Is limping more viable when players in front of you limp?

Every guide I've seen on poker fundamentals suggests that you should never, or almost never limp preflop. I see the logic behind this, as a small raise stands a chance of chasing off the blinds and other players behind you without risking too much. However, sometimes I feel that it is appropriate to call when other players in front of you have already limped, namely if you have a hand that is decent but not necessarily strong.

My reasoning is this: if 2-3 players have already limped, I have to raise significantly higher than 3 BB to chase most (or all) of them off the pot, otherwise their pot odds will be too good to fold even with mediocre hands. However, if I don't have a deadly preflop hand, I don't necessarily want to inflate the pot that much and get committed too early. On the other side of things, a limp suddenly gives you very equitable pot odds when others have limped, especially with the implication that their hands are likely weaker than yours.

So I find myself limping often in this situation, because I feel too uncomfortable making the large raise that I know would be appropriate. Here is a hand I just played as an example;

UTG limps
+1 folds
Shotgun limps
Lojack folds
I am in Hijack with . In this position normally I am tempted to raise, but the standard raise here would be something around 5 BB because of the limpers. Do I really want to raise that much with this hand? Why not take the cheap limp and still be in the lead? Let me know what you guys would have done here.

Yes, you should definitely raise from HJ with that hand!

Don't think about the immediate result of the hand, but the long term! Raise from HJ with this hand to punish the limpers is definitely lucrative in the long run!

An extremely common move at low limits is as follows;
>player limp - you raise - player who limp call - most of the time they miss the flop - you cbet and they fold.

Of course this ABC play will not work 100% of the time, but in the vast majority and most importantly, in the LONG TERM, it will be profitable! Don't give up an aggressive game 'cause of one or other limp!

You can limp in these various limps situations with hands that rely on implied odds to play the postflop, such as low pairs (22-66) and suited connectors/gappers (76s-63s-75s for example)

This question - as well as countless others within poker - does not have a single and correct answer. The mantras to avoid limp and play aggressively, especially when in position, fit perfectly in the context of the hand you just reported. However, poker is a game of people much more than cards, as well as mathematical concepts. To come to a conclusion about the best strategy in these cases, you need to consider the variables, this being the keyword here. What Buy-In are you playing in? What is the quality of the field? How well do players react to the most strategically encouraged moves in these situations? All the answers to these questions will guide you to the macro answer. In summary, the most advised move in such cases would be raise, which does not mean that it would necessarily be the most correct move. Identifying the patterns of the other players and laying out a game plan on them, determining the position you will have in relation to your conclusions, based on the most daring strategies, is, without a doubt, the differential for making the best decisions and long term success.

Yes, its ok to overlimp sometimes but you want to make sure the effective stack depths are 30bbs or more, because otherwise you will not be getting paid enough when you hit. There are other times though that raising it up in position and isolating is a better move.

Almost nothing in poker is just a clear cut yes or no answer. Every hand should be played situationally and positionally. Raising over limpers isn't commiting you to anything. Don't be scared to raise for value with strong holdings vs limpers. What's the worse that happens? You x3 over limpers and whiff flop and have to fold? Or you just over limp your strong hand and hit and win nothing because you didn't raise for value. I personally feel losing value is worse than having the hands I raise with preflop miss and having to fold flop. On top of the fact if you over limp youre leaving the door open for more to come in the pot, which decreases your equity. I'm not saying you should never over limp, but there's more against it than for it.

Well, with KJ, I would raise from HJ position if there is one ore two limpers. But of course it significantly depends on your stack size as well. If you have a smaller stack size then just do the limping, if it is bigger, then you should raise to chase them off.

Yeah in hijack I would raise with this sort of hand and hope the limpers just call. If you had a slightly weaker hand, you could consider calling but then you also need to weigh up what your likely action would be if someone were to raise after you - if you would fold, then you are losing money. Consider how aggressive the players coming after you are - are they likely to raise?

yes i think limp with a not so great holding and if you got a big hand put in a lager than normal raise

Raise behind to punish the limper(s) and/or limit the field with better position.

Limp behind with good hands, or draws with to trap or net the most from hitting the drawing hand especially in the BB if you are closing the action or button with position post flop.

I will almost never limp behind prior to cutoff to an utg or utg+1 limp. Tend to find AA or AQs+ there looking for some action to often.

When you limp you risk someone with a shitty hand calling to see the flop, you need to raise to keep the participants in the hand to a minimum, better chances to win the hand with less people seeing the flop, we have all seen big blind specials. I often say thank you for letting me to see the flop for free to people that have let me see a flop on my BB for free.

Recently I was allowed to see the flop on my BB with 47os for free, I would have folded to a min raise if it was made, the flop came 447 and the guy who let me see the flop had no clue that I had 47 and kept on raising.

If I am last to act, and every one before me has limped in, and the blinds are still low, I will pay to see the flop. I try to never limp in out of position.

Raise it- do not lmp behind with that hand. Maybe with suited connectors...

Punish limpers with a 1-3BB raise, not based on number of limpers

For me the question is how much are you raising it? If everyone else limped you are talking about raising it 5BB? That's a way overbet preflop. Even if you were the button and everyone limped around to you you should only be considering a 1-3 BB raise with KJ. Yes you have position for a c-bet, but what do you do when the other players are the ones putting in the c-bet. Are YOU going to call a cbet with a missed KJ flop? When everyone has limped to you throwing in a 1-2BB bet is enough to "punish" them if they are limping in with crap cards, but not enough to pot commit you if the rest of the play involves low betting by people with good hands.

K J? Just limp bro

I only overlimp in position with hands that play well multi way post flop or i am simply set mining. Smaller suited connectors or pairs are what you will find me showing up with in an overlimp - but if im in the HJ or better and im holding 9T suited or better...im raising it up to get the trash hands out and improve my odds of winning the hand.

With KJ there you should certainly be raising in that spot...i would make it 3bb + 2bb for the limpers + 1 or 1.5 more BB as an "i hate folding" fee. So 6 - 6.5BB raise, see the flop and go from there. Good luck to you and your future sessions

i believe so

Almost everything said but not by everyone. Two reasons for me to limp behind.
1. Got a speculative hand, that plays fit or fold, like small PP or SCs and it's very unlikely to get squeezed by someone, who is still left to act.
2. A table dynamic (in tournaments mostly), where you get a family pot anyway. Often a limp means the fishs have decided to play that hand anyway and raising just bloats the pot. So when an iso raise is likely to become a bloat raise, just limp behind - or shove with the right hand.