All generalizations are not worth a darn, including this one.
I don't agree with this because limping has its place. Certainly in cash games but also in tournaments.
There are hands that like multi-way pots, such as suited connectors. Sure, you can raise those hands, but you're gonna chase most other players away. It makes more sense to see a cheap flop with them and get paid off big when they hit.
Exactly. I agree with both statements above. To only limp or only raise is to artificially restrict your options. That cannot be good for profit.
I like limping with SC and small/medium pairs. The more players, the better. Small pairs are the best for that.
If I am first in the pot in late position, I may raise with medium pairs or high SCs because if I get called, I have some high-card value as a backup. But if the blinds are small, I prefer limping to invite the blinds in the pot. With small blinds, I would rather stack someone when I hit a big flop, than get a few chips from the blinds.
If there is one or more limpers in front, I tend to limp with hands I would otherwise have raised if first to act. It is hard to get rid of limpers because they are getting good
odds to call(or so they think sometimes). If I don't have a huge hand, I don't want to re-raise huge and risk getting called or worse, re-raised.
Also, I almost never limp when my stack is less than 10-15BB, especially in EP. In those situations, that maxim applies: either raise it and try to get the blinds(or go all-in if necessary), or don't play at all. I have seen many players limping with stacks as small as 3-4BB. That's a huge mistake IMO.
The most controversial limps I make are hands like AK, AQ in early position when the blinds are small and players very loose. If I know I am going to get called, why raise with a drawing hand, build a big pot, and then have several opponents behind me?
And finally, against observant opponents, you sometimes have to limp with clearly raising hands, and vice versa to avoid becoming predictable.
