PF raise for value question. (LC)

AmarilloJim1 · #1 07-18-2005, 02:01 PM

Hello Folks,

I just got back from Vegas for 5 days; what a roller coaster ride it was.

Anyway, I had an idea about pf raising for value.

We have seen this question a million times, "If there are 2-4 limpers, and I have AK or a similar good hand on the big blind, should I raise?"

The answer is yes...it is assumed you have the best hand and should raise to increase your expectation.

Anyway, while in Vegas I saw a lot of beginners limping with very good hands...AK, KK, and such.

So my question is this? You are only assuming you have the best hand...what if you notice a player limping +EV hands? Does this matter? Should you make any adjustments?

Feedback is appreciated.

Thanks,

- Jim

shadow29 · #2 07-18-2005, 02:04 PM

Pr(AA) or Pr(KK) = Pr(AA) + Pr(KK)

(1/220) + (1/220) = .00909

Lavarn · #3 07-18-2005, 02:14 PM

A lot of beginners I have played against somehow got this idea that there is no strategy preflop. They play any two cards the same way preflop: call. Sometimes I will raise with a pretty good hand like AK or AQ only to run into AA or KK that they limped preflop. This is unlucky, but I think you have to assume that most of the time they will have nothing.

So the answer is, it depends on whether they are limping with very good hands and playing tight otherwise (so extremely tight passive). In that case, yeah you should probably adjust when you see them limp because it could easily mean strength. However, I would only do this with a hand like AQ or AJ. AK is too strong - I would go for it anyway. Also, these kind of players are pretty uncommon I think. People who tend to limp with AA and KK usually also limp with tons of other hands as well.

aces_dad · #4 07-18-2005, 02:37 PM

When you have an equity edge, it is not always assumed that you have the largest equity edge, just that you have a larger stake of the pot than the rest of the field.

So in the example of raising with AK vs large PP, for example, even though the PP has you beaten PF, against 5 limpers, your AK still wins more than 20% of the time, thus you should raise. You're just not getting all the extra money in the pot, some of that money is going to the limper with the large PP as well.