Thoughts on stealing with junk, please

[SonOfWestwood]

I rarely do this online because I only play NL25 and I don't think people notice your table image as much. But in live games, because I play with several people for longer periods of time, and because they're generally more aware of my image, I'll try this kind of thing every now and then:

Because I have such a tight image, if one or two passive people limp to me, I'll occasionally raise with any two cards in the CO or button. I haven't been so bold as to do it with hands like 72, 32, but I have done it with hands like Q3, J2, J4, etc. so you get the idea. Occasionally I'll take the pot down right there, and frequently I'll get one or two callers who check to me on the flop and I steal it then. Of course, if I'm called on the flop, I'm pretty much done with the hand, and the PF raise & pot sized flop bet are lost. Also, every now and then I do manage to get the suckout 2 pair or awkward straight and take down a pretty decent pot. Of course, any time I have to show my hand, I get some advertising value.

I've had decent success with it but I'm wondering if you think this is a profitable play to do in the long run, or if it's a -EV play by itself, but it sets up my good hands?

Thanks for any thoughts.

[Maulik]

mixing it up at the small stakes is usually a mistake. but mixing it up in general is a great way to get paid off on big hands and confuse your opponents.

[teamdonkey]

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I've had decent success with it but I'm wondering if you think this is a profitable play to do in the long run, or if it's a -EV play by itself, but it sets up my good hands?

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I like doing this, with a few conditions:
1. I have position (button or CO), in case we see a flop
2. SB and BB aren't calling station type donkeys
3. I haven't played a hand in a while

thoughts on #3 - people say noone pays attention in these small stakes games, and generally they're right... most don't take notice when you're playing tight. HOWEVER. They sure as hell notice when you're playing a lot of pots. So if i've gotten a run of good hole cards and have played 3 hands already this orbit, i'm not going to try and steal with Q4 from the button. Otherwise a raise is my standard play here if it's folded to me.

edit: didn't see that you had mentioned a couple limpers already in... i'm much more hesitant in that case. What you're talking about is more effective in tournaments. In a cash game i think this is just spewing chips.