Yesterday I played a session of O8 where three different players all chose to play with trips in their hands, AAAK, TTTJ and KKKx, all in pots that were raised preflop.

I wouldn't have played them, they had two way action, one way was a one outer, the KKKx only had a one outer. None of them had a safety low in a raised pot.

All three of them won, BTW.

Would any of you recommend playing these hands when raised preflop?

Speaking of preflop raises, T.J. Cloutier said in his book that there are no hands in O8 worthy of a preflop raise, mostly because of the uncertainty of the flop.

Cappelletti likes preflop raises more, and recommends to raise with two way nut action, AA23, suited being better, and even second nuts that can be improved or promoted..

It's hard to find a game online where preflop raises aren't the norm.

How do you guys feel about preflop raising?

T.J. is probably playing craps right now, so I'd ignore what he says on not raising.

Fold trips. If you are in the BB and it's unraised then you can check, but that's about it.

If you are going to raise preflop make sure it's for the right reasons. Is it a pot sweetener with A23x in LP? Or is it a 'get me heads up' full pot raise with AAxx? If you decide you want multiway action then raise as much as you think will get called by everyone.

Are you asking about limit or PL?

Trip hands are junk in limit, every single one except for AAA2-3 or A222 should be insta mucked. Don't even limp them.

In pot limit, you can get away with a few more AAA hands, but they're very marginal and you wouldn't miss much if you mucked them.

Phil's dead right on both counts.

Thanks, that's what I think, too.

Most people play terrible hands, which is a good thing, but, frustrating as hell when they keep winning with them.

Especially on sites where they deal the cards slower...

First card - K... "Good start"

Second card - K... "Cool!"

Third card - blank... "We're still in business"

Fourth card - K... "Aw, [censored]"