Two players limp and you have ace-jack on the button. Limp, raise or fold?
Limped pots are everywhere in live poker. How you play behind limpers decides whether you play big pots in position against weak players, or small multiway pots with no edge.
The hand
$1/$3 No-Limit Hold'em, 9-handed. You have $400, UTG+1 has $350. UTG+1 is a loose-passive player: plays lots of hands and calls far more than they bet or raise.
- You
- Button, A♦J♣
- Preflop
- UTG+1 limps. The hijack limps.
What do you do?
How to think about it
1. Know your options
The pot is $10. You can fold, call $3 or raise to $20.
2. Think about what each option leads to
- Limping keeps the pot small and multiway. Ace-jack plays poorly against several opponents, because one pair is rarely good enough when four players see the flop.
- Raising aims to cut the field to one or two players, with you in position and holding the stronger hand.
3. Ask who you're up against
The first limper is a loose-passive player: plays lots of hands and calls far more than they bet or raise. Loose-passive players limp with many weak hands and often call a raise anyway. Is that a player you want to play a bigger pot against, in position, with a hand that dominates much of their range?
A common live sizing for an isolation raise is about four or five big blinds plus one more for each limper, so the limpers don't get a cheap price to call.
See the engine's answer
LevelUp's poker engine works out exactly what this player holds here, how often each option wins, and its dollar value against this opponent type. Play spots like this at an animated table, explain your reasoning, and find out which of your instincts are costing you money.
The takeaway
Behind loose limpers, strong hands want to play heads-up in position. Pick a size that makes calling expensive for the weak hands they limp with.