2 LP hands (PLO100)

[Aisthesis]

My main question on both of these is whether you guys think it was a mistake not to raise them. If so, my additional question is what I really buy in doing so.

I guess I should also add that I pretty much have to have a very rock-like image in this game, as I'm seeing about 8% of flops at the time of the first hand, which I think finally went up to maybe 13% by the end of the session. I wasn't catching many hands, obviously, and was trying to play tight (not THAT tight, though) because the pots were playing very large: When I first sat down, the average pot-size was $85, which I view as a pretty good 2/4 table (!), and it calmed down to around $40 or so by the time of these hands). But in any case, there were a lot of double-stacks, only one shorty, then me at just a full stack. Despite the huge pot-size, the game didn't seem completely crazy, just lots of raises, and particularly the player to my right was taking a LOT of stabs at pots but would usually back down without something of substance. The big pots were largely the result also of some weird battles between various looseys.

First hand with that background: I have AhJs8h5s in CO with full stack and 2 MP limpers. I decide to limp here, and I really think this is pretty much correct in most cases. But maybe not when I have an ultra-tight image. Not having raised anything after probably 30 or so hands, I think they'll put me on AA, which does buy me something if I can spike an A. On the other hand, this hand isn't particularly great, and for showdown value I'm really looking pretty much exclusively for top 2 or hearts. Basically, in principle I feel like this is actually a pretty marginal hand but not horrible to play in LP for a limp. Raising could have some advantages.

Then, as long as I've introduced the hand, might as well get opinions on my subsequent play: Button and SB both fold, so we're 4-way here.

Flop comes Qs7h5h, so I have bottom pair with nut flush draw as well as runner-runner spades. Checked to me, I bet it out, and all fold. Good semi-bluff to checks in a 4-way? Anyhow, I think raising on THIS board might have actually hurt my hand, as they'd be likely to put me on AA, maybe with flush draw, and I would have been more likely to get playback I wouldn't be particularly happy about. This way, there's really no reason I can't have QQ.

Hand 2:

I have QhQs7h7c and $120 or so OTB to 2 limpers. Again I decide to limp, although I view this hand actually as more of an LP raising candidate. But several things. First, I might be able to buy a pot if an A flops, but doing that doesn't really excite me if I don't at least make the flush draw, which is the only draw I have here unless I spike a set. Second, I think it gives me some good options if I can spike top set with the Q (I could probably stack middle set) but may make it more difficult to play if I spike middle set with the 7 (I have a greater chance of being forced to lay down to a draw on that one). So, anyhow, I limp.

On this one, I'm a bit less certain as to my subsequent play, specifically on the turn. But here's what happens:

Flop is seen 5-way and comes Ts7s5h. Checked to me, I pot, and loose player to my right is my only caller (he has about $200 and has me covered).

Turn 6s, and he checks (??!). Well, I haven't really played enough hands against this guy to know what he's going to do with a flush here, which is certainly the most plausible draw, although there are also plenty of straights to draw to on this board. So, I check it behind. If I knew this player as straightforward, I'd bet here to shut down straight draws, but I just don't.

River Ks. No paired board and no straight. He checks, and I check it behind yet again. He shows J964 with 2 hearts that could have hit runner-runner, so a pretty unusual group of straight draws, but fair enough.

Like or dislike?

[Felonius_Monk]

[briachek]

[Aisthesis]

To bri: Yes, it really is, although I do think it's the kind of hand which can be played profitably in LP for a limp. I figure it's probably the kind of thing that a lot of people (Darwin included, who raised some much worse hands in LP, as I discovered with my study) would raise. I'm glad to hear that Monk is more in line with at least optional limp.

I think it's a very good hand to play under these circumstances--namely that I look extremely tight, as I think my fold equity will be pretty high on spiking some vague piece, and I have position.

[Felonius_Monk]

[briachek]

[Kuso]

[Aisthesis]

[Aisthesis]

[Kuso]

[briachek]

[Anders]

[Aisthesis]