Pretty tight and passive table. My stack size is around $250, both villains cover me. Folds to tight passive player in mp, he limps, cutoff limps, I raise to $18 with 83o, blinds fold, both call.

I usually fold horrible hands like this on the button, but I decided to make a play with what looked like two easy limps and the blinds to steal. I probably should have made it more than $18.

Flop: QQ3r Both check to me, I bet $24. First limper c/r to $50, fold, Hero? I have villain on a range of pocket pairs 4s-9s based on reads and history.

Players that are seated at games with a mandatory straddle are wise to the ol' straddle raise game. They're not limping without something they're willing to call the straddle raise with. This also makes it hard to range them as, particularly if the straddler is seen as aggressive, they will limp with a much stronger than normal range.

This works very much to your advantage when you actually have the goods. When you don't have the goods, we end up in a bloated multiway pot and bottom pair.

We now have the opportunity to partially correct the mistakes we have made in this hand and slide our cards face-down to the dealer, towards the other player's discarded hands.