Sanity Check

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

Typical LP low limit HE game. Here's the situation.

Hand 1: You're on the button. Player in MP2 open limps, folded to you, you raise, blinds fold, limper folds.

Hand 2: You're in the cutoff. Same basic situation. Same player as hand 1 open limps, folded to you.

You have ATo (I think cards are somewhat irrelevant - so any mediocre hand you might consider playing with position)

Question: Is there any rationale at all for not raising?

[beedubblyer]

You have to raise, in order to reinforce any hesitancy and timidity in his play. Don't go crazy after the flop if you suspect he's setting you up for a nasty trap - but you have to have grounds to really suspect that.
That said, A-10 is my danger hand, and I've stopped raising with it - I never win a thing with it!

[xxxxx]

How loose can it be if you are heads up? ATo is not a very good multi-way hand but if raising can isolate you, sounds good.

[jogger08152]

The raise is mandatory for these reasons:
1. You want the blinds to fold; big offsuit cards play best short, and you'd like to be able to win unimproved (which you'll be, a good portion of the time).
2. You're taking charge of the hand, with all that implies.
3. You're likely betting the best hand; a raise with this hand in this situation is +EV on its own merits.
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4. In hand two, your raise may also buy the button.