Quote:
Originally Posted by Ishipit
As for the limpers... I've been usually going with 3x the BB + the total of all the limpers $ in the pot if I want to raise it. (So I should be raising a little more than that? Like that 12 + the SB + call the BB = 15?) Or if I want them all out, I bet at least 30 there, or sometimes when shorter stacked I just shove preflop.
This a good rule of thumb and can be tweaked situationally. in later rounds of an MTT, for example, you can go lower than 3bb+1bb per limper. In cash games, players tend to call wider, so a larger base bet may be necessary, depending on the table. 4bb or 5bb + 1bb per limper may be correct, depending on the table. It is tricky, because there is a fine line between running off everyone and getting no action on your KK, or making a bet that the first limper calls, pricing everyone esle in, and now you are playing KK against 4 callers in a bloated pot, which is a recipe for a trip to the ATM.
Resist the tendency to alter your bet size based on what you want them to do based on the strength of your hand (unless you are willing to also alter your bet size opposite of what you want them to do as well). Betting the strength of your hand is a pretty exploitable tell.