I've seen this play quite a bit on certain PO FR's. I rarely do it myself, so I was wondering what was the mentality behind this sort of play. Maybe some experts on the limp play can chime in.

When shorstacked I tend to move all in at this point because I can increase my stack by more than 10% if I simply pick up the blinds. Only a monster hand or a monster stack can call 10BB pre flop. If I get called well, at least, I will have a hand that I thought was good to begin with, and I can double up.

I'm sure I'm missing something. Perhaps the reason this play exists is because its a psychological thing, it will keep aggressive players from raising with rags, and it also protects your investment, since you know only a monster can raise you since your liable to put them all in. Thus you can safely fold.

Maybe if you get a calling train, and hit the flop. Someone will pay you off.

The thing I don't get is, why would you waste more than 10% of your precious stack on a hand you don't want to get all in pre-flop. Your only going to see a precious few more hands. When you finally do pick up a great hand you will have less chips to double up with.

Then I thought. Well maybe this is a form of trap. Limp in with AA-JJ. AK-AJ. Get weaker hands to see the flop, and get paid off. I suppose the worst thing that can happen is you let K2 see a flop for free to suck out on your pocket Queens. No biggie right? Because another monster hand is probably waiting around the corner.