PLO - When to raise or call raises PF?

[Big Boiler Dawg]

Up to now, I have been playing very passively pre-flop, usually just limping, or sometimes calling a raise after I have already limped. I have only been raising AAXX when one of the aces was suited, or when there were two other broadway cards.

This style is actually profitable, but obviously not optimal.

My questions are:

1) What hands are worth a raise, either opening or after limpers, and by how much?

2) What hands are worth calling a raise, either cold or after limping? What about after a raise and a re-raise?

Thanks for the help.

[clabbers]

On pure value, AA is worth a raise and nothing else is, with the possible exception of QJT9. I agree that a suit is beneficial, folding some aces is quite reasonable. Even though AA is far better than any other holding, it's only a 56% favorite over a random hand. In holdem AA is about 80% favorite.

Playing this way, however, makes you way too predictable. Cloutier recommends not raising with AA preflop. Certainly you should mix in some KKQJ, QJT9, T987 hands, preferably double suited so that you don't get abused when someone flops bottom two on you with an aceless board. It's also considered clever by some to big-bluff aces on any coordinated aceless board, particularly rainbow.

I'd lean toward call-reraising AA in early position and betting the pot in late position preflop. In the absence of a history of bluffing by the bettor, you'll have to fold to a big raise postflop when 3 of a suit or a 1 gapper or better straight flops.

Because of the tiny edge a good starting hand has, it's only a tiny math error to never raise preflop. Contrast with holdem, where failure to raise 3BB or more is a large error with KK QQ and JJ.

Slotboom's book and articles recommend looser preflop raises, but don't do this unless you buy his whole package of aggression, which includes betting the pot with KK after an ace flops! (recent Card Player article)

[clabbers]

As far as calling raises, you can be a bit looser. An ace in your hand may hurt you more than it hurts the raiser, as it greatly reduces your 2 pair possibilities. A rundown (QJT9) is a much better hand than an underpair, and suits matter, even though they are dangerous - you know he has 2 aces, eithir or both may be suited. Muck Kings or Queens unless they have strong straight or flush kickers, or a second pair. 2 pair in hand is a nice hand to play "hit it or quit it" in response to a raise.