Pre Flop Raises

[SupaMonkey]

I apologise if this is sounds trivial but I wanted to know how people decide their pre flop raises.

I have always followed Dan Harrington's advice and raised 3-5*BB however, this evening I was thinking that it is probaby best to use a bigger preflop raises when you are playing tighter. I am usually a very tight player and this evening I was opening with a 10*BB. I wasn't getting many calls but when i got looked up i made a nice sum. The only problem with this is that if (i mean when) you steal the blinds you either change the amount you bet (to 5*BB say), thus giving the incentive to your opponents to call you, or you risk a lot on a blind steal. This seemed to work for me (until i got my K-K busted by an A-Q and was out).

I ask because I am having a lot of trouble with my poker game. I think I play too tight and then either blind myself to death or successfully steal but only end up in 5/30th or 3/10th place.

I would appreciate any advice/comments.

[Ironside]

i find a pot raise is the right amount to raise preflop never change always the pot then people can get no read on if you have AA or 72o

if a pot raises puts 35% of your stack in the middle its all in or fold never put more than 35% of your stack into a pot and leave it there so if your intention is to play for all your chips then make the raise for all your chips and make them decide if they want to play for that amount

[jezza777]

I would say that a standard raise in a tournament situation is 3x or 4x the BB. There are several things to consider when choosing the size of your raise .

The first question to ask is Why am I raising? To steal or to define others hands , disguise your own?

Your stack size. If you will not be able to fold to a reraise then push in rather than making a standard raise. If you have a huge stack then you can raise higher in an attempt to bully the blinds or punish limpers when in position. Be careful of the stack you are attacking though if they are short then they may want to gamble or be recieving too good odds to fold.(god forbid they could even have a hand!)

The player and size of stack you are raising . If you are raising a tight player who has a prety healthy stack then you are most probably going to take his blind with a standard raise so why risk more.  

Your position , the earlier you raise the better hand you need generally speaking , I find that a raise on the button is getting less and less respect because everyone knows thats where to raise from. To conbat this I will put a raise in one or two before if folded to me , I will usually make this a little stronger than the standard .This has more of a chance of getting a call because it will have to go through more hands but people think it is a genuine raise with a genuine hand. You must be prepared to bet the pot on the flop here though even if you miss.

Do you want action? Are the blinds big enough so you are happy just to take them? if you have a monster then you want action . The classic minimum raise UTG with AA is a good example of this.

How comfortable are you at playing flops? if you dont like taking hands to the flop then make raises higher to win the hand there and then.

How much is currently in the pot? Are you opening the pot for a raise or coming over the top of someone or some limpers? you need a much stronger hand to call/ reraise a raise with than to open with a raise. if there are limpers i would suggest making a pot sized raise or just adding a bb to the standard raise for each caller.

The dynamics of the table. If a standard raise or minimum raise is generally taking the blinds then just do this the table often finds its own standard raise due to the players characteristics and stack sizes.

Or....... just raise 3xbb everytime you raise this has the benefit of making it almost impossible for your opponents to get a read on you via your raises. If you raise 3x bb with AA and the same with 72 then they can never peg you range of hands.

a bit jumbled but just some of my thoughts - good luck
jezza