How good is the pre-flop raise?

[satoruf]

One of the biggest unknowns, at least for me, is “how good is it to bet pre-flop”. I consider that sometimes with medium hands climbing to strong (1010-JJ-QQ) it is important to bet pre-flop and even in various situations to be forced to do all in, especially with QQ. On the other hand, sometimes I think that with hands like (KK-AA-AK) it is sometimes better to play quietly, even if we see an aggressive player, especially to be able to wrap them up, make them feel confident with their hands and then try to put them in uncomfortable situations where they risk more than they would risk if we played hard from the flop, obviously all this taking into account a previous analysis of the players at the table, depending on their styles of play we can give a passive call or make a re-raise to avoid handcalls than perhaps seeing the flop they could be great threats, hands like 10-9/ 8-9/ 6-7, which could complete us with a ladder, double pair and if they are suitable color. In short, the gaming strategy and profitability you should use depends a lot on the style of play of your rivals, so you must learn to analyze them to get the most out of them. Then in another post I will write about how to play and analyze certain types of players

 

[TeUnit]

If you bet you have 2 ways to win the hand - getting the best hand to fold and having the best hand.

If you dont bet you only have 1 way to win the hand - having the best hand.

 

[GarotoMaroto]

Raise pre flop is very good,but i prefer to shove AA,limp is worst,unless you are in the small blind,raise and re raise with strong hands are almost aways the best thing to do
God bless

 

[TheKAAHK]

Unless you have a very compelling reason not to (super agro player behind you, terrible position stack wise to a monster stack, 100bbs deep without antes in play, super short, things like that), you should be raising your entire playing range.
If you want to play 3 5 suited, raise it. AA? raise it. If you play against anyone paying attention and you have the habit of raising mid hands and limping the top and bottom of your range, they will quickly get a handle on your probable range and adjust to ruin you post flop.

 

[Leandro6803]

The pre flop raise is always very positive, even if you are playing for value or bluff, just like 3-betting.

Playing slowly with strong hands or very strong hands is not very smart for a good player.

 

[Poker Orifice]

Unless you have a very compelling reason not to (super agro player behind you, terrible position stack wise to a monster stack, 100bbs deep without antes in play, super short, things like that), you should be raising your entire playing range.
If you want to play 3 5 suited, raise it. AA? raise it. If you play against anyone paying attention and you have the habit of raising mid hands and limping the top and bottom of your range, they will quickly get a handle on your probable range and adjust to ruin you post flop.

Holy F___ It's the KAAHK!!! Welcome back.... KAAHK!

 

[slysilvosilvo]

Eliminates the weak hands waiting for chance to see a flop - letting you in play with "serious " hands

 

[Igor Popadyk]

I think so, yes, a lot depends on the style of the players, but also on the stacks, but still my opinion is that it is better to play a raise - as for me, a more active game brings more money, plus it narrows the range of his call

 

[scobido]

I don't agree with the idea that it eliminates weak hands, because 20-30 percent of those with impressive bankrolls, I'm sure, will call before the flop.

 

[pentazepam]

You are raising both to build a bigger pot with the better part of your range and to attack the blinds. If we had no blinds (or antes) everyone could just wait for aces.

There are some rare exceptions mainly when you are short-stacked on an aggressive table in tournaments when a limping range can be incorporated. Or if you are very short HU in the SB.

The only exception in cash games is probably if you have a maniac that attacks limps by raising big or even moving all-in but respects normal raises.

 

[pentazepam]

I don't agree with the idea that it eliminates weak hands, because 20-30 percent of those with impressive bankrolls, I'm sure, will call before the flop.

And that is good for us.

 

[yogo9]

When you raise pre flop you can better represent stronger hands post flop. It also makes people fold pre so you will have better overall equity post flop as well.
There's a few reasons why raising pre-flop is good and preferred:
-If you have a good starting hand, you start building the pot to realize your equity.
-If you have a mediocre hand, you can get people to fold and take the pot away before the flop is dealt. This is often done in late position to steal the blinds, or occasionally done as a re-raise to squeeze out a previous raiser. This is more of an advanced play, though.
-If you have a hand like AA or KK, you typically want to get it to only 1 opponent given these hands don't play well with multiple people in the hand. You also want to build the pot, as stated in the 1st point.

 

[Pityesz1974]

It depends on your card, your position, the calls in front of you and the style of the players.

 

[john_entony]

One of the biggest unknowns, at least for me, is “how good is it to bet pre-flop”. I consider that sometimes with medium hands climbing to strong (1010-JJ-QQ) it is important to bet pre-flop and even in various situations to be forced to do all in, especially with QQ. On the other hand, sometimes I think that with hands like (KK-AA-AK) it is sometimes better to play quietly, even if we see an aggressive player, especially to be able to wrap them up, make them feel confident with their hands and then try to put them in uncomfortable situations where they risk more than they would risk if we played hard from the flop, obviously all this taking into account a previous analysis of the players at the table, depending on their styles of play we can give a passive call or make a re-raise to avoid handcalls than perhaps seeing the flop they could be great threats, hands like 10-9/ 8-9/ 6-7, which could complete us with a ladder, double pair and if they are suitable color. In short, the gaming strategy and profitability you should use depends a lot on the style of play of your rivals, so you must learn to analyze them to get the most out of them. Then in another post I will write about how to play and analyze certain types of players

It all depends on the stack size of your opponents and your position. For example, you have 15 BB and you have QQ. Limp in early/mid position at the table gives a lot of advantages, if you are sure that conditionally small stack of 4-7 BB will go all-in, and the second opponent (is a fish... like me ) with a stack of your level or more called, you can always spin this fish all-in. But as you rightly pointed out, it all depends on the manner of play of the opponents at the table.

 

[alabos]

You see after the hand.......sometimes that doing well and you win alot but sometimes everybody fold and you win almost nothing.....ddepend the kind of table you have...if i am in good stretch i will try sometimes but i prefer raise after the flop......