Buying the button

[biggle10]

OK, this is very basic stuff but I need some insight.

Low limit live:

Let's say I have a marginal hand like ATo in the CO. There's 2 limpers prior to me at a full table. I frequently raise this to gain initiative, to buy the button, and I probably have the best hand. However, the other night the button, SB, and BB called every time with any two literally (23o, etc). Should I give up raising so as to not inflate the pot so they can make bigger mistakes later or do my raises become 'for value' since they are calling with weaker hands?

[mrmyrtle]

wait for something strong and re-raise their ass's a few times will stop all of that crap.......dont be passive

[biggle10]

Not a reraise, I'm first to do raise. I can't tell if you are suggesting fold, call, or raise.

[mervhage]

myrtle is suggesting you raise based on the premise that you're raising from the CO and you are being reraised with junk, in which case you can pop them back if you have a strong hand.

IMO, I would continue to raise for value. If you're frequently taking the best hand to the flop, then you should be posting a profit vs severe junk hands.

Is my post of any help?

[biggle10]

OK thanks.

[mervhage]

OK thanks.

Whoa whoa! Let's not etch it in stone based on what I say. I'd like to hear what some of the other guys and dolls think.

[jp]

I agree with Merv. If you are raising with the best hand a majority of the time, you need to keep value raising and punish the blinds.

[goofyballer]

It's a good value raise as long as you don't go overboard in terms of c-betting missed flops. You can play for a free card, but in the face of any aggression...

[caffiend]

Let's say I have a marginal hand like ATo in the CO. There's 2 limpers prior to me at a full table. I frequently raise this to gain initiative, to buy the button, and I probably have the best hand. However, the other night the button, SB, and BB called every time with any two literally (23o, etc). Should I give up raising so as to not inflate the pot so they can make bigger mistakes later or do my raises become 'for value' since they are calling with weaker hands?

Personally, I'd give up raising here. While you're forcing the blinds to make a small mistake by calling, the large pot removes any reasonable chance that they'll make bigger mistakes later. You're cutting off your nose to spite your face.

While there's something to be said for the "big mistake theory," I'm more partial to the "maximum mistake theory." Keep the pot small and let the three of them make mistakes on every street.

That doesn't mean I wouldn't mess with them though. I'd definately reraise and cut them off whenever it was reasonable to. If the limpers were a couple sandwiches short of a picnic I'd bet into flops that were checked around too, if I thought the overcalls might eliminate the only decent hands out there.

This is just food for thought, but you know you're going to be playing every pot at least five handed in that position. You might be better off folding marginal hands you want to raise like ATo in favor of playing twice as many shitty hands. Obviously you're playing any suited ace or connector, but depending on the people I might open that up to suited kings and middle offuit connectors, maybe even some suited single gap hands.