Play a Hand With the Masters #2 Pre-Flop

[Black Aces 518]

Man, that seems awful. There are 3 hands in the entire deck that have you beat, and you're going to open-fold? I'm not saying all my chips are going in, but I can say that, barring some satellite situation, I'm not folding JJ in an unopened pot.

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The big problem with limping is that if you raise many hands you dominate will still come along but if you limp many hands like J2o might see a flop from the BB and you really aren't any sort of big favorite against J2o.

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Another advantage of raising is that you can get a better feel for their range from the amount they reraise.

For example a push behind your raise would usually mean a pp up to 10s. In which case I dont care what their stack size is, if its just 1 person pushing Im calling. If 2 players push after me then i might lay it down.

But if they bump it up to 600-800, I would be more inclined to think they have something like 1010-AA. I dont know for certain what I would do then, 80% of the time I push, but in all honesty I will be looking for a reason not to as this is where I usually come up against a big hand. I dont think AQ-KJ would ususally reraise to 600-800 in that spot.

If they just call im putting them on a wide range and will just have to play OOP poker.

[CardSharpCook]

Just to add my 2 cents. I'm raising to either 250 or 300. I don't really like a limp push with AK here, but I suppose it is a possibility. Limp-calling goes against 2+2 doctrine and for good reasons.

[2005]

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No strong reads on other players

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I understood from Gigabet's previous posts that he has a detailed book on everyone.

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I love this post

[Cactus Jack]

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Man, that seems awful. There are 3 hands in the entire deck that have you beat, and you're going to open-fold? I'm not saying all my chips are going in, but I can say that, barring some satellite situation, I'm not folding JJ in an unopened pot.

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I gotta get more sleep. I misread your post. Fold? Bah, never. I'm either raising or LIMPING. I've taken a nice nap, so this old guy does much better at reading comprehension.

CJ

[sdplayerb]

exactly..this seems quite boring preflop.
i'm probably making it 300-350, but no way i am folding preflop unless there is two more reraises.

[woodguy]

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The problem is that, if you're willing to get all your chips in after an ace or king flops

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By limping with 26BB's you are probably not going to be in a positon to get your whole stack in.....if the action is that heavy, I need 2 pair or better to stick around.

Excercising pot control can yeild nice pots off of KJ, KQ Ax in this spot, but I have no illuisons about doubling up unless I have 2 pair or better.

I understand your point, but it will rarely get to the point of playing for your whole stack in an unraised pot, and if it does TPTK isn't enough.

That is also the reason that raising isn't always the best play.

If you flop TPTK in a raised pot and get action, you have to play for your stack, and I like to be a little stronger than TPTK when playing for whole stack at 26BB's. (not that I'm afraid to, I just prefer not to)

Regards,
Woodguy

[hurlyburly]

I'll limp sometimes, but not often. Depending on what I've seen/done so far, anywhere from 250-400. If the tables tight, 250 will work. I'll raise it up more if I think it will generate a push from one of the shorter stacks or it's a looser table.

I'll limp when I expect a raise behind just to mask my hand. Depending on the action when it gets back to me, I'll call, raise or fold. Call when the raiser isolates with no limpers between us, raise when there are limpers between me and an LP raiser, fold if it's 2 or more all-in. If the limp backfires and we all see a flop, I have to play better postflop. I'm not heartbroken if I have to lay this down.

I prefer to dictate the action, so I'll respect the obvious trap plays, push when I suspect a re-steal, and call if it's still under 40% of my stack. Hopefully I'll have enough of a read to make the right decision. I really wouldn't mind getting it all in with MP, MP1 or the cutoff PF, but I'd prefer a flop with the rest.

[Cactus Jack]

Just had AK CO+1, folded to me. I raised 3X (600tc). SB called. A87 on the flop. Check to me and I checked. K on the turn. SB bet the pot, I waited out the clock and called. 6 on the river, SB pushes, I call and double up. I don't always limp AK. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] PS 25K 2nd hour, I was pretty short stacked, so this helps.

CJ

[woodguy]

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Just had AK CO+1

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I wouldn't open limp AK in the CO+1 either.

My default play is to raise AK, but sometimes in EP its good to limp, if you can trust yourself to fold when beaten (by a hand that probably folds if you raise PF)

Regards,
Woodguy