Considerations for size of PFR

[EricE]

What are the things that you consider when deciding the size of a pre flop raise and how do they influence it.


Here are the things I know of, correct me and add to the list if you would please.

How strong your cards are (obviously) - The better the higher the raise.
Your position - the earlier the lower the raise. (why is that?)
Your opponents – If trying to isolate, what size raise will fold out the # of people I am hoping to fold. If trying to feed the pot, what raise is callable by the # of people I want in the pot.

What considerations are added when facing a raise from an earlier position?

[a500lbgorilla]

How strong your cards are (obviously) - The better the higher the raise.

Wrong. Don't vary your raises. It only gives ops free information.

Your position - the earlier the lower the raise. (why is that?)

Wrong. Don't vary your raises. Also, you don't want it to be cheaper for ops with position on you to call. Your ep raises should represent the stronger hands since you're oop for the rest of the hand.

Your opponents – If trying to isolate, what size raise will fold out the # of people I am hoping to fold. If trying to feed the pot, what raise is callable by the # of people I want in the pot.

Don't vary your raises. But if you just want calls, just minraise.

What considerations are added when facing a raise from an earlier position?

How tight is he?

-'rilla

[SinkRox]

interesting views rilla, the thing is I found a 5x BB raise was too much to raise UTG and hardly anyone ever called, making it 4x BB was more effective. And 5x if MP with one caller, or 4x bb if LP and no callers.

I think it depends on the pokerroom and of course tables/players so keep an eye on it all.

I think you have to vary your raises mainly geared towards current limpers, maybe add 1BB for each limper (ontop of your usual raise).

[nick87]

I usually always raise 4x the BB just becuase its easy and consistent.

I read a good aggressive strategy that I liked but haven't tried out yet and its this:

no limpers in front of you, just raise 4x the BB
(ie, blinds 5/10, raise to 50)

if there are limpers in front of you, raise 4x the BB + the amount of the pot
(ie, 3 limpers in front at 5/10, 50 [normal raise] + 30 [limpers] to 80)

if you want to raise a reraise just reraise 3x their raise.
(ie, raise opp raises to 50, reraise to 200)


some people minraise preflop alot and I've never really understood what exactly to do.

I usually reraise alot if I want to play the hand and if they come over the top I fold without AA or KK or something like that.



I dont' really play like that but I kind of like the idea.

[Greedo017]

i think the best thing to do is just raise 4xBB everytime. i do make an exception if there are limpers before me, but usually i just judge based on how loose the table is, and i'll bump it to 5 if i think i'm at risk of too many callers. you don't really want to change your PFR if you can avoid it, and a change in position or cards isn't a strong enough reason to give up more information, but having too many callers is.

[Checkways]

85% of the time I raise 4XBB in any position.

Occasionally I will raise 3XBB with mediocre hands or AA KK.

But I will usually raise 5X or more if there are a lot of limpers or if my table is way too loose. Or if I have a medium pocket pair.

It really depends on your table. What will they call. What won't they call. But keeping it consistent is important.

If you vary your pfr every once in a while, a lot of times you don't even show those hands, so they never get a read on it.

[EricE]

Wow. OK. I have been giving away too much info then. Thanks.

[Irisheyes]

Surely if you vary your raise based on the number of limpers ahead of you etc. and not on the strengh of your hand you are giving away miss-information. This is a better play then keeping your raises strictly the same is it not?

[storm75m]

Any PFR depends strictly on your purpose, and your opponents calling/raising tendencies. Do you want to take the pot down right there? Do you want a caller or two? Are you just building the pot? You have to find the right amount to bet in each one of those situations to get your desired results based on how your opponents are playing. Once you find that amount, you should keep it fairly consistent from there. The only situation where I vary a little, is when I'm UTG and want callers (decent drawing hand like JQs) or the I'm on the button and have a monster, but don't want to completely scare away the blinds. I may bet less in these situations. Or, if I have a venerable but good PP like JJ with a lot of limpers, I may raise bigger. I was at a 6max table yesterday where three or four people were regularly calling 8XBB raises, so you have to adjust accordingly.

[Element187]

How strong your cards are (obviously) - The better the higher the raise.

Wrong. Don't vary your raises. It only gives ops free information.

Your position - the earlier the lower the raise. (why is that?)

Wrong. Don't vary your raises. Also, you don't want it to be cheaper for ops with position on you to call. Your ep raises should represent the stronger hands since you're oop for the rest of the hand.

Your opponents – If trying to isolate, what size raise will fold out the # of people I am hoping to fold. If trying to feed the pot, what raise is callable by the # of people I want in the pot.

Don't vary your raises. But if you just want calls, just minraise.

What considerations are added when facing a raise from an earlier position?

How tight is he?

-'rilla

nothing left to say 'Rilla knocked this one out of the park.


you want to raise the same amount everytime. 4x the big blind should be standard no matter if you hold AA or 72o.

[Element187]

Or, if I have a venerable but good PP like JJ with a lot of limpers, I may raise bigger.

i'm picking up on people playing like this and reraising them all in with nothing and getting folds.

with JJ or TT i still raise the same amount... 4x