Raising from early position.

[danstjohn]

Perhaps some of you can shed some light on this for me because I seem to be struggling with it. I play the PP NL $100 and $200 max games and 2/5 NL at live casinos. I tend to play a little on the loose/passive side pf mixed with tight and very aggressive post flop. I like to see flops if I can get in for the bb so I limp a lot. Of course though I tighten up in EP.

I'm talking about the first three positions next to the blind to act. I'm a little new to the lingo so I believe thats UTG, UTG+1, and MP?

I find myself playing very weak/passive pf in those positions with hands like KQo,AQo,AJs,A10s,KJs and I am second guessing myself into thinking I should raise.

Another thing is that when I do pick up a good hand like AKs/AQs/KQs/JJ/QQ/KK/AA I will raise more than normal in early position. If I typically raise 4x BB in middle or late position with those hands I will up it to 6x BB or more in early position.

The reasoning for me not raising some of those hands pf is because what typically happens is one or two people in late position will call regardless of their cards with the intention of putting in a pot sized bet on the flop if I check and they miss. Obviously I know that I can counter with a re-raise but question whether its worth it to risk putting another $25 or so into a hand that I missed out of position. If he calls that bet I am basically forced to either put another $50 on the turn or give up the hand by checking. It is exactly what I do to weak players who are clueless because they raise with crap like A9o out of position.

So my question is what hands do you make a raise with in early position? And also do you increase your typical raises with great hands pf because you are in early position, like raising 7x bb with AKs in EP as opposed to 3-4x bb in late position?

Thanks.

[Unarmed]

I wouldn't get in the habit of varying your raise size PF. X (I use 3-4)BB + 1BB for each limper is the standard.
BTW you might want to take a look at this link. It deals with starting hand values in NL.

http://www.kleptic.com/poker/nlhands.html

[Wayfare]

Again, who cares if you vary your raises preflop if the people are not paying attention and you won't play them again.

[Unarmed]

[ QUOTE ]
Again, who cares if you vary your raises preflop if the people are not paying attention and you won't play them again.

[/ QUOTE ]

Raising the same PF is pretty standard advice is it not? Its not like he's playing 10 cent BB where you never see the same opponent twice and/or people aren't paying attention. His sample space online (and live if at the same casino) is likely small enough for astute opponents to pick up a betting pattern.
Why not learn good habits?

Also, I really can't see the rational for raising more in EP with a good hand than you do in LP. (assuming no limpers)

[Wayfare]

Because people on party will call your $3 open when you have AA and call your $2 open when you have AK and never suspect there is a difference...

I agree with not imprinting bad habits into your game permanently, but why not play the tables as they are? No one pays much attention (because they are all obsessed with four-tabling maybe) and no one plays with anyone twice (well, maybe sometimes, but not enough for it to matter).

[danstjohn]

The idea behind raising more PF from EP with a good hand is because you want to isolate and go heads up or only go against one other person. A 6x BB bet from first position is more likely to ensure that you go heads up than a 4x BB bet from first position.

Perhaps I should rethink my entire PF raising strategy and raise more period because I generally do not raise more than 4x BB PF(usually 3x BB) unless there are several limpers.

[Unarmed]

I understand what you and WF are saying, I just didn't see how varying your bet size based on position with no limpers made any sense. If no one will notice, sure raise the max they'll call with AA, but this is varying based on your cards, which isn't what I thought you were getting at.

[mullaney]

You could tighten up your EP raising standards to narrow to only hands that you feel confident betting the flop with. I think that there is a lot of people who might limp with JJ and AQ in EP and folding most of the other worse hands you mention. They are trap hands that I don't like to play out of position in a raised pot.

[Cannes]

I usually raise it more than what the majority proposes.
my standard is raise to 5BB + 1BB per limper
so my standard opening raise at $50 NL at party is $5
I do, however, play shorthanded only. Does that factor into things?