with a reasonable expectation that you have the best hand, and a hand like QQ or KK will probably call you if they also hold an overpair to the flop. All the other times, you'll probably take down a very small pot.

[punter11235]

Please note that Mastering low... sorry no-limit holdem is a book for low stakes players (as stated by authors) to give them credit for this one thing, these raises will be called there.
I make a killing by often going allin with AA or KK in these games (at least 3times a week sb will call with crap), once I even went allin with KK UTG (200NL) and got one call ! (from AK) so dont worry about it.
Also MNLH is not a book you want to learn from, because there is some crap-content to put it mildly and some plainly bad advice. Also there is no logical analysis whatsover all arguments are made in "you should play in this way, period" manner.

Best wishes