Am I losing too much not raising AQo from the blinds

[Emoney]

against multiple opponents?

[PapaDeuce]

I like to raise 80% of the time if the table limps. I would raise 95% of the time if my AQ was suited.

[Noo Yawk]

If the multiple opponents are bad players, then your giving up some EV.

If your multiple opponents are good players, then you may gain some value in deception post flop.

[garyc8]

SSH argues for raising strong hands for value out of BB much more liberally than I do. There's a good argument for both.

For raising:
(assuming bad, loose players have entered pot) You gain pre-flop equity by punishing limpers for entering w/ inferior hands. You increase the error they made by calling in the first place and take a fractional bet from each of them now, while you likely have the best hand.

Against raising:
You are manipulating the pot size, and lying in ambush.
You have a top pair kind of hand. If you flop top pair, you'd like to be able to protect it. If you get a good flop, and suspect a late position bet is likely, you may even get off a check-raise on the flop.

I generally side with the second argument here. I think the raise is much better if your AQ is suited. With AQo I think you're adequately compensated by the factors I mentioned for the pre-flop equity you give up by not raising.

[Sal Allegra]

To all responses here, Dude, have you not read any Sklansky???? AQo does not play well in multi way pots, and further more you are in weak position???? Don't raise AQo in a Multiway Pot.

[garyc8]

Dude, did you actually read my post???

[Victor]

[ QUOTE ]
If the multiple opponents are bad players, then your giving up some EV.

If your multiple opponents are good players, then you may gain some value in deception post flop

[/ QUOTE ]

I think this is wrong. Against bad players you are gaining a ton of EV. You likely have the best hand and therefore pot equity preflop so you punish the players for limping with garbage hands. This increases your EV.

Against good players they likely have adequate hands to be limping with (or else they arent good players) and they will correctly player there hands postflop in the large pot.

There is an interesting analysis of AQ at fekali's website. I was gonna link it but I cant seem to access it right now. It basically says, if AQ is not dominated in this situation preflop you gain a ton of EV by raising. Furthermore, even if it is dominated by AK, you still gain some EV because of all the dead money. Go to www.fekali.com for the info.

[Paluka]

Yes.

[Ezcheeze]

Yep, too much value not to raise. You won't gain it back by outplaying them in a small pot.

-Ezcheeze

[laja]

If there are 2 or less people in in either of the blinds I will raise A/Qo, and I will raise with any number of players. I think another good question is when to reraise from the blinds