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by Al Sousa (site owner)

At times good players can miss out on opportunities to earn more money by preflop play based on their opponent. Selecting the correct hand preflop is essential for success but there are other strategies that can be used to gain more bets per hour and apply fear to your opponent.

In a game with where there are many to the flop it is correct to raise on the button with hands can win many ways. These hands may not be the best hand preflop but because of their potential their share of the pot is greater than most of the hands that have called already. The raise will do one of many things: disguise the hand , potentially allow for a free card, and allow pot odds for weaker draws.

Pot Equity for 6 Players to the Flop
UTG: 22	EP2:KT	MP2:A5	CO:78	BUT:JT	BB:96
16.3%	19.1%	23.1%	13.0%	17.7%	10.1%

With 6 players to the flop the average pot equity is 16.6% per hand, their share of the pot. In the above example having JT on the button even with 3 hands that are beating you preflop gains that player more pot equity than the average. This is a play many books suggest that makes sense. The button have greater pot equity than average and position on all the other hands.

Now lets look at a two new situations. Lets say a loose passive player, being first in the pot, limps in the middle position. You have a hand like A3 or QT on the button. Both these hands are marginal hands at best. What should a player do, fold, call, or raise?

First, think about what kind of hands this player would limp in the middle position with. If they had a hand like AK, AQ, TT, 88, KQ wouldn't they raise being first in? Even a loose player can identify a premium hand when they have one. Most of the hands they are calling with are marginal hands themselves in which the A3 or QT you hold is actually ahead, so why not raise. You most likely have the best hand and you have position. Also look at the money you potentially gain by raising. For 2 small bets (by raising) you can potentially win the loose players 2 small bets, the big blind, and the small blind. This is a total of 3.5 bets for 2 bets invested, this is 1.75:1 on your money. Also how often will the other player improve on the flop. They will hit a pair about 1/3 of the time. If they have a suited or connected hand they have a 10-15% chance to hit a draw and even if they do you should be ahead. By raising on the button you invest very little to gain a lot. If you limp now you give the small blind to call and the big blind a free play. Now you have gained two more opponents and a much smaller chance to win the pot. Raising is the correct play.

Now lets examine if a good player limps in from early position. Many of his hands will be good hands, KJs, ATs, 88, 77. Now the advantage here is the fact the you can predict their hands and they will not call the flop without something unlike a loose player. Even if the tight player has a hand like 77 how can he call a flop with an ace or a king. If he does have a hand he will let you know quickly and you can determine how to play from there.

Now the last point about raising on the button in this situation like this is that the more you raise the more players will fear you. Also they will tend not to try and bluff you as often because they would fear a raise back. In fact anytime you think about coming into a pot being 1st in you should almost always raise.