Cards that you raise/fold, not call.

I've heard a lot of talk of people saying you should either raise or fold before the flop and not call. Under what situations should one do this? I apologize if this is too large of a question but I don't see how this play is profitable.
Thanks in advance,
Rolon

You should only be calling with pocket pairs preflop and a couple of other things.

When you want to play a junk hand in late position, you should definity raise to thin the field and set up your post flop play. So if you get a junky hand and a few limpers ahead, it's a raise/fold situation even though you might feel calling would be best becuase of pot odds.

-'rilla

A hand like AJ is a good example of raise/fold.

Originally Posted by evman150

A hand like AJ is a good example of raise/fold.

Not really. I often don't raise with A-J in early position since I might get called by a hand which dominates mine, but I still want to see the flop. If someone raises after me, I'll often fold.

Originally Posted by dsaxton

Originally Posted by evman150

A hand like AJ is a good example of raise/fold.

Not really. I often don't raise with A-J in early position since I might get called by a hand which dominates mine, but I still want to see the flop. If someone raises after me, I'll often fold.

I agree, raising with AJ in early position can be inviting trouble. I usually take the view that the same goes for AQ in a full game, though I know that others don't agree. But if AJ or AQ runs into AK then it is in big trouble - and if it runs into any pair, it is a slight underdog.

Originally Posted by rolonrolon

I've heard a lot of talk of people saying you should either raise or fold before the flop and not call. Under what situations should one do this? I apologize if this is too large of a question but I don't see how this play is profitable.
Thanks in advance,
Rolon

The bottom line is, it depends on the table, the point in the game, and how you want to play.

If you are on a table with timid players and you want to be aggressive, then raising pre-flop will pick up a lot of pots.

If you are playing drawing hands, such as suited connectors, then you want players in the pot so that when your draw hits you can pick up a large pot. So you might want to just call with these, but if you're in late position then a little raise wouldn't be amiss.

Remember that the aim or raising is not just to get money in the pot when you have a decent hand, but to reduce the number of players in a hand who can beat you. If you just call you allow players to limp in and this greatly increases the chance that someone will hit something on the flop to beat you. Any two high cards which do not pair are behind to someone playing 32o in the big blind if a 3 or 2 comes on the flop!

Furthermore, if you just call, you are inviting someone to raise you. You require a stronger hand to call a raise than to raise with in the first place! When the pot is raised to you, if you throw your hand away in response to this, you've just kissed goodbye to whatever you've already put in the middle!

Especially late on in a tournament, most situations are definitely "pump it or dump it"!!

With AJ I was thinking more along the lines of fold it in early position, raise it in late position when there's no raise and fold if there was a raise. Calling with AJo is never a good play IMO. Maybe on the button against loose blinds.

AQo in EP.

Originally Posted by journey075

AQo in EP.

i'll raise preflop 4-5x the BB if im reraised too big, i'll muck.

Originally Posted by Element187

Originally Posted by journey075

AQo in EP.

i'll raise preflop 4-5x the BB if im reraised too big, i'll muck.

exactly, this is a hand that you certainly want to know where you stand before committing yourself.

my post wasnt a question lol.

Originally Posted by journey075

Originally Posted by Element187

Originally Posted by journey075

AQo in EP.

i'll raise preflop 4-5x the BB if im reraised too big, i'll muck.

exactly, this is a hand that you certainly want to know where you stand before committing yourself.

my post wasnt a question lol.

ya tossing AJ in EP is an easy one.

i like to raise in late position, just to establish control in the hand, flop misses me, flop size bet, everyone folds the majority of the time.