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dumpy620_84
Rock Star
Silver Level
I was wondering how people deal with Limpers pre-flop.
Basic strategy talks about raising pre-flop with XX hand in Y position if you are first to open the pot. (of course flexiblity and randomness of your play comes into the mix here to prevent predictability)
The Gap Concept then defines proper strategy with what to do with a raiser in front of you.
But I have a hell of a time wrapping my head around a sound general theory concerning limpers. I take into account the persons play style and my read on them and try to figure if they are Loose and just getting in to see what happens, if they are generally tight they might be slow playing AA, KK, or maybe they are looking to see a flop cheaply with a moderate hand (AT, Suited Connectors, Low Pair, KJ, etc....), or are they could be just bad players who don't realize that limping in with a good but not made hand is asking for trouble as too many callers usually spells doom after the flop....
In general, if I have the killer hands, AA, KK, AK, even QQ its pretty easy for me to go for a normal raise after a limper and the hell with them..., its when I see the moderate hands that should see a raise in Middle & Late position that I start to question what I should do....go for the raise anyway as if the Limpers weren't there, or just Limp with them and play after the flop.
I hate the idea of just calling, as it yields no information on my opponents hand. For instance it would be much cheaper to Raise a couple of limpers pre-flop from middle or late position with AJ, 99, 88 etc...and see who comes back at me (uh oh....possible AA KK AK alert) and who just goes away with a junk hand trying to see the flop, than to wait till post-flop.
Especially if I have AT and flop comes AT3 (I would most likely call any bet with that, or make my own bet if everyone checked and I'd be in a heap of touble to someone slow playing AA), where as a player who calls a pre-flop raise and then comes out betting/raising on the flop would be easier to get away from.
Basic strategy talks about raising pre-flop with XX hand in Y position if you are first to open the pot. (of course flexiblity and randomness of your play comes into the mix here to prevent predictability)
The Gap Concept then defines proper strategy with what to do with a raiser in front of you.
But I have a hell of a time wrapping my head around a sound general theory concerning limpers. I take into account the persons play style and my read on them and try to figure if they are Loose and just getting in to see what happens, if they are generally tight they might be slow playing AA, KK, or maybe they are looking to see a flop cheaply with a moderate hand (AT, Suited Connectors, Low Pair, KJ, etc....), or are they could be just bad players who don't realize that limping in with a good but not made hand is asking for trouble as too many callers usually spells doom after the flop....
In general, if I have the killer hands, AA, KK, AK, even QQ its pretty easy for me to go for a normal raise after a limper and the hell with them..., its when I see the moderate hands that should see a raise in Middle & Late position that I start to question what I should do....go for the raise anyway as if the Limpers weren't there, or just Limp with them and play after the flop.
I hate the idea of just calling, as it yields no information on my opponents hand. For instance it would be much cheaper to Raise a couple of limpers pre-flop from middle or late position with AJ, 99, 88 etc...and see who comes back at me (uh oh....possible AA KK AK alert) and who just goes away with a junk hand trying to see the flop, than to wait till post-flop.
Especially if I have AT and flop comes AT3 (I would most likely call any bet with that, or make my own bet if everyone checked and I'd be in a heap of touble to someone slow playing AA), where as a player who calls a pre-flop raise and then comes out betting/raising on the flop would be easier to get away from.