Limping
After reading Dan Harrington's 2014 update to his series, I followed his advice of always coming in for a raise. Yes, it is difficult in early position to raise it up with 6-6 while doing a little set mining but I thought it was a very beneficial change in my game. However, APT advises me to limp with my small pairs in early position. Related to this, APT has me opening with Axs and small suited connectors in early position which is significant widening of my range and will continue to experiment with it in live play, but APT want me to limp with these in early to middle position and I question that. Would appreciate hearing what others think about these points.
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Comments
Unless in the SB and playing a mixed strategy, limping in when 1st to act is a -EV play. In really weak-passive games you can get away with it much of the time and not be punished pre-flop but it is still an overall negative play. I can get on board with limping behind (if you aren't worried about being squeezed too frequently) but the open limp is something to be avoided, IMO.
Opening 66 from EP in a full ring is ambitious but I'd rather see that play than the open limp any day. I have never seen a credible explanation for how open-limping can be a good poker play. If anyone else has, I'd love to hear it. How can limiting your opportunities to win a pot and increasing variance work out to be a winning move? How does subsidizing the equity of the blinds help you?
I have never seen, heard, or read about a good/great player open limp. Never known one to recommend it.
As poker is a game of information, limps give off info. You have a weak holding. The way to withhold info is to raise to the same size each open.
Limping also allows other players to play cheaply. The big blind plays for free.
Low pairs are ok to open in EP in less aggressive games or deep stack games. Aggressive players will 3 bet and barrel you off the hand with air. If you are uncomfortable open raising them, think of getting 3bet and facing a 3/4 pot cbet.
If you do not like open raising small pairs early position, then don't do it. Fold rather than open limp.
For those that think one can balance by limp reraising strong hands, that's covering bad play with a worse play. I know what you have on limp reraise too.
I agree with @1warlock limping along from late position is ok mainly because one is getting good pot odds to play weaker holdings.
Same applies for the other holdings mentioned.
Open raise or fold.
I was heartened to see others agree that open limping is bad play. But the APT advisors routinely recommend open limping. I left APT for 6 months primarily because of this but recently returned because I like some features. Is there a way to communicate directly with the folks who run this site to inquire why they continue to recommend open limping?
i read there are only two (2) rules must follow when play poker...
never fold AA preflop
never fold a Royal Flush