Thoughts on KQ and medium Aces.

[Van_Broke]

Keep in mind I play at the .25/50 level so things may not be the same as what most the players here seem to play at. I'm starting to think it's better to limp with these hands instead of raise in a cash game. I used to always raise with KQ if say I picked them up in the cutoff after it's folded to me or maybe one limper.

Problem is what kind of hands fold that would have called the BB? KJ, KT, QJ, QT, and worse with a lot of players. What kind of hands call? Obviously premium hands, but also medium Aces, and any pocket pair. Really if you raise with this hand, you only want to take it down with a CB. Problem is, an Ace flops you usually get called and can't move a guy off and hand like A8. You hit a K or Q, you either have the best hand and win a small pot right there or someone with AQ or AK smokes you. I guess what I'm saying is raising with this hand only removes the hands you have dominated with the exception of maybe hands like A3.

I think by limping you get a chance to win some good size pots with this hand over hands you have crushed. Obviously, you are going to win a smaller percentage of the time with it as you're going to have to fold more often, but the bigger pots you can win seem to more than make up for it. I look at hands like AT, A9 and even A8 and AJ the same way. I want weak aces calling the blind behind me without knowing the "strength" of my hand. I have been playing this way lately and so far it seems to be working out pretty good. What do you guys think?

[greenbuckets]

I don't know that I agree with your logic. When you raise, you are trying to elminate the players that want to see the flop for cheap. I will try to see a cheap flop with connectors higher than 8, Ax, suited one gappers, and the like.

I usually won't call a raise with Ax, 89, 79s, but I will try to see the flop for cheap if I can.

I agree that by limping you may hit the flop, but that is true with any two cards. You may win some pots, but by not raising, you are risking getting dominated by a "lucky flop."

For instance, if you limp in with KQ, I may call with 79s. Flop comes 79Q. You think you are in good shape with top pair and good kicker, but I have you dominated. By raising, you are forcing me out of the pot (most of the time), and putting yourself in good position to take it down.

By raising, you are also taking control of the hand. Even if you miss, continued aggression will win the pot more often than not if no one hit the flop.

Limping in with good hands can be effective at times and you may win some large pots, but I wouldn't make it a habit.

[JDMcNugent7]

Limping in the Cutoff with KQ when everyone folded to u is definitely a mistake. It is much too likely you have the best hand here, and by not raising you aren't gaining anything from your superior hand.

It's true hands like AJ, KQ and KJ can be trouble hands for many players - but they can and should be able to be profitable hands as well. Just don't fall in love with ur AJ when ur ace flops, and be able to fold ur KJ on a king high board when ur facing alot of aggression.
While limping might seem like the safer approach, in many ways it can be alot more dangerous, as you just let everyone limp in, and havent pushed out or defined any hands- it will be very hard to know what ur up against once the flop comes.

Also, by not raising and isolating, getting the pot to be just between 2 or 3 players, you lose the option of winning a decent pot just by making a CB - and those smallish pots certainly add up over time.