Limping as a plan of attack

I continue to have moderate success at the microlimits with four straight modest winning sessions. I have discovered I win more when I find a table that likes to limp, but not for the reasons you may think. I love to play short-handed, and I love to see flops. Most "aggros" get to a table that's full of limpers and "play the opposite" as the table is playing because that's what we are told to do. That's a great strategy when you know they'll fold or if you can outplay them. But I do consider myself a player generally better than the ones I'm facing at microlimits. So when someone joins the table and tries to take control I usually have a few tricks up my sleeve to keep him/her at bay when I'm in a pot. But I have to admit I've taken a shining to limping at passive tables and turning on my aggression when it's needed. I like to try to outplay them on later streets, but right now I don't have the gumption to try it at the higher stakes unless I'm playing live.

Limping in lower-stakes games lets me see more flops, plus helps define their hands because it forces them to raise a higher amount than usual with the extra bet in the pot. Also, I can outplay them later because these players tend to check when they miss and then often can be bluffed if I sell the story. And, this method can work for you just like the aggro method works. Aggros raise all of the time whether they have the hammer or the nuts. If you limp with 78 or with AA they won't know and can't put you on a hand. And yes, you can't put your opponents on hands either, but how often can you put an aggro on a hand? So it works both ways.

Don't get me wrong, I still like playing larger stakes when I play live, but I'm pretty firm on sticking with microlimits for my experimentation and strategy lessons. And right now, open limping has been paying off at these levels. And I do believe aggression is the best way to go, but sometimes I choose to use my aggression later, rather than preflop.

Also, I played two heads-up matches last night in PLO and won them both pretty handily. In fact, the first one I won before we got to the second level. I was amazed at how poorly they played the game, but again it was microlimit so they may have still been learning. I enjoy heads-up poker because there's only one person to worry about and I can totally concentrate on him.

I don't mind winning at this level as it sustains my bankroll without having to reload and lets me try things I might not want to try at higher levels. And it prepares me for Saturday's AIPS PLO tournament at noon ET.    

Comments

[mn156]

Not a fan of open limping. If your rationale is "I can outplay them post-flop" then you should be raising even more hands pre-flop so you can fully maximize your post flop advantage. I'd rather be outplaying people in $5 pots instead of $1 pots.

[Erwin Blonk]

I'm saying this from a purely PLO full ring game short-stack standpoint. I like to limp with good hands with a habitual raiser to my left. One or two callers and when it gets back to me, all-in, sit back and watch to fur fly. Often I go heads-up on the flop or turn. With the dead money, I need to take the pot less than 40% of the time. Very relaxing, it let others do the work for me (i.e. others raising each other out of the pot) :)

"And it prepares me for Saturday's AIPS PLO tournament at noon ET."

Nothing prepares you for the Blonkinater :>

[jherky]

Yeah, you WOULD like to limp.....

;-)

[Matt]

I also like to limp in when playing at the low limit texas holdem poker tables, especially in late position. I usually never limp in if I am playing at a table where several people are raising before the flop and there are bets and raises after the flop; it's just not worth it.

[Chris Cosenza]

This morning I played for 15 minutes before I left for work and continued with my limp strategy. Was dealt Ah6h UTG, limped, everyone called as well, flop came 9-6-6 rainbow. After the blinds checked I bet right out half pot, and I knew everyone would take that as either I had a 9, 78 or bluffing. It folded around to the BB who minraised, which told me he had a 6. The only 6 in his hand that would be better than mine would be 9-6. So I shoved, he called and had K6. If I had raised or folded I would never have gotten K6 to play. There are SOME advantages to limping in lower limits.