what to limp with in the micros

Hey guys, I was wondering what hands are good hands to limp in with.

In tournaments, I usually play TAG and only raising or folding. This helps me steal the blinds, occasional small pots, and allows me to sometimes get away.

However, I was wondering what hands should be used to limp with? I only try to limp with hands in the very early stages when the blinds are low so I dont get much practice in what hands I should limp with. Previously, I would try to limp in with medium strength suited connectors (67s, 78s) but would often miss or get worried about a higher flush. I tried limping with high suited connectors (KQs, KJs, JTs) but then I was told I should raise these hands. Given that these are drawing hands with no value except postflop and not great preflop hands (pretty decent underdog against pocket pairs and dominated by AK, can be weak against Ax) I was wondering what my range should be. Since I play tight, I am usually midstack or small stack when it gets to 5 man or the bubble and get bullied out of chips by that one or two big stack.

I think I was in your KJs thread just a while ago

As I see it, there are no good hands to open-limp with, i.e. limping when the action is folded around to you (except maybe if you're SB, depending on how you like to play your blinds). If players before you have limped in, though, and you know the players acting behind you are not squeezers, I may join the limp fest with a low or medium pocket pair (from any position), or Axs, a decent suited connector, or a high suited gapper (these last three only from late position; from MP or EP I just fold them), hoping to hit the flop hard or be able to get away cheaply if I don't.

If I'm in late position holding Axs, a suited connector, or a high suited gapper, and the action is folded to me, I may raise hoping to take down the blinds, or at least, if someone does call me, be able to play a decent hand in position.

I usually limp with small pp's like SYWTWAF said but depending on my table position, play in the hand ahead of me, and what notes ect. I have on the players behind me I might raise with the decent suited connectors. Unlike SYWTWAF I'm not a big fan of the Ax in late position but there are alot of players here better than me that would probably disagree.

Don't limp in the micro's. It's just easier that way. If you limp early you just start a "limp chain" where everyone else is just gonna limp. Tighten up your range in the early positions and raise/fold for the most part.

While there are some situations where open limping or limping behind may seem like the right play, most of the time it leads to only misery.

Just to clear up any potential confusion (and because this significantly alters the meaning of my post), I was referring only to Ax suited, not A-rag. The latter I usually muck pre-flop without second thought.

I agree with the notion that limping should generally (in the case of open-limping, close to always) be avoided, but, particularly in low-limit STT SnGs, where players tend to have a hard time folding, I do think there's a time and place (and position ) for it.

When I'm playing in the micros (which is pretty much all the time), I tend to limp with small pocket pairs and suited connectors if someone has limped ahead of me and particularly if I'm in late position. If I'm the first to enter the pot and I limp, I find that by the flop comes, there's 6 or 7 people in the pot so I try to avoid limping whenever possible. If I can see a cheap flop with pocket pairs, suited connectors or a suited ace then by and large I can get away from the hand if I don't connect with the flop.

I will limp small PP's in mid position if the tables passive and I can see a cheap flop. Raising is just going to create a big pot when your most likely OOP against calling stations who you can't bluff. Just set mine and value bet when you hit.
On CO or BTN I tend to open raise or limp if 2 + limpers are in before me. If there is one fishy limper i'll usually isolate and c-bet and it works 70% of the time.

Stay playing tight early. Learn how to play a strong mid/end game. Be the bully if you have chiplead and learn when to shove when you don't. There is a lot to it but you must adjust with the blinds. It really don't matter if you only play premiums in first few rounds. You don't need to play small PP's and SC's at these levels but if you do it should be early, good position, and good pot odds.

Then as blinds go up and you drop below 20-25 BB's these hands lose value. Then you should never/rarely be limping.

These hands gain value again once you drop below 7BB's or so. But only to open shove with.

I'm not going to get into huge detail because much has been written on this subject and I am not an expert(although I PWN the micro's ). That is if it is STT's we are talking about(which it looks like too me). Buy and read Moshman's 'Sit n Go Strategy' . Before you do this even read SNG strategy in link below. It will be at the bottom of the page. Hope this helps.

http://www.cardschat.com/poker-strategy.php

If it aint worth raising with, it aint worth playing.

I would limp in with suited connectors, suited ace or small pocket pair myself. i would play these in late position as you now how many people have entered the pot. If you opponents see you as a tight player then it might be worth raising with some of these hands to drive out opponents before the flop. Much easier to bluff one opponent than several in a pot.

I'll open limp from EP with small pocket pairs, I don't mind the fact that several limpers follow me (I mainly play 6max). I limp if it's already been opened with pp's, sc, or suited 1 gap or high suited 2 gap. Of course this is table dependent. Also, I almost never limp with Axs, unless I'm on the button, and there are 2+ limpers already in.