Raise or fold?

[Duke]

Bring in: 3c

limps by 6d, Ts

Your hand: Ac (5s 7h)

None of the cards are dead.

I guess the question is, IS there a situation where a raise or limp would be correct?

I say that if the opponents are loose/passive then you can play it a lot of the time.

The counter argument is that you should fold that cheese at all times.

Note: I'm not a stud player, and the guy saying FOLD plays only ultra-high games anymore (though he IS a stud player), so I was looking for the opinion of people who play mid-limit games I may find myself in (15-30 through maybe 100-200).

I suppose this would also have to do with the ante structure, unless my head is solidly in my ass about considering a play at all.

Thanks for any comments.

~Duke

[Andy B]

I assume you're talking about high-only. In high-low, whether or not you should raise depends on what's behind you and who limped with the Six. In high-only, your hand is junk. It is playable only as a steal, and even there it's dubious, because you have nothing underneath. Once two players have limped in, your chance of stealing is pretty close to zero. Fold and move on to the next hand. I don't think it's close.

[Duke]

Thanks. That settles it. I was way wrong.

I'll have to stick with Hold'em. :-)

I was definitely looking at a steal chance on 4th or 5th, but I suppose it is unlikely that I'd lose anyone.

~Duke

[Lin Sherman]

This hand is very marginal but not entirely unplayable. Still, I would recommend that most players fold it.

IF you are a better player than anyone already in the pot, IF your opponents tend to be passive and frequently check it around on fourth, IF the game has a moderate to large ante, IF no one has completed the bring-in, and IF you are last to act (or know you will be because the players to your left are signalling that they're going to fold), then you can limp in. That's a lot of IFs.

To continue playing, you have to make a pair on fourth, your cards have to still be live, and your opponents have to not make anything scary. Note that if you pair your ace no one is going to put you on three aces because you didn't raise on third, but they might put you on two pair and let you have the pot if you bet. If you make a smaller pair, you should start thinking about how you're going to get heads-up. If it looks like you can't, then check-call and hope you make two pair or trips on fifth. It's unlikely that you'll be able to continue if you don't make at least two pair by fifth street, and often you should fold two small pair.

This hand would be a lot better if your ace were suited. Now you have a much easier late-position call on third street if no one has completed the bet and if your flush cards are live.

Lin

[patrick dicaprio]

as i read your question you are not asking whether you should limp with the hand you describe, but whether there are situations where either a raise or limp is correct but not a fold.if this is your question i dont think there are any such situations,since when you raise you are trying to steal and in these situations you are not going to limp. on the other hand if the ace was hidden then you would frequently limp and might raise occasionally as a situational play.

Pat

[CJC]

Fold!!!!!

You have absolutely nothing with two limpers in front...

Honestly, I don't even know why you would ask this question!

CJ

[Jim Mogal]

The hand is JUNK an easy fold. IF your Ace were in the hole and IF it is live you could consider limping in only with it....and that is marginal depending on the game and on the other players....you can't call a raise if you do limp with an Ace in the hole and a player raises afterwards

[cero_z]

Duke,
I agree with most everyone that this hand should be mucked. However, your post does touch on an interesting point. If you are by far the best player in the game (or in the hand if the only other decent players have folded), you can play some very weak hands FOR THE BRING-IN against a small field. The things that make the hand in question garbage are that the pot cannot be stolen (2 players called the bring-in) and your ace is not concealed. Don't "stick to Hold'em." Stud is a great game, too.