Calling preflop raises

[bozlax]

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Example, T9s on the button with 5 limpers, I'd raise just for better odds later.

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Whoa...the needle on my bad advice meter just pinned! Betting/raising on an early street so that you'll have the pot odds to call a bet on a later street is never, ever the right thing to do. In your defense, this is usually something you see people saying about "pumping" their draws on the flop (I think I may have said it once or twice, but those records have been lost in the mists of time), but it applies here, too.

I raise T9s on the button after 5 limpers because it's a reasonable multi-way hand with a number of different ways to win, and if I hit on the flop I want to be GIVING good odds to the chasers, not GETTING good odds for myself.

[p@t@dds]

The biggest thing to remember whether you are at a loose or a tight table is that cold-calling a raise is usually a bad move. You should usually be re-raising if your hand is good enough to play against a raise (AA-TT and A/Ks). For cold-calling to be correct I want to a have a good hand, good position and multiple players already calling the raise.

[Nikademus]

You're right, my bad. My holiday party is tonight and my brain is already shutting down. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[Eeegah]

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you can call 2 cold with some good multiway hands when there are a lot of people cc'ing before you,

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Just to nit, from my understanding this isn't a cold call. Cold calling IIRC is when someone raises and either you're next to act or it's folded to you. Barring unusual circumstances I will cold call with AQs, AJs and KQs. That's it.

I got a chance to cold call last night [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] Folded on the flop [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

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Let me ask you, what hand would you call 3 bets with that you wouldn't raise to begin with?

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Yeah, good point.

Thanks again to everyone, this is really good stuff. I'm glad I asked.
Rob

[zuluking]

Its nice to see a good thread started by a n00b.

I have a somewhat related question:

suppose I raise from MP with A9s (the table was fairly tight, often folding to any raises) and it's raised and re-raised behind me. I'm certainly behind at this point, but am I obligated to call? most likely the pot will be 13 SB, but if I flop a flush draw my implied odds should be thru the roof with so much action pre-flop.