New Poker player question?

[krob]

I watch Holdem on TV, I read up on it on the net as much as possible. Everyone has there stradegy but theres one thing i can never figure out. Why do so many times people raise pre-flop. Especialy if you have good cards? My thinking, and please im looking for tips, IF you wait till after the flop its more likely more people will stay in, then you have a possibility for a bigger pot. Thanks for any advice...

[Xianti]

Greetings, krob.

It's all about protecting your good cards. Great starting hands, no matter how great they are, are vulnerable to being out-drawn if you allow too many players to see the board.

You can read more about this in-depth in Tyson's essay here:
http://www.flopturnriver.com/essays_...ps_0_to_2.html

[Xianti]

{Moved from Hold'em Strategies}

[krob]

Thanks, very much.
Sorry for posting in wrong area, as you can see by the number of posts im new at the whole message board to.

[Toasty]

Welcome to FTR Krob

[ttanaka]

Hey, Krob, welcome board. Think of it this way, you want to put your money in, and have your opponents calling your bets, when you are winning. This is a simple concept but a key to winning.

In your best estimation, if you are ahead, you should bet it, and force your opponents to make tough decisions, the weaker players will make the wrong decisions and put their money in when they are behind.

This strategy begins right off the deal, your first two cards. Even then, if you have a strong hand, and could easily be ahead, well that's when the pre-flop raise is important. If you're holding AK, your opponent is holding AJ, well you are ahead, you should put in that pre-flop raise, and then put the decision on your opponent to make the call.

We make our money from poor players making poor decisions. Pre-flop raising is one of those poins that put poor players in a position to make a bad decision. And they will.