Following limpes SH

OK, I am currently playing 5max at ongame but occasionaly play the 6max at absolute when ongame is dry.

I would say on the whole my preflop strategy is fairly sound but I am sometimes very 50/50 on whether or not to follow a loose limper with marginal hands from the CO when playing 5max, and MP when playing 6max (I dont have too much trouble from the CO in 6max because I also get to see what mp does before I act).

At the moment I tend to follow with 56s+, K9s+ QJos+ any pocket pair if the table is LAG enough postflop to really pay off my floppped set. (sometimes raise KTs+ depending on the table) I still raise my usual openers.

Am I too loose (or perhaps even too tight)?

Shorthanded in the CO with 1 limper is pretty much raise or fold for me. Following one limper with hands like 56s is pretty bad. Even calling 2 limpers from the button with 56s is pretty marginal.

In 5 max you are really focusing on hands with high card value and if you have someone on your right who is limping in too often, then you should be raising (a lot). Ideally you raise and everyone else folds leaving you HU with the limper. Failing that you raise and get rid of the Button. Position, Position, Position.

Originally Posted by sinky

Shorthanded in the CO with 1 limper is pretty much raise or fold for me. Following one limper with hands like 56s is pretty bad. Even calling 2 limpers from the button with 56s is pretty marginal.

In 5 max you are really focusing on hands with high card value and if you have someone on your right who is limping in too often, then you should be raising (a lot). Ideally you raise and everyone else folds leaving you HU with the limper. Failing that you raise and get rid of the Button. Position, Position, Position.

I'm inclined to agree with most of this. Raising is almost always better than overlimping since it gives you a chance to buy the button and/or create dead money by folding out the blinds. It does make a difference if the limper is 20/0 vs. 60/15 though (for obvious reasons). Position is useful especially if the limper is the type to play fit or fold on the flop vs. a preflop raiser with position.

I generally would overlimp 65s or similar hands on the button with two or more (not one) limpers ahead, however. You're implied odds are good and you're going to know right away on the flop whether you want to continue with the hand or not.

I must admit, I do prefer to raise after someone limps but obv this is dependant on the table. I suppose I'm referring more to loose tables where I would expect both blinds to call any raise.

Originally Posted by Jibalob

I must admit, I do prefer to raise after someone limps but obv this is dependant on the table. I suppose I'm referring more to loose tables where I would expect both blinds to call any raise.

Assuming you're raising something better than whatever random hands the blinds are calling with you're still going to profit by raising with position.

But the usual rules still apply for multiway pots - pp and suited cards (preferably connected) go up in value and hands like KJ, KT you may as well overlimp or just fold.